When her nanny cannot come, Henna K Seethi waits for the lab to empty before bringing her one-and-a-half-year-old son Omi inside. A bed, a bowl, and a blanket sit in the corner. She works. He plays. He sleeps. This is how a 29-year-old Muslim PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay navigates motherhood and academic research at the same time.
Henna is pursuing a doctorate in Health and Medical Psychology in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her academic journey spans Farook College in Calicut, where she earned a BSc in Psychology, Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, where she completed an MA in Applied Psychology, and the Cancer Institute in Adyar, where she earned an MPhil in Psycho-Oncology. She cleared the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering in 2023 and set her sights on research in psycho-oncology.
Her son Omi was born in January 2025. He was three months old when she cleared the IIT Bombay entrance examination and relocated to Mumbai. Her husband, Muhammed Nizam ul Haq, also a psychologist, works in Kerala. She lives in Bhandup, around five kilometres from campus, while waiting for married-student accommodation to become available.
The financial and logistical pressures are real. Rent, childcare costs, and Mumbai’s cost of living make her husband’s financial support necessary. During examinations, the arrangements grow harder. On one occasion, her husband travelled from Kerala to care for Omi. On another, two fellow students offered to babysit so she could complete her exam.
She takes her son to classes with her professors’ permission. During lectures, she keeps him in a stroller and steps outside if he cries. Her mentor allows him at meetings. When her nanny returned to Kerala for several months after a bereavement, the dean granted Henna a temporary hostel room during end-semester examinations.
The emotional weight, she admits, does not lift. She experienced postpartum blues for a month or two after Omi’s birth and attends psychotherapy through the campus Student’s Wellness Centre. The guilt of splitting attention between research and her child stays with her. “When I give time to my baby, I feel like I’m not doing proper justice to my research. When I’m doing my work, I feel guilty about being a mother.”
Her drive traces back to watching her mother give up her own ambitions. “I don’t want to see my baby as a hurdle in pursuing anything,” she said. She hopes that once Omi turns two and campus accommodation comes through, daily life will settle into a more manageable routine.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Pride of the Nation> Markers of Excellence> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / September 14th, 2026
Nahida Manzoor, Kashmir’s first woman to scale Mountain Everest at the age of 23, says that she does not see many women in India interesting in mountaineering and she wants to change that.
Speaking to Awaz-the voice, Srinagar-based Nahida, says that women don’t have to necessarily scale major peaks like Everest. “Mountaineering is meant to give one the experience, test one’s mental and physical stamina and discover their own capabilities.”
Nahida taking a troop on a trek
“Adventure is not primarily about profit”, Nahida said.
“I believe India needs more trained mountaineers who are take encouraging people to experience the mountains as a personal responsibility. I regularly lead expeditions and longer treks involving groups of varying experience levels. Such trips can be challenging because participants differ considerably in speed, endurance and confidence”, Nahida shared.
Nahida heads Pampori and Daughters Adventure, a company through which she organises trekking, expeditions and outdoor activities.
Nahida Manzoor at Mt. Mahadev
“My approach is simple: nobody gets left behind”, Nahida believes. While leading a trek, she deliberately stays at the back of the group so that she can keep an eye on the slowest participants.
For her, the people accompanying her are her responsibility, and safety takes precedence over speed or reaching a destination quickly.
For Nahida Manzoor, mountains are not merely destinations to be conquered. They are spaces where courage is tested, limits are pushed and possibilities are expanded. A trained mountaineer from Srinagar, Nahida has transformed her childhood fascination with the hills into a career dedicated to adventure, trekking and encouraging more young people, particularly women, to enter mountaineering.
Her own journey demonstrates what becomes possible when training, family support and determination come together. From trekking around her Srinagar neighbourhood as a child to becoming the first Kashmiri woman to stand on Mount Everest, Nahida has often entered spaces where women remain underrepresented.
Nahida Manzoor at Mt. Sunset Peak
Her work has also extended to promoting adventure tourism in Kashmir. In 2024, she launched a paragliding venture in Barsoo village in Pulwama’s
Awantipora area, with the stated aim of creating employment opportunities for local residents.
Recently, she has climbed Sunset Peak, (4,745 metres), Shyn Mann Peak (4,300 metres) and Mount Harmukh, one of Kashmir’s most prominent mountains.
Nahida Mazoor at Mt. Sheen Myean Peak
In October 2025, Nahida recorded a scaled Mount Harmukh. A mountaineering summit registry records her ascent on October 17, 2025, at an elevation of about 5,142 metres.
Then came Mount Everest. In 2019, Nahida became the first woman from the Kashmir
Valley to summit Mount Everest. She reached the 8,848-metre peak with Sherpa guide Nima Kancha during her maiden Everest attempt. The expedition was not simply a physical challenge. Funding the climb itself was a major obstacle.
With the expedition estimated to cost around Rs 30 lakh, Nahida launched an online crowdfunding campaign after struggling to find sufficient sponsorship. Contributions from several supporters, government officials and organisations eventually helped make the expedition possible.
Nahida Manzoor at Mt. Friendship Peak
Her Everest achievement turned her into a symbol of determination for young women in Kashmir. But Nahida did not regard the summit as the end of her journey. Instead, it became the beginning of a larger mission.
Before it, she had already climbed peaks including Mount Deo Tibba in Himachal Pradesh, Friendship Peak, Mount Mahadev and Tatakooti Peak in Jammu and Kashmir.
Nahida’s journey as a mountaineer began when she joined the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhans to get trained in mountain climbing. She completed an advanced training, along with courses in skiing and rock climbing.
Her training taught her that climbing is as much about mental endurance and discipline as physical strength. This way Nahida, the girls amid Kashmir’s mountains turned her fascination for peaks into a profession.
Nahida Manzoor at Mt. Harmukh (5070 Mts.)
In an earlier interview, Nahida recalled deliberately carrying heavier loads during training to build stamina. The demanding preparation eventually helped her take on some of the most challenging mountains in the region and beyond.
Nahida’s latest expedition was Mt. Koh-e-Noor (South-West) which is 5146 mts. “This expedition was not only challenging but also meaningful and unforgetable for all of us. I am deeply honoured to become the first female climber to sucessfully summit Mt. Koh-e-Noor (SW) an add my name to the history of this mountain”, Nahida shared.
Nahida Mazoor at Mt. Koh-e-Noor
Her relationship with the mountains began early. Nahida started trekking when she was around 10 years old, exploring the hills around her home. During her school years, she was an all-rounder and participated in several sports, including badminton, volleyball and table tennis.
She was even selected for a national-level table tennis championship but could not participate. Eventually, it was mountaineering that captured her imagination completely.
The second of three daughters, Nahida grew up in Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Her belief that “there’s nothing that a girl cannot do” was strengthened by a family that encouraged all three sisters to participate in sports and pursue their ambitions. Her father, Manzoor Ahmad Pampori, played an important role in supporting her sporting interests. Nahida has often credited her parents for giving her the freedom to chase unconventional dreams.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Vidushi Gaur, New Delhi / September 22nd, 2026
In an interview with Maktoob, author Andaleeb Wajid reflects on writing young lives, Muslim women and ordinary Muslim worlds, while discussing her latest novel Have You Met Me?, her memoir on grief and a writing career spanning more than 50 books.
In an interview with Ashikha N for Maktoob, writer Andaleeb Wajid discusses her latest novel Have You Met Me?, her enduring engagement with young adult fiction, writing across genres, the experience of writing her memoir Learning to Make Tea for One, and the complexities of writing Muslim women and ordinary Muslim lives.
Andaleeb Wajid has built a distinctive place for herself in Indian popular fiction by writing stories that find drama the familiar — in families, friendships, love, food, growing up and the small negotiations of everyday life. A prolific writer, she has published nearly 50 novels across genres, with young adult fiction and romance forming an important part of her body of work. Her books have found a devoted readership for their accessible, warm and deeply relatable characters. Her YA novel The Henna Start-Up won the Neev Literature Festival Award and the Crossword Book Award in 2024, while Asmara’s Summer was adapted into the Amazon Prime series Dil, Dosti, Dilemma. She has also written about grief and loss in her memoir Learning to Make Tea for One. Her latest book, Have You Met Me?, returns to young readers with a story of family, memory and belonging. Across her work, Wajid has remained interested in the lives women and young people lead beyond the usual binaries of rebellion and conformity — and in giving ordinary lives the space to become stories worth reading.
Andaleeb Wajid’s latest novel, Have You Met Me?, is also her 52nd novel. For Wajid, the book carries a strong connection to her childhood, particularly the summers she spent with her cousins at her grandmother’s home in Vellore. Recalling what made the book special to her, she says, “It’s special in many ways. Growing up, my siblings and I met my cousins in my grandmother’s home in Vellore. We actually had an old jhoola, like the one you see on the cover, and those summer holidays were some of the best times of my life. Time had a different quality to it, there was no homework or tuition and the day could just be spent doing nothing, lazing around on the jhoola, playing card games with my cousins. I wanted to relive that, recapture that but also focus on what it means to grow up and become distant. And I wanted to put that in a contemporary context and see how that story would flow.”
The book adds to a body of work that spans romance, YA, horror, mystery and children’s fiction. Asked about moving between genres, Wajid acknowledges the variety is intentional: “I don’t like to be boxed into just one genre, and that’s why I write across them. I also get bored if I have to write in the same genre over and over again. Switching genres is a way for me to keep my writing exciting and fresh, especially because every genre has its own rules and I have to be alert enough to know what I’m working on.”
Young adult fiction, however, remains particularly important to her. Explaining what draws her to the genre, Wajid tells us, “It’s not so much young readers but the themes that I like exploring in YA novels. It’s a different level of seriousness when you look at a young adult book. What might seem ordinary to an adult might be a life-changing moment for someone younger and I like to focus on those moments and draw them out. A good YA book for me is one that gets the young generation without trying too hard, but is also not preachy and trying to tell them how to live. A good YA novel is a good book, and it’s just the characters who are younger.”
Her approach to fiction is markedly different from the experience of writing Learning to Make Tea for One, her memoir about grief. Speaking about the difficulty of turning her own experience into a book, Wajid notes, “Writing this was one of the most difficult things I’ve done but I felt like it was something I needed to do. Grief fades over time and changes as we grow older, which is a good thing. But I also wanted to hold on to it and remember how it felt, which is a bit strange since I haven’t read it from start to finish even once, after it was published. I think it was a way of catharsis for me, and as a writer, writing is how I process everything, including my wounds. Fiction always comes easily. Creating imaginary lives where everything works out for everyone in the end is fun. Writing about my life felt starkly different in comparison.”
Wajid also writes romance under the pen name Inaara Sheikh. Explaining the decision behind the pseudonym, she says it was not primarily about artistic freedom. “The pen name is very new, just a year old, and I’ve written plenty of romances under my own name already and will also continue to do so in future. Inaara was more of an experiment to see how things would work on Amazon KDP where I self-publish these books. The reason for moving to Inaara wasn’t about creative freedom, but more a marketing move. When I self-publish more and more books under my name, I feel it gives a certain message to publishers which probably deters them from wanting to take my books. This is the main reason why I decided to self-publish on Amazon with a pen name.”
The sheer scale of her bibliography has also brought with it labels such as “prolific woman writer” and “Muslim woman writer”. Wajid points out that her response to these descriptions has changed over time. “Well, it used to irritate me at first but now I don’t bother myself with it. I can’t help the way others think about me, but what I can do is be consistent in writing and publishing. Eventually, I think people will see me as just a writer and not a Muslim writer. In any case, I don’t mind any longer. All women writers face this in different ways because they’re already being called ‘women’ writers. You don’t hear of any male writers being called ‘men writers’, do you?”
At the same time, her Muslim identity has inevitably shaped the way readers encounter her work. Her Muslim characters are often allowed to exist beyond their religious identity, and Wajid elaborates this was not initially a deliberate representational strategy. “I didn’t think so deeply about it at first. I was writing stories about people like me, people I knew, the kind of life I was familiar with, if a little fantastical. However, readers felt like this was such a refreshing change to read about ‘normal’ Muslim lives and it really made me wonder, how much things have changed that a depiction of normalcy seems so out of the ordinary.”
Family is similarly central to her fiction, something Wajid connects directly to her own upbringing. “While families are supposed to be a safe space, this isn’t something that always happens and I like to see how characters evolve inside families that are not regular, that are fractured in their own ways.” Her female characters, meanwhile, have become increasingly assertive over the course of her career. Reflecting on that evolution, Wajid observes, “It probably has to do with my own evolution as a person, not just a woman. Also, I have this understanding that women are conditioned from a young age to settle, to adjust and to make do with whatever they are given. I think writing characters with more agency than women might have in real life is my way of making them aspirational.”
That agency does not necessarily require her female characters to reject their families. In Everything Sucks, for instance, the women negotiate family expectations without necessarily turning away from family itself. Wajid sees this less as rebellion than as a process of finding one’s place. “I think women are beginning to understand which battles to fight and which to not waste their time with. It isn’t so much as rebellion as finding one’s place in the world. Many women see themselves in relation to others and I think it’s important that they see themselves on their own too.” She sees a similar gendered distinction in the way ambition is perceived. Speaking about Abir, the protagonist of The Henna Start-Up, Wajid observes, “Ambition in women is considered unbecoming, no matter the context. There’s always a hushed sense of ‘oh, that one’s a hustler’, but this doesn’t apply to men. If a man hustles, he’s considered worldly-wise. For a woman, she’s considered to be aiming too high. Abir’s ambition in The Henna Start-up doesn’t care about how she is perceived, which is something I find inspiring.”
When asked which stereotype about Muslim women she would most like to see disappear, Wajid does not hesitate. “Just one? Sorry. It has to be the whole hijab/abaya perception as being oppressed and that we need someone who doesn’t subscribe to these so they can ‘come and save us” Her understanding of Muslim womanhood has also been part of her development as a writer. Looking back at the early stages of her career, Wajid recalls, “I think early on, I focused on my identity as a Muslim woman in India and I did not shy away from it in my writing. Understanding who I am goes a huge way in making my books the way they are.”
Even after 52 novels, Wajid is already working on what comes next. She adds, “I’m currently working on a Young Adult novel, as that’s one of my favourite genres. I would love to write crime fiction but I feel that it’s too realistic and also requires the sort of research I might not be able to do.”
With more than five decades of writing still ahead of her in spirit, Wajid’s work continues to find significance in lives that are often considered too ordinary to become stories. For Wajid, perhaps, there will always be another ordinary life, another relationship or another moment of growing up waiting to be turned into a story.
source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktooob Media / Home> Literature> Bookshelf / by Ashikha N / September 06th, 2026
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, organised a grand felicitation ceremony at the GSSS Auditorium, Wimberly Gunj, to honour two distinguished achievers from the region.
The event celebrated Mr. Shiyad, who secured All India Rank 743 in the Civil Services Examination 2025, and Dr. C. Sabique, an accomplished Urologist.
The programme began at 6:30 PM with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an by P. Mohammed Sajid, President of SIO. N. Abdul Salam delivered the welcome address, setting an inspiring tone for the evening.
Dr. Manoharan, Deputy Education Officer, Wimberly Gunj Zone, attended as Chief Guest. He stressed the need for institutions across the islands to actively support and guide students preparing for competitive examinations like the Civil Services, with the goal of raising academic standards across the region.
MK Mohammed, President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Andaman, delivered the presidential address. He highlighted the importance of using personal achievements and professional services to benefit humanity with dignity and responsibility.
Mementos were presented to Mr. Shiyad by MK Mohammed, and to Dr. C. Sabique by PK Mohammed Ali, Ex-President of JIH Andaman. The Islamic Welfare Society also presented Appreciation Certificates to both honourees. Mr. Shiyad received his certificate from Dr. Manoharan, while Dr. C. Sabique was honoured by M. Abdul Majeed, President of IWS.
Mr. Shiyad addressed the gathering and shared his personal journey, pointing to hard work, focus, and perseverance as the key drivers of his success. Dr. C. Sabique spoke about the value of patience and consistency in reaching long-term goals.
KP Mohammed Yunus, MB Abdul Rasheed, and N. Moosa also addressed the gathering, encouraging students to aim high. An interactive session followed, giving students the opportunity to ask Shiyad questions and draw practical insights from his experience.
Nearly 450 people attended the event, including PRI members from Ferrargunj Tehsil, school principals, and representatives from various organisations. P. Yousuf delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, participants, and organisers.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Markers of Excellence> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / September 08th, 2026
Dr. Qazi Muhammad Miyan, an educationist and school administrator, has been conferred with the prestigious Bharat Education Excellence Award in recognition of his significant contribution to education and educational administration.
The award was presented at the 13th Bharat Education Leadership Conclave, held at IILM University, Noida. The conclave was organised by the Centre for Educational Development Foundation India (CED India) in collaboration with NITI Aayog, Government of India, and IILM University, Noida.
Dr. Qazi Muhammad Miyan received the award from Major General B.D. Wadhwa (Retd.), Pro-Chancellor of IILM University, Noida, and G.S. Chauhan, former Joint Secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The event was attended by several prominent figures from the education sector, including Arvind Kumar Mishra, Deputy Secretary, CBSE; Prof. Dinesh Singh, Chancellor of K.R. Mangalam University and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi; Dr. Jaishankar Warrier, Vice-Chancellor of IILM University, Noida; and Dr. Priyadarshi Nayak, President of CED India and Chairman of the CBSE Sahodaya School Complex, along with numerous other distinguished educationists from across the country.
Dr. Qazi Muhammad Miyan serves as Administrator of The Scholar School, Delhi, and is an Executive Member of the All-India Educational Movement. He is also associated with several national and international educational institutions and organisations, and his contributions to education have previously been recognised through multiple awards and honours.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation> Awards>Latest News / by Radiance News Bureau / September 16th, 2026
Senior social worker and entrepreneur Tonse Sheikh Budan Basha Saheb passed away on Wednesday. He was 89 years old.
Born at Tonse Bengre on November 6, 1937, he began his professional career at the Karkala Munsiff Court. In 1971, he moved to Doha, Qatar, where he worked in the commercial sector. He served as the general manager of Mars Trading Company for around 30 years.
He returned to Udupi and settled there in 2001. He served as the president of the Udupi Wakf Board for around nine years. He also served as the president of Udupi Jamia Masjid for several years. He had several agency and distribution businesses in Udupi and also served as the president of Mars Traders.
Budan Basha Saheb was a former president of KMCA Qatar and a former vice-president of Tulu Koota Qatar. He was actively involved in several Indian organisations and forums in Qatar.
He is survived by two sons, three daughters, relatives and a large number of well-wishers.
The burial and last rites were performed at Tonse Khadimi Masjid after Isha prayers on Wednesday.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / September 10th, 2026
Malabar Gold and Diamonds, which is located near Sub-Urban Bus Stand on B.N. Road, Mysuru, celebrated Teacher’s Day by honouring teachers Haleema Sadiya, B. Indirani, M.S. Gangambike, Sunithamma and Hema for their contributions to the society.
They are seen with Educationist Arshad Hussaini, Malabar South Zonal Head P. Sharafudeen and Deputy Store Head Dayanand.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Gallery> Photonews / by Star of Mysore / September 15th, 2026
Thikekarwadi Panchayat (Junnar Taluk, Pune District), MAHARASHTRA :
Aslam Shaikh in front of the Gram Panchayat office in Thikekarwadi
In 2021, Aslam Shaikh, a diploma holder in agriculture, took charge of the Thikekarwadi Gram Panchayat as Gram Sevak. His arrival accelerated the village’s development. During his tenure, the village won the first prize of Rs 1 crore across the entire country under the ‘Gram Urja Swaraj Visesh Panchayat Puraskar 2023’.
The award ceremony was organised at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. At this grand event, President Droupadi Murmu presented a certificate of honour, a memento, and a cheque of Rs 1 crore to Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar, Gram Sevak Aslam Shaikh, and Block Development Officer (BDO) Sharadchandra Mali.
When this trio returned to the village with this special honour, a historic victory celebration was held across Thikekarwadi with the sounds of traditional instruments, fireworks, and women’s singing troupes.
Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar said, “We have worked with Aslam Chacha for many years. He executes his work with absolute honesty. He was highly cooperative. We received excellent support from him.”
President Droupadi Murmu awarding Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar, Gram Sevak Aslam Shaikh,(Extreme right) and BDO Sharadchandra Mali.
Aslam Hussain Shaikh once cleaned the office of the Gram Panchayat of Thikekarwadi as a peon.
Aslam Hussain Shaikh hails from an ordinary family. He completed his schooling from a Zilla Parishad school in Narayangaon and Guruvarya Rajaram Parshuram Sabnis Vidyamandir.
In 1982, when he was in the eighth standard, his parents suddenly passed away. He was left to fend for himself. However, the villagers did not leave him alone.
The late Bhagubai Shelar, Bhamabai Walke, and their families took care of Aslam.
It was because of their support that Aslam could study up to the tenth standard. Throughout this journey, his sister, Babyjan Inamdar, also played the role of a parent for him.
After passing the tenth standard in 1984, Aslam started his career as a peon in the Warulwadi Gram Panchayat. It was Krushiratna awardee Anil Meher, who gave Aslam his first opportunity to work as a peon.
Even while working, Aslam never gave up his determination to study further. In the next two years, he completed his Agriculture Diploma with distinction from the Agriculture College in Manjari Farm. He also passed his 12th exams as an external student from Manchar College.
His first wife Shamim Shaikh, who passed away, and his second wife Biismillah Shaikh have played great roles in his life. Aslam Hussain Shaikh and Bismillah have a son named Sajid and a daughter named Mumtaz.
Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar, Gram Sevak Aslam Shaikh, and (BDO) Sharadchandra Mali at Vigyan Bhawan
Aslam Hussain Shaikh faced a rough patch in his life when, due to a freeze on appointments, Aslam could not get a government job.
Finally, in 1989, he was appointed as a clerk in the Narayangaon Gram Panchayat, where he worked till 2006.
In 2006, the Pune Zilla Parishad opened up contractual Gram Sevak recruitments through a 10 per cent quota for Gram Panchayat employees.
Based on his Agriculture Diploma, Aslam wrote the exam and scored the highest marks in Maharashtra. He was appointed as a Gram Sevak.
He left a remarkable imprint of his work in various Gram Panchayats in the Junnar taluka, including Aptale, Nirgude, Ambegavan, Rohokadi, and Thikekarwadi.
Aslam Shaikh and Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar worked together to turn this tiny village into a ‘smart village’. During his tenure, they executed several major developmental projects.
100% Use of Solar Energy: Special subsidies were secured for all families in the village to use solar energy. Today, 100% of the households in the village use solar water heaters for hot water.
Self-Generated Electricity: The village set up solar plants, biogas plants, and windmills to generate up to 10,000 watts of electricity, effectively bringing the village’s electricity bill down to zero.
Complete Measurement of Agricultural Land: Thikekarwadi possibly became the first village in Maharashtra to have all its agricultural land officially measured by the government.
100% Drip Irrigation: With the help of the agriculture department, all farmers in the village were motivated to use drip irrigation methods for 100 percent of their farming.
Soil Health Testing: To understand the deficiency of nutrients in the soil, a special soil testing initiative was launched in the village, the benefits of which farmers are reaping to this day.
Aslam Shaikh with his wife Bismillah Shaikh
Village Honoured with Over 45 Awards
Thanks to the precise planning of the Gram Panchayat, Thikekarwadi has received over 45 big and small awards to date. Under the ‘SantGadgebaba Gram Swachhata Abhiyan‘, the village won the first prize in the state of Maharashtra. Along with this, by winning the highly prestigious national-level ‘Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Spardha Puraskar’, this village became the number one Gram Panchayat in the country.
Aslam is as good a citizen as he is an honest worker. Expressing his concern over the current social climate, Aslam says, “There are very bizarre attempts being made right now to create social polarisation. The situation was not like this before. People used to live in harmony with each other. This harmony is the hallmark of our Narayangaon.”
Aslam further states, “I have been seeing this since childhood; till date, no incident causing religious tension has ever occurred here. We celebrate all festivals together joyfully. I have served as the secretary of the Mahasaroday Ganeshotsav Mandal for 10 years, and as its vice president for another 10 years.”
Summarising his entire journey, he gives one final, invaluable message. He says, “Our country will only progress if we all live united and with one heart. If we all stay united, our future is very bright.”
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Success-Story / by Bhakti Chalak / July 15th, 2026
Seventeen police officers from Karnataka have been conferred the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service on the occasion of Independence Day, 2026. | Photo Credit: File Photo
Seventeen police officers from Karnataka have been conferred the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service on the occasion of Independence Day, 2026.
H.N. Dharmendra, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)-rank officer, has been awarded the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.
Recipients of the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service include Sara Fathima, currently the Superintendent of Police (Railways). Among DSPs, the medal has been awarded to Mahadeva T. and Pramanad P. Ghodake.
Recipients of the medal among inspectors include Nayeem M., Shanmugha Varma K., Bavuddeen Rukmuddeen Gaddekar, and Guru Prasad Gopalnaik. The medal has also been conferred on Thomas Mathew P.M., Commandant, and Sreeinivasa M., Sub-Inspector.
Among constables, the recipients are S.A. Manohara, Maria Joseph Dinesh Kumar F., Nagesh Manchaiah, Abdul Kamal Abdul Hameed, Mahadevaswamy, Chandrashekar G. Chikkannanavar, Abdul Rabbani, and Gyanadev Naval Tarase.
In the Fire Department, the medal has been conferred on Shivakumar Swamy H., Regional Fire Officer, and Basavaraju M., Assistant Fire Station Officer. In the Home Guards Department, the medal has been awarded to Meerasab MaboobSabmulla, Senior Platoon Commander, and Raghavendram, Platoon Commander.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / August 14th, 2026
The software can also locate hospitals and police stations near the last-seen location and provides guidance on what to do if a police complaint hasn’t been filed yet.
Arfath Mohammad / Photo | Express
Bengaluru :
Hyderabad-based Arfath Mohammad was led on the path to develop a software tracking platform when his close friend’s father struggling with dementia went missing from home. Now ReuniteIndia, the software tracking platform developed by Mohammad, has come into news by listing 665 individuals went missing during the Nepal floods and landslide.
It helped in listing those missing, rescued, and safe from official sources like Nepal Police, Nepal’s disaster management authority (NDRRMA), India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and verified family reports.
The platform brings police PDFs, MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) updates, disaster authority bulletins, and scattered social posts, often with different names, dates, and formats together while linking each case back to its original source to help families in trying to find their loved ones.
Mohammad has a Master’s from Wichita State University (USA) and was honoured with a wall dedication at the University’s Rhatigan Student Center for his work in programming and innovation.
The platform not only helps in locating missing persons, but each case page can generate a shareable poster with a real QR code linking back to its live status, so a printed flyer still shows the current status weeks later if someone scans it.
The software can also locate hospitals and police stations near the last-seen location and provides guidance on what to do if a police complaint hasn’t been filed yet.
ReuniteIndia has an AI-assisted layer that helps structure raw information from sources like government bulletins and social posts into clean case records for Arfath to review. Arfath is working on adding an AI chatbot on the resources page to help answer people’s questions directly.
Mohammad says that the ambition is not to be a Nepal flood tracker but to simply be a place any family in India turns to first, for any kind of missing-person case, at any time of year.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / September 13th, 2026
