Thasleena Puthiya Purayil with her husband and children.
Indian expat based in Qatar Thasleena Puthiya Purayil has hit the Dhs15 million Big Ticket jackpot in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Thasleena who lives in Doha bought the winning ticket online.
Thasleena, who hails from Kerala, took home the mega prize amid pandemic.
Big Ticket Abu Dhabi wrote on Facebook, “Congratulations to Thasleena Puthiya Purayil, from India, with winning ticket no. 291310. She won Dhs15 Million in The Fantastic 15 Million series 224.”
Thasleena told Big Ticket officials that she brought the ticket for the first time.
In Qatar, Thasleena and her husband Abdul Gaddaf run a chain of restaurant and their business is doing quite well.
The happy couple has 3 children, a son who is studying in a University in Dubai, daughter and an infant.
Big Ticket also wrote, “Congratulations to Wilma Danthi with Ticket No. 001517 from India for winning the Dream Car Range Rover series 1!”
Apart from Thasleena, 7 other Indians won prize money between Dhs350,000 to Dhs20,000 in the raffle draw.
The Big Ticket, the longest-running and biggest raffle draw in the UAE is hosted at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Al Ain Airport and online at www.bigticket.ae
The raffle draw said, “What started out with a Million Dirham cash prize, gradually grew over the years and now on Big Ticket’s 29th year, we’re giving away grand prize’s of up to 20 Million Dirham.”
The raffle draw guarantees cash prizes vary from month to month with Big Ticket giving away a minimum of 10million dirham up to our biggest jackpot of 20 million.
source: http:///www.gulftoday.ae / Gulf Today / Home> News / by Gulf Today, Staff Reporter / February 06th, 2021
Sameera Khan is a cyclist and a mountaineer. Image courtesy: IANS
Hyderabad:
A cyclist and mountaineer, she is out to prove to the world that girls are capable of doing anything without family support.
After losing mother when she was just nine and her father, a tailor, few years ago, P. Sameera Khan overcame all odds to come up in life and is now looking for sponsors to fulfill her ambition of scaling Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world.
A solo traveller, she has already cycled her way to 20 countries. The 30-year-old from Anantapur in in Andhra Pradesh has already scaled four mountains, the highest being 6,858 meter high Ama Dablam in Nepal.
“I want to tell the world that a girl in India needs lot of support from her parents. I am trying to pursue my dream, earning for it, spending for it, everything on my own but now I have come to a point where I need some financial support to attain my ambition. I want to tell the world that girls are capable of doing everything despite not having family support,” Sameera told IANS.
The backpacker’s Mt Everest expedition requires Rs 30-35 lakh. “I have some money and I need sponsorship. The kind of work I do should be getting lot of support,” she said.
She wants to scale Mt Everest from Tibet side and not Nepal, which she said is commercial and easy. ” “From Tibet side, it is tough and also very technical. Rather than doing just for the sake of doing, I want to do something which makes me feel I have done the whole thing beyond my ability,” she said.
Sameera said she approached the government authorities for help but they refused as they don’t consider mountaineering as a sport.
Youngest among five siblings, she lost her mother at the age of nine and was brought up by her father, a tailor.
While pursuing medical lab technology course after 10th standard, the family finances forced her to take up a job in BPO in Bengaluru.
During Srinagar floods of 2014, she travelled to Kashmir as a volunteer. She went on a solo Pahalgam valley trek for two days and soon she started learning how to survive in tough conditions.
Sameera, who lost her father in 2015, started undertaking solo travels with her savings. She cycled across South Asian and South East Asian countries. In India, she cycled for over 1,000 km covering various states.
Her trekking expedition started with Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and later extended to Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. She has already covered 550 km high altitude trekking.
She has have not done any course in mountaineering. “I was already cyclist. I cycled in 20 countries . I think that boosted my confidence to become a high-altitude trekker,” said Sameera currently an entrepreneur at Kepler Home Cinema in Hyderabad.
Always ready to accept new challenges, Sameera started high altitude mountaineering. “Mountaineering is very down thing. It’s toughest of all sports. People who are into mountaineering have to be mentally and physically tough. Only those people who are not afraid of death can survive,” she said.
On November 13, 2018, she climbed 6,859 meters high Ama Dablam mountain peak in Nepal. This came barely a month after she had ascended 6,160 meters high Imja Tse (island) peak.
This further boosted her confidence and she started training for scaling Mount Everest. She has to go to the UK for advance training, which alone will cost Rs 3.50 lakh.
“I want to attribute to my demised parents a legacy of my lifetime achievement by inspiring women and girls from the suburbs of South India. Then I want to publish my book and make a small documentary on my life journey. I want the world to respect women and regard them high,” shared Sameera, whose all four sisters are married.
She said that she has so much to say to the world but before that wants to scale the peak. “I can be heard if only I am at the top as people listen to eminent and dynamic personalities,” added the girl with Himalayan ambitions.
source: http://www.onmanorama.com / OnManorama / Home> Lifestyle / by IANS / February 05th, 2021
Ali’s coaching influenced well-known players like Vijay Amritraj, Anand Amritraj, Ramesh Krishnan, Leander Paes and Somdev Devvarman.
Tennis legend Akhtar Ali, a father figure in Indian tennis, passed away here in the early hours of February 7, said a Bengal Tennis Association source.
He was 81 and is survived by his son, well known tennis player Zeeshan Ali, and two daughters.
Ali had been suffering from various ailments for the last few months. He was hospitalised for a few days before being brought back home recently. He passed away at 2:30 a.m. on February 7.
His cremation is expected to take place around 4 p.m.
Born on July 5, 1939, Ali played in eight Davis Cup ties against Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran, Mexico, Japan and Monaco between 1958 and 1964. He also captained and coached the Indian side. He has also played in the Wimbledon and French Open grand slam events.
His last ATP tour outing was against Vijay Amritraj in a clay court match in Bombay on November 11, 1974.
A fine and soft-spoken person, Ali is well known as a coach, whose coaching influenced well-known players like Vijay Amritraj, Anand Amritraj, Ramesh Krishnan, Leander Paes and Somdev Devvarman.
He was passionately involved in coaching and organising events for grassroots players throughout his life.
Ali was conferred the Arjuna Award in 2000 for lifetime contribution to tennis.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Tennis / by Y.B. Sarangi / Kolkata – February 07th, 2021
The politician is known for his soft-spoken demeanor and organisational abilities, which have helped the IUML remain relevant in the politics of Kerala, especially among the Muslim voters.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) general secretary PK Kunhalikutty is the most prominent, visible leader of IUML, an ally of the Congress in Kerala. (PK Kunhalikutty Facebook page)
On Wednesday, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) general secretary PK Kunhalikutty submitted his resignation as Lok Sabha MP from Malappuram to Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi. The decision followed a directive from the party’s state and national committees to oversee the party’s preparations and candidate selection ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in Kerala in April-May.
What is Kunhalikutty’s role in Kerala politics?
Kunhalikutty (69) is the most prominent, visible leader of IUML, an ally of the Congress in Kerala, and wields a great deal of influence not just in his own party but also in the UDF, the coalition they are a part of.
In his five decades-old career that began with the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student wing of IUML, he has been a seven-time MLA and two-time Lok Sabha MP. He has served as minister in the state cabinet four times, under Congress chief ministers K Karunakaran, AK Antony and Oommen Chandy.
He’s not a powerful orator who can make fiery speeches at political rallies, but is known for his soft-spoken demeanor and organisational abilities which have helped the IUML remain relevant in the politics of Kerala, especially among the Muslim voters. Many a time, Congress leaders have turned to Kunhalikutty to make use of his problem-solving and negotiation skills to quell issues within the UDF.
More importantly, he has the full confidence of the Panakkad Thangal family, who are to the IUML what the Gandhis are to the Congress. Kunhalikutty also maintains close relations with both Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala, the leaders of the ‘A’ and ‘I’ factions respectively within the Congress.
Is his resignation from Lok Sabha his return to ‘state politics’?
Technically yes, even though Kunhalikutty has always been a visible and active face in Kerala’s politics even after his election to the Lok Sabha.
Kunhalikutty was chosen as the party’s candidate in a bye-election in Malappuram LS constituency in 2017 after the unexpected death of E Ahammed, the IUML’s longtime national face. It indicated that he was taking a break from Kerala to play a more active role in national politics and bring together democratic, secular forces. He eventually vacated his Assembly seat of Vengara to contest from Malappuram LS seat and won by a margin of 1.7 lakh votes that year.
In the 2019 LS elections, he repeated his victory from Malappuram. The CPI(M) alleged that Kunhalikutty contested in the LS elections in the hope of getting a ministership if the Congress-led UPA came to power.
How is his resignation from Lok Sabha less than two years after being elected seen in the state’s political circles?
Naturally, the decision has sparked a range of conversations both within the UDF and rival parties.
The CPI(M) and the BJP have attacked Kunhalikutty and the IUML for forcing an unnecessary bye-election on the people of Malappuram and waste taxpayer funds at the behest of personal career moves. The CPI(M) went a step further and said Kunhalikutty is angling for a deputy CM post if the UDF comes to power and that the Congress is being subservient to the IUML.
Even within the IUML, the decision has generated criticism especially among the younger leadership who feel that the move will dampen the public image of the party. A few local leaders even resigned, protesting the move. The party leadership responded by saying that Kunhalikutty’s active presence in the Assembly election campaign and his candidacy would help bring the UDF to power.
The Congress, on its part, has welcomed the move, saying his leadership in the election campaign will boost the UDF’s prospects especially in the Malabar region where IUML has its strongholds. The party understands that a strong IUML is key to UDF’s path to power.
So, how important is IUML to Congress’ chances of returning to power in Kerala?
Very important. In the 2016 Assembly elections, the seat tally of the Congress and the IUML was separated by a mere four seats. While the Congress won just 22 out of the 87 it contested, the IUML had a very good strike-rate, winning 18 out of the 24 seats it fought in. In 2011 Assembly elections too, the IUML won 20 out of the 24 it contested. Barring exceptions, like the 2006 Assembly elections when a long line of IUML leaders including Kunhalikutty suffered defeat at the hands of the LDF, the IUML has been successful in defending its stronghold constituencies especially in the Muslim-majority Malappuram district. It has been the numero uno party for Muslims in the state.
Even in the recent local body elections, the IUML swept panchayats, municipalities and corporations in Malappuram and surrounding areas even as the Congress suffered heavy defeats at the hands of the CPI(M). And so, the Congress understands that all it has to do is win at least 50 seats because the IUML will make up the difference to reach the half-way mark of 70 in the Assembly.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Explained / by Vishnu Varma, Kochi / February 05th, 2021
Rahmathunnisa, currently an MCom student at Bengaluru City University, is the first from her family to attend college. On Saturday, she bagged eight awards- five gold medals and three cash prizes for BCom at the Bangalore University convocation.
Rahmathunnisa, who was a student of BBMP First Grade College said she has always been a government or an aided school student and credits her success to paying attention to the classes in college.
She plans to crack competitive exams, and says her family is supportive of her studies.
Rahmathunnisa’s father passed away when she was only three years old, and she grew up with her mother, a homemaker, and three elder sisters and an elder brother. The brother is now into aluminium fabrication, while the elder sisters are married.
In all, 319 gold medals and 90 cash prizes were awarded to 19 meritorious students during Bangalore University’s convocation ceremony. A total of 184 PhD degrees were given in different disciplines. Due to the Covid-19 situation, only gold medallists, prize winners and PhD awardees were invited in person.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> Education / by Rushda Fatima Khan / February 01st, 2021
Zunaira Khan, 14, who runs her own tech company, dreams of expanding it and turning into an investor.
Hyderabad :
Zunaira Khan, a 14-year-old from Hyderabad is anything but your average teenager. She is a tech-savvy genius. A tech entrepreneur and software developer she got her first client at the tender age of nine. At the age of 11, she started teaching BTech students. Zunaira started her own website ‘ZM Infocom’ — a software development and consultancy firm — when she was just 12.
The wonder kid has developed business, mobile, and web applications for clients such as Licious, Fooditnow, Daily Ninja to name a few. The tech girl started learning at the age of seven and developing software from the age of eight. “My mother is a professional software developer. At the age of six, my sister and I after school, we used to be in her office.
When I was seven, I asked her to teach me coding and, she taught me everything,” says the spunky teen who lives in Nacharam industrial area with her family. Zunaira has also been conferred with the title of ‘Digital Ambassador’ of Delhi Public School. She says, “I feel good when I get these recognitions and the biggest award I get is the satisfaction in my parents’ eyes.”
How does she manage school and work? Zunaira’s hobbies are reading books and singing songs, and she says, “At the beginning, it was a bit difficult, but my principal and teachers are supportive. So after school, I give five to six hours to my company, then I study.” What is her advice to those chasing their dreams? She replies: “The secret of my success is that you need to believe in yourself.
You need to find your interest. You need to share everything with your parents because they are the ones who will show you the way. Start small, but think big and that big should be the goal.” What does the future hold for her? “Right now we are a service-based company, but I want to also make it product-based. I wish to provide maximum employment and I want to make this company reach the highest level… I also see myself as a big investor.”
Zunaira will be seen in the upcoming episode of Byju’s Young Genius show on Network 18 with actor Rajkummar Rao which will be telecast on February 6 where they talk about their first paychecks. The shooting for the show was in Mumbai and the starry-eyed girlscomments, “It was a big honour for me to meet Rajkumar Rao.”
— Tamanna S Mehdi tamanna@newindianexpress.com @tamannamehdi
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Tamanna S. Mehdi / Express News Service / February 04th, 2021
“It is heartening to know today that the Muslim students are excelling not only in their education but in every walk of life. Diamonds are always formed and picked from the dark coal mines. This is an apt situation for the Muslim community in contemporary India. However, the good tidings are around the corner and there is no need to be pessimists. We need to brave the adverse circumstances to march towards the path of progress and advancement,” said Siasat News Editor Aamir Ali Khan.
Khan was speaking on the eve of a ceremony held yesterday at Mehboob Husain Jigar Hall at Siasat compound to distribute merit certificates and awards to 540 Muslim students of Telangana state who were succeeded in getting admissions for MBBS for the current academic year.
Khan said, “Medical profession is a sacred mission and to do justice to its sacredness is the need of the day.” He said the doctors today increase the anxiety of the patients by their unethical and commercial behavior. He advised the young students – girls and boys – to “work with a missionary zeal to serve the humanity”.
The awards were given to those Muslim students who obtained admissions in Government, private, and Minority medical colleges in Telangana through the convener quota.
Speaking as an honorary guest, Director MS Education Academy Anwar Ahmed said, that the Muslim students are doing extremely well in Engineering, Medicine, and IIT’s these days. He informed that MS Educational Academy is helping Muslim students for civil services. Nine students have succeeded in the first phase of preliminary exams. The introductory note was delivered by M A Hamid and presented the report. Another honorary guest Engineer Syed Haider Ali distributed the awards among the students. A large gathering of the students and their parents from the city and other districts attended this ceremony.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad News / by Mohammed Hussain Ahmed / January 27th, 2021
Gauahar Khan and Zaid Darbar’s wedding will be an intimate affair attended by family and close friends.
Gauahar Khan and Zaid Darbar at their wedding reception. (Photo: PR Handout)
Actor Gauahar Khan is set to marry choreographer Zaid Darbar today. The couple hosted their chiksa and mehendi ceremonies earlier this week. Sharing pictures of her mehendi, Gauahar wrote, “Writing our love story on each other’s hearts forever with the blessings of our family and friends and above all Allah. ❤”
Announcing her wedding on Instagram, the actor had written, “The year 2020 has been anything but ordinary and our love story through it all has been nothing short of extraordinary! It gives us immense joy to announce that we are tying the knot and embarking on a journey of forever. Keeping the current scenario in mind, we will be celebrating the big day with our family in an intimate ceremony. We seek your blessings & love & are eternally grateful for the constant support & the outpour of warm wishes we have received. We hope for every soul to find its mate and pray for every heart to find it’s reason to beat. All our love, Gauahar and Zaid.”
Gauahar Khan had previously shared an animated video on Instagram, which detailed her love story with Zaid Dabar. She shared with her followers that the two bumped into each other during the lockdown as they shopped for groceries and hit it off instantly. They started texting and their dates comprised of long drives and Zoom calls.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Television / by Arushi Jain, Kriti Sonali and Sana Farzeen – New Delhi / December 25th, 2020
Indian-origin Sabih Khan has been named as the Senior Vice President of Operations at Apple, the global tech giant announced. Khan, whose family hails from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh has been with Apple since 1995 working in various senior executive roles.
In his new role, Khan would be in charge of Apple’s global supply chain, ensuring product quality and overseeing planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics and product fulfilment functions, Apple said in a statement.
“Sabih leads our Ops team with heart. He and his entire worldwide team are committed to delivering unmatched experiences to our customers, treating workers everywhere with dignity and respect, and protecting the environment for future generations,” said Tim Cook, Apple CEO.
Before joining Apple’s procurement group in 1995, Sabih Khan worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics. He earned a bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Khan’s promotion follows the departure of Apple’s legendary chief design officer Jonathan Ive, who quit the company to form his own design company, LoveFrom.
KKhan will report to Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer
“I’ve been privileged to work with Sabih for more than 20 years, and you won’t find a more talented operations executive anywhere on the planet,” said Williams. “He is a world-class leader and collaborator, and I have no doubt that he will be the best leader of the Ops team in Apple’s history.”
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> Business / by Shaik Zakeer Hussain / June 29th, 2019
Chairman and Managing Director of UAE-based Lulu Group International is an employer of more than 30,000 Indians abroad.
Thiruvananthapuram :
M.A. Yusuffali, Chairman and Managing Director of UAE-based Lulu Group International has been nominated as expert member of the Governing Council of India Centre for Migration (ICM) by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
ICM is a committee that undertakes research and studies on migration of Indian workers for overseas employment and supports informed policy making in MEA.
Among other objectives, ICM is tasked with equipping the country’s human resources in the field of employment to international standards, providing guidance for promoting employment in foreign countries, highlighting India as a country with a highly qualified and skilled workforce, and preparing welfare schemes for the Indian working community abroad.
The committee, chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, also includes the Secretary, Ministry of Finance, the Secretary, Ministry of Labour and the Secretary, Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises.
Yusuffali, while thanking Indian government and the prime minister for this important nomination, said that he will use his experience of almost 5 decades in the Middle East both as an NRI businessman and as an employer of more than 30,000 Indians to further enrich the diaspora.
“My efforts will be more towards preparing the new generation as a global professional fit for today’s fast-evolving business environment, especially considering the challenging times we are going through,” UAE-based Indian businessman said. — IANS
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick / by IANS / January 19th, 2021
