Habib Tanvir travelled through the interiors of Chhattisgarh, meeting and working with local village artists, and used folk traditions in his plays.
YouTube screengrab of Habib Tanvir
Director, actor, playwright, poet, Habib Tanvir was a man of many colors, all rolled into one. His vibrant personality and talent are fondly remembered by many in theatre and cinema. Tanvir’s plays like Agra Bazaar, Jis Lahore Ni Dekhya, Charandas Chor, Gaon Naam Sasural Mor Naam Damaad, among many others are widely recognised as classics of contemporary Indian theatre.
Actor Naseeruddin Shah once said that he cites the example of Habib Tanvir as one of those who has guided actors even in their darkest of days. “When I interact with newcomers, I have the example of people like Habib Tanvir, Girish Karnad, Om Puri, Shyam Benegal, Satyadev Dubey. When I was a youngster, they were idols for me” he said.
“I remember Tanvir ji as a very witty man, he would make everyone around him laugh. He would always tell us important things during the production very casually. The first time I met him was when Agra Bazaar was staged at Delhi’s Indraprastha College for women. He had this enigmatic quality that would leave all of us in awe. He would sit in a corner, engrossed in work but would keep a keen eye on everything and everyone. It’s like he would make a small tilt of the head and would know what is going on in the rehearsals. There was an energy about him all the time,” actor Sayani Gupta told ThePrint, remembering her experiences while working with the legendary playwright.
Born on 1 September, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Habib Ahmed Khan changed his name to Tanvir after he started writing poetry. After having studied in Aligarh Muslim University, he moved to Bombay in 1945 where he got actively involved with the Indian Peoples’ Theatre Association and the Progressive Writers Association, as a writer, actor and journalist. Nine years later he moved to Delhi, where he delivered his major productions.
In 1959, Tanvir founded the Naya Theatre group, which produced plays using folk performances by native tribal artists of what is now Chhattisgarh. As a writer and director, Tanvir spent years researching folk traditions in drama, music and story-telling. He travelled through the interiors of Chhattisgarh meeting and working with local village artists, and used folk music in his productions.
He was the recipient of a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1969, Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship in 1979, Padma Shri in 1983 and Padma Bhushan in 2002, among other national and international awards during his lifetime.
On his death anniversary, ThePrint looks back at three of his famous plays.
Agra Bazaar
When Tanvir moved to Delhi in 1954, the theatre scene in the national capital was dominated by groups that focused on the 19th and 20th century European models of theatre. His Agra Bazaar stood in complete contrast, in terms of content and form.
Agra Bazaar is a homage to Nazir Akbarabadi, an 18th-century Urdu poet who wrote in a style that was disregarded by poetic norms of his times. Tanvir cast a mix of people — educated middle-class actors, street artists and even regular residents of Okhla village in Delhi and used street language in his play. In fact, the play was first not staged in a confined area or a closed space, but in an actual bazaar.
Gaon Naam Sasural, Mor Naam Damad
Habib Tanvir once said , “This play was like a milestone in my theatre journey and this play also helped me to give a way to my next production, Charandas Chor.”
Gaon Naam Sasural, Mor Naam Damad, first directed by Habib Tanvir in 1973, is a light comedy and folk tale. The story starts with the harvest season festival of Chher-Chhera and revolves around the love of two youngsters, Jhanglu and Manti.
The comedy kicks in when Jhanglu pretends to be a brother-in-law to Manti, and uses tricks to elope, after her father fixes her marriage with an old village head. The folk songs of Chhattisgarh are a part of the play throughout.
Charandas Chor
In 1975, Tanvir wrote and directed Charandas Chor, which won him an award at the Edinburgh festival in 1982. The play, an adaption of a classical Rajasthani folktale by Vijayadan Detha, is based on the life of a thief, Charan, and a foolish policemen.
Even though Charan is a habitual thief, he is a man of a strange sort of integrity, and the audience sympathises with him. In an attempt to outsmart the police, Charan enters a Guruji’s ashram and expresses his desire to become a disciple. The guru extracts four vows from him, and how he navigates life by trying to live by those vows forms his struggle.
source: http://www.theprint.in / ThePrint / Home> Features / by Bismee Taskin / June 08th, 2020
Mohd Habib was a lethal striker of the ball in the 60s and 70s. — File Photo
Known for his nimble footwork, the diminutive Hyderabadi was also referred as Indian Pele.
Hyderabad:
He was the Bade Miyan of the hollowed Calcutta ‘maidan’. The name of Mohammed Habib stands out amid the galaxy of stars that twinkled on these grounds.
Known for his nimble footwork, the diminutive Hyderabadi was also referred as Indian Pele. His exploits with the ball for 17 long years (1966 to 1983) in the City of Joy brought him many laurels. The huge crowd, the pressure, and the fan following are still fresh in Habib’s memory. “It was the good old days. I loved the game and it was one of the best moments of my career,’’ said Habib, who is now afflicted with Parkinson’s disease.
Residing in Toli Chowki, Habib is a forgotten hero in Hyderabad. “No one knows me,’’ he said with a smile, a few years ago. In a marked contrast, he is a hero worshipped in Kolkata. Nevertheless, his contribution to Indian football is immense.
Now in his 70s, Habib’s famous number 10 jersey evoked nostalgic memories. As a multi-dimensional player, he was a sensation. Skillful and hard-working, Habib was excellent as a striker and a midfielder. As former Indian striker Shabbir Ali said Habib had the elegance, vision, passing, ball control, and technique. “He was a livewire on the ground. He had exceptional fighting qualities. That stood him apart from other players,’’ he said.
Habib said he enjoyed the game. “The roar in Eden Gardens was amazing. It was all about handling the pressure. I cherished challenges.’’
Victor Amalraj, the former Indian midfielder, said Habib had the ability to dodge past three or four players before scoring a goal. “He was an attacking midfielder keeping the forwards busy. He was also capable of playing upfront as he had the speed and dribbling skills. He was a lethal striker. He had a good header too as he leapt high to nod the ball in. He was a true professional. I was lucky to play alongside him and also captain him,’’ said Amalraj.
Habib was a hugely popular player and he commanded a huge market like his brother Akbar. He was considered a big catch with all the big three — East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting — angling for him.
Although his longest stint was with East Bengal, Habib’s memorable moments came for Mohun Bagan when the club played against the star-studded Pele-led Cosmos team in 1977. That particular match was a huge one for this Hyderabad striker as he struck a goal in the two-all drawn match. It earned plaudits from none other Pele. “I remember getting the ball in my zone. I turned and struck the ball in. There was a huge roar and a hug from Pele himself. That night after the match, he asked me why I’m not playing in European league as a professional. I said I’m a professional here.’’
Hailing from a family of footballers with all six brothers excelling in the game, Habib said it was proud to have so many players from one family. “Azam, Moinuddin, Fareed, Akbar, Jaffar and I all played big-time football.’’
Although he made a big mark in Calcutta, Habib also played for India with great distinction. He was a member of the Nayeemuddin-led Indian team that won the bronze medal in the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games. “I think I was fortunate to play in three Asian Games. Remember India had a glorious history. Today, the Indian football team is languishing. Other nations like South Korea, Japan, Iran, Iraq, China have marched ahead of others. They have made huge strides in world football while we are struggling in Asian football. The Indian football players cannot match the speed and stamina of some of the teams of the Asian countries,’’ said Habib, who later on shone as coach after quitting the game.
He was honoured with the Arjuna Award. Now, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, he is virtually confined to his house.
source: http://www.telanganatoday.com / Telangana Today / Home> Sports> Football / by N Jagannath Das / June 07th, 2020
The topper’s father said the madrassa teachers had helped the teenager by waiving off his monthly fees and offering free tuition to him.
Eyamin Ali with his parents (Photo | Seikh Rahmat Ullah)
Guwahati ::
Karam Ali’s years of struggle has not gone in vain.
The vegetable vendor’s son, Eyamin, secured the top rank in Assam’s High Madrassa Examination, 2020, the results of which were declared on Saturday.
From the local MLA to panchayat leaders, people swarmed to Ali’s modest house at Kahibari village in Barpeta district of Lower Assam to extend their best wishes to the family.
For over a decade, Ali had pulled a cycle rickshaw to eke out a living for his family of six members. Two years ago, he had made the rickshaw a vegetable carrier by modifying it. Given his son’s achievement, he said “poverty can never stand in the way of excellence”.
“I cannot tell you in words how happy I am today. This is the result of Eyamin’s hard work. He topped every exam of his school life. He studied at an Assamese medium private school up to Class VI. As the expenses there took a toll on me, I got him admitted to government-run Dhakua High Madrassa in Class VII,” Ali told this newspaper.
He said as Eyamin kept excelling in his studies, the madrassa teachers had helped the teenager by waiving off his monthly fees and offering free tuition to him.
“I studied up to Class 12 and I know the value of education. I had always told my children that it would be difficult for me to give them the facilities. They have to study hard and follow what their teachers say. I said if they do that, they will shine in life,” Ali said.
His only daughter has been married off while she was a second semester student at a college. His two other sons are students of Class IX and II.
The family has one study table which Eyamin shared with his brother to study. With no electricity at home, the two brothers studied in the light of a lamp.
“My life has been a story of struggle. But I always took pains to ensure that my focus doesn’t get deviated. I will remain indebted to my teachers who helped me in whatever way they could. I knew I will get the fruits of my struggle. God also helped me,” Eyamin, who aspires to become a doctor and serve the society, said.
He scored 558 out of 600 with letter marks in all subjects.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Prasanta Mazumdar / Express News Service / June 06th, 2020
In the wake of countrywide protests against CAA-NRC-NPR, India is witnessing a watershed massive movement led by women. From organizing to mobilizing to leading – women are at the forefront, often gaining stronghold over their male counterparts. Never in history we have seen such a political scenario where women leaders are emerging from every nook and corner, every village and metro city of the country.
To mark this International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, we have featured 10 women across India who have not only contributed to the changed definition of women empowerment but have also changed the way an Indian Woman is perceived across the globe. Through our feature, we honor and celebrate the courage of some of these inspiring women – those who have led the anti-CAA-NRC movement across India without any fear from state machinery.
Sadiya Shaikh, Mumbai
Sadiya, has visited several states to address anti-CAA-NRC rallies. She is a student of B.A at Rizvi college, Mumbai. Working to create awareness about NRC-CAA, she has shared the stage with the country’s foremost youth leaders – Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and many other activists. Recently, Umar Khalid posted that “Sadiya is only 17 years old, but one of the best speakers I have come across during the Anti CAA-NRC movement”.
Disturbed by the Jamia incident, she became a part of these protests to challenge the brutality of state sponspored violence on the students of Jamia in Delhi. “I thought if we choose to be silent now then distorting the constitution and atrocities on students will become a norm,”says Sadiya.
She feels proud discussing that she had studied democracy as a subject but now, she says, “I am practically trying to exercise what I was studying till now”. She had always dreamt to be a part of Young India Challenge, this year she got selected but gave up just to be a part of these protests. This movement has brought a change in her, she reads more about history now and she feels more confident. She is just 17 years old so her father accompanies her on travels to another city or state to address protest gatherings.
Ayesha Renna, Kerala
Ayesha is a 22 years old student from Jamia Millia Islamia. Coming from a small town Kondotty, in Malappuram district of Kerala, she became the poster girl after her photo went viral a day after the 15th December police brutality on Jamia students. In the photo with two other women students and a student journalist, Ayesha can be seen warning the policeman against their brutal behaviour. Ayesha became the icon of Women in Hijab breaking the stereotypes and struggling for her rights.
Ayesha is associated with a Kerala-based NGO called ‘Yes India’ since 2016 which works for “educational development of students belonging from marginalised sections”. She started her protest for CAA-NRC on the very next day when the bill was passed in Parliament. She was the part of the JMI girls march to the parliament. Being a history student herself, she feels, “For me, history is not linear and it’s not only about recorded events.” She says that history is something which gives hope and energy in the age of political depression which is very similar to Nazi Germany.
Being a woman born and brought up in Kerala, specifically in a Muslim populated district, Ayesha is breaking the stereotypical image framed by the popular culture where a Woman in Hijab is hailed as “oppressed.” She says “My identity was always a subject of liberal saviours, the immediate possibility of a hijabi is limited into the immediate binaries of oppressed.”
Khalida Parveen, Hyderabad
Khalida Parveen, a 64-year-old social activist from Hyderabad, was detained by the police while protesting. That did not dampen her spirits and since then, Parveen has been actively engaged in educating women about the impact of NRC and CAA by guiding them how to maintain peaceful protests.
“Muslim women have always been targeted for being inside their houses and not standing up for their right, this movement has shown that when necessary they can do every possible thing to safeguard their rights,” says Parveen, who also runs an NGO with the aim to empower the nation by empowering its women.
She has been arrested by the police during protests and has boldly faced it, advocating the weeding out fear psychology of police in society. She is currently working on the ground by reaching out to women in rural areas and slums to educate and aware them about CAA-NRC. Parveen sights every woman as a leader in these protests. “Our responsibility is to keep fighting against these unjust laws, I am not afraid even if I die struggling for the rights of our citizenship” adds Parveen. Her active participation in mobilizing women and appealing them to come out of their houses to protest has inspired many women, who see her as their role model.
Aman Mohammadi, Saharanpur
Aman Mohammadi, 27-years-old artist from Saharanpur, is pursuing her PhD in Theatre and Performance from JNU. She is a performer who does theatre mainly on socio-political issues. Moving around in the protests she noticed that, women are leading the protests but when it comes to performance, mostly male were seen. To counter this, she became a part of the newly formed ‘Zanana Ensemble: Zanana ka Zamana.’
Anyone who identifies herself as a woman performer was open to join the group. The group has composed some very creative and engaging slogans, one of which is
“aya zanana ka zamana, hai zanana ka zamana, khub pakaya ghar mai khana, inquilab ko hai pakana”
The group did a musical protest “Hawaon mein, yaaron jawaab milega, Fizaon mein, jawaab milega, which went viral on social media and was later covered by The Quint. They performed at several protest sites including Shaheen Bagh,Shahi Eidgah, Azad market, Inderlok and many more.
Aman has been very active and vocal on social media about the empowerment and rights of women. “This movement has brought up a beautiful form of resistance which is helping women to reclaim the space which was already taken by men, through this protest they are reclaiming these spaces” says Aman Mohammadi. Aman was deeply moved by the spirit of resistance among the ladies of mohalla who have come together to establish Shaheen Baghs at different places throughout the nation. She opines that despite the patriarchal set up of our society this movement has been able to break many barriers, the women have come out and led these protests which will always be remembered.
Shiba Minai, Hyderabad
Shiba, originally a 33-years-old journalist from Hyderabad, has now become an activist and protester. She is known for kick-starting the momentum of Hyderabad protests and also called as the Lady Flash protester of Hyderabad.
Shiba calls herself an Urban Freedom Fighter who is fighting for the rights of the citizens of India and humanity.“Women have always been the backbone and very integral part of this society but were not acknowledged by the people because they were busy thinking that Muslim women are not capable,” says Shiba. She thinks this movement has given a beautiful realization to people with traditional mind-sets about women belonging to the household.
Shiba is the mother of a 3-year-old but she manages to be an active part of these protests, just like hundreds of other women who balance their daily routine with protest schedules across the city. According to her, now “the protests are as important as having daily meals because there is nothing more patriotic than disagreeing with what is wrong and the voice of dissent is necessary.” She says that by bringing the CAA into force, we have wasted our democracy and now women must fight to save India one more time by setting an example for women throughout the world. Shiba was also detained by the police amid the protests but this didn’t stop her from voicing her dissent. She is very determined that these protests will surely bring victory and people like her will continue to resist even if it takes years.
Swati Narayan, Mumbai
Swati, originally from Mumbai, is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Human Development, Ranchi. She is a distinguished activist having previously worked on social issues like Right to Food, Right to Education and Social Justice for more than a decade now. She has been actively working at grassroots level, working closely with different groups and organizations to mobilize and aware people. Swati says to have Muslim women and students at the forefront have been a completely new phenomenon.
“Through this movement they are countering fascism and patriarchy in the liberal establishment as well as right wing establishment,” she says. She believes anti-CAA movement is a strong inflection point which will empower Muslim women beyond today. She hopes that this sisterhood which has emerged out of organic and pure movement should grow stronger and stronger.
Rehna Sultana, Assam
Rehna is a research scholar from Guwahati University, Assam. She is an academician turned full-time activist owing to the social circumstances at her place. Some people from her village started getting the notice for D-voter and would come to Rehna’s family to help them understand about it. It was around that time she started enquiring about citizenship issues in Assam. Soon, she started helping people with the NRC process. In her village, people used to charge 1000 rupees per head for filling the form for NRC, which didn’t even ensure that the form would be filled correctly. So, she started filling up forms for people free of cost. In the wake of CAA, she is now currently working to help people across Assam through awareness drives. Through her reach-out programmes, she is countering misconception and misinformation about citizenship laws. She informs people about the know-hows of producing documents and dealing with government authorities.Rehna hails from Bengal origin Muslim community in Assam and has been working for the upliftment of women by raising awareness against child marriage, domestic violence and education. Rehna says women and children have been worst affected as they are unable to produce the needed documents.“Birth certificate and matric certificate are two important documents to prove citizenship. Most of the women get married early and can not complete their formal education to obtain even the class 10 certificate,” she says.Rehna, who has been working tirelessly on the ground for women empowerment, believes education should be the top most priority for women.
Dr.Shagufta Yasmeen, Ranchi
She is an activist who runs a women empowerment group and recently have been very active in NRC-CAA protests. Jamia incident instigated her to join the anti CAA protest. She gradually started learning about the Act and then started the awareness program to inform people about it.
There were many misconceptions about CAA-NRC among the people. Some students and a ladies group came together to initiate the awareness drive. This movement has empowered the women in many dimensions, this has made them more confident. Shaguftais very confident in saying that “Our protest is a peaceful protest; it might take time but definitely it will be fruitful”
After her awareness sessions, people from all communities are coming and joining the protests. She considers women as more responsible and powerful which is the reason behind the success of these Anti CAA-NRC protests. It is the patience of women which has led to the strengthening of this movement and that is why everyday more people are joining the protest.
Jacinta Kerketta, Ranchi
Jacinta Kerketta from Ranchi is best known for her poetry which touches various social issues of Adivasi and Dalits. She is also a journalist and social activist. Working on the education of girls she has been travelling across the world, delivering her poetry on varied subjects including independent writing and environmental issues at the International level. Through her poetry she has also registered a protest against CAA-NRC at various public talks. Adivasis in this country have been struggling for dignified life which is yet to be actualized. Jacinta says CAA-NRC is not just Anti-Muslim rather it is also against Adivasis, Dalits and Women.For women to get empowered they need to pave their own way, aligning their own development with that of society. Only then we as society will get emancipation.
Ladeeda Farzana ,Kerela
Ladeeda, a 22 years old student of JamiaMilliaIslamia who hails from Mallapuram District of Kerela emerged as a face of resistance from the Anti CAA-NRC protests. She was seen as the one amongst the four girls protecting a male student from the police lathi-charge. Later, she has been to different states to convince people regarding CAA-NRC protests.
Ladeeda became an icon of resistance and have been very active through the movement. She has been to many universities and protest sites to encourage people to participate in the protests. She was brutally trolled but she didn’t give up. She is a role model for many of the student protestors. “The fight for justice is incomplete, unless we have solidarity from people of all faiths, ideologies and communities,” says Ladeeda.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCiricles.net / Home> TCN Positive / by Nazish Hussain and Musheera Ashraf / TwoCircles.net / March 08th, 2020
Hamza Koya played as a wing-back position and represented Maharashtra in Santosh Trophy from 1981 to 1986 and was selected for Indian Soccer camp twice.
Former Santosh Trophy player Hamza Koya (L) passed away due to Covid-19 infection. (Hamza Koya Facebook)
HIGHLIGHTS
Former Santosh Trophy player Hamza Koya passed away after Covid-19 infection
Hamza Koya had undergone plasma therapy for Covid-19
His wife and son also tested positive after arriving in Kerala
Former Santosh Trophy player Hamza Koya passed away after undergoing plasma therapy for Covid-19 infection in Kerala. He was 61. Hamza Koya who hails from Parappanangadi in Malappuram district had been living in Mumbai and arrived in the state on May 21 along with his wife, son and his family.
His wife and son also tested positive after arriving in Kerala and are undergoing treatment. His daughter-in-law and two grandchildren including a three-month-old baby were also tested positive along with him. They are undergoing treatment at Manjeri Medical College.
According to a medical bulletin issued by Manjeri Medical College, Hamza’s condition turned critical and he was given plasma therapy on June 5 with the permission of the medical board. He passed away late at night. Now Kerala accounts 15 deaths due to Covid-19and 11 persons died during the last three weeks.
Hamza Koya played as a wing-back position and represented Maharashtra in Santosh Trophy from 1981 to 1986 and selected for Indian Soccer camp twice.
In his two-decade-long sports career, he represented Calicut University during 1976-78, Western Railways, Union Bank , RCF,TATA Sports and Orkay mills from 1976 to 1996. He coached Orkay Silk Mills team for a short period. After retirement, he floated Careerline Travel Consultant Pvt Ltd in Mumbai. His son is also a soccer player.
P.P. Thobias, former Santosh Trophy player and Deputy Commandant in Kerala police remembered him as a gentle man in ground and widely appreciated defence player
source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> Sports> Football / by Jeemon Jacob, Thiruvananthapuram / June 06th, 2020
Langas and Manganiyars are hereditary professional Muslim musicians residing mostly in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer and Barmer districts.
Civil society groups and research institutions here have joined hands to help out the Langa-Manganiyar folk artistes of western Rajasthan, struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure of tourist places and hotels has deprived the celebrated musicians of their livelihood for more than two months.
A social media campaign titled “Maru Mani” (jewels of desert) was launched earlier this week for receiving monetary support from the public at large for preserving the rich heritage of traditional music and dance forms of the Thar desert. The community’s music was supported by wealthy landlords and merchants before Independence.
Langas and Manganiyars are hereditary professional Muslim musicians residing mostly in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, and Sindh province’s Tharparkar and Sanghar districts on the other side of the international border. The COVID-19 lockdown has stopped their global performances and posed a challenge to the survival of the popular art form.
Nek Mohammed, an internationally travelled performer, has composed a song narrating the difficulties faced by the community during the present crisis, and the lack of support when they had lost their livelihood. The State government has started giving them a one-time assistance of ₹2,500 each under the Chief Minister’s Lok Kalakar Protsahan Yojana.
Jaipur-based Lok Samvad Sansthan’s secretary Kalyan Singh Kothari said here on Thursday that the drive for supporting Langa-Manganiyar artistes would continue for the next three months. The institutions that have joined the efforts include Rupayan Sansthan of Jodhpur, Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, and the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun.
Mr. Kothari said the folk musicians would be provided with guidance for creating multimedia content with their art, utilising smartphones so as to leverage social media platforms. A crowdfunding platform has also been created for community mobilisation to get financial support.
The Rupayan Sansthan has established a folk music school in Jodhpur for training young underprivileged boys from the Langa community in the presentation of their repertoire with proper expression and diction. The school also offers academic education to the boys between the ages of 7 and 14 years.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Other States / by Mohammed Iqbal / Jaipur – June 05th, 2020
Jagan Bi Patel, a home-maker who played host to B.R. Ambedkar in 1927, died in Karoshi village in Belagavi district on Tuesday. She was a little over 108. She died of natural causes, her family said.
Jagan Bi, also called Munni Bai, served food to Ambedkar in her native village of Aurwad in Kolhapur district in Maharashtra. As a 15-year-old girl, she served tea and lunch to the national leader and eminent lawyer when he stayed in her parent’s house for a week, as he was fighting a civil case for her father. Ambedkar represented Mohammad Patel, Jagan Bi’s father, in a property dispute.
Jagan Bi settled down in Karoshi after her marriage to a farmer in 1930. She used to relate stories of Baba Saheb’s visit to her paternal house and how he saved her father’s land by winning cases in Chikkodi and Mumbai in the 1920s. She spoke of how her father and Ambedkar would at times walk to the court in Chikkodi. Her favourite episode was an unrelated incident where Ambedkar rode a horse to Nippani.
She became some a sort of celebrity in Chikkodi after Bahujan Samaj Party leader Kanshi Ram met her during a visit to Belagavi district in 1995.
“She told Kanshi Ram that Ambedkar fondly called her Munni,” Bahujan Samaj Party leader from Chikkodi, Rajeev Kamble, who was present during that meeting, recalled.
Her husband died 30 years ago and she lived in Karoshi where her sons tilled land and sold farm produce for a living. She spent her last years reciting and reading the Quran among women’s groups.
She spoke Marathi and Urdu and entertained the village children by telling them stories.
The final rites were conducted in the village on Wednesday.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Belagavi – June 04th, 2020
June 3 marks the anniversary of thespian and theatre legend Qadir Ali Baig.
Bengaluru :
June 3 marks the anniversary of thespian and theatre legend Qadir Ali Baig. In the ‘old normal’, stalwarts like Habib Tanvir, M S Sathyu, Rohini Hattangady and Shabana Azmi have performed on the occasion. But this year, which marks the 36th anniversary of the veteran theatre person, has his son Mohammad Ali Baig, a Padma Shri recipient himself, doing the different.
A dramatised reading of Alone, a story of a yesteryear movie actress coming to terms with her role in real life during the lockdown, will be ‘staged’ online on Wednesday. “A new theatre spectacle, titled My Father – His Exalted Highness, on the life of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, was scheduled for its London and Russian stagings this year. But owing to the pandemic, both the shows got rescheduled,” says theatre revivalist Baig.
Later this month, their globally-acclaimed plays, Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada and 1857: Turrebaz Khan, and a collection of 10 short stories, A-Quaint-Essences by the doyen’s daughter-in-law, actress-writer Noor Baig, will be launched. The online tribute would be in the form of Baig reading one of the stories from that collection, titled Alone.
Known for extravagant sets, Baig wasn’t keen on going ahead with an online theatre experience, which would neither be a play, web series or film. “Our historical works don’t fit into the online format and I felt doing so would only be a compromise. Not wanting to lose the charm of our works, we decided to go ahead with a format where the focus is on words, story, accent and storytelling,” he says about the one-man show in English, Hindi and bits of French.
He adds, “Since the premise of Baba’s work was that theatre should transcend boundaries, serving the true spirit of humanity and oneness, reaching out to those who make theatre around the country possible is important in these critical times.”Alone can be viewed on Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation’s YouTube channel and Facebook page on Wednesday at 7.30 pm.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / June 03rd, 2020
The family-owned Mezhukkattil Mill, which manufactures edible coconut oil, stuck in through logistical and procurement issues to meet demand across the globe.
Mezhukkattil Mill executive director Ubais Ali (third from right in the front row) with his employees | By special arrangement
Kochi :
This is a rare Covid business story from Kerala — one about the grit and determination of a medium-sized edible oil mill in Aluva, near Kochi, to keep its mills running during the lockdown as its workers had no option but to stay put.
The decision was also fashioned by the demand surge during the early days of the pandemic when imminent lockdowns across the globe led to panic buying.
For Ubais Ali, executive director of the family-owned Mezhukkattil Mill, which manufactures coconut oil, it did not require theoretical lessons in business management or post-Covid strategies being peddled by major consultancies across the world.
All Ubais did was spot an immediate business opportunity when essential products began flying off the shelves across continents in the middle of March. He was alerted by business associates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain that edible coconut oil, just like any other food item, was selling fast, with a large number of non-traditional users turning to this cooking medium.
But just as he began exploring the opportunity, lockdown was enforced in India on 24 March.
Ubais had about 50 workers in his factory premises who had no option but to stay put, but he had to contend with logistical issues.
“When the national lockdown began, we had three containers stuck at the Kochi International Container Terminal. Even the big players in the food processing sector were caught unawares as the clearing and forwarding agents of Kochi decided against taking any risk,” Ubais says.
“I had no option but to keep the mill running at full capacity with three eight-hour shifts as the big brands like Lulu said their malls (in the Middle East) were facing total depletion of stock. I had to take a chance or lose this opportunity forever.”
The logistical troubles
Such was the demand that towards the end of March, during the first phase of the lockdown, Ubais had to augment his supply line of six truckloads of copra, from Tirupur district in Tamil Nadu, with well over a dozen containers from Indonesia and Philippines.
That posed its own challenges. For one, the executive director had to battle for lorry passes from supply officers at the taluk level and also for inter-state travel permits.
Then the State Trading Corporation (STC) refused to issue the company with a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the import of raw materials to bridge the gap caused by the shortfall in the indigenous copra supply.
Ubais first attempted to sort this out through the Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation, of which he is a member, but eventually it required the direct intervention of the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
K.M. Harilal, joint DGFT, Kochi, said: “Though food processing units had an exemption from the lockdown, none were functioning in the first week. Ubais came to us with a peculiar problem, as he was not getting the mandatory clearance from STC for imports. As the company’s normal channel via Chennai was not fruitful I got through to my boss in Delhi who got in touch with the STC chairman and the NOC came through.”
But all the clearances in the world would not have helped in a city known for the sincere hands-down approach of workers during hartals and the lockdown, an occasion that demanded stricter adherence to stay away from work.
The export trouble
As if procuring raw material wasn’t hard enough, exporting the coconut oil provided an equally tough task, mainly due to confusion at the Cochin Port, the region’s main export transit point.
The Cochin Customs Brokers Association passed a resolution on 31 March that it would not move containers. It also sought clarification from the chief minister regarding anomalies in the notifications issued by the central and state governments.
The Ministry of Shipping had notified normal operations of ports and customs. It was the ministry’s advisory that all cargo, both general as well as essential, be cleared. The Kerala government, however, brought out an advisory that no one should be attending office except those specially notified. The state’s focus then was on health and avoiding any threat of contracting Covid.
Although the Cochin Customs Association withdrew its resolution following instructions from the customs commissioner, the overall sentiment among its members was more in line with the state government directive on ensuring personal safety.
As a result, there were no clearing agents ready to move the coconut oil consignments.
It posed a major hurdle for Ubais as based on demand from clients, his oil mill had lined up over a dozen containers for export by the end of April first week.
Finally, one agent, George Forwarders, expressed willingness to move the containers provided they did not face hassles from any departments. The mill and the agent both received a shot in the arm — one of the clients, to be precise the personal staff of M.A. Yusuff Ali, the UAE-based Indian billionaire businessman and owner of LuLu Group, promised to monitor all local clearances in Kochi.
The result: The first lot of three containers were moved in early April.
In all, between 25 March and 30 April, Mezhukkattil Mill imported 20 containers of raw materials for exports. And between 12 containers that came under the head of direct exports and seven containers of deemed exports, this little known company from Aluva managed to export 19 containers of finished products, earning around $ 6,68,000 (over Rs 5 crore) in foreign exchange.
The lessons for big business
For Mezhukkattil Mill, which was the largest supplier of coconut oil for soap and surfactant giants as also hair and skin oil in the 1990s, with a client list comprising Tata Oil Mills, Hindustan Lever, Wipro, among others, the lockdown has marked its coming of age. The mill had switched to manufacturing edible coconut in the decade between 2005 and 2015.
The company’s makeover as a manufacturer of only edible oil products is now complete. It now ships its oil for various brands such as Lulu Muscat Hypermarket LLC, Royal Mark Foods and Eastern Condiments in Oman and Panten Mee in Taiwan.
As the country looks to get its act together on the manufacturing front, stories from even small companies like Mezhukkattil could prove inspirational. Surely, instances like this depicting small and medium-sized companies punching way above their weight by pouncing on opportunities in a pandemic-struck market should stir the big players out of the present clime of gloom.
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> Economy / by Vinod Mathew / June 02nd, 2020
Lucknow resident Uzma in two roles — sanitizing streets during COVID lockdown and earlier protesting against CAA-NRC-NPR
New Delhi :
After the lockdown, when the country was facing Coronavirus and politicians were blaming religion and faith for the pandemic, a Muslim woman, away from Hindu-Muslim, temple-mosque TV debates, was carrying a spray machine on her back and sanitizing streets, temples and mosques and thus silently playing her role in the war against Coronavirus.
A picture and video of the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Ghanta Ghar in Lucknow had gone viral on social media earlier this year – a woman in Hijab holding her kid in her lap was loudly raising slogans on mike. When the protest ended and the lockdown began in end-March, the same woman was seen carrying a spray machine one her back and sanitizing temples, mosques and 35 localities, and her pictures again became viral on social media. She is Lucknow resident Uzma.
Resident of Saadatganj in old Lucknow, Uzma has made struggle the mission of her life and her religious identity her strength. She has made her courage her ideal and struggle her way.
Talking to India Tomorrow, Uzma says she wants to make the country better, fight against evils, injustice and all types of epidemics so that the new generations could breathe in the air of love and peace.
Sanitizing Temples and Streets:
Uzma says: “Doctors, police and all others are engaged in the fight against Coronavirus across the country. I also thought to do my bit in this fight against the pandemic and began sanitization work in areas where employees of municipal corporation are not able to reach.”
Uzma doing sanitization work in Lucknow
Talking to India Tomorrow, Uzma further said: “I have a passion in my heart to do something for the country and I do whatever I can. Service to the nation begins from your home and neighbourhood, that is why I began my contribution in the fight against Coronavirus by sanitizing the lanes near my house and so far I have sanitized 35 lanes.”
Carrying Sanitization Work with Her Own Money:
During the continuous lockdown, Uzma is spending her own money on sanitizing the localities of her neighbourhood. When asked why she is using her own savings for this work, she said: “I had saved the money for the future of my children but this Coronavirus epidemic is taking away lives of our dear ones in the present. The municipal corporation is doing its efforts but wherever the civic body is unable to reach, I am doing sanitization work to save people from Coronavirus.”
Pictures and videos of Uzma sanitizing streets and localities of Lucknow have been viral on social media for the past couple of weeks. In the visuals, she can be seen sanitizing temples, shops and narrow lanes.
Uzma Was Active in Anti-CAA Protest:
This is not the first time that Uzma is in news and her work is being appreciated. Earlie, during the anti-CAA protest at Ghanta Ghar in Lucknow, a video of her raising slogans had gone viral on social media.
In that viral video, Uzma was holding her child with one hand and mike in the other and was raising slogans and inspiring the women audience there to continue the protest.
Lucknow Municipal Corporation honoured Uzma for her exemplary sanitization work
Talking to India Tomorrow, a young lawyer from Lucknow Sajid Khan said: “Uzma was among the women who were leading the anti-CAA protest at Lucknow’s Ghanta Ghar and gave a new dimension to the anti-CAA movement. A video of her holding her child in the lap and raising slogan had motivated women across the country.”
He further said: “When her anti-CAA video went viral, police had gone to shut down the Ghana Ghar protest and misbehaved with women protesters – Uzma was one of them and her video had gone viral. But forgetting all this, the same woman has again got engaged in the service of the nation, which is indeed surprising.”
Several images have emerged from across the country during the lockdown which are enough to change the way we look at the government and society.
Muslim youths like Uzma and students played active role in the anti-CAA movement and when the lockdown was imposed they got engaged in distributing ration and food among the needy people and laborers across the country. Uzma and hundreds of youths like her have done what the government should have. Yet, during the lockdown, the Delhi Police continued arresting those students and youths who were doing relief work and serving the humanity.
Away from TV debates on Hindu-Muslim and temple-mosque issues, the youths of the country are striving to make a beautiful India. The government should also fix its role in this endeavour.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home / by Masihuzzaman Ansari , India Tomorrow / May 29th, 2020
