Nabeela Khan, a B.Sc. Biochemistry student from the Women’s College at AMU.
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) continues to make headlines, not just in academics but also in sports. Nabeela Khan, a B.Sc. Biochemistry student from the Women’s College at AMU, played a pivotal role in leading Uttar Pradesh to a gold medal at the prestigious Federation Cup 2025 Roller Skating Derby Championship held in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
Representing Team Uttar Pradesh, Nabeela demonstrated outstanding skill and determination throughout the tournament. Her performance was instrumental in securing strong victories during the pool stage, including a dominant 44–11 win over Tamil Nadu. In the final, her team put up an equally impressive show, defeating the host team Rajasthan 26–12 to clinch the championship title.
Adding further pride to the university, Syeda Laiba Ali, a recent Class X graduate from AMU, was also part of the victorious state team. Her selection highlights AMU’s growing emphasis on promoting women’s participation in sports and nurturing young talent.
Nabeela’s selection to the state team followed a standout performance during a 10-day intensive training camp in Mohali in 2024. Her speed, consistency, and strategic play caught the attention of national selectors. No stranger to competitive success, Nabeela has already won five medals on the National Roller Derby Circuit, including three golds.
Remarkably, she balances her athletic pursuits with academic excellence. Nabeela has cleared the NEET examination twice, showcasing her dedication to both sports and studies. Her journey reflects the holistic environment AMU fosters—where students are encouraged to pursue excellence in all spheres.
With achievements like these, AMU is reinforcing its reputation as a nurturing ground for talent, empowering women like Nabeela and Laiba to shine on national platforms. Their success stories continue to inspire the next generation of student-athletes at the university. — With Agencies Inputs
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Women / by Muslim Mirror Desk / July 10th, 2025
Ather Siddiqi was a researcher of eminence in his field and his research has been nationally and internationally recognised in the scientific world.
Professor Ather H. Siddiqi was born on December 29, 1931, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He attained his early education at the Govt. High School, Saharanpur and obtained the degrees of B.Sc. (1950) and M.Sc. (1953) from A.M.U. Topping the university in Science and Zoology, he received two gold medals. He did his PhD in 1956 under the supervision of Professor Babar Mirza from Aligarh Muslim University.
Ather Siddiqi joined the Department of Zoology as a lecturer in 1953. After three years, he joined Purdue University, USA and completed another doctorate in 1958. He became a reader in 1961 and was appointed as a professor in 1977. Prof. Siddiqi also taught at universities in Nigeria and Libya and returned to India in 1980. He served as the Chairman of the Department of Zoology (1985-88) and as the President of the Indian Society for Parasitology. He also served as the Dean of the Faculty of Life Science in 1988-89, finally retiring from his services in 1994.
His scientific work on helminth taxonomy was published by the New York Academy of Sciences in the form of an exhaustive monograph. Despite that, he received his basic training in classical zoology in the early sixties. Later on, he switched to experimental work in parasitology. Ather Siddiqi was a researcher of eminence in his field and his research is nationally and internationally recognised in the scientific world.
Siddiqi’s Immersion in Urdu Writing
Apart from research articles, his popular writing in Urdu started in the 1980s. His first article in Urdu appeared on the life and scientific contribution of his mentor Professor Babar Mirza in the Quarterly “Fikr-o-Nazar” (January 1987). He published two articles in the early years of “Tehzib-ul-Akhlaq”, Aligarh: ‘Ilm-ul-Hayatiat ke Isatiza se Khitab’ (December 1987), ‘Mohammad Babar Mirza-Apnay Chaman ka Aik Deedawar’ (August 1989).
After his retirement in 1994, he devoted himself completely to Urdu writing. His lengthy article, ‘Mashriq say bezar na Maghrib say Hazar Kar’ narrateing the scientific and cultural activities of European countries was serialised in January 2005-June 2006 issues of “Tehzib-ul-Akhlaq”.
Similarly, his Urdu travelogue ‘Saat Haftay Inglistan Main’ (Seven Weeks in England) was published in the June and July 2006 issues of “Tehzib-ul-Akhlaq”. It carried interesting information regarding the scientific and cultural development of England.
His article based on his visit to Spain ‘Undlus Ka Shandaar Mazi’ (The Bright Past of Spain) discussed the scientific and cultural development of medieval Spain.
Ather Siddiqi along with Syed Zillur Rahman, contributed a chapter, ‘Aligarh Muslim University: Development and Progress of Science Teaching and Research, 1877-1947’ in Science and Modern India: An Institutional History, c. 1784-1947 (ed. Uma Das Gupta), Centre for Studies in Civilisation published in 1999.
A Glimpse into his Published Works
He is regularly contributing a literary column ‘Hairat Sarai Ke Kahania’ to “Tehzib-ul-Akhlaq” which consists of the translation of interesting short stories taken from the internet.
Recently, his popular science articles ‘Parasitism: Aik Dilchasp Tareeq Zindagi’ (Parasitism is an Interesting Way of Life) and ‘Yek khuliya Tufailiati Beenariyan’ (Unicell parasitic diseases) appeared in the February 2022 and February 2023 issue, respectively, of the Urdu monthly ‘Aajkal’, Delhi.
After retirement, Ather Siddiqi devoted himself to Urdu writing and authored, translated and edited dozens of books. The names of some of his books are: ‘Kiya aur meri Hayat Kiya’, ‘Lizzat Aabla Pai’, ‘Nishat Aabla Pai’, ‘Hairat Sarai ke Kahaniyan’ (Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4). In 2022, he published “Rah wa Rasam Aashnai”, his last book. He also rendered Retd IAS officer Musa Raza’s book, “Land of Regrets: Kashmir”, in Urdu as “Kashmir Sarzamin Pashemani”.
Ather Siddiqi was one of the best teachers, an internationally acclaimed Zoologist, and a passionate Urdu writer. And above all, he was a wonderful human being. He passed away on 8th November, 2023, in Delhi at the age of 92 years due to old age illness.
References:
Tehzib-ul-Akhlaq, Aligarh (various issues) Science and Modern India: An Institutional History, c. 1784-1947 (ed. Uma Das Gupta), Centre for Studies in Civilisation, New Delhi, 1999.
source: http://www.heritagetimes.in / Heritage Times / Home / by Dr Asad Faisal Farooqui
A fascinating history of Ansaris who began their journey in this mortal world a few thousand years ago in the peninsula of Arabia, then called Araba.
As Islam grew and took in its fold various other lands and nations, Ansars, being valiant warriors, became part of just about every major battle that took place from Badr to Constantinople, Qandahar, Herat, and finally to India.
Ansaris were not mere bystanders as history unfolded; they played significant roles and made valuable contributions in the fields of religion, medicine, literature, law, politics and media, no matter which part of the world they chose to settle in.
Since this book is about a branch of Ansaris who arrived in India, i.e. the Ansaris of Yusufpur, they will be covered in depth.
However, as the first book on Ansaris in English language, it would also be of interest to all Ansaris whose ancestors moved from Madinah-e-Munawwara to other countries of the Gulf, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and other parts of the world.
It is, after all, a common lineage and history that all Ansaris share from the pre-Islamic era and this book provides a ready reference to the origin and history of their ancestors.
This book is a fascinating history of Ansaris who began their journey in this mortal world a few thousand years ago.
As the first book on Ansaris in English language, it would also be of interest to all Ansaris whose ancestors moved from Madinah-e-Munawwara to other countries of the Gulf, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and other parts of the world.
source: http://www.kobo.com / Rakuten Kobo / Home> Biography & Memoir / by Mahmud Ansari
Yusufpur (GhazipurDistrict), UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI / London, U. K :
Begum Zohra Ansari sold away ‘Dar-us-Salam’ to raise party funds and worked for the victory of the candidates of the Indian National Congress and for the defeat of the candidates of the Muslim League, who wanted partition.
Begum Zohra Ansari, an activist of the Indian National Movement whom Mahatma Gandhi addressed as “Vasthad Bi, was born in Delhi. She was the adopted daughter of freedom fighters, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari and Begum Shamsunnisa Ansari.
Besides playing an important role in the National Movement, her parents provided hospitality to leaders and a cadre of the Indian National Movement and scholars and people of repute in different walks of life in their residence ‘Dar-us-Salam’. It was very spacious like a royal palace.
While Begum Shamshunnisa Ansari was busy in these responsibilities, Zohra helped her. Thus she had an opportunity to see from close-quarters leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Motilal Nehru, and the Ali Brothers and to serve them. Right from childhood she evinced interest in literature, history, and social sciences. She also gained proficiency in Urdu, Arabic, Persian, and Hindi.
Zohra Ansari and Mahatma Gandhi
Zohra Ansari rendered her services in Wardha Ashram for a long time. Mahatma Gandhi came to know about her command over Urdu and started learning the language from her. He used to address her in his letters as ‘Vastad Bi’ and ‘Beti.
Zohra Ansari and Mahatma Gandhi used to have regular correspondence on various issues. In his letter dated 22 December 1932 to Dr Ansari, Gandhiji remarked that he used to look forward to Zohra’s letter every week. When Zohra expressed her desire to go to jail as a part of the National Movement, like her parents, Gandhiji asked her to wait and promised to allow her to go to jail.
Begum Zohra Ansari married Dr Shaukatulla Shah Ansari (1908-1972) who was her relative and leader of the Indian National Movement. Begum Zohra Ansari lost her father in 1936 and mother in 1938. She took an active part in the Freedom Struggle along with her husband. Both wife and husband opposed the partition of India.
She sold away ‘Dar-us-Salam’ to raise party funds and worked for the victory of the candidates of the Indian National Congress and for the defeat of the candidates of the Muslim League, who wanted partition. Post Independence, Begum Zohra Ansari led a simple life and passed away on 28 July 1988 in England.
source: http://www.heritagetimes.in / Heritage Times / Home / by Syed Naseer Ahamed / December 12th, 2023
Ziaur Ansari was a prominent political figure, having served as the Union minister in the council of 2 Prime ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi. Wings of Destiny written by his son Fasihur Rahman is an ode to his entire political career spanning more than three decades and highlights the stalwart’s remarkable, inspirational life as well as clears the air around the controversies surrounding him.
When the truth stands coy in a corner, visible and yet under the pretence of being unknown and unacknowledged, you know that something somewhere is unfair.
Indeed, many times in life, there comes a threshold where one needs to understand and realize that truth which is the most supreme of all, can be an eye opener, as well as a beautiful and also a terrible thing, many a time. Terrible because there may be more to the situation than what meets the eye.
Yes, we all know and have read about the countless hardships that all of us underwent during the Indian freedom struggle. But, surely not all has come to light as far as the involvement of all parties, be it left or right is concerned. Yes, Muslims too were an integral part of the struggle towards Independence, their contribution being extremely indispensable. A prominent figure among them is Ziaur Rahman Ansari who served as Union minister from 1973 to 1977 and from 1980 to 1989 during the council of two Prime Ministers -Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, this book which is written by his nephew Fasihur Rahman is a memoir cum biographical sketch of Ziaur Ansari’s life.
Ziaur Ansari was primarily in the spotlight in the year 1985, when he participated in a debate on a private Member Bill related to the SC judgement on the Shah Bano case, which to date remains one of the most debated issues in India as well as abroad. Having been often misquoted, misinterpreted and improperly perceived, Fasihur has taken it upon himself to finally take the opportunity to tell the world the true story behind Ziaur’s life.
The book which began with giving an ancestral account of Ansari primarily spoke about his father Habibur Rahman Ansari’s invaluable contribution to the freedom movement. What followed was the journey through Ziaur Rahman’s pursuit of politics which was turbulent and spanned a period of almost three decades, showing how he contested 9 elections.
Ziaur, not only being a man of strong ethics and politics, nevertheless was a man with a passion for fine arts, poetry, literature and music too. Ziaur was also inspired by Abul Kalam Azad’s legacy which was one of the cores of Rahman’s life. The hardships suffered by the Ulamas aka the religious scholars after the Mutiny of 1857 have also been explored by Fasihur here highlighting the true role of Darul Uloom Deoband in the Indian freedom struggle. I, for once, was amazed by this one since like mentioned earlier, I realized that many religious scholars, many freedom fighters have remained unsung, unacknowledged in their role in the struggle against the British rule for reasons which were, are and perhaps will always be something we shall never be able to comprehend fully. Racism, unfortunately, in the most erred way possible, nevertheless, Fasihur has brought forth a lot of undeciphered and unknown details forward.
Have you ever known or read about the famous Shah Bano case and the subsequent judgement of 1985? Well, the book explores the same in its entirety giving us Ziaur’s intervention in the Parliamentary debate on the SC judgement.
Ziaur Rahman was the president for a tenure of almost three decades at the All India Momin conference. The book provides a complete walk through the evolution, historical significance, mandate, and contribution of the conference in the complete socio-economic upliftment of the Muslim artisans. It also highlights their contribution to the freedom movement in India.
The last two years of Ziaur’s life were traumatic as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, an incurable neurological disorder, marked them. Characterized by loss of speech this is one of the most painful possible diseases and indeed Ziaur’s pain and anguish must have been sheer agony.
Lagate ho jigar pe teer par hum kuch nahi kehte. Zabaan hote hue ye bezabaani dekhte jao…
This Urdu couplet which was used by Ziaur himself to express the trauma of the condition he was reduced to was something that shook me personally, making me fathom and realize the kind of inability and pain the disease might have led him to. It was heartbreaking to read the complete scenario, especially since Fasihur has revealed how even being the prominent voice he had been, Ziaur was unable to speed track the path to going abroad and procuring the treatment which would have cured him.
A brilliantly written book, this one is a memoir you surely should not miss. Fasihur Rahman is impeccable in detail, immaculate in expression, not shying away from portraying facts as well as refraining from giving any kind of a judgmental tonality to any of the data he has provided. A crisp narration, this one will give you a lot of detail especially as it delves into pre as well as post-independence happenings and thus will be of interest as well as use to readers and historians too alike.
The centuries-old Islamic educational centre, birthplace of the Urdu Qur’an translation, struggles to protect its legacy amid growing Hindu-led development projects.
New Delhi :
Hidden along the busy Bahadur Shah Zafar Highway, Mehdiyan — home to the revered Madrasa Rahimiya, also known as Jamia Rahimia — stands as one of Delhi’s oldest Islamic learning centres. Established by Shah Abdul Rahim, father of the famed scholar Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi, this madrasa has for centuries served as a vital institution nurturing Islamic scholarship. However, today its existence is threatened by creeping urban development dominated by Hindu groups, threatening to erase a vital piece of Muslim heritage.
“Madrasa Rahimiya was not just a school; it was a movement to bring Muslims closer to the Qur’an’s true teachings,” explains Mufti Muhammad Sabir, a Hadith instructor at the madrasa. “But its history is being erased by those who prioritise development over our heritage.”
Madrasa Rahimiya holds a proud place in history, especially for pioneering the first Urdu translation of the Qur’an. In the late 1700s, Shah Abdul Qadir, a key scholar educated under his father and others, undertook the translation project at the Akbarabadi Mosque. This effort laid the foundation for making Islamic scripture accessible to millions of Urdu-speaking Muslims across India, who were otherwise unable to understand the original Arabic text.
“Shah Abdul Qadir’s translation was revolutionary, yet it faced strong opposition from scholars who considered translating the Qur’an sacrilegious,” says Maulana Sabir. “Despite this, his work endured and shaped generations.”
But this rich history has not been free from hardship. After the 1857 War of Independence, British colonial forces destroyed the Akbarabadi Mosque and shuttered the madrasa. The adjoining Mehdiyan cemetery, the resting place of Shah Waliullah and his family members, was drastically reduced. Historian Rana Safavi laments, “Mehdiyan was once a vast necropolis for saints and commoners alike. Now, much of it is lost to encroachment, with what remains used merely as a washing place.”
In the 1960s, Delhi’s expanding urban sprawl posed new threats. Plans to demolish Mehdiyan to build flats and houses were only halted because of the heroic resistance of Ali Muhammad, known locally as Sher-e-Mewat. “He lay down in front of bulldozers and even Pandit Nehru’s car to protect these sacred shrines,” recalls resident Bilal Ahmed. “He broke his leg but ensured our heritage survived.” Jawaharlal Nehru himself was moved by Ali Muhammad’s determination and ordered the preservation of these sites, which were later enclosed by a boundary wall.
Yet, the madrasa’s survival is once again at risk. Critics point out that the latest wave of urban planning, heavily influenced by Hindu groups, disproportionately targets Muslim heritage areas. Historian Zafar Khan asserts, “Hindu groups have long viewed places like Mehdiyan as obstacles to their vision of a ‘modern’ Delhi. This is not just about land — it’s an attempt to erase Muslim identity.”
Local Muslims feel the marginalisation acutely. “Our history is being systematically sidelined,” says Ayesha Begum, a teacher at Jamia Rahimia. “While Hindu temples receive government protection and funding, our sacred sites are neglected, ignored, or demolished.” She highlights the glaring lack of state support for the madrasa compared to the ample aid granted to Hindu religious institutions.
Despite the ongoing pressures, Madrasa Rahimiya endures as a symbol of resilience and faith. Its small mosque and student quarters continue to operate, preserving the teachings that Shah Waliullah and his predecessors established centuries ago.
“We teach the same Qur’an and Hadith that Shah Waliullah did,” says Mufti Sabir. “No matter the encroachment or neglect, that legacy will not disappear.”
The battle to save Mehdiyan reflects wider tensions in India, where Muslim cultural and religious heritage frequently confronts Hindu nationalist agendas. For now, the madrasa stands firm — a testament to Delhi’s Muslim scholars’ enduring spirit and their steadfast commitment to preserving Islamic knowledge and identity.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Culture> Editor’s Pick> India / by Mohammed Bin Ismail / May 24th, 2025
Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi New Book: Maulana Shahabuddin Barelvi’s historical book ‘Tarikh-e-Islam Mukammal’ was released in Bareilly.
This book, prepared after 10 years of hard work, was described as the heritage of the Muslim society and it was announced to be published in many languages.
Maulana Shahabuddin’s new book released in Bareilly
BareillyNews Today :
A grand launch program of the historical book ‘Tareekh-e-Islam Mukammal’ by the National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Shahabuddin Barelvi was organized in Bareilly. On this occasion, the Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Waqf Development Corporation Shafakat Hussain was present as the chief guest. At the same time, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP,Bareilly Mayor Umesh Gautam also participated specially.
On this occasion, National President of All India Muslim Jamaat Maulana Shahabuddin said that ‘Tarikh-e-Islam Mukammal’ mentions in detail the events from the beginning of Islam to the present time. He said that it took him 10 long years to prepare this book and for this he had to travel to many parts of the world.
Many eminent personalities participated in the program
Chief guest Shafqat Hussain praised Maulana’s hard work and historical research and said that this book will become an important source for the new generation to understand Islamic history. At the same time, BJP Mayor Umesh Gautam said that Maulana’s book will give a new direction to the society and will prove helpful in strengthening mutual brotherhood. Many intellectuals, religious leaders and social workers also participated in the program.
History of Islam in six volumes
,’Tarikh-e-Islam Mukammal’ is based on a total of six volumes and 3500 pages. This detailed book contains documentary details of Islamic movements, events and important periods from the birth of the Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam to today.
Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi said that it took about 10 years to prepare this book.
For this, he visited the big libraries of India as well as 12 foreign countries and made a deep study of the major Arabic, Persian and English books there.,This book is based on extensive research and historical facts.,
It will be published in several languages
In the program, Maulana also told that ‘Tarikh-e-Islam Mukammal’ will soon be published in many languages including Hindi, English and Arabic, so that more and more people can read it. On this occasion, many dignitaries including Idara-e-Shariah’s Chief Mufti Qazi Abdul Mannan Kalimi from Patna (Bihar), Bareilly Mayor Umesh Gautam and Waqf Development Corporation Director Shafaat Hussain called this book a milestone for the Muslim community.
source: http://www.zeenews.india.com / Zee News / Home> Salaam Zee News / by Raihan Shahid (translated from Hindi into English) / July 10th, 2025
Pallikkere (Kasargod District) / Kozhikode, KERALA / Dubai, U.A.E :
Kozhikode:
PA Ibrahim Haji, one of the most prominent businessmen, educational entrepreneurs, and philanthropists of India and the Middle East, passed away on Tuesday in Kozhikode aged 78.
According to the reports, Ibrahim Haji was first hospitalized on December 11 in Dubai Healthcare City on December 11 after he suffered a major cardiac arrest. He was later shifted to MIMS Hospital in Kozhikode on December 20. He breathed his last on Tuesday afternoon at the hospital.
Ibrahim Haji was the founder vice-chairman of Malabar Gold and Diamonds. He also served as the director of Chandrika newspaper, vice-chairman of Indus Motors, and founder chairman of PACE Group of Institutions.
Born in Pallikkara in Kasaragod district on September 6, 1943, Ibrahim Haji migrated to the Gulf in 1966 where he set up the successful textile, garment, and jewelry businesses. He ventured into the education sector with the launch of Pace Group of Institutions in 1999. At present, 20,000 students from 25 countries pursue many courses in various PACE institutions in India, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. In Kerala, the group owns RIMS International School in Kannur, PACE Residential School, and Blossom Public School, both in Manjeri. The group also owns the PA College of Engineering, PA College of Pharmacy, PA Institute of Physiotherapy, PA Polytechnic, and PA First Grade College in Mangaluru in Karnataka.
His mortal remains will be kept for public viewing at his house in Kuttikkattoor in Kozhikode till 3 pm.
Burial will take place at Vettekkad Juma Masjid in Manjeri after 4pm.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / December 12th, 2021
As we gear up to bid goodbye to the year 2022, here’s an about-turn to look at the most influential Muslim women who with their girt and strength have embedded their names in history.
Meet Mehr Sheikh from being a news anchor working with a company in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, to setting up her office in front of the same company, she has come a long way. She is presented as one of India’s youngest mainstream female motivational speakers, founder-director of Papr Network, and Editor-in-Chief of Nikology, a YouTube channel with nearly 2 million subscribers.
From being routed in regular corporate life to breaking the barriers and taking running as a full-time profession Sufiya Sufi set many records. From being the fastest female to run the Indian Golden Quadrilateral Road in 6 days, 12 hours, and 6 minutes to taking up the challenges of running continuously 200 km in Qatar and later running across the globe she has come a long way.
With many beauty pageants coming back to India in 2022, Tabassum took the podium a notch up when she represented India as one of the jury members in a beauty event held in South Korea’s Seoul
In the field of sports, Nikhat brought laurels to India as apart from winning the gold at the world championship, she won gold at the National Championship, the CWG and the Stranjde Memorial championship.
Do not marry your sisters, daughters, and other relations to men as their second wives or to those who are inclined on marrying another woman for no reason.” Hundreds of Muslim women unanimously passed the above resolution moved by Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz at the 7th All India Muslim Ladies Conference in 1920.
The All India Muslim Ladies Conference was established in 1914 under the presidentship of Begum Sultan Jahan, the ruler of Bhopal, and the leadership of women like Begum Waheed, Abru Begum, and Begum Shafi to bring social, educational, and economic reforms among Muslim women. Within six years of its inception membership of the Conference increased from a few dozens to hundreds. These women raised money to open and maintain girls’ schools in different parts of India and formed a public opinion in support of education.
Apart from the white robe of a doctor and the operation theatre, Dr. Jahanara Begum, a prominent obstetrician of Assam, also dons colourful costumes and has a wide stage to perform. Away from the hospitals and clinics, Dr. Begum has made theatre a part of her life despite her hectic professional schedule. While she has healed thousands of people as a doctor, she has also impressed numerous playwrights and audiences as an actor.
Syeda Salva Fatima – Amazed at her confidence, he decided to give wings to her dreams and she was enrolled in the Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy in 2007. Despite failures, she remained undeterred and finally completed her training. She logged in 200 hours of flying in the Cessna 152 aircraft and 123 Hours of solo flight. She says,My best moment was when I flew for the first time. Also, every time I fly the big bird Airbus 320 in command, that’s the best feeling ever!
Farida Jalees, the founder of Lucknow Mahila Sewa Trust, who had boldly four startups during the Covid-19 lockdown to sustain the livelihoods of some 2.5 lakh women associated with her self-help group, said, “we have never felt these two (festivals) are different. We endeavor to make Jeevika Bakers viable and for this, I have been making use of every festival to sell baked foods under a canopy in marketplaces.”
Dr.Muhammad Raziul Islam Nadvi is a renowned Urdu author advocates Muslim women’s participation in mosques and namaz
Naseem Shafaie, the only Kashmiri woman to get the Sahitya Akademi award and the recipient of this year’s State Award for Literature rues that the Kashmiri language is being ignored by natives who prefer to speak with their children in Urdu (Hindustani) and not in their mother tongue. She laments that the language was not getting due treatment by its natural speakers. “Let all read it and be it our language,” she told Awaz-the Voice. She said there is a general trend among people in Kashmir to speak in the Urdu (Hindustani) language to their children at their homes.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Shaista Fatima, New Delhi / December 29th, 2022
Once confined to royal palaces, the Begmati language shaped the unique feminine idioms of Muslim households but now survives only in whispers and memories.
New Delhi :
In the narrow lanes of Old Delhi, the echoes of a unique language once spoken behind the veils of royal and noble Muslim households are gradually fading. Known as the Begmati language, this distinctive way of conversation carried the idioms, proverbs, and expressions exclusive to the women of the forts and palaces — a language that was as much about identity as it was about communication.
Sania, a doctoral researcher from Jamia Millia Islamia University studying the Begmati language, explains that “Begmati language is actually Urdu, but used in a very special way during conversations among women.” She notes that it was initially limited to the ladies of forts and royal palaces, who communicated through a code rich in kitchen-related idioms and feminine references.
“After the political turmoil in Delhi, this language spread beyond the confines of the forts and into the streets of Old Delhi,” Sania says. “Even today, many old families in Delhi retain the flavour of Begmati.
The Begmati language thrived as a cultural vessel among women — grandmothers, aunts, sisters, daughters, and household maids — who managed and nurtured the home. Sania remarks, “The language women spoke had a completely different flavour, a vocabulary distinct from that of men. Just as men’s conversations were incomplete without poetry, women’s speech was never without proverbs or idioms, sometimes sharp with scorn, other times filled with desire.”
One example she shares is the word ‘Nikhto’, once used to describe women who were considered impolite or outspoken — a word now absent from modern male speech. Another charming idiom contrasts male and female speech: men might say “Reinhold the tongue” to tell someone to be quiet, referencing horse riding, but women, unfamiliar with horses, would say, “Is the stitch of the tongue broken?” borrowing from the language of sewing and embroidery.
The deep roots of Begmati language lie in everyday female experiences — kitchen work, childcare, household management — shaping a linguistic heritage that remains unique. Sania adds, “Many proverbs related to maternal care or household chores are pure Begmati. For instance, if someone repeatedly visits a place, it’s said their ‘umbilical cord is stuck there,’ a phrase reflecting the language’s intimate connection with womanhood.”
Despite its rich cultural value, the Begmati language is now nearly extinct. Social reformers in the 19th century, including figures like Deputy Nazir and Hali, criticised it as a “bad language,” leading to its decline. The spread of education among girls also meant that standardised languages replaced the once-vibrant Begmati. “Begmati language is no longer in vogue,” Sania laments. “It was not preserved strictly because there was no need, and much of what remains has been recorded by male writers raised in women’s homes.”
The word ‘Begum’ itself hints at class and caste dimensions embedded in the language, which also found variants in places like Lucknow, Bhopal, and the Deccan region — areas with strong veiling traditions and feminine cultures. “The songs and speech of women in Hyderabad, for example, have a melody and rhyme much like the Begmati language’s rhythm,” Sania observes.
Political and social changes in the 19th century further pushed the language into obscurity. As wealth and status became more important, “people lacked taste,” and the Begmati language was dismissed as the talk of a “special kind of women” who should not be emulated. Sania quotes a popular saying mocking women of the time: “I forgot the lime, I forgot the tot, I started eating wheat, I started sleeping on khat,” illustrating how Begmati was ridiculed and sidelined.
Yet the language’s musicality and self-mockery shine through in its verses: “Wood burns like coal, coal burns like ash, I don’t burn coal like ash,” a phrase women would use to express frustration or resignation with their fate.
Today, while the Begmati language no longer flourishes as it once did, its traces linger in the conversations of old Delhi’s Muslim families — a living heritage of a time when women’s voices spoke their own truths behind palace walls.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Culture> Featured> India / by Mohammed Bin Ismail / May 23rd, 2025
