Monthly Archives: February 2021

Arabic calligraphy: Art between the lines of prayer

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Karnataka (under research project), , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

TELANGANA / Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Muqtar Ahmed at work. Photo: Special Arrangement/THE HINDU  

A 24-year-old with a global presence and her teacher are among a few keeping the art of Arabic calligraphy alive in India

Bee Bee Laisa, a final year Engineering student in Bengaluru, has a dream. The 24-year-old wants to transcribe a copy of the Koran in Arabic. “I have always been interested in art and drawing, but it was only when I started learning English calligraphy that I was introduced to the art form in Arabic, which would help me transcribe the holy book,” says Laisa.

And so began her journey in 2016, as a student of the Institute of Indo-Islamic Art and Culture (IIAC) at Richmond Street, Bengaluru, to learn Arabic calligraphy. Also known as khat, this centuries-old art form is held in high regard by Muslims because of its association with the dissemination of the Koran before the era of printing presses.

In the past five years, Laisa has mastered the decorative script thuluth considered one of the most difficult fonts, and naskh (used to write the Koran). Her talent has been recognised on several international and local platforms: her calligraphic artworks of Koranic verses and Islamic phrases have been exhibited in Japan, UAE, and Jaipur since 2017.

Calligraphy alphabet sampler by Bee Bee Laisa. Photo: Special Arrangement/THE HINDU  

It is a huge leap forward for Laisa, whose father works as a banana delivery vehicle driver in Bengaluru. Laisa says calligraphy has helped improve her concentration and also use her drawing skills in her Civil Engineering classes.

“Calligraphers can’t have any dot or line out of place; this has helped me present spotless drawings for my coursework as well,” she says.

The school uses traditional materials to teach the art, including wooden or reed pens (qalam) and inks from plant-based resins. As per tradition, strands of raw silk are placed inside the inkpot (likka), to help regulate the amount of ink on the qalam tip, and also to prevent spills onto the paper.

“We use a paper called muqahar for the final version. Though it is commercially available, calligraphers also learn how to prepare their own muqahar sheets,” says Muqtar Ahmed, the principal and tutor at of the IIAC.

__________

Built to be timeless

  • The process of making muqahar was perfected in the 17th Century by Turkish calligraphers, and Arabic calligraphy students still learn it today.
  • Paper is stained with natural dyes (like tea or floral decoctions) and then coated with a tempering mixture of alum crystals dissolved in egg whites. It is then burnished to get a glossy finish.
  • “Muqahar paper, if made correctly, can last up to 700 years,” says Ahmed.

__________

Devoted to the art

Ahmed is the man guiding Laisa in her mission. He has the distinction of being the only Indian to have earned his Ijazah (Masters diploma) in Arabic calligraphy from the Turkey-based Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), under the auspices of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He has trained over 500 students through the school’s weekly courses, and has started online classes during lockdown.

“Calligraphy takes a long time to learn, and one only gets better with continuous practice,” says Ahmed.

His own encounter with the art form is a tribute to his tenacity. As an Intermediate school graduate in a small village in Telengana, he started learning Urdu and Arabic calligraphy and decided to make his career as a scribe for an Urdu publication in Bengaluru, in 1990.

Arabic calligraphy by Muqtar Ahmed. Photo: Special Arrangement/THE HINDU  

“I used to write entire pages of articles in the column style, before the computers came in,” he says.

Most of the commercial calligraphy that was done for Urdu and Arabic journals before automated printing lacked the aesthetic values of the original art form, he says.

“I’d like to revive Arabic calligraphy among young people and show them how this can not only be an art but also a way to remember the divine in our life,” Ahmed says.

When he lost his job in 1994, Ahmed decided to research how other calligraphers, especially those outside India, were sustaining their craft. He set up a small commercial press to keep his home fires burning, and kept looking out for masters in calligraphy.

“I realised that it is not a language transforming tool, but an art that has a different respect globally,” he adds.

Among the people who helped him were Washington-based Syrian font designer and calligrapher Maamoun Sakkal, and Mohamed Zakariya, the first Westerner to earn calligraphy diplomas from IRCICA in Turkey.

In what sounds like an incredible process today, Zakariya, who is based in Virginia and does not use electronic communication, tutored Ahmed over postal correspondence for three-and-a-half years.

“I used to send my completed exercises from Bengaluru, and he would reply with his comments and corrections by post. Mr Zakariya didn’t charge me any fees for the tuition, and I feel very fortunate to have been his student,” says Ahmed.

Zakariya also introduced Ahmed to his own master Hasan Chalabi from IRCICA, who invited him to Turkey in 2008. After several visits to Istanbul to learn the art, Ahmed earned his Masters degree in 2013.

Paying it forward

“My professors advised me to start teaching calligraphy in India after I graduated, so that I could rekindle the old majesty of the art. When Mr Syed Mohamed Beary [a local real estate developer] heard of this, he sponsored the establishment of the institute in Bengaluru, and put me in charge of it. I’m glad to see that though it is a very difficult field to excel in, at least 15 of our students are being recognised for their calligraphy,” says Ahmed.

Ameerul Islam and Abdul Sattar, two of his students, have set up a branch of the institute in Hyderabad. IIAC’s curriculum covers the Arabic scripts riqa (for newcomers), naskh and thuluth and nastaliq in Urdu. Learning any two scripts thoroughly is ideal for a calligrapher, says Ahmed.

Bee Bee Laisa. Photo: Special Arrangement/THE HINDU  

Bee Bee Laisa’s aim of transcribing the Koran is shared by her teacher. “In fact it is the ultimate goal of every Arabic calligrapher,” says Ahmed. “But it is a huge project, because there are at least 600 pages to be transcribed. If we do something with our hands, it is priceless,” he says.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Nahla Nainar / February 19th, 2021

9-year-old Kerala boy cooks 172 dishes in an hour, enters Asia Book of Records

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Travel & Tourism, World Opinion, , , , , ,

KERALA / Chennai, TAMIL NADU :

Starting out so early is not surprising given that he belongs to a family that runs a chain of restaurants in Chennai. His father Hashnas Abdulla is from Payyoli and mother is from Feroke. 

Hayan Abdulla with certificates and medals of Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records

Kozhikode :

9-year-old Hayan Abdulla of Feroke has entered the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records by cooking 172 dishes, including biryanis, juices, pancakes, dosas, salads, milk shakes and chocolates, in one hour.Cooking became his hobby when he was just four. “He showed interest in cooking and began helping me in kitchen,” said Rasha Abdulla, Hayan’s mother. 

Starting out so early is not surprising given that he belongs to a family that runs a chain of restaurants in Chennai. His father Hashnas Abdulla is from Payyoli and mother is from Feroke. “My family noticed that I cook fast. Then I thought why not work on it and be different. For the past one week, I have been recording the time of my cooking. There were no special preparations for the competition,” said Hayan, who is a Class III student of Sherwood Hall Senior Secondary School in Chennai. 

Because of Covid-19 regulations, the competition took place online. He owns a YouTube channel called Hayan Delicacies which explains the making of various dishes in detail in three languages — English, Malayalam and Tamil. While he is passionate about cooking, Hayan aspires to become a pilot. His dream culinary venture is to set up a pasta bar.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Express News Service / February 19th, 2021

Karnataka: All-woman Garuda team in the making

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), , , ,

KARNATAKA :

The first batch of women commandos undergoes training for Garuda, Karnataka’s anti-terror force. (Photo | EPS)

What will emerge is a lean, mean team — the first batch of the all-woman Garuda commandos of the Karnataka Police.

Bengaluru :

Seventeen young women, mostly from villages across Karnataka, are training to shoot, handle explosives, rappel, rope walk, handle terror, as they build grit and endurance, for 12 hours a day. What will emerge is a lean, mean team — the first batch of the all-woman Garuda commandos of the Karnataka Police. 

The special operational team Garuda, Karnataka’s own anti-terror force, was formed in 2010, and for the first time this year, the department will be training 50 women to join the force. Pre-induction training is on at Bengaluru’s Centre for Counter Terrorism for these 17 women, under the Deputy Director, Lt Col Rohit Nayak and his team led by Superintendent of Police M L Madhura Veena. 

“They will form the first all-woman commando team and are undergoing training to handle any kind of terror attack or save victims of such attacks,” said Madhura Veena, the only woman SP in the Centre for Counter Terrorism, of the Internal Security Division (ISD).  The Response Counter Terrorism Team will be based in Bengaluru, and can reach any part of the city in 30 minutes. The commandos will be deployed in areas with high concentration of IT-BT companies, besides sensitive areas, including coastal Karnataka. 

ADGP of ISD Bhaskar Rao has been appreciative of these youngsters coming from humble backgrounds but with enough grit to be trained into commandos with special counter-terrorism skills such as handling weapons, Improvised Explosive Devices, explosives, rope work and communication, CAD (computer aided design) and navigation, medical first aid and PIN (planning, intelligence and negotiation) etc. 


“First batch of Women Garuda Commandos with 17 girls have started.

Few are enthusiastic, few want to go back. But a very strong willed SP, Madhur Veena is spending full time. The girls are amazing quick learners,” Bhaskar Rao tweeted on Saturday. However, when the girls were asked why some of them want to go back, Uma Devi, from a village in Bidar, said, “It is difficult initially. During basic training, after we clear constable post, it’s not so rigorous. Here we are trained in handling weapons, ropes, besides tackling obstacle course,” she told TNIE.

Umashree, 26, a constable with Karnataka State Industrial Security Force, added, “I was among the first two women who began training two months ago with men for the same force. In an emergency, it doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman. You have to have grit, focus and physical strength to bear all this. We motivate women who come for training.”

Rizwana agrees, saying that though her parents work in the fields in a village in Kalaburagi, she had always dreamt of joining the police force and is fascinated by the stars on the uniform. “I will make it big here, I know. I will continue with training,” she says.

After two months of training, they will have to write an examination, after which they will be inducted into the team.R

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Chetana Belagere, Express News Service / February 07th, 2021

US Military’s First India-Born Female Muslim Chaplain Graduates

Community Involvement / Social Issues, NRI's / PIO's, World Opinion, , , , , , , , ,

U.S.A :

Saleha Jabeen said she was grateful for the opportunity and aware of the responsibility that she has to set an example and show that there is a place in the military for anyone who wants to serve.

Image result for images US military's 1st India-born female Muslim chaplain graduates from Chaplain College

Washington: 

Saleha Jabeen, US military’s first India-born female Muslim chaplain, has graduated from Air Force Basic Chaplain Course, vowing to take her duty as a spiritual mentor very seriously.

The historic graduation ceremony was held on February 5, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Ms Jabeen said she was grateful for the opportunity and aware of the responsibility that she has to set an example and show that there is a place in the military for anyone who wants to serve.

“I did not have to compromise on any of my religious beliefs or convictions. I am surrounded with people who respect me and are willing to receive what I bring to the table as a woman, a faith leader, and an immigrant,” she said.

“I am provided with numerous opportunities to learn and develop skills that best equip me to be a successful officer and a chaplain in a pluralistic environment,” Ms Jabeen said.

Ms Jabeen was commissioned in December as a Second Lieutenant at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, becoming the first female Muslim chaplain in the Department of Defense. She came to the United States 14 years ago as an international student.

“I get to provide spiritual care to all service members, guardians and families and advise the commanders on religious and moral matters regardless of my faith, ethnicity or gender. Like our boss says, it has never been a better time to serve as a chaplain in the US Air Force Chaplain Corps,” she said.

Capt. John Richardson, Air Force Chaplain Corps College staff chaplain, said that his goal is to create chaplains who are ready to provide front-line ministry upon graduation.

“They are trained to lead the units they serve spiritually. The bottom line is to care for Airmen – every single Airman. When they care for Airmen in a professional way, every other aspect of our calling falls into place: advising leaders and providing for the religious needs of our force,” Captain Richardson said.

Capt. Mara Title, Air Force Chaplain Corps College staff chaplain, said Ms Jabeen’s addition to the chaplain corps will be of great benefit to everyone.

“The Air Force Chaplain Corps endeavours to promote diversity in all respects,” Title said.

“Chaplain Saleha Jabeen’s presence enables an even broader scope of spiritual care for our Airmen, and for this we are very grateful. She is as determined to take on the role of chaplain as she is kind, caring and compassionate. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity for her to graduate with the class of BCC 21A,” she said.

Ms Jabeen said she was passionate about her role as a chaplain, and takes her duty as a spiritual mentor very seriously.

“We all have a purpose that is specifically meant for us to fulfill,” she said.

“We must listen to our heart and follow our conviction. It is important to have people in our lives who model that for us. Choose that kind of mentorship and choose good companionship. I just want people to remember that God, or higher power or the values that people uphold, remind us that we all are created with a plan: to become the best versions of ourselves,” she said.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Ms Jabeen completed her BA in Business and Economics at North Park University, followed by an MA in Theology-Interreligious Dialogue from Catholic Theological Union and course in counselling psychology from Trinity Christian College.

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Indians Abroad / by Press Trust of India / February 18th, 2021

‘Keep Calm & Ride On’: Meet Lt Colonel Faiz Siddiqui, and delve deeper into the art of horse riding

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Leaders, Sports, , , , , , , ,

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Keep Calm and Ride On! Well, take a cue from this in life. And that’s what Lt Colonel Faiz Siddiqui’s book is also all about — horses.

Keep Calm & Ride On’: Meet Lt Colonel Faiz Siddiqui, and delve deeper into the art of horse riding

In times when we keep on telling ourselves how dogs are man’s best friend, we must not forget horses. Oh wait, hold your horses…quite literally. 

Lt Colonel Faiz Siddiqui, an internationally certified coach, has come out with his book: ‘Keep Calm and Ride On’. The book delves deeper into the art of horse riding, especially at a time when parents are struggling hard to move out their children from mobile screen and experience real life. 

Keep Calm & Ride On!

The book emphasises the importance of horses and horse riding. Infact, it is quite a part of every institute where future leaders are trained, be it Army, IAS or IPS. 

This book gives an easy and interesting insight into the world of horses and induces a desire to experience them in real life. It covers all the important aspects which a non-rider or a beginner needs to know without overwhelming him/her with avoidable and boring details. 

source: http://www.indiatvnews.com / IndiaTV / Home> English News / by India TV News Desk, New Delhi / September 27th, 2019

J&K girls are flying high, as pilots

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Transport, Travel & Tourism, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Kaneez Fatima.

In the recent past, Jammu and Kashmir has been giving to the country several women professional pilots—young women who have struggled hard to get their wings to fly. The latest to join the club is Kaneez Fatima who became the second lady from Ladakh to become a pilot.

Talking to The Sunday Guardian, her mother Shakeela Bano said that her daughter’s success was because of her, the mother’s, struggle as she had single-handedly brought up Kaneez and provided her with the required education. Shakeela was divorced at a young age and devoted her life to bring up her two daughters.

Shakeela said that she saw a spark in her daughter and was very keen for her education. “I got myself transferred from Ladakh to Srinagar only for the better education of my daughter. I gave her my best as a single parent, I tried my best to give her everything she needed,” she told this newspaper.

She said she was satisfied that her daughters were settled in their lives and added that the burden of her bank loan for their education was no longer occupying her mind. Her elder daughter Nahida is an engineer with HAL. She did her engineering from Srinagar.

“I took a huge loan from a bank in Srinagar for the education of my daughters. Now it is all over. I have achieved what I wanted for my daughters,” said a smiling Shakeela. She said that she could get her daughter admitted to the Government Aviation Training Institute at Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Kaneez, according to her mother, went through a six-year training course and subsequent flying experience.

According to Shakeela, another girl from Leh was so inspired by her daughter’s struggle that she too got herself enrolled for training in the same institute.

J&K came into prominence when Captain Tanvi Raina became a pilot. It was followed by other success stories of women pilots Ayesha Aziz and Iram Habib. The state got its first Muslim pilot Hina Masood, who is working with Air India now, and belongs to Ladakh. Like Hina, Kaneez has also joined Air India. Ayesha is flying fighter jets and has roots in Kashmir as her mother is from the Valley.

source: http://www.sundaygurardianlive.com / TSG – Sunday Guardian Live / Home> News / by Noor ul Qamrain / September 22nd, 2018

Jamia Millia Prof launches book on Covid-19 pandemic, therapy

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, COVID 19 - Community of Soldiers, Education, Science & Technology, World Opinion, , , , , ,

NEW DELHI :

Compiled by Parveen and her research group, this book is for PhD, MSc students, research scholars

New Delhi: ‘100’ year journey of Jamia, today Shatabdi Foundation Day

New Delhi:

 Jamia Millia Islamia has come out with scientific information and research regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Shama Parveen, an associate professor at Jamia university, has made public this information related to the Covid-19 pandemic through a special book.

The book describes anti-virals and other drugs, natural compounds and corona vaccine.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected almost every part of the world. This has resulted in the loss of lakhs of lives. In these difficult times, the book on ‘The Covid-19 Pandemic: Epidemiology, Molecular Biology and Therapy‘ by Shama Parveen provides readers with a comprehensive description of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jamia Millia Islamia said in a statement.

Parveen is an associate professor at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Basic Sciences at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. She completed her Ph.D (Microbiology) in ‘Molecular Epidemiology of Respiratory Syncytial Virus’ from the Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

She is also involved in clinical and basic research in the molecular biology of human viruses such as dengue, chikunguniya, zika, hepatitis and respiratory syncytial virus and now SARS-CoV-2.

Parveen said:

“The book is divided into 11 chapters focusing on various aspects of Covid-19. This includes topics such as pathogens (morphology, genome, protein, structural protein genes and replication), global epidemiology, transmission, risk factors, clinical expression, management, immune response, and pathogenesis.

“The book also describes the diagnosis of Covid-19, therapeutic agents (antiviral and other drugs, natural compound) and corona vaccine.”

Compiled by Parveen and her research group, this book is for PhD, MSc students, research scholars, post-doctoral fellowship and colleagues published by Bentham Science, Singapore, and is also available online.

Her work on clinical research is concerned with the analysis of viral strains around the world, focusing on their changing evolutionary potential and oncological epidemiology. Basic research involves cloning, expression, purification and structural characterization of various viral proteins and identification of related potential inhibitors.

Parveen has published more than 50 papers in journals of international repute. She was awarded the prestigious “Sayeeda Begum Woman Scientist Prize” in 2018 for her significant scientific contribution. She is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences India (NASI), Allahabad

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India / by IANS / February 06th, 2021

Woman DSP Shabera Ansari in MP a Role Model for Youngsters from Muslim Families

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , ,

Ballia, UTTAR PRADESH / Indore, MADHYA PRADESH :

Shabera Ansari.

New Delhi :

Parents in middle-class Muslim families generally believe that their children would hardly get a government job, hence, they find it better to engage them in some work rather than letting them pursuing studies. But a young woman from a middle-class family has busted such myths by becoming the Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Shabera Ansari, a resident of Indore, is posted as DSP (Women’s Cell) at Dewas in Madhya Pradesh and her father is posted as a Sub-Inspector at a police station in Indore.

Shabera said she had a normal childhood and there were never big dreams to pursue. When she went to college, at the age of 19, marriage proposals started coming in but fire in the belly to do something egged her on. Finally, she joined the police forces and became a DSP. Currently, she said, she is preparing for civil services exams.

The young woman said that soon after passing her out of a government school in Indore, she enrolled in a college and started preparing for Union Public Service Commission examinations along with her regular studies.

She was selected as Sub-Inspector in 2013, and in 2018 posted as Trainee DSP in Sidhi.

Shabera’s family originally hails from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, but settled down in Indore about 30 years ago due to his father’s job in state police.

“I was an average student in school and also failed in mathematics once,” she told IANS with a chuckle.

“A marriage proposal came when I was just 19. I was scared and decided to do something. I started my journey and never looked back. I started preparation for the state government services during college and tasted success in the first attempt… I have continued studying ever since,” she said with confidence.

Shabera further added: “My mother always supported me. Initially, it was not clear if I will opt to join the police, though there was always an interest since my father is in police service.”

Surprisingly, Shabera is the first woman in her family to crack state civil service exam and has now become an inspiration for her community.

Many times, she was honoured as chief guest in various functions, including school programmes where she interact with children who are always curious to know about her journey.

“I always try to encourage children and motivate them to do something in life,” Shabera said.

“Little children seem very fond of taking selfies with me,” she smiled.

She said: “I often do counselling of children of Muslim families, especially boys. I tell everyone to trust themselves and study seriously; hardwork will definitely change things.”

Shabera said she also got to learn a lot from her father. It could be a coincidence that Shabera was incharge of a police station during lockdown where her father was posted.

In fact, her father had gone for some work to Uttar Pradesh when the lockdown was imposed and he got stuck. Shabera tried to somehow bring her father back but to no avail. Eventually, the police authorities issued direction that he could do duty from wherever he was stuck.

She said that she had many times gone out on patrol duty at night with her father. However, once back home, she used to cook for him.

She said that her father respects her as an officer but Shabera has to many times remind him that she is an officer at office not at home. -IANS

source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Featured / by Muhammed Suaib / February 09th, 2021

UTI appoints Imtaiyazur Rahman as full-time CEO

Business & Economy, Leaders, ,

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

Imtaiyazur Rahman, CEO, UTI AMC (File Image)

UTI AMC board on Saturday appointed Imtaiyazur Rahman as the Chief Executive Officer. He has been the acting CEO of the company for nearly two years.

The post was vacant since Leo Puri completed his five-year term as CEO of UTI AMC. Group President and Chief Finance Officer Rahman was appointed as acting Chief Executive Officer after Puri’s term ended in August 2018.

Rahman joined the UTI Group in 1998 and is with UTI since 2003.  Working with earlier Chairmen M Damodaran and UK Sinha, he was involved in the transformation of the organisation after the restructuring of the erstwhile Unit Trust of India.

He was CFO of the company and has headed diverse functions, including international business.

“This appointment brings stability in the top management of the company especially since it is planning to launch its IPO shortly and addresses the concerns of SEBI on the CEO position which was vacant for quite some time,” UTI AMC said in a press release dated June 13.

source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / Money Control / Home> News> Business / by Money Control News / June 13th, 2020

Meet the Lady Behind India’s First Incubator for Indian Muslim Women

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Leaders, , , , , ,

DELHI / NRC :

Ruha Shadab is a doctor and a graduate from the Harvard Kennedy School where she was on a full-tuition scholarship. Shadab has worked as a doctor in low-income neighborhoods in Delhi and later moved on to work on systemic issues of healthcare, as a part of the Government of India.

LedBy, India’s first incubator for Indian Muslim Women helps them by providing leadership workshops, 360 degree advisory framework, and executive coaching.

Dr Ruha Shadab (30) is the founder of LedBy Foundation, India’s first and only leadership incubator focused on empowering Indian Muslim Women by providing leadership experiences to undergraduates and postgraduates. Launched in 2019, LedBy was incubated at Harvard University and was pre-seed funded by them as well.

Dr Ruha has been quite an achiever all her life – she pursued her medical degree, worked as a physician for a few years, then decided to join public health and worked at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), worked with NITI Aayog and then made her way to Harvard with a full-tuition scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in public policy. At Harvard, Dr Ruha realised the need to do something for Indian Muslim women given the specific challenges that they faced, and also found the medium to address the problem.

From a religious majority to a religious minority

To understand why Dr Ruha felt the need to start an initiative for Indian Muslim women, it is imperative to understand her early influences.

While Dr Ruha is originally from India, she was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and she spent the first decade of her life there before moving to Delhi/NCR.

Narrating an incident that left a deep impact on her, which eventually led her to start this initiative, she says, “Twenty years ago, it was on Diwali that my family and I moved back to India. While driving from the airport to our home I saw every house on the way lit up and children on the streets bursting fire crackers. This suddenly took me back to the Diwali’s in Saudi and I realised how my friends there, the minority, never celebrated it in this way.” After a few years, she saw Eid in a similar light as Diwali.

She says, “In Saudi, as part of a monolithic society, one does not even think of what the minority is feeling. And then I moved to India where so many things just hit me so hard.” That is when she understood what being a Muslim woman, especially in a multicultural society like India, felt like.

It was not like there were not enough Muslim women, but they were hard to find in the mainstream.

“It was tiring, after a point of time to be the only Muslim woman in school, college, workplace. There was no one who shared a similar background as me whom I could look up to and aspire to be and that is what I wanted to change,” she says. During Dr Ruha’s stint as a clinical physician, she says, “At the hospital I worked at, I would see so many young Muslim girls with large families. Without saying it was right or wrong, what I saw was that there was an issue that needed to be addressed.”

Dr Ruha believes that there is a lot of talent in them [Indian Muslim women] but what they lack is 3 A’s: agency, access, and avenues. LedBy is looking to change that. If you have the privilege of knowing, you do not have the luxury of not doing,” says Dr Ruha.

LedBy works closely with high potential college-going Muslim women in India and provides them with three things – leadership workshops, 360* advisory framework, and executive coaching. “For all these three things we have very skilled women, across regions and religions, on-board to help the younger women realise and achieve their potential,” says Dr Ruha.

“We have been able to get coaches, mentors, and facilitators from across the globe. Being a virtual program helps breaks barriers,” she says. It is a summer program of four months in which 24 women are selected on merit. To be eligible to apply for this programme, you must identify yourself as an Indian Muslim woman, no more than two years away from completing a full-time undergraduate degree (that means, is in 3rd or 4th years of a 4-year program; 2nd or 3rd year of a 3-year program) or are in a full-time postgraduate program of one or two years duration, and physically reside in India.

For the 24 women who were part of the first cohort – what stood out were the connections that they made and the validation that their ideas and dreams received from others at the programme. While for Ammara Gul Qaisar, a student at Lady Shri Ram College, the programme “represents the power of human connections”, for Sahreen Shamim the programme allowed her a chance to delve into her dreams and find ways of realising them.

With an office based in Noida, Dr Ruha says that everything that they do is virtual and in a sense COVID-19 only helped in pushing it towards being online.

source: http://www.maeeshat.in / Maaeshat.in / Home> Entrepeneurship / January 11th, 2021