Innovative equipment, approaches put Dr Gazala Habib’s air pollution research into top gear

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Green Products, Science & Technology, Scientists (wef. August 27th,m 2023), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), ,

Raipur, CHATTISGARH:

Her work pinpoints the sources of aerosols and their role in driving regional climate change in India, besides equipping the Ministry of Environment with the right knowledge regarding policymaking.

Dr Gazala Habib never imagined she would be a scientist one day. She recalls entertaining the idea of becoming one while watching the 1969 Bollywood spy thriller Yakeen at her home in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, but the moment was short-lived. 

In the movie, Dharmendra plays a swashbuckling scientist who battles everything from enemy agents to his own doppelganger as part of a secret mission to save the country. “As much as I wanted to be like him, I also knew that it was out of the question. I came from a small town and a very conservative background, and had not heard of any woman scientist growing up,” says Dr Habib, now 49. 

Eventually, Dr Habib did get to live her childhood dream. A professor at the Department of Civil Engineering of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), her work focuses on measuring air pollutants, particularly aerosols, in ambient air using innovative equipment and approaches.

Innovative equipment, approaches put Gazala Habib's air pollution research into top gear - PUNE.NEWS
Dr Habib set up and heads the Aerosol Research and Characterization Laboratory at IIT Delhi

She also set up and heads the Aerosol Research and Characterization Laboratory at IIT Delhi, which undertakes cutting-edge research on sources of aerosols and their impacts on human health. “We strive to fill up the significant gaps in our understanding of personal exposure to particulate matter [PM] in urban areas. This will assist policymakers to better measure the impacts and inform policy initiatives,” she explains.

Dr Habib says only limited studies on PM have been conducted in India, and that too mostly at one or two locations. “None of them provide an overarching assessment of human exposure in an urban context — integrating a variety of typical exposures across a typical day, and being useful in comparing different types of exposures throughout a person’s daily activity,” she details.

Much of the work has been carried out as part of the Emissions Inventory Building Activity under the National Carbonaceous Aerosols Programme-Carbonaceous Aerosol Emissions, Source Apportionment and Climate Impacts (NCAP-COALESCE), a multi-institutional research and capacity building initiative funded by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. Dr Habib is the project incharge and coordinator in IIT Delhi for this programme.

“India does not have a uniform emissions inventory system [to measure total emissions from each pollutant from each sector]. The work under NCAP-COALESCE aims at equipping the Ministry of Environment with the right knowledge to aid sound decision-making on pollution policy,” she says.  

To that end, Dr Habib and a team of researchers have developed a Versatile Source Sampling System (VS3), which will measure emissions and help monitor pollutants. The compact unit allows air to be drawn through a preweighed filter at a known rate, thus collecting particles in the air on its surface. The filter is weighed again to determine the mass of particles collected, and by dividing the mass by the total volume of air, the particle concentrations can be measured.

In comparison with other air monitoring equipment, VS3 is more sophisticated, sensitive and capable of measuring emissions, particularly small particulate matter, from a variety of sources such as residential cooking stove, open biomass burning, brick kilns and vehicles. While the technology was developed in IIT Delhi, Dr Habib says it is being used across NCAP-COALESCE partner institutions to understand complexities related to carbonaceous aerosols.

Challenging the traditional mindset

By her own admission, Dr Habib’s journey into the scientific world was not easy. “My father was a telephone operator, and my mother a primary school teacher. I am one of the eight siblings. We did not have luxuries, but my parents, especially my father, prioritised our education,” she says.

Her parents were strict about school, but their expectations relaxed a bit when time for enrolling in college arrived. “There were people in my family who were like, ladkiyon ko zyada padhane ki zaroorat nai hai [there is no need to educate girls much]. At one point, my father also contemplated the idea of my marriage after BSc,” she says.

“They expected my brothers to do engineering, and thought I should do a science degree and start preparing for IAS. But I felt that my brother was more admired by my parents because he was inclined towards engineering. He is 10 minutes older than me, and I thought to myself, if he can do it, why not me?” she adds.  

With a little help from her brother, she managed to convince her parents to study engineering. Later, she gained admission to Bachelors of Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Raipur. Subsequently, she pursued MTech in environmental engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur. 

Dr Habib’s earliest memories revolve around working with a large group to identify carcinogenic compounds present in emissions generated from burning crop waste in rural India

Rigours of research

Dr Habib believes destiny defined the trajectory of her career. “I was contemplating about PhD, when a junior directed me to a vacancy at IIT Bombay. I managed to apply just in time,” she says.

There were only two vacancies, and on account of a particularly gruelling panel interview, she recalls putting down her chances of selection as next to nil. However, she got selected. Her PhD mentor was Chandra Venkatraman, a Professor of Chemical Engineering and Climate Studies at IIT Bombay, who Dr Habib says “changed her way of thinking”.

“I was very shy and conventional. I remember telling her that I had never travelled alone. I told her I am not the girl who can go out and measure pollution,” she recalls. Venkatraman laid her apprehensions to rest, and Dr Habib eventually joined her mentor to work on a project analysing emissions from residential fuel sources. 

The five years at IIT Bombay groomed Dr Habib to become the scientist she is today.

“I remember I started work in January and she immediately put my name up for speaking at an international conference in October. I was from a Hindi medium background, and did not even know English! She taught me to make my first PowerPoint presentation and my first Excel sheet. She taught me not only science, but also communication. Whatever I am today, it is because of her,” says Dr Habib. 

Dr Habib’s earliest memories revolve around working with a large group to identify carcinogenic compounds present in emissions generated from burning crop waste in rural India

Her earliest memories revolve around working with a large group to identify carcinogenic compounds present in emissions generated from burning crop waste in rural India. “I learnt a lot from this group about how to collect samples, what kind of machines to use and how to use them,” she says. This was soon followed by her first international trip to France, where she got to work with Olivier Boucher, Director of Research, French National Centre for Scientific Research. 

The coursework was demanding, and added to that was the pressure to get married. “I think the rush to get women married is also why a large number of them end up dropping out of PhDs or giving up their careers,” she adds. After consulting Prof Venkatraman, Dr Habib decided to get married only after finishing her PhD, a promise she ended up keeping. 

The rigours of research eventually got to her and she remembers a point in her PhD when she became depressed. Her time at the University of Illinois, and then University of San Diego, for postdoctoral work, worsened things. “I felt lonely during my US stint, but rediscovered myself after frequenting a mosque based on a colleague’s advice,” she says.

Entry into academic sphere

In June 2008, Dr Habib joined IIT Delhi as an assistant professor. In November the same year, she got married.She was regularised in her post in 2010, and promoted as an associate professor in 2018. In March this year, she became a professor.

In the last 15 years, she has provided valuable data that helps understand air pollution better. For example, her team measured the impact of PM 10 and 2.5 particle concentration on mortality rates to assess that the numbers attributable to PM 2.5 particle concentration in Ghaziabad was 70% higher than Delhi.

“Exposure to PM has been recognised as a well known human health risk factor, however, its quantification for various regions, including India, is still not well established. In the last few years, we have undertaken many studies to help quantify this data by studying the impact of pollutants on different organs, including heart and lungs, as well as different demographic populations,” she says.

With respect to Delhi’s pollution problem, she says, “In the winters, we cannot stop talking about stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana. If you read the source apportionment papers from Delhi, you will find that pollution due to stubble burning lasts only a few days. The long-term problem that we should be solving is suspension of dust from roads. From a personal exposure perspective, vehicles account for 20 to 30% of PM 2.5 concentration,” she says.

She believes having a policy on effectively managing crop waste is the need of the hour. “In a paper we recently submitted to Nature, we discovered that despite the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, a majority of rural households still use fuel dung for energy. If they use crop waste for biogas generation in addition to cow dung, there is no need of pushing LPG down their throats. It will cost less also,” she adds. 

Dr Habib thinks funding needs should be simplified and freed from the shackles of bureaucracy for the research to contribute more effectively to policy.  Also, India should follow an integrated approach and make the data publicly available. “What we need is a network programme that brings scientists under one umbrella, gives them standard equipment, procedure and a common goal,” she says. 

“Source apportionment studies are being done in India by state Pollution Control Pollution Boards (PCBs) and Central PCB in non-attainment cities,  but there is no  national network. Every state is following its own rules — so methodologies, data analysis and data curation methods are different. Therefore, you cannot compare data from two cities,” she adds.

At present, Dr Habib’s focus is on setting up a state-of-the-art laboratory where all kinds of devices related to air pollution safety and monitoring can be evaluated for their performance

State-of-the-art laboratory

At present, Dr Habib’s focus is on setting up a state-of-the-art laboratory where all kinds of devices related to air pollution safety (like air purifiers, masks) and monitoring can be evaluated for their performance. “We have just received a grant from the Department of Science and Technology under SATHI [Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes]. The laboratory will be developed at IIT Delhi’s Sonipat campus. At present, gate number 3 of IIT Delhi has such a facility,” she says. 

Dr Habib swears by the support of her husband, her 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. “There are creches and day care centres on campus now, but they were not available when I had children. I do not think I would have been able to manage it all without my husband,” she says.

She believes that for more girls to study sciences and mathematics in India, discrimination needs to end. “When you put differences in their minds from the beginning, they start believing they are weak,” she says, adding that true equality can be gauged from the representation women receive. “I am still the only woman in the room in most conferences. This needs to change.”

“I never thought I would be able to do this. I had this epiphany a couple of times that I wanted to be a scientist, but the guidance came from somewhere, somehow. It was all god’s plan I say, because I never planned this,” she sums up.

source: http://www.rukhmabai.com / Rukhmabai Initiatives / Home / by Shikha Sharma / August 28th, 2023

Manzoor Khan: A symbol of communal harmony in Ramgarh

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Uniquely Indian - Inter Faith (wef. February 08th, 2023), , , ,

Lari Village (Ramgarh District) , JHARKHAND:

Ramgarh :

Manzoor Khan, 72, a resident of Lari village in Ramgarh district, holds the license for the Ramnavmi procession in accordance with a local tradition of giving such licences to a Muslim.

Chitarpur is a sensitive area of Ramgarh district and adjacent to village Lari, but the area has set an example of communal harmony because of the tradition of giving a licence to a Muslim. Earlier, the licence was issued in the name of Manzoor Khan’s father late Ismayal Khan. After his death, Manzoor Khan took up the task and during the last few years, the licence has been issued in his name.

“I apply to Rajrappa police station for the licence and the deputy superintendent of police’s office issues it. At first we organise a meeting of villagers and they give the work to me. At once, the licence is issued for two and a half panchayats,” he said.

He said, “Once only a single Muslim family of my forefathers was living in Lari village and so the villagers used to select my father for taking the Ramnavmi procession licence. I celebrate all Hindu festivals with the villagers.”

The license of the Ramnavmi procession in the area is issued in his name and he leads the procession not only for Ramnavmi but also for other religious festivals like Durga Puja, Kali Puja. He has always maintained a record of communal harmony. The tradition to get Ramnavmi Procession in the name of a Muslim community man has kicked off years ago.

The story and work of Manzoor Khan are famous throughout Jharkhand. Some time ago, he had to face a little problem from both the Hindu and Muslim communities but with the help of one God belief, he managed everything.

This year the Ramnavmi procession with a grand celebration will be organised at Lari. Manzoor is busy again with lots of enthusiasm. The entire village has worn a Ramnavmi loot and he is the leader of the entire program. All villagers are supporting him. A few Muslims are also busy with him celebrating this memorable festival. Mahaveeri flags are waving and Festival songs are being played in the village.

“As long as I am alive I will organize the procession. I hope my sons will also follow this tradition of their forefathers. They are busy with me to celebrate Ramnavmi in the village,” he added.

source: http://www.lagatar24.com / Lagatar / Home / by Manoj Sinha / March 29th, 2023

Shahina Khanam to get gold medal at RU convocation ceremony

Amazing Feats, Education, Education - Gold Medallists, Toppers, Merits, Achievers (wef. June 12th, 2023), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , ,

Ramgarh, JHARKHAND:

Ramgarh :

Shahina Khanam, a resident of Hesla on Ramgarh-Argadda road, will be awarded a gold medal for being a topper for four years in BDS. 

The medal will be awarded by Governor CP Radhakrishnan at the convocation ceremony of Ranchi University on May 2.

Topper Shahina Khanam is the sister of Rinkle Khan, the town vice president of AJSU.  The family members are very happy with the news of getting the gold medal and there is an atmosphere of happiness in their house.

Shahina Khanam’s mother, father, brother, sister and other people distributed sweets. 

AJSU Nagar Vice President Rinkle Khan said that earlier education was neglected in Muslim society.  But now the Muslim society is also rapidly increasing its step towards education.

source: http://www.lagatar24.com / Lagatar / Home / by Manoj Sinha / April 26th, 2023

GI tag is no quick fix for Bikaner Usta Kala’s return to glory

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Bikaner, RAJASTHAN:

Dwindling number of artists, status of caste-based occupation and scarce government support through schemes and training camps affect its progress

Usta Kala Artists

Bikaner, Rajasthan:

Sitting cross-legged at his workshop in Rajasthan’s Bikaner, Shaukat Ali Usta (52) is engrossed in laying warq (fine slivers of gold) on a wooden frame. His work involves not only acquired skill, but also loads of patience. The intricate designs that he has laid out on camel leather-embossed exhibits have not only won him a national award instituted by the Ministry of Textiles, but also many valuable customers over the last 30 years.

Shaukat learnt the art from Mohammed Hanif Usta, a disciple of Hisamuddin Usta, a doyen in this field. Despite Bikaner Usta Kala receiving the Geographical Indications (GI) tag last month, getting more artists into this profession has become an arduous task.

Usta kala flourished in the Mughal courts, before Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, patronised it and welcomed artists from Iran, belonging to the Muslim community, to the city famed for its camels. No wonder their work involving gold meenakari and munawwat was done on camel skin. Nowadays, wood, mirror and marble also form the raw materials. Glass jars, wooden boxes, wall paintings and gift items with usta work are quite popular. There are big works like bandanwars (work on doors) too.

Usta kala in Bikaner’s Bhanda Shah Jain temple is almost 400 years old. Anup Mahal in Junagarh Fort, Jain mansions, mosques, Rampuria Haveli, Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Jama Masjid of Delhi, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple in Nepal, and mosques of Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia are fine examples of workmanship.

However, by 1967, Hisamuddin Usta was the only usta artist left in the country. When Munna Lal Goyal became Bikaner Collector in 1976, he exhorted Hisamuddin to impart lessons to others. This led to the launch of Camel Hide Training Centre. Mohammed Hanif Usta soon became Hisamuddin’s disciple and started learning the nuances of the art.

While Hisamuddin received Padma Shri Award in 1986, Hanif was honoured with the President’s Award in 1993 for his miniature work on marble. The latter had decorated the walls of Anup Mahal and Nizamuddin Dargah.

During Bill Clinton’s official visit to India in 2000, Hanif and 14 other artists got a chance to meet the then US President. Looking at his marble exhibit, Clinton said he wanted that in the White House. However, Hanif replied that he would not sell the work that fetched him a national award to anyone.

Hisamuddin’s other disciples Mohammad Asgar Usta and Ajmal Hussain Usta have received state awards for their commendable works. His grandson Mohammad Jameel Usta has been working for the promotion of the art through innovative experiments. He has also been a member of the Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademi.

Thanks to Hisamuddin and his disciples, the number of usta artists has increased. However, it is still not satisfactory as only less than 70 artists are present in the field.

Usta Kala of Bikaner city of Rajasthan has got Geographical Indication (GI) certification (Photo sourced by Dr Mudita Popli, 101Reporters)

An ailing art

Usta artists admitted that lack of skilled people was a reason for the art not making much progress, despite having all the necessary ingredients to flourish. Usta artists are well-off and there is no dearth of work. The income of artists depends on how many pieces they can complete in a month, their worthiness and selling prices. Some pieces can fetch Rs 7,000, while some others Rs 50,000.

There are more opportunities now as new works are commissioned and renovations are carried out on a regular basis at various places, including Delhi Airport, Jain temples and buildings outside the country. The artists also benefit from handicrafts fairs organised at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi and other big cities.

However, lack of skilled manpower eventually means a shortage of talented teachers. The art has been confined to a particular caste and that too to only Bikaner. This has had a negative impact on its growth. As for women in this field, Shaukat said, “I believe use of purdah makes it difficult for women to do this art.” He added that some Hindu women have entered the field, but their numbers are negligible.

Another important aspect is the time taken to complete a piece. Showing a bandanwar he did, Shaukat said it took around three months to complete, and it will be priced at above Rs 50,000. Such long periods of work put off the youth, who are keen on getting educated and entering other professions.

Not just that, it takes at least three to five years to master the art. The lack of proper publicity and government efforts to train people also hamper the art.

The much-needed fillip

The GI tag is the first step to protect usta kala. Bikaner District Industries Centre (DIC) General Manager Manju Nain Godara and NABARD officer Ramesh Tambiya agreed that duplication of usta artworks has been an issue. However, the GI tag will curb the issue as the names and details of the usta artists will be mentioned on their artworks, which can be scanned to check authenticity.

Tambiya, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Bikaner, told 101Reporters that the GI tag will boost employment opportunities in the area and will give the art a place in the international market.

However, Shaukat believed that merely getting a GI tag will not protect and promote usta kala. “The art will survive only if it is propagated in a complete manner,” claimed the artist, who has made efforts in collaboration with Prayas Welfare Institute, Bikaner, to get the GI certification. Godara, NABARD and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi, also played important roles in making it a reality.

For the art to be propagated in a complete manner, there should be schemes to promote it. Godara told 101Reporters that no such scheme was being run to help the craft. “For the last four years, I have been striving to get GI certification for usta kala. Now, we will make further efforts to encourage the artists,” she said.

Asked about training camps for artists, Godara said, “The DIC’s mandate is to run government schemes only. Earlier, we used to organise such camps under the aegis of Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation Limited. At present, the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Jodhpur, runs them. USTTAD, a skill upgradation scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also aids the artists. The NABARD finances it. However, the duration of the camps is short. If a course is designed by the Centre or state government for usta kala, then the DIC can play an important role in it.”

Godara informed that the DIC will display usta works at an exhibition of GI products to be held in Jammu and Kashmir in the first week of October. “We always try to provide artists with information about various fairs and exhibitions, so that they can participate,” she claimed.

Ajmal Hussain Usta, aged around 60, has 40 years of experience in the field. He told 101Reporters that the government was not doing things right. “We do not get full information about schemes. The dissemination of information given on the website of the Union Textile Ministry’s Handicrafts Department is negligible among our artists.”

An Usta Kala article (Photo sourced by Dr Mudita Popli, 101Reporters)

“Like music, usta kala cannot be learnt completely by attending a training camp of only two or three months. It needs constant practice to attain perfection,” Ajmal said. While echoing his views, Shaukat said, “We need to connect with the youth. Only a few have come to learn the art as it is limited only to Usta families. There is also a misconception that it is very expensive to learn.”

Ajmal felt the Camel Hide Training Centre should hold its training sessions more regularly. That apart, the Central and state governments should try to link usta with the tourism department initiatives.

Artisan cards

Artisan cards are issued by the Centre to handicraft artists aged above 18 years on application, so that they could travel in trains free of cost to attend government fairs. They also get free stalls at fairs to exhibit their works. Using the card, they can also participate in art related marketing schemes of the Central and state governments.

According to Shaukat, the true expansion of usta kala is possible by providing artisan cards, a rightful place to capable artists and by properly implementing schemes meant for them.

Usta artist Naveen Acharya (30) said the government training camps should be able to attract young and energetic learners who want to learn the art fully. “Only a few women are present in this field. Through my interactions, I have known that they all have learnt the work with great difficulty,” he said.

Chanchal Suthar (24) told 101Reporters that her artisan card was issued recently and that she wished to get more training. Deepika Shrimali (35), who has studied Master of Fine Arts course, said she learnt usta kala from a guest lecturer. “It is not possible to gain professional knowledge in a short time. If an usta course is launched, many students of Bikaner will become proficient in the art,” she added.

(Dr Mudita Popli is a Rajasthan-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.) 

source: http://www.lagatar24.com / Lagatar / Home> National & International / by Dr Mudita Popli / October 05th, 2023

Launch Of Cogito Media Foundation For Digital Media Platforms

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021)

NEW DELHI:

Leading English, Urdu, and Hindi news portals in the country have come together to establish a national-level joint platform officially named “Cogito Media Foundation.” The announcement took place at the Millat Times office in Batla House, Delhi. The foundation aims to unite digital media platforms at various levels and enhance journalistic values and responsibility.

At the launch, journalists highlighted the importance of collective responsibility among digital media platforms to safeguard press freedom and uphold journalistic values. Cogito Media Foundation intends to facilitate training for journalists at the district and block levels, establish a self-regulatory system, and address legal issues faced by journalists and media institutions. The foundation also plans to launch campaigns for public awareness to solve financial challenges faced by media organizations.

Journalists associated with Cogito Media Foundation expressed concerns about the current state of journalism, emphasizing the need to shift focus from political turmoil to addressing the real problems faced by marginalized communities, including Muslims, Dalits, women, and tribals. They called for strengthening journalism that represents the neglected narratives of these sections and contributes to societal development, health, education, economy, and social bonds.

Cogito Media Foundation comprises 16 digital media organizations, including Millat Times, Maktoob Media, Muslim Mirror, The Cognate, The Observer Post, Haque Media, Nous Network, Baseerat Online, Stories Karvan, Clarion India, Asia Times, Milli Digest, Insaaf Times, Journo Mirror, and Khabar Adda.

The foundation has invited other media organizations to join the initiative by filling out an online form. Additionally, plans for a detailed program with new members and a major media conclave in the capital are underway, with details to be released soon.

Online Form for Joining: https://forms.gle/qHw2cfDsXtQxmbRaA

source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by The Cognate News Desk / January 04th, 2024

UAE Chapter of UAE-India Business Council established, Faizal Kottikollon appointed Chairman

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, World Opinion

INDIA / U.A.E :

Abu Dhabi (UAE): 

The UAE-Indian business council has been established on the first anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) deal signed by India and the United Arab Emirates. The formation of the council is aimed at increasing investment and bilateral trade between the two countries.

The UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) was launched in Dubai by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, in the presence of Ambassador of India to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir, Consul General of India in Dubai Dr. Aman Puri and founding members of the UBIC-UC.

 (Faizal Kottikollon)

NRI businessman Faizal Kottikollon was appointed as the chairman of the council. Faizal Kottikollon said the main purpose of the council was to build trust.

“In the past, several UAE companies have taken some poor decisions while investing in India because they were not confident to invest large amount of money,” he said. “We will act as a channel partner and a bridge. The basis of any business is trust. When you develop trust, everything becomes easier.” He was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.

With both countries growing rapidly, Faizal, who is the chairman of KEF Holdings, said this council was the need of the hour. “UAE has become the centre of the world after Covid,” he said. “India has got so much knowledge, but we need a lot of capital. UAE got a significant amount of capital. So, if you can marry these two things, it’s a powerhouse. What this council does is identifying projects in both the countries and bring investment through this channel.”

Faizal confirmed that there are several projects already in the pipeline. “We are very confident that there’ll be three large investments coming into India soon,” he said. “We will announce the details in due course of time, but I can assure you that it is indeed a very exciting time.”

“This is a very significant thing,” said Sunjay Sudhir. “We want to bring together their experience of doing business in both countries so as to further lubricate the investment and business corridor between both countries. They will discuss ideas on how to further generate trade and investment opportunities.”

The founding members of the UIBC-UC from the UAE side are Mubadala, Wizz Financial, DP World, Emaar, Emirates airline and Emirates NBD. From the Indian side, conglomerates such as Tata, Reliance, and Adani are represented, as well as tech innovators like OLA, Zerodha, Udaan, and EaseMyTrip, along with prominent Indian entrepreneur-led corporations based in the UAE such as KEF Holdings, Buimerc Corporation, Apparel Group, EFS and Lulu Financial.

Siddharth Balachandran, executive chairman and CEO of Buimerc Corporation Ltd said the UIBC-UC will further strengthen the growth of India-UAE relationship. “To channelise the various investments, we need channels like these,” he said. “It will add a layer of credibility and give investors a channel to verify investment opportunities.”

Rizwan Soomar, CEO & MD (India Subcontinent) at DP World, will serve as the Co-Chairman of UIBC-UC. Major General (Retd.) Sharafuddin Sharaf, who serves as the Chairman of the UIBC India Chapter, will also hold the position of Vice Chairman of UIBC-UC.

The council will have its office in Abu Dhabi and will be a pan-UAE body focusing on promoting trade and investment relations between the UAE and India. Membership to UIBC-UC will be by invitation only, and institutional members will be invited over time.

An India chapter of the business council was established in New Delhi in 2015 by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the late Sushma Swaraj, who was then Minister of External Affairs of India, during the 11th Session of the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / February 18th, 2023

Zach Faizal’s Peec Mobility, BEEAH, SRTIP forge partnership for sustainable mobility in Sharjah

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Green Products, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Karnataka (under research project), NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, Transport, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KERALA / Mangaluru, KARNATAKA / Dubai , U.A.E:

In a groundbreaking move toward sustainable transportation, BEEAH has officially entered into a strategic partnership with Peec Mobility and the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP).

The collaboration aims to revolutionize local electric vehicle production by repurposing end-of-life petrol vehicles, fostering recycling practices to support a circular economy, and driving research and skill development in the burgeoning field of sustainable mobility.

The partnership agreement, signed at the BEEAH Headquarters, saw the participation of key figures, including Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the American University of Sharjah and Chairperson of SRTIP; Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH; Zach Faizal, Founder of Peec Mobility; and HE Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTIP.

Zach Faizal’s brainchild, Peec Mobility, has been at the forefront of innovation since its inception in 2022. The Dubai-based startup specializes in the repurposing of retired petrol vehicles, seamlessly transforming them into electric vehicles with a remarkable 30% cost reduction and an 80% decrease in manufacturing time compared to the production of new electric vehicles.

Faizal, a 24-year-old entrepreneur, envisions Peec Mobility’s technology as a game-changer for the region. He emphasizes that their re-engineering process offers a more cost-effective, quicker, and environmentally friendly transition to electric mobility than investing in entirely new electric vehicles.

“Today, re-engineering is quicker, smoother, and greener than buying new EVs, and proves cost-efficient,” Faizal stated during the announcement. “Peec’s vehicles are aimed to be priced at 30 per cent to 50 per cent lower with the volumes we’re looking at, thus solving the affordability challenge in the sector,” he added.

Peec Mobility’s focus extends beyond individual cars, with ambitious plans to repurpose entire fleets of ICE buses, cars, and trucks on UAE roads. Faizal believes in the efficacy of reusing existing vehicles, stating that “waste is minimized, and a new life cycle begins.”

The partnership seeks to support Sharjah’s transition to sustainable mobility while minimizing the environmental impact of the production and repurposing processes. The overarching goal is to contribute to national and global objectives for zero-waste, circularity, sustainable transport, and decarbonization.

Zach Faizal expressed his commitment to the cause, stating, “Conversion is the most pragmatic route to Net-Zero. Once we succeed with our business strategy here, we will take it to other countries to redefine the used-car market.”

As part of the collaboration, Peec Mobility and its partners plan to unveil the first lineup of repurposed mid-sized sedans and buses at the UN Climate Change Conference, showcasing the innovative technology and commitment to sustainable practices.

With the support of the government, Peec Mobility aims to implement the conversion at scale, creating a replicable model not only for the UAE but potentially for other countries. Faizal proposes a policy to repurpose 5.0% of existing vehicles on the road annually for the next seven years, aligning with the UAE’s Net Zero goal.

As of now, Peec Mobility is on track to introduce at least 500 repurposed EVs on Dubai roads by 2024, offering a tangible solution to the affordability challenge associated with electric vehicles.

Zach Faizal is the son of Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal, a well-known Indian entrepreneur couple based in the UAE. The couple is not only known for their business endeavors but also for their philanthropic contributions.

Shabana hails from Mangaluru in the Karnataka state of India. She is the only daughter of prominent businessman and socio-religious leader Late B Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen who founded the prestigious BA Group of Businesses in Thumbay near Mangaluru.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / December 13th, 2023

Sabahat Afreen curated a women’s world sans fear and restrictions in her stories

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Siddharthnagar District / Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH:

Author Sabahat Afreen
Author Sabahat Afreen

Sabahat Afreen’s life will make you believe in the adage: where there is a will there is a way. Being born into an educated and prosperous family, Sabahat realized early in her life that her family was not open to women coming out of the four walls of the house, bracing against all odds to create their identity. She was raised seeing all women in her family in purdah.

However, somewhere in her heart, Sabahat Afreen was like a Secret Superstar of the Hindi movie by that name. Afreen was raised in a small village in Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh by her advocate father and a homemaker mother.

Sabahat Afreen started living in purdah in 10th class and after passing her 12th standard, She was not supposed to move out of the house alone. This resulted in her not attending college and opting for home study and writing examinations as a private student for her graduation years.

She was completing her master’s degree when she got married. Her husband’s family was politically connected and prosperous. She could have easily lived in comfort; Sabahat did not like to dress up like a doll wearing jewelery and expensive sarees and lounging around all day.

She said, “My mother was fond of reading and writing. She had an impact on me too. I used to write poems and stories in my childhood. Mom and Dad always encouraged me. It is a different matter that my works were never sent for publication as they didn’t believe in getting a picture of their daughter printed in the newspaper.”

Sabahat Afreen with her book

She also realized the environment in her in-laws’ house was less conservative. “My father-in-law knew that I write, so he used to gift me a diary and pen; my husband also supported me.” She told Awaz-the Voice.

After marriage, she opened a secret account on Facebook and did not use her pictures for the DP. “I started writing stories on Facebook, my posts went viral. Someone suggested that I should send my stories to Neelesh Misra, (Editor, Gaon Connection, lyricist, and storyteller). His storytelling was popular. I emailed my story to him and he liked it. From that point, I was in his circle.”

Like Insia Malik (Played by Zaira Wasim) of Aamir Khan’s 2017 film Secret Superstar, she revealed her talent to the world by hiding her identity. Soon Sabahat Afrin was writing audio series, stories, and books for magazines and many apps across the country. She moved her two little daughters out of the closed environs of the village to Lucknow.

As it happens in such cases, most of the people who had opposed her once now praise and respect her. Her family is proud of her.

Recently her first story collection Mujhe Jugnuon Ke Desh Jaana Hai (I Want to Go to the Land of Fireflies)(Rujhan Publications, Rajasthan) was released. In it, Sabahat imagines in this country of fireflies women are also enjoying the same freedom as men, the doors of their hearts cannot be guarded, they too have the freedom to remarry after divorce, and they have the right to decide if they want to return to their husband’s house after feeling unwanted there.

Sabahat Afreen with friends

Her stories are set in the backdrop of Muslim culture, but she manages to show that when it comes to the status and rights of women, it’s the same every year. Sabahat wants to free the fireflies from the clenched fists of Afreen women.Her first remuneration of Rs 30,000 as a writer was encouraging for Sabahat. She felt that being financially strong should be the priority of a woman. Now she shares her pictures on social media and with her stories.

Sabahat has written amazing stories that she must have picked up from around her and kept in the secret chamber of her heart to let them metamorphose into another form. Her stories look familiar to readers; after reading each one of her stories, the reader feels that he has seen these incidents.

Sabahat has adapted one such incident into a captivating story. The story Khoobsurat auratein (Beautiful Women) starts with this sentence – “even good looks are like a punishment, wherever she went people’s eyes were fixed on her.’ The heroine of the story, Alia, is very beautiful.”

Sabahat Afreen with her daughters

Women are at the center of all Sabahat’s stories. The joys and sorrows of a woman, her dreams, her desire to fulfill them and social restrictions are the key elements in her stories. Sabahat is seen breaking these restrictions and traditions. Women in her stories are silent protesters except for Alia from her story Beautiful Women. However, they encounter opposition and in some cases, it’s also effective.

Sabahat becomes emotional while narrating her stories. She wishes to create a world for women where they have the freedom to fulfill their wishes and make their dreams come true. Her stories reflect her progressive thoughts.

Sabahat says that she never went to the market alone and yet when people knew about her through her stories, she felt confident to move to a big city with her daughters. “I reached Lucknow and rented out an apartment and enrolled my daughters in a good school. Today my daughters are studying, and life has become a bit easier for all three of us.”

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Onika Maheshwari, New Delhi / January 03rd, 2024

The migrant workers who keep the aquaculture industry alive

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INDIA:

Seafood production has become a globalised industry and many countries have seafood industries that are being buoyed by overseas migrant workers – hard-working people who left their home countries, and often their entire families, to seek their fortunes abroad.

Aslam Pathiri Originally from India, Pathiri is a passionate commercial finfish aquaculturist and researcher with 15 years of aquaculture experience in Asia and the Middle East

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) estimates that fishing and aquaculture employs over 60 million people globally. The seafood industry of the United States for example, which employs over 200,000 workers and contributes $38.5 billion to its gross domestic product, has a large share of Mexican, Vietnamese and Filipino workers. In 2017, New American Economy revealed that an astounding 62.8 percent of all seafood processing workers in the United States were immigrants. There are few hard figures available for fish farm workers but it is safe to say that immigrants comprise an increasingly large share of the workforce.

Because of their position, overseas migrant workers can more easily face tough conditions, ranging from loneliness and culture shock to language barriers and potentially unfair working conditions. Their respective experiences can range from the lavish heights of success to nightmarish experiences surprisingly close to medieval forced labour, as has been documented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on some unscrupulous fishing vessels.

However, the great majority of migrant seafood workers live largely normal and productive lives. To celebrate the importance of these unsung heroes – and to highlight the importance of treating all seafood industry workers fairly – The Fish Site talks to two seafood workers who have made good abroad.

Born and raised in India, Aslam Pathiri is a passionate commercial finfish aquaculturist and researcher with 15 years of aquaculture experience in Asia and the Middle East, while Carlo Dequina hails from the Philippines and has been working in the North American seafood industry for over seven years.

Carlo Dequina Growing up in the Philippines Dequina helped his parents sell dried seafood to friends and family – 30 years later he’s now a sales manager for Kvaroy Arctic, a family run salmon farm in Norway

How did you become interested in aquaculture?

Aslam: My passion for aquaculture grew while I was pursuing my master’s degree at Aligarh Muslim University in my home country of India. The abundance of freshwater bodies in our suburbs, coupled with the fact that they were not being efficiently farmed, ignited something of a spark in me. I eventually worked for the Kerala Ministry of Fisheries before flying off to Umm Al Quwain in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to work with Mubarak Fisheries. I then moved on to different projects, including a corporate fish hatchery in Saudi Arabia; freelance consultation in India and the UAE; aquaculture research for a Saudi University; and, most recently, as the group production manager of Oceanpick in Sri Lanka.

Carlo: My interest in the seafood space started very early. My father was a sales manager for a pharmaceutical company in Panay, an island in the Central Philippines. He used to bring home various boxes of dried seafood to Manila, where our family lived. Mom and I would repack his boxes to sell to neighbours, friends, even my schoolteachers. The quality of dried seafood from the Panay region was universally well-known. I immigrated to the United States right after graduating from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2003 with a degree in communications. I started in the aquaculture space as a salmon and fresh seafood buyer, working for International Marine Products (a seafood wholesaler) in Los Angeles and moved to Strand Foods (a seafood importer focused on high quality farmed products such as salmon from Scotland, bream and seabass from Cyprus and barramundi from Arizona). I recently joined the team at Kvaroy Artic, which farms salmon in Norway. I never thought that – 30 years after selling dried seafood with my parents – I’d be selling seafood on a much, much larger scale!

I believe there are countless opportunities – such as sales, farm work, marketing and logistics, as well as scholarships – where overseas workers can thrive and succeed.

What sacrifices might an overseas worker face?

Aslam: “Life begins at the end of our comfort zone”, said Neale Donald Walsh. Overseas workers who work over a quarter of a century abroad often lose the community touch back home and might suffer withdrawal syndromes and find difficulty fitting in. This sometimes leads to the loss of peace and happiness, even the loss of life itself in extreme cases. A good way to survive is to ignore the inadequacies, imperfections and weaknesses of your time served abroad while concentrating on the financial security gained, the level of knowledge produced and shared, the diversity of professional contacts made and the level of education extended to your children back home. In all my previous assignments, I always connected with people who shared my vision and interests, generating good results and creative solutions to challenges. I try to create the most congenial settings within and around me to ensure that my colleagues and I constantly work at ease.

Carlo: I think being away from family, friends and one’s typical way of life are among the biggest sacrifices one has to make in order to succeed in any international endeavour. Still, I believe there are countless opportunities – such as sales, farm work, marketing and logistics, as well as scholarships – where overseas workers can thrive and succeed.

Your homegrown skills will definitely get honed and raised to global standards on a transnational stage.

What advantages can overseas workers offer employers?

Aslam: Aquaculture farms are now integrating various disciplines and multinational capabilities. This kind of mutual empowerment generates better learning insights, cultural growth, collaborative intelligence and socio-economic safety. Having to work with diverse people and cultures can force us to fine-tune our skills, especially for multinational-level decision-making. Your homegrown skills will definitely get honed and raised to global standards on a transnational stage.

Carlo: I think the fact that English is a very dominant language in the Philippines as well as the level and standard of education we have back home contributes to the production of highly-skilled employees, managers and business owners. Filipinos have thrived in almost all industries – particularly because of our adaptability and willingness to learn, fit in and innovate in any space.

Kvaroy Arctic’s cages in Norway Carlo Dequina is the Western regional sales manager for this family-owned salmon farm based in Norway © Janita Zentano

Can you tell us about what you do?

Aslam: Over the past 15 years I have been an active consultant and troubleshooter, actively curating teething larviculture and nursing problems of tropical marine finfish. I am currently the general manager for the hatchery and grow-out operations of Oceanpick, Sri Lanka’s maiden sea cage fish farm, farming primarily barramundi. I am proud to say that we pioneered the South Asian initiative of commercial marine aquaculture. Our ocean-grown barramundi tastes second-to-none and is a healthy alternative to both chicken and red meat.

Carlo: I’m currently the Western regional sales manager for Kvaroy Arctic, a family-owned salmon farm based in Norway. Over the past three years, we’ve successfully promoted and built a reputation of consistency and high quality in the salmon space. I think that, in the future, knowledge from innovative companies such as Kvaroy Arctic can be transferred to aquaculture businesses in the Philippines, helping to someday lift our own tropical seafood portfolio to the world.

Aslam Pathiri inspects a shrimp farm in his native India Pathiri’s advice is to realise that it’s not always necessary to leave home, knowing you can “shine your light and serve your society anywhere, whether in distant lands or in your home village”

Any advice for future overseas aquaculture aspirants?

Aslam: I love sayings so allow me to end with one from Susan Young: “Connecting with others gives you a sense of inclusion, connection, interaction, safety and community. Your ‘vibe’ attracts your ‘tribe’ so if you want to attract positive and healthy relationships, be positive!” We should look at our future with clarity and optimism. Be a powerhouse of beliefs and values in everything you say and do. Cultivate a collective sense of purpose. Help influence, motivate and enable your peers while ensuring that knowledge is shared. Lastly, realise that you do not always need to leave home. Shine your light and serve your society anywhere, whether in distant lands or in your home village.

Carlo: “The advantage of working in aquaculture is that there will always, always be a need for seafood as a protein source for the world’s ever-growing population. The caveat to this is finding the right companies and programmes that champion raising seafood the right way so we don’t just look at our bottom line, but the larger picture where our planet’s resources are protected for future generations. To those looking to pursue their passion in aquaculture know that – as long as you stay true to your values and your work ethic – then there are companies that will take notice and provide you with the support to grow as aquaculture industry practitioners.

Ensuring equitable conditions for overseas migrant workers

To ensure that ethical and equitable business practices are adopted, certification standards, such as the Aquacultue Stewardship Council (ASC), are paying more attention to the overall welfare of seafood workers, plus the communities affected by seafood production activities.

Among these is strict adherence to fair wages, the abolition of child labour, elimination of discrimination, eradication of forced labour, freedom of association and the ability to have collective bargaining power without the constant fear of being deported. Farsighted fish farms and seafood processing facilities should read and incorporate these relevant measures.

Globalisation is continuously making the aquaculture field a smaller place through the fluid exchange of species, technologies, best practices and of course, talent. Although not everyone will have the same experiences, Aslam and Carlo are two of the millions of hard-working immigrants who have successfully made waves in farms, laboratories and seafood markets across the seven seas.

source: http://www.thefishsite.com / The Fish Site / Home> Media> Atlantic Salmon> Barramundi / by Jonah Van Beijnen and Gregg Yan / July 03rd, 2023

Prof Dr. Qudsia Tahseen appointed as National Representative for the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS)

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Azamgarh / Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH:

Prof Qudsia appointed as National Representative for IUBS© Provided by The Times of India

Agra:

Prof. Qudsia Tahseen, Department of Zoology at Aligarh Muslim University has been named as the National Committee representative for the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), announced by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).

Commencing her three-year term on January 1 this appointment emphasizes Prof. Qudsia’s contributions to the fields of Taxonomy and Biodiversity. She has the distinction of holding fellowships in all three prestigious National Academies.

The IUBS, founded in 1919, is a global non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating and coordinating biological research worldwide. Its mission spans diverse areas, with the goal of addressing global biological challenges. Prof. Qudsia’s appointment to the newly formed INSA National Committee for IUBS, consisting of seven experts, solidifies her role as a representative for India in the realm of biological sciences.

Prof. Qudsia while acknowledging her appointment said the committee, serving as the national arm of IUBS, is pivotal in advancing IUBS initiatives at a domestic level. This includes policy advocacy, tackling global challenges, setting research priorities, fostering collaborations, and promoting the sustainable use of biological resources.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> India News / by TNN (headline edited) / January 05th, 2024