Category Archives: World Opinion

Sailing against the tide

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Olympaid swimmer Srihari Nataraj’s coach, Nihar Ameen in a candid chat with CE, shares why Tokyo Olympics 2020 was the toughest mission for him

Bengaluru :

He may not have won a medal at the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics 2020. But swimmer Srihari Nataraj’s coach, Nihar Ameen, is proud of his student who has faced several lows during the last one-and-a-half years as he prepared for the biggest sporting event. During a tete-a-tete with the coach on a weekday afternoon, Ameen shows no sense of disappointment at his ‘shishya’ not bringing home a medal. Instead, following Nataraj’s elimination at the Olympics, Ameen has got down to business immediately. He’s working on Nataraj’s performance who he feels needs to be stronger and fitter. “We are just waiting for the 2022 calendar to come out and we have already started the preparations for the Asian Games. We have got three years now to set everything right and we will come back with a medal from Paris in 2024,” says Ameen, a Dronacharya awardee.

Along the course of the conversation, Ameen, who has been a trainer for nearly four decades, confides that this has been the toughest mission for him so far.While the fear of Covid-19 remained on one side, the task to prepare Nataraj for the Olympics to “start from scratch” was another. Following the lockdown in India during 2020, a lot of sports arenas and training centres were shutdown. Swimming pools were no different. Ameen believes that the closure of swimming pools did take a severe toll on training. “In India, pools were completely shut for seven-eight months. Srihari got no training whatsoever. If at all the lockdown was relaxed and swimming centres opened early in 2020, Nataraj’s results would be different. I am confident that he would have reached the finals,” says Ameen, who had little time to get Nataraj to the top 16 in the world.

The inconsistent training periods also proved to be a major challenge for the coach. “Sportspersons become very rusty if there is no consistent training. I had to bring Nataraj from zero because he was not in the best of shapes. Although Nataraj is tough mentally, however, we had to build the natural processes. Being out of water for so long, he also suffered a shoulder injury during an event in Dubai,” says Ameen, adding that Nataraj had just 10 days to come to his best ahead of the competition at Tokyo Olympics.

From a very festive departure in New Delhi to a very subdued welcome at Tokyo, Ameen admits he was shocked and surprised at the “dead atmosphere” that shadowed the world’s most important sporting event. After landing in Tokyo, the team was made to wait for over six hours due to the strict health protocols enforced at the airport. “This wait too, affected the minds of participants,” feels Ameen.

The rapport between Ameen and Nataraj is like any other case study of a guru and his disciple. Ameen believes that with the right nurturing, Nataraj will go places. “He is a self-motivated person, and is a national asset who needs to be nurtured well,” Ameen adds. The two often sit together and plan the training programme. “Once he gets down to do what he is supposed to do, I am there to supervise. We don’t have any verbal communication after that,”says Ameen.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Sanath Prasad, Express News Service / August 12th, 2021

UAE based NRI entrepreneur announces Rs 1 crore reward for Sreejesh

KERALA, INDIA / UAE :

A non-resident Indian healthcare entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates on Monday announced a Rs one crore cash reward for the Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper P R Sreejesh

P R Sreejesh, Indian men’s hockey goalkeeper

A non-resident Indian healthcare entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates on Monday announced a Rs one crore cash reward for the Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper P R Sreejesh.

The announcement by Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil comes days after the Indian men’s team won the bronze medal at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.

Sreejesh, who belongs to Kerala, pulled off a series of stunning saves to help the country win its first Olympic medal in hockey after 41 years.

“Through his outstanding performance at the Olympics, Sreejesh has brought joy to Indians around the world. As a fellow Malayali, I take tremendous pride in his achievement,” Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director of VPS Healthcare, was quoted as saying in a media release.

Vayalil also called Sreejesh to congratulate him for his exemplary performance.

Dr. Shamsheer has congratulated the entire team for this great achievement and offered his support to us. The announcement of the Rs. 1 crore reward caught me by surprise. A reward for winning a medal in the Olympics is delightful news and I feel very fortunate to be the recipient, said Sreejesh.

Over the last two decades, Sreejesh has carved a niche for himself in the field of hockey. Entering the junior national hockey team in the early 2000s, Sreejesh worked hard to make his way to the national team.

He also served as the captain of the national team in 2016. His quick reflexes and consistent performance have earned him the moniker The Great Wall of India’.

Sreejesh, who returns to India on Monday after the successful Tokyo campaign, will be presented with the cash prize at a special function in Kochi.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Sports> Tokyo Olympics 2020> News / by Press Trust of India, Dubai / August 09th, 2021

‘Who is AR Rahman?’ Maybe these wondrous achievements by the maestro composer will tell…

Chennai, TAMIL NADU :

It is Henry Ford who said, “Anyone who stops learning is old — whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” While it isn’t a crime not to know who AR Rahman is, one must also know icons who fill each cell of your body with pride are hard to come by. A true legend of his craft, it is never late to know a thing or two about the gifted man who has made every Indian proud. Here are 10 facts that could help a complete stranger to know the giant AR Rahman is, and why he is a true emotion that bonds the entire country.
Winner of six National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, fifteen Filmfare Awards and seventeen Filmfare Awards South, AR Rahman is fondly called “the Mozart of Madras.”(Photo | AP)
In 2012, AR Rahman revealed that he was invited for a dinner at the White House by the family of the President of the United States. (Photo | AP)
Considering his professional experience ARR was given the scholarship to study at Oxford’s Trinity College, where he received a degree in Western classical music. (Photo | PTI)
AR Rahman is the first Asian to win two Oscars in the same year. (File Photo)
In 2013, a street in Markham, Ontario, Canada, was named after him to honour his contributions to the world of music. (Photo | Twitter)
In 2000, a French TV commercial for Volvic starring football icon Zinedine Zidane used a piece of theme music composed by ARR for the movie ‘Bombay’. (File Photo)
In 2011, GQ (formerly called Gentlemen’s Quarterly), an American international monthly men’s magazine, elected him Legend of the Year. (File Photo)
In 2003, ARR-composed ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ from ‘Dil Se’ was voted 9th in “The World’s Top Ten” songs of all time by BBC World Service. (Photo | PTI)
ARR composed Airtel’s signature tune, which had over 150 million downloads by 2019 – the most in the world in the mobile music genre.(Photo|Facebook.com/arrahman, BTOS PRoductions)
In 2009, Rahman’s soundtrack for ‘Lagaan’ was ranked No. 45 on Amazon.com’s “The 100 Greatest World Music Albums of All Time” list. (Photo | Youtube screengrab)11 / 13
‘Roja’, ARR’s debut soundtrack, was listed in TIME’s “10 Best Soundtracks” of all time by film critic Richard Corliss in 2005. (File Photo)
‘Heroes get remembered, but legends never die!’: Max Holloway (File Photo)

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Galleries> Entertainment / July 22nd, 2021

UAE-Based Indian Businessman Yusuff Ali Appointed Vice-Chairman Of Abu Dhabi’s Top Govt Body

KERALA / UAE :

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has appointed prominent Indian businessman M.A. Yusuff Ali as the vice-chairman of the apex government body for all businesses operating from the UAE’s capital city, making him the only person from India on the 29-member board.

Yusuff Ali is the chairman and managing director of UAE-based Lulu Group International, which runs a chain of businesses with an annual turnover of over 8.1 billion dollars.

Twitter :

مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي@admediaoffice

Mohamed bin Zayed has issued a resolution to form a new Board of Directors for Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chaired by Abdullah Mohamed Al Mazrouei.

65-year-old Yusuff Ali was ranked the richest expat in the UAE by Forbes magazine 2019 and is the first Indian to receive permanent residency in Saudi Arabia. Ali also has a sizeable stake in Cochin International Airport Ltd. which runs and operates the Kochi airport.

Sheikh Mohammed issued a resolution to form a new Board of Directors for the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), chaired by Abdullah Mohamed Al Mazrouei and Yusuff Ali as the Vice-chairman.

The ADCCI is the apex government body of all businesses established in Abu Dhabi. It will function as an effective bridge between the government and the business sector. Accordingly, every business establishment in Abu Dhabi has to be licensed by ADCCI.

Yusuff Ali described his appointment as “a very humbling and proud moment” in his life.

“My sincere gratitude to the visionary leadership of this great country and I will strive to do my best towards justifying the great responsibility entrusted upon me. Apart from working for the growth of Abu Dhabi economy & the larger business community, I will sincerely work towards further boosting the Indo-UAE trade relations,” he said.

Ali was recently honoured with the Abu Dhabi Award 2021, the highest civilian honour for his almost 5-decade long contributions in the fields of economic development and philanthropy.

source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by The Cognate News Desk / July 26th, 2021

Ebrahim Alkazi’s legacy bears testimony to cultural links between Saudi Arabia, India

Pune / Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA / NEW DELHI :

Ebrahim Alkazi will continue to live in the hearts of Saudis and Indians who are on the quest to deepen the friendship and cultural heritage they share.

Ebrahim Alkazi (1925-2020)

Last week, we lost Ebrahim Alkazi, a legend of Indian theatre with Saudi Arabian roots. I fondly remember my first experience of meeting him in the spring of 2014 at his house in New Delhi. I was touched by his unique character and his passion for the arts. He greeted me with a few words spoken in the distinct Qassimi dialect. Alkazi was also a noted art connoisseur and collector, credited for fundamentally transforming Indian theatre and having etched a name for Indian theatre worldwide. His legacy will forever remain a testament to the rich intellectual and cultural links between Saudi Arabia and India.

Alkazi’s father, Hamad, was a trader from Unaiza in Saudi Arabia’s Qassim region, who subsequently settled in Pune where Ebrahim was born in 1925. Despite his early immersion in theatre, he gradually pursued his love for visual arts. He showcased the avant-garde artist in him throughout India, the US and Europe through his path-breaking work before becoming the director of the National School of Drama in Delhi and the Asian Theatre Institute in 1962. He will always be remembered for his contributions in the field of arts that resonate with our cultural bonds. The strings that bind Saudi Arabia and India are many and have become stronger and more diverse over time. However, the cultural ties that the two countries share are perhaps the deepest. Pre-Islamic Arab poetry has many references to Indian swords and several other Indian goods.

The two countries have a fascinating history of intellectual exchanges. Science, arts, literature, and languages – the mutual influence has indeed been profound. For instance, many Indian texts in the field of medicine, mathematics and astronomy were translated over the centuries into Arabic. The father of Indology is none other than the Arab scholar Al-Biruni. His monumental work Ta’rikh al-Hind is undoubtedly the most comprehensive pre-modern encyclopaedic work on India.

Another notable text, the Panchatantra, was translated by the Arabs who took it to Europe and the rest of the world, as were Hitopadesha and Chanakya’s Arthashastra. India’s famous medical treatises such as Charaka and Susruta were translated into Arabic as well.

The Arab travellers were also prolific writers and wrote extensively on India, its people and diverse cultures. Writers such as Sulaiman, Ibn-ul-Faquih, Al-Masudi and Al-Idrisi documented in great detail their impressions of south India, its people, customs and traditions. The world-famous Arabian Nights also called Alf Laila in Arabic and Adventures of Sindbad the Sailor too describe southern India. According to Ibn Nadeem, a 16th-century Arab writer, Sindbad was written in India.

These deeply-rooted cultural ties have continued to grow. For instance, Yoga has become an increasingly popular sport in Saudi Arabia. Since November 2017, the International Yoga Day is celebrated in an open area in the centre of Riyadh. In 2018, India was a guest of honour at our annual cultural festival of Al Janadriyah. The theme of the Indian pavilion at the festival was “Saudi ka Dost Bharat” (India is a friend of Saudi Arabia). This last decade has been seminal in expanding our friendship into a strategic partnership.

A most significant milestone in our ties with India was the visit of His Royal Highness Crown Prince to India in February 2019, which re-affirmed the deep commitment of the two nations to strengthen their strategic engagement.

Our shared cultural bonds are also deepened by the religious ties between our peoples. The annual pilgrimage to Makkah has facilitated the exchange of cultures and traditions as well. But above all, our ties have been strengthened by pioneers like Ebrahim Alkazi. He will continue to live in the hearts of Saudis and Indians who are on the quest to deepen the friendship and cultural heritage they share.

This article first appeared in the print edition on August 12 under the title “A symbol of friendship”. The writer is the ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to India

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Opinion> Columns / by Saud Bin Mohammed Al Sati, Ambassador Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to India / August 12th, 2020

‘I’m glad I listened to my father,’ says hockey Olympian Zafar Iqbal

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI / Ghazibad District (U.P) :

Hockey Olympian Zafar Iqbal on how his life has unfolded, from being the son of an academician to his days spent on the golf course today

The general impression of a hockey player in India is that of a talented sportsperson from the hinterland, modestly educated, and fighting poverty and lack of resources in the stuggle to reach the top. Zafar Iqbal breaks the mould in more ways than one.

The former Executive Director (Properties and Facilities) with the erstwhile Indian Airlines is one of the few in the sport to have managed a life outside hockey post-retirement. He credits his parents and upbringing for helping him get the balance right all through, in his articulate, but gentle manner.

“My father never stopped me from playing sports, but he was quite strict when it came to studies as well. He knew there was fame and popularity in sport; money, not so much, and so wanted us to be self-sufficient enough to manage our lives even after our sporting days were over. I am glad I listened to him,” says the 63-year old, who says he has worked enough in his life to be able to sit back and enjoy retirement.

How the world knows him

One half of the famous Shahid-Zafar pair that tormented teams’ defences for years, the talented left winger would set up the legendary Mohammed Shahid for his stylish goals. They needed little or no communication to know exactly what needed to be done.

The subtle stickwork, though, was always backed with a strong understanding of physics, thanks to his degree in civil engineering from Aligarh Muslim University and an even stronger realisation that the sport would always be his passion, but not something that would help him lead a life of comfort in the long run.

A resident of Vaishali in Ghaziabad – he moved to the house once he had retired – Iqbal’s major commitment through the day now is to golf. “I started learning golf a few years before retiring and I am still not satisfied with my game. I wake up around 4.30 in the morning and from 5.15 to almost 11.30-12, I am at the golf course. It’s the best part of my day,” he says, laughing.

As the son of Prof. Shahbuddin, dean of the science department at Aligarh Muslim University, Iqbal did not lack resources or an atmosphere of learning at home. Today, he’s surrounded by books on history that he enjoys, and has read the texts of all the major religions, including the four Vedas.

Having made his national debut in 1977, and getting his degree in 1978 – the same year he joined Indian Airlines – he was finally free to pursue hockey full-time. “That was also at my father’s insistence. I had job offers from the Indian Railways and Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board, but he advised me to join the airlines, saying that I might not get immediate rewards but would surely be successful in the future. I realised he was right when I was finally appointed ED,” Iqbal recalls.

Players off the field

He talks about how he tried to push his teammates as well to have a life outside the sport. “I used to tell them to continue with their studies and office work after active sports, because not everyone can be a coach or administrator for life. Unfortunately, there were many, much bigger players who could not rise to a senior post. I told them it might be tough initially, but office work is no rocket science. Also, as players we are used to quick decisions on field, so it is easier for us to make the switch. They didn’t listen to me, though,” he rues.

It was in 1977 that he moved to Delhi and decided to make it his home. “For me, coming from a small town like Aligarh, Delhi was this huge, fast place where everything was big and far. In AMU everything was available at your doorstep; here, I had to travel 16 km by bus, every day, from the Indian Airlines Colony in Vasant Vihar for training at the stadium. But when I see it now, I feel it was so laid-back then,” he exclaims.

It wasn’t just the distance that awed the 22-year-old. His training camps with Indian Airlines at the National Stadium were equally overwhelming. “Players like Ashok Kumar, Aslam Sher Khan, B.P. Govinda – whose photographs we kept in our rooms and pockets – were suddenly our teammates. Inam-ur-Rehman, my idol, was the coach. He was a disciplinarian, treating everyone equally, regardless of his achievements on the field. That helped inculcate respect for the game and discipline on the field,” Iqbal admits.

The presence of other sportspeople also helped. The National Stadium, he explains, used to be a multipurpose venue with a track for athletics and no turf in the main arena. It had the likes of the legendary athlete Sriram Singh training there. “The hockey field was on the left and cricket on the right, with Bishan Singh Bedi and many more practising. It was all open and we used to interact,” he says.

Old ways

Empty roads, few vehicles, no paranoia about hygienic food or water, the absence of pollution – the Delhi he remembers is restricted to nostalgia now. Even the most secure areas of the city – in and around Parliament, which he had to cross to reach National Stadium – had easy access, including Race Course Road, which he recalls used to be open to the public back then.

“I sometimes wonder what progress we have actually made. Everyone seems to be running all the time and everyone is addicted to mobiles. We seem to have become breathing mechanical bodies,” he says.

The discipline of a sportsperson, though, continues to guide his life. Iqbal is a member of two golf courses in NCR – Army Golf Club and the Noida Golf Course – but also visits the one at Hindon. On a week-long break to Chennai to visit his son, Yasir, an assistant professor of physics at IIT, he still managed to find people who would help him play his daily round, at the Cosmopolitan Club. He hasn’t the same luck in Mumbai though, when he visits his daughter, Samia, who moved to the city for her work as a copywriter.

For the rest, he is happy to accompany wife Fauzia (who also retired from the commercial department of what was Vayudoot and consequently Air India) around or spend time occasionally with his friends.

As a member of the governing body of the Sports Authority of India, as well as consultant with the University Grants Commission in the sports curriculum committee, he has stayed in touch with sports administration, pushing the agenda of games as an essential part of the development of a person.

As a former India coach (1993-94), selector (over three tenures), and government observer for many years, he has given back to the sport that helped him become an Olympic champion. But in his pursuit of golfing excellence, Zafar Iqbal continues to live a sporting life.

This ends our 10-part series on former sportspeople who are based in Delhi.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Delhi – Now & Then / by Uthra Ganesan / September 04th, 2019

Hyderabad: Prof Ainul Hasan new MANUU Vice-Chancellor

Allahabad, UTTAR PRADESH / Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Gachibowli: 

Noted Persian scholar Prof Syed Ainul Hasan is the new Vice-Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University. According to a communication received from the Union Education Ministry to the varsity, the President in his capacity as the Visitor of MANUU appointed Prof Hasan, as the fifth VC of MANUU for a five-year term.

Prof Ainul Hasan is a professor, Persian & Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Earlier, he also served as the Dean, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU. He is also the president, All-India Persian Scholars’ Association. He has more than 34 years of teaching experience and produced 87 research scholars.

A visiting professor of Rutgers State University, New Jersey (US) under Fulbright, Prof Hasan authored 13 books. He is a specialist in Indo-Iran, Indo-Arab relations and comparative literature.

Prof S M Rahmatullah, In-charge VC and Prof Siddiqui Mohd Mahmood, Registrar I/c, congratulated Prof Hasan on his appointment. They hoped that under his leadership MANUU will attain new heights of academic excellence.

source: http://www.telanganatribune.com / Telangana Tribune / Home> Hyderabad / by Telangana Tribune / July 24th, 2021

Jamia Millia Islamia Professor Selected For Visitor’s Award 2020 For Biological Research

NEW DELHI :

Professor Mohd Zahid Ashraf will receive this award under the Biological Sciences category. His work, as per a JMI statement, has contributed towards developing strategy for an early diagnosis and treatment of thrombosis at extremely challenging environmental conditions at high altitudes.

New Delhi:

Professor Mohd Zahid Ashraf (Source: JMI)

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) Professor Mohd Zahid Ashraf, Head, Department of Biotechnology will be conferred with the Visitor’s Award 2020. The professor will be awarded for his research on resolving the mystery of blood clotting on exposure to hypoxia at high altitudes. Professor Ashraf will be awarded by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function to be organised at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Professor Ashraf will receive this award under the Biological Sciences category. His work, as per a JMI statement, has contributed towards developing strategy for an early diagnosis and treatment of thrombosis at extremely challenging environmental conditions at high altitudes.

“The outcome of his research has given insights to our understanding of blood clot formation on ascension to mountains, sports, pilgrimage and soldier’s working under hostile environments,” the JMI statement said.

Congratulating Professor Ashrah, the Vice Chancellor of JMI Najma Akhtar said that it is a recognition for the research accomplishments by the university and Professor Ashraf’s achievements will motivate other faculty members towards pursuit of excellence in research along with academics.

The Vice Chancellor said that the university is committed towards the government’s mission to increase science education, research and promote STEM.

Jamia Millia Islamia Professor Selected For Visitor's Award 2020 For Biological  Research
JMI professor to be awarded Visitor’s Award

Professor Ashraf is an elected Fellow of National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad and the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore. He is a member of distinguished Guha Research Council.

Professor Ashraf, the JMI statement says, is also the recipient of ICMR’s Basanti Devi Amir Chand and DBT’s National Biosciences Award for his seminal work on high altitude related thrombosis in the Indian population.

This is the second time a JMI Professor has been selected for the Visitor’s Award. Earlier in 2015, the Cosmology and Astrophysics Research Group headed by Professor M Sami of Centre for Theoretical Physics, JMI had also received the Visitor’s Award for research carried out in the field of contemporary issues in Astrophysics and Cosmology.

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Education / by Mridusmita Deka / July 19th, 2021