The band is set to make its World Premiere debut at the Tanweer Festival on 21 November in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Rahman earlier dropped the teaser of the band on his Instagram account, which shows the band members dressed in purple, with headscarves covering their hair | By special arrangement
New Delhi:
Academy and National Award-winning composer A R Rahman announced the launch of Rooh-e-Noor, a six-member all-women band, formed under the leadership of his daughter, Khatija Rahman. The band has been launched under Rahman’s KM Musiq audio label, with Kannika Urs heading the project.
Rooh-e-Noor is set to make its World Premiere debut at the Tanweer Festival on 21 November in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Apart from Khatija, the ensemble comprises musicians Pooja Tiwari, Sana Aziz, Shaoni Mojumdar, Amina Rafiq, and Shifa Ruby. Tiwari and Mojumdar are the vocal trainers, Rafiq and Ruby will lead music supervision, and production will be carried out by Sana Aziz, Sarthak Kalyani and Nakul Abhyankar. Rooh-e-Noor means “Soul of Light”, and it has been created to focus on the idea that women’s voices are transformative and can heal, inspire, and uplift.
“Rooh-e-Noor isn’t just a band, it’s a light that connects hearts. Each of these women carries the confidence of modern artistry. Their collective voice is pure, powerful, rooted, and futuristic,” said AR Rahman.
Rahman earlier dropped the teaser of the band on his Instagram account, which shows the band members dressed in purple, with headscarves covering their hair. Khatija is the only member who has also opted to wear a hijab in the video.
A rare sight in the music industry
All-girl bands in India are still few in the music industry. Music producer Mikey McCleary created the band W.I.S.H in 2021, which released their first single Lazeez last year. The last time a girl band took over the Indian music scene was in 2002 when Viva was created.
But soon after its launch, band member Seema Ramchandani left, and the remaining members continued without her for another year.
Rahman’s band—a new step in the world of Indian girl bands, for its distinctive aesthetic—seeks to bring reimagined classics, film compositions, and spiritual renditions.
The teaser shows the girls performing the whirling dervish, a Sufi form of devotional dance. Earlier, Rahman spoke of his own spiritual journey as well as embracing Sufism and its influence on his life and music.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> Features> Around Town / by Shubhangi Misra / February 19th, 2025
Mixed martial arts were never on the horizon for the 23-year-old from Anna Nagar in Chennai. Even sport wasn’t really part of the picture.
Afshan Fathima defied odds, reaching the final of IMMAF World Championships despite challenges and stereotypes. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Afshan Fathima walked away from her very first bout of the 2024 IMMAF World Championships in Uzbekistan last week not only with a win but also with a prodigious, rapidly darkening contusion under her eye. Although the injury was caused by an accidental headbutt rather than a punch from her opponent, many thought it meant the end of her campaign in the women’s strawweight division (52.2kg) at her debut World Championship.
“Everyone who saw me thought I wasn’t going to be declared medically fit to take part in the next bout. But I did make it. And then after I won that bout, everyone thought my injury was not going to let me compete in the next bout. After every bout I fought, the other fighters thought I wasn’t going to be able to make the next round because of how big the swelling had got. But I kept doing this. There was no way I was going to quit,” she says.
By the time Afshan’s campaign at the IMMAF World Championships ended, she had gone further than any other Indian – reaching the final –at the premier global amateur competition in mixed martial arts. Amongst her wins, was a guillotine choke submission of Ireland’s Lisa Murtagh who trains at the prestigious SB Gym– with the same team as former UFC champion Connor McGregor – and picked up a decision win over reigning World champion Matilda Bachurina of Kazakhstan in the semifinals.
Afshan however couldn’t return from the competition with the gold medal she had hoped for. She ended up losing the final by a narrow points decision to Isabel Calvo of Spain. “Unfortunately, the day of my final coincided with the start of my period. It was pretty bad. I was puking and had really bad cramps. I wasn’t anything close to 100 percent,” she says. Afshan says she returned from the tournament with mixed emotions. “It stings of course to go so far and fall short in the final but at the same time, I’m a little happy that I at least came this far,” she says.
Few might not have predicted Afshan would get anywhere near where she’s gotten. “Even I wouldn’t,” she says.
Mixed martial arts were never on the horizon for the 23-year-old from Anna Nagar in Chennai. Even sport wasn’t really part of the picture. “There’s no one in my family who has chosen sports as a career,” says Afshan, the eldest of three sisters. That was the case for her as well. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t interested in sport. Some of her earliest memories are of watching WWE pro wrestling matches with her father and uncle. At school, she says she was one of the few children to actually make the most of the games period.
“Most of the other kids would be chatting with each other or catching up on their studies. I was the only one who would pester the games teacher to start a basketball match or something. I was also someone who used to roughhouse with my friends. They’d all tell me I was really strong or that I hit really hard. But I didn’t know what I was going to do with that. While I really wanted to play something, my family only really wanted me to study. My grandmother was a teacher and my aunt was a lecturer. I was also fairly good in studies so I had no option but to focus on my books. Perhaps if I was a bit dull, they might have been more open to the idea of putting me in sports,” she says.
It was only after her school when she began studying for a degree in Electrical Engineering at Hindustan Institute of Technology that Afshan says she finally got the chance to pursue her passion.
“I always wanted to do some sort of fitness activity. So, in my third year of college I joined a crossfit gym. The gym where I trained also had a sign for mixed martial arts classes although they didn’t have any instructors. That was the first time I had heard about mixed martial arts. Although they didn’t have classes at the gym. I did a Google search and found out about Combat Kinetics Chennai and coach Ajit Sigamani,” she says.
At that time, Afshan says she told her parents she was just staying back to play basketball in her college since she knew the alternative would be something they would never agree with.
“I’m from an extremely orthodox Muslim family. Back when I was in school and in college I would wear the burkha. I couldn’t even think of leaving the house if I wasn’t wearing the burkha. While my parents were supportive of my education, they would have drawn the line at my getting into a sport like martial arts. So I used to wear the burkha when I left home. Then, when I went into the gym, I would change into my gear and back into the burkha when I was heading back home. It almost felt like I was living two lives. I tried to balance those two lives as much as possible. I knew I would have to tell my family eventually but I was hoping I could ease them into it,” she says.
It was at the Combat Kinetics Gym though where she felt she truly belonged. “Because I had been somewhat sporty in the past, I didn’t really struggle getting physically in shape. I enjoyed doing all the push ups and pull ups. I absolutely loved actual combat training. A lot of our training in MMA is mixed gender and I sometimes would think just how scandalised my family would be if they walked in on one of our grappling sessions. But, I genuinely didn’t think too much about it when I started. I just got on with it. It wasn’t as though I’d stopped becoming religious or stopped praying but I think it’s what’s inside your heart that counts a lot more than what you are wearing on the outside,” she says.
Afshan says she knew she was someone who was meant to be a fighter when she stepped into the fighting cage for her first sparring session. “In contrast to a lot of the other individuals who were starting out, I was also someone who wasn’t scared of sparring. A lot of beginners are scared of being hit. They close their eyes and turn their head. When they get hit on the face for the first time, they decide, this isn’t what they want to do with their life. But fighting just came naturally to me,” she says.
Over time, Afshan’s parents have come to terms with her choices. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Her biggest fight though would come outside the cage when her parents eventually found out that she was training in mixed martial arts. “My dad freaked out. There was a lot of screaming and shouting. They took away my phone and I wasn’t allowed to leave the house for a week. But I kept insisting that I would go and eventually my parents gave in,” she says.
Over time, Afshan’s parents have come to terms with her choices. “I don’t think my father and mother were personally against my taking up MMA. I think they were more concerned about what the society I came from would think about what I did. I think they first thought it was a weird sort of fad that I had picked up. Initially, as a compromise my father would drive me to the classes and bring me back right after. Later though, I learned how to drive a motorcycle and began to go myself. That gave him the confidence that I was really serious about what I was doing,” she says.
Within a few months of training, Afshan says she was sure combat sports was what she wanted to do with her life. “I can say I was a quick learner. As part of our training, we usually compete in boxing, judo and wrestling competitions. Within a few months of training, my coach entered my name in a district level competition in boxing. Although I was nervous since I hadn’t competed before, I ended up winning. Another few months later, I competed at my first national amateur championships in Lucknow that once again I ended up winning,” she says.
While the gold medal she won in Lucknow earned her some level of respect at home, Afshan knew it will always be hard for her parents to completely come to terms with her career. That was her key to becoming as independent as possible. “My parents have already gone far beyond their comfort zone to even accept that I can be an MMA fighter. Sometimes when they see me in shorts, they will grumble and say they gave me too much freedom. I like to live life on my own terms. I’ve never asked my parents for any money to fund my training or competition. My dad used to be in business but he had to shut that down after he made a lot of losses. I also have two younger sisters, who my parents are responsible for. At first, I used to beg my coach to charge me a nominal fee. I promised I’d pay him back when I started earning. After graduation, I worked in sales for Jaguar India but I realised I wasn’t getting the time to train like I wanted. I then started working as a coach in my MMA gym itself. MMA isn’t a sport where as an athlete you get easily sponsored by the government or private organisations. So, if I have to compete in competitions, I have to raise my own funds,” she says.
Afshan says she had to save up for a year in order to pay for her fight camp, nutrition, travel and competition fees for her first IMMAF World Championships this year.
It’s not been an easy journey and Afshan has to keep herself motivated even when it’s not the easiest to. Within her family, Afshan says she is a bit of a polarising figure. “Just because I’m a fighter doesn’t mean everyone’s opinion has changed. My family is still very conservative. A lot of people wonder why I’m still not married. Both my younger sisters wear the hijab and most of my cousins still wear the burkha. My relatives tell them not to hang around with me because I’m seen as a bit of a bad influence. My mother loves me but she will still come up to me and say that I should retire as a fighter and get married. But she doesn’t understand that I’ve only just started,” she says.
Afshan though doesn’t have any regrets. She’s already looking to her next target – turning professional. “The amateur system is mostly a way to get some sort of experience. I think I’m a fairly well-rounded fighter. The next level for a fighter is to turn professional. My coach and I are still weighing our options. We have some offers but I’m still to decide whether I want to compete for one more World Championship and win a gold or take the jump into professional fighting,” she says.
The professional ranks will be yet another giant step for Afshan to climb. She’s looking forward to it. “There’s this quote I always try to live by. It’s that the mountains you carry are the ones you have to climb. There’s no point taking pressure because of everything that I had to get through to get to where I am. When I look back, I think to myself ‘Wow, I’ve broken so many stereotypes not just for women but for Muslim women in particular. Every once in a while, some woman will come up to me and say she lives through me or that she wants her child to become like me. That gives me a lot of motivation. I’ve faced some hard obstacles. I can deal with next to anything,” she says.
source: http://www.sportstar.thehindu.com / Sportstar / Home> More Sports / by Jonathan Selvaraj / November 21st, 2024
In addition to food donations, the initiative also features a charity counter right next to the fridge.
A sign reads ‘Ayyamittu Unn’, a call to “share the food with the needy before you eat”.(Photo | P Ravikumar, EPS)
Chennai :
The lights flicker on as the fridge door opens. A cool burst of air escapes, revealing neatly arranged packets of home-cooked meals, biscuits, and bottled water—the humble bounty waiting for the city’s hungry. There’s no cashier. No question asked. Only a sign reading ‘Ayyamittu Unn’, a call to “share the food with the needy before you eat”.
Launched in 2017 by Dr M Issa Fathima Jasmine, a Chennai-based dentist, ‘Ayyamittu Unn’ has evolved into the city’s very own food-sharing revolution in the last eight years. What started as a single community fridge in Besant Nagar has now spread to 11 locations across Chennai, from Broadway and Mylapore to Kodambakkam, and the most recent addition in Saligramam’s Kaveri Rangan Nagar.
The concept is brilliantly simple: Place a refrigerator in a public, accessible location, allow anyone to donate surplus food and let those in need take what they require. Open daily from 7 am to 8 pm, these fridges accept sealed, fresh, and wholesome items. To ensure safety, strict guidelines are in place: Only packaged or freshly cooked food is allowed, while raw meat, seafood, eggs, alcohol, and half-eaten meals are strictly prohibited. The focus is on ensuring that generosity meets safety without compromise.
In addition to food donations, the initiative also features a charity counter right next to the fridge. Here, residents can donate books, toys, clothes and other essential items for those in need. A register is meticulously maintained for transparency, while a security guard oversees the process to ensure that both food and other donated goods remain in proper condition and are not misused.
In Kaveri Rangan Nagar, it’s a full-blown community affair. The fridge was set up with the active involvement of Dr Sulaikha, a gynaecologist and daughter of social activist MD Ghani. Ghani, who dedicated his life to improving local infrastructure, left behind a legacy of community service that Dr Sulaikha now honours.
In one modest home on KK Salai, a family has generously provided a portion of their premises to house the refrigerator and manage its daily upkeep. Local businesses, too, have thrown in their support; a nearby hotel contributes six breakfast packets every morning, while residents routinely drop off lunch boxes, biscuits, and even occasional sweet treats.
Community effort ensures that the fridge which is affectionately dubbed ‘Akshaya Patra’ never runs empty (Photo | P Ravikumar, EPS)
For many, the fridge is nothing short of a lifeline. “I get food here at least three days a week. My work hours are unpredictable, so I can’t always be here, but when I do manage to come, it saves me from having to buy meals. Earlier, I mostly relied on roadside vendors—this is safer and more reliable,” says R Rengaraj, a loadman working at the Saligramam market. For Rengaraj, and countless others like him, the fridge not only reduces daily food expenses but also provides the reassurance of a proper meal in a city where hunger often goes unnoticed.
Beyond its practical benefits, ‘Ayyamittu Unn‘ taps into something deeper – a sense of community. The initiative is backed by the Public Foundation (an NGO founded by Dr Jasmine), which handles the logistics and coordination. Dr Issa Fathima and Dr Sulaikha sum it up succinctly.
(Photo | P Ravikumar, EPS)
“‘Ayyamittu Unn’ is not just about food – it’s about trust and a collective commitment to social responsibility. Small acts of kindness can create a huge difference.” Community effort ensures that the fridge — affectionately dubbed Akshaya Patra after the legendary vessel that never runs empty — continues to serve as a reliable source of nourishment.
This is a vibrant example of how local solutions can effectively tackle issues like food waste and hunger simultaneously. In a country where a significant amount of edible food is discarded daily, redirecting surplus to those in need is also a step towards environmental sustainability.
As the initiative continues to gain momentum, there are plans to replicate the model in other parts of the city and even in neighbouring districts. This is not charity with strings. It is not aid from a distance; it is how one neighbour looks out for another.
(Edited by Adarsh TR)
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by S Kumaresan / edited by Adarsh TR / April 06th, 2025
Sarah Khan wins maiden race in Apache RTR 200 class.
KY Ahamed (33) edging out Jagan Kumar to win the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race on 15 June 2024. Photo by Anand Philar
Chennai :
Two sets of siblings from Chennai hogged the limelight by winning four of the nine races on Saturday at the Madras International Circuit to light up the first round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024.
The 15-year-old Dave twins, Rakshith and Rakshitha took the honours in the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup (NSF 250R) and the National Championship Girls (Stock 165cc) races. It was a maiden win for both of them, in their respective categories.
Two other siblings, 28-year-old KY Ahamed (Pro-Stock 165cc Open) and his 17-year-old brother Abdul Basim (Novice 165cc), also won a race apiece to set off celebrations in both families.
Elsewhere, Sarthak Chavan, the 17-year-old from Pune, led a 1-2 finish for TVS Racing along with Bengaluru’s Chiranth Vishwanath, also 17, in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category. The race was cut to four laps from scheduled six after a red flag stoppage following a Turn-3 crash (riders ok) and Sarthak, starting from pole, virtually destroyed the field on restart. Chiranth came in second, ahead of Hyderabad’s Sairahil Pillarisetty (Gusto Racing).
Sarthak, however, had a disastrous outing in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race as he crashed when in the lead. On his exit, Sathak’s two TVS Racing team-mates, KY Ahamed and multiple National champion Jagan Kumar, were involved in a tight finish. Ahamed pipped his mentor Jagan in a photo-finish with another TVS Racing ace, Deepak Ravikumar, who had started the race from the pit lane, completing the podium. Chiranth, who was running second, also crashed, but resumed to finish fourth.
Also finishing on top step of the podium was Chennai’s Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate) who won as he pleased in the Novice 301-400cc class that gained National championship status from this season.
Earlier, pole-sitter Abdul Basim, held off a strong challenge from Mysuru’s Tasmai Cariappa (Motul Sparks Racing) who led briefly in the penultimate lap but conceded the advantage. Basim went on to win with Tasmai and Coimbatore’s Abhinav G (Chandra LGE Racing) finishing second and third, respectively.
Rakshitha Dave, starting from P2, moved in front by Turn-2, deftly avoiding any jostling that was happening behind her, and enjoyed a trouble-free run for a commanding win. Another Chennai rider, Jagathishee Kumaresan (One Racing) and Ryhana Bee (Motul Sparks Racing) settled for second and third spots, respectively, while pole-sitter Ann Jennifer (Alpha Racing) came in a disappointing fourth.
“I am very happy to score my first-ever win in the National championship. I had a good start today and a trouble-free run after going into the lead early in the first lap. The bike too performed very well,” said a delighted Rakshitha.
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup: Rakshith Dave reigned supreme in the NSF 250R race after initial battle with the more experienced Mohsin Paramban (Mallapuram) with Bengaluru’s AS James finishing third. It was Rakshith’s first-ever win in this class. Incidentally, Rakshith’s twin sister, Rakshitha made her debut in this class and finished 13th.
TVS One-Make Championship: Coimbatore’s Senthilkumar C took the honours in the truncated Open (Apache RR 310) race that was reduced to three laps from six due to a red flag stoppage following an on-track incident. Jayanth Pratipathi (Chennai) came in second, ahead of Nagercoil’s Ajai Xavier M.
Harshith V Bogar from Bengaluru notched a dominating win in the Rookie category with second-placed Saranjith KM (Thrissur) finishing some 10 seconds behind. Vijayawada’s Akarsh Jangam was a distant third.
Mumbai’s Sarah Khan won the Girls (RTR 200) race untroubled from Pune’s Saimah Ajaz Baig and Aisvarya V (Coimbatore).
The results (Provisional, all 6 laps unless mentioned):
Novice (Stock 301-400cc) Race-1: 1. Kaushik Subbiah Ganesan (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power 1 Ultimate) (12:17.257); 2. Lokesh V (Bengaluru, Pvt.) (12:23.458); 3. Varun Nanjundegowda (Mysuru, Gusto Racing India) (12:27.927).
Idemitsu Honda India Cup (NSF 250R) Race-1: 1. Rakshith S Dave (Chennai) (11:12.157); 2. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (11:16.226); 3. AS James (Bengaluru) (11:16.669)
Nimrah Ali receiving Gold Medals and certificates of merit from Shri R.N. Ravi, Governor of Tamil Nadu on February 24, 2024
Chennai :
Nimrah Ali, wife of Hasnain Ahmed, has been honored with two prestigious Gold Medals and certificates of merit, the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University Gold Medal Award and the Justice Subbiah Ratnavel Pandian Gold Medal Award from Madras Bar Association, for achieving the 1st Rank in the 5-Year B.Com. LL.B. (Hons.) Degree course at the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University’s 13th Convocation held on February 24.
She was also awarded the P.B. Sanjana Endowment Scholarship cash prize and certificate of merit for her exceptional performance.
The above awards were presented to her by Shri R.N. Ravi, Governor of Tamil Nadu, in the presence of Mr. R. Venkataramani, Attorney General of India, a distinguished Constitutional Lawyer and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, Mr. S. Regupathy, Minister of Law, Courts, Prisons, and Prevention of Corruption of Tamil Nadu amongst other distinguished dignitaries.
In addition, she cleared ICSI (Institute of Company Secretary of India) course on the first attempt.
The awards recognize her outstanding accomplishment as the top-ranked law student at the prestigious Law University School of Excellence in Law, The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai.
She belongs to the illustrious Nawab of Arcot family.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation> Awards / by Radiance News Bureau / February 28th, 2024
