The Board of Governors of the London American University College (LAUC), Republic of Zambia has appointed Prof. Dr. Kaup Mohamed as the Vice Chancellor. The London American University College is the degree granting institution fully accredited by the Higher Education Authority and Ministry of Education of the Republic of Zambia. The London American University College is located in Capital city of Lusaka offering Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Business Information System and Diploma in Business Administration. The London American University College will be processing for international accreditation as well. The LAUC will be catering to the student communities of various African countries.
Prof. Dr. Kaup Mohamed is also the Dean & MD of London American City College and Adjunct Professor of Madonna University, Michigan, USA having 27 years of experience in academics, teaching, training & research, holds Doctorates in Business Administration, Education and Management from USA, Europe, and India respectively and is a PhD. Examiner and Guide for American, European and Indian Universities. Dr. Kaup has received more than 50 awards and recognitions from various National and International Bodies including Award from California Legislative Assembly, USA in 2011, Pin Award from the Madonna University’s President’s Cabinet and Distinguished Leadership and Outstanding Achievement Award from Madonna University and Administrative Council in Michigan State, USA in Jan 2010, and April 2010 in recognition for his contribution to international education.
Dr. Kaup is also a recipient of Entrepreneurship certification from Harvard University, USA. Dr. Kaup is a UK CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Certified Professional (2021) for maintaining student mobility standards. Dr. Kaup is also an Associate Fellow Member of All India Management Council (1997) and an Advisor to various Universities around the world. Dr. Kaup is also an Adjunct Professor at the Euro College, Macedonia, University of Business and International Studies (UBIS), Switzerland and International University of Moscow and City of London College, UK. Dr. Kaup is a Ph.D. Research Guide for 2 UGC approved Indian Universities namely Pacific University and JJTU and US Based Apollos University. Dr. Kaup has been the external examiner of Ph.D. program including MIM Institute of Management and Maharishi Markandeshwar University, India.
Dr. Kaup has served as the Deputy Director, Head of Department and Program Leader at the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, UK and National American University, USA. Dr. Kaup has been the Faculty for the American Hotel & Motel Association, Michigan State, USA for its programs in the UAE. Dr. Kaup has been the Professor at the Bowie State University, USA, Canadian College of Business & Computing, Canada and Southeastern University, USA. Dr. Kaup has travelled widely to more than 80 countries and has delivered more than 350 Seminar talks, conducted workshops and colloquiums, published 50 research papers in international Journals and Reviews, magazines and guided more than 800 research projects. Dr. Kaup is in the Editorial and Advisory Board of International Journals, an expert in Accreditation and his area of research is Business Management, Operations, Marketing and Education.
Dr. Kaup has also been presented with two prestigious international awards namely the ‘2012 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century Award’ and ‘the Medal of Honor’ from the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England for his outstanding contribution in the field of higher education especially in Strategic Management, Operations and Business areas. Dr. Kaup has been conferred with the “World Leader and Excellence in Business Leadership Award” in September 2013 by the World Confederation of Businesses, USA. Dr. Kaup was also conferred with International Excellence Academic Award 2017 by the Bearys Cultural Forum Trust, India.
Dr. Kaup has also been the recipient of certifications from ASIC (Accreditation Services for International Schools, Colleges and Universities), England, ECBE (European Council for Business Education), Belgium, and IACBE (International Accreditation Commission for Business Education), USA for his contribution in the concerned research conferences, workshops, and seminars.
He is very well known for educational social work for the last 25 years as Hon. General Secretary at Bearys Cultural Forum Trust in India and Vice President at Karnataka NRI Forum, UAE constituted by the Government of Karnataka.
A two-day exhibition celebrating the achievements of Muslim women will be held at the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad on October 1 and 2 by the Intellectual Learning Methodologies (ILM) Foundation in association with the Shaheen Group of Educational Institutions, Islah and Asli Talbina.
The exhibition is aimed at educating the common man about the astounding accomplishments of Muslim women.
Achievements of 40 women in different fields will be showcased and details of their accomplishments will be explained through posters, Siasat.com quoted Dr Lateef of ILM Foundation as saying.
The exhibition will be inaugurated by Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
According to a study of early Islamic history, took an active part in all walks of life. These women excelled as rulers, warriors, nurses, scholars, jurists, teachers, traders and companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
When Dr Lateef started working on the subject some one-and-half years ago he stumbled upon the names of nearly 10,000 women who had made immense contributions in their field.
Ayesha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammed, who made a huge contribution to the cause of Islam through her intelligence and scholarship is among some of the well-known names whose achievements will be showcased at the exhibition.
“Lives of early Muslim women represent exemplary models, transcending time and boundaries. And they are a great source of inspiration,” Dr Lateef told the website.
Organisers also plan to take the exhibition to several parts across the country after Hyderabad. Juveria Sabir and Zoha Ansari, working at the Edventure Park, a start-up incubator have been working relentlessly to showcase the exhibition on inspiring women achievers.
The two-day exhibition with a free entry will be held in Salar Jung Museum’s eastern block from 11 am to 5 pm.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by Rabia Shireen / September 27th, 2022
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Women’s Wing Secretary Rahamathunnissa has asserted that the Constitution of India assures justice, equality, liberty and fraternity to its citizens irrespective of gender, but Indian women are yet to get their constitutional rights.
Mrs.Rahamathunnissa was delivering the inaugural address in a JIH Women’s Wing’s special programme on the ‘Constitution at 74 – Challenges and Possibilities for Indian Women’ on the occasion of the 74th Republic Day of India. Stressing on the need for a strict implementation of the constitutional provisions given to women in order to uplift them and ensure their equal status in society, she said, “we can feel proud that it is one of the best framed constitutions in the world with so much emphasis on equal rights for women.
A panel discussion featuring noted women activists and scholars, followed with Ms.Sameena Afshan, Editor Aura E Magazine as moderator. The expert panelists on board articulated their opinions on the wide gap between what the framers of the constitution envisaged and the practical reality in the country.
One of the panelists Dr. Selvi Ganesh, a legal academician and consultant said, “We have a constitution but we lack constitutionalism because the concept of gender equality is not in the general consciousness of the masses.” She voiced concern about the plight of women in conflict zones, migrant labourers and abandoned widows in the country who are still unaware of their constitutional rights.
Dr Jyotsnaben Yagnik, former Principal Judge at the Civil and Sessions courts of Ahmedabad mentioned that the average Indian women do not consider themselves as equal citizens because of their mindset and nothing would ever change without changing the societal mindset.
Ms. Sandhya Shaily, State Vice President, AIDWA of Madhya Pradesh commented that the Indian constitution safeguarded the rights of women more than the constitution of other countries that secured their independence at the same time, but they got fever opportunities.
Expressing her concerns regarding the huge gap between rights given in the constitution and their implementations, Adv. Sumaiya Roshan, President of National federation of GIO said that the Hijab issue in Karnataka curbed the right to education not only for Muslim girls but affected the other marginalized communities as well.
Dr. Sitara Khan, Educationist and Social Worker has stressed that education alone can empower women and saw it as a strong weapon against crimes faced by women in India.
Observing that several studies place India on the top position in crime against women, Dr. Khan Mubashsharah Firdous, Editor of the Haadiya E Magazine, in her concluding address, lamented that domestic violence, forced labour and forced marriages were rampant in the country. She reiterated the dire need for an organized fight against the violence.
Ms Nada Khazia, Ms Sajida Falahi and Ms Fakhira Tabassum also spoke on the occasion while Ms Hina Farhan controlled the proceedings.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Law / January 29th, 2023
A couple of years after her father had expired, Geeta (name changed) had no one but her mother to look up to in moments of her weakness. She was her strongest pillar of support, rescuing her from situations she fell into without knowing how to wriggle out of.
All looked good till 2017. That is when her mother too passed away after a prolonged illness. Geeta fell into depression, suffered anxiety pangs and went into a shell. She had no emotional support. Her close relatives too started deserting her, leaving her to her own fate. Unfortunately, Geeta was not strong enough to cope with the anxieties of life she had fallen into and found it difficult to overcome the grief.
She often contemplated suicide – till, on the insistence of a common friend she picked up the phone and called up Nowsheen Yaqoob. That one phone call on a sultry summer afternoon changed Geeta and made her fall in love with life again.
“I allowed her to cry. She cried for more than an hour. It helped her pour out all her pain and anxiety,” says Nowsheen a life coach who has made changing people’s lives for the good her mission.
“My first priority was to teach her the ‘Yes I can’ attitude. She suffered from self-image issues, thought her life was good for nothing, the trauma was too much for her to take,” she says about Geeta.
A few telephonic conversations and Geeta knew she had someone who could replace her mother as her emotional pillar. Today, Geeta is happily married, socialises and wants to make up for all the lost time.
Geeta is just one of the many, Nowsheen has helped overcome trauma, stress and anxiety. Born in Srinagar, this former aviation professional gave up her glamorous job to work with people who needed hand-holding to live life again.
“People hesitate to talk about mental health issues” – Nowsheen Yaqoob
A product of Iqbal Memorial Institute and a qualified architect, Nowsheen is based in Dubai but travels regularly to India to counsel individuals and corporates in an effort to help them upgrade themselves, love life and become better individuals.
Growing up watching planes fly, she always dreamt of working in a profession that allowed her to fly and travel the world. But after spending more than a decade in the aviation industry she realised that was not her calling. “I loved connecting with people. During my course of my interactions, I realised there were many people specially children who were failing to realise their potential because of some trauma they were carrying”.
“I wanted to help people with personal challenges, specially women. Those who came to me to seek help, I patiently listened to their stories. Everyone has a story to share,” she says.
Moreover, her demanding job made her very lonely, negative and bitter. She had a choice either to continue her life the same way or take corrective measures. She was stressed and she sought help from within herself. She let her inner voice speak. “There came a time, I was devastated, felt not enough empowered”.
Realising there are many in the world like her waiting for some guidance to come out of the turmoil, Nowsheen gave up her job to help people understand the beauty of life.
“Everyone has a story to share” – Nowsheen Yaqoob
It was during the Covid-induced lockdown that Nowsheen further saw people’s anxiety levels pierce even higher. “It was disturbing to see how some people were not able to manage their emotional well-being”, she says.
Even though she was occasionally working on helping people improve their lives, she wanted to structure it better. Having already given up her job and settling down to spend quality time with her family, she now allowed even more and more people to connect with her to seek her help.
She floated Auracious Global, a human development company to work on human behaviour and impart mindset training.
She now has people from across the globe calling her up to seek counselling, multi-national companies inviting her to conduct workshops for their employees and top-notch CEOs seeking her out to help them lead a more balanced life.
“Mental Health is a taboo in our society. People don’t want to talk about it. Even if you have an emotional issue, you want to create an artificial shield for the society, pretending everything is fine with you,” she says talking about why it is important to talk and open up emotionally.
To further elaborate she says, “The problem lies in lack of awareness about the subject. Its like having a misconception about a particular religion because of a lack of understanding of that religion. Apply the same logic here, and you will know why people hesitate to talk about mental health issues. We must open up and increase awareness.”
Nowsheen has students, housewives and CEOs seek her help
Most of her clients are in the age-group of 17-50 years. “I find people today are unable to regulate emotions,” she says. “A lot of people carry a childhood trauma that manifests in their personalities when they grow up. A lot of the problem also lies in the way we parent our kids. Parents need to have better emotional connect with children, teach them the right values.”
Nowsheen believes that if the right environment is given at home during childhood, a lot of mental health issues will not arise. “The main problem is that people are incapable of handling stress. That training must come in childhood itself.”
Herself raised by a single mother, and having faced a not very smooth childhood, Nowsheen empathised with the stress levels people were going through. “I could relate to people’s problems. I understood their pain. At a level, we all humans are emotionally weak. Some people can do without counselling, some need deep hand-holding.”
“At a level we all humans are emotionally weak” – Nowsheen Yaqoob
To de-stress while some people take refuge in alcohol or drugs, others fall for excessive use of social media. This leads to people gradually wrapping themselves into a shell. “I try to drag them out of that cocoon, even better if I can help people to realise how deep an abyss they can fall into if they don’t admit there is a problem”, she says talking about her mission, her goal in life.
Having worked with people from across a cross-section of society, and seen their lives change following deep conversations, Nowsheen believes, it’s the joy of life that people need to discover. “Joy is the basic emotion. We must be joyful in all situations, no matter what the adversity,” she says before attending a call from a Kashmiri boy who wants to find the way out of his drug addiction.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home / by Nakul Shivani, New Delhi / January 25th, 2023
On the occasion of the 74th Republic Day, 91 persons were selected for Padma Shri awards under various categories across the country, including two persons from Jammu and Kashmir.
The names of Mohan Singh and Ghulam Mohammad Zaz were announced on the eve of Republic Day on Wednesday after the approval of Sadria Jamhoori.
Mohan Singh was honoured with the Padma Shri award for his valuable services in the field of literature and education, while Ghulam Muhammad Zaz, a resident of the Zaina Kadal area of Shahr-Khas, who has a unique distinction will be awarded in the field of art.
The Padma Shri Award is one of the highest civilian awards in the country which is given in three categories. These awards are presented by the President of India at a formal ceremony usually held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in March or April every year.
Ghulam Mohammad Zaz from Kashmir is the last artisan to make santoor in Kashmir. He has inherited this work from his family. Ghulam Muhammad Zaz is not only the eighth generation of his family but also the last artisan of the entire Kashmir who is a santoor maker.
Expressing his views on this occasion, Ghulam Muhammad Zaz expressed happiness and said that it is a happy thing to select him for this honour, but he was saddened by the fact that this honour was not given to anyone in his last eight generations. could be found
“It is very sad that this honour is being given, but the sadness is that this honour should have been given long ago,” he said.
He added that it is a matter of pride for me and the Kashmir Valley as our work and art is being appreciated at the national level.
It is to be remembered that Ghulam Muhammad Zaz is moving forward to make instruments used in classical or mystical music apart from the santoor. (ANI)
This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> India / by ANI / January 26th, 2023
Author of several Odia books, Hussain had also translated the Hindi novel ‘Rani Laxmi Bai’ into Odia which was later published by the National Book Trust in 2012.
Litterateur Hussain Rabi Gandhi
Bhubaneswar :
Eminent Odia writer, former president of Odisha Sahitya Akademi and politician Hussain Rabi Gandhi passed away at Cuttack on Saturday. He was 75 and undergoing treatment for old age-related ailments at SCB Medical College and Hospital.
Author of several Odia books including ‘Mukta Purbasa’, ‘Hajijaithiba Manisa’ and ‘Punsacha Salabega’, Hussain had also translated the Hindi novel ‘Rani Laxmi Bai’ into Odia which was later published by the National Book Trust in 2012. His story ‘Galpa Samaraha’ was included in the Odia syllabus of Plus II.
At the Odisha Sahitya Akademi, he served as the vice-president from 2005 to 2008 and then as the president of Akademi from 2008 to 2010. Hussain was also the former editor of the state government’s ‘Utkal Prasanga’.
Inspired by the legendary Biju Patnaik, Hussain had joined the undivided Janata Dal in 1988 and was appointed its general secretary. He served as the general secretary of Biju Janata Dal from 1998 till 2005 and the ruling party’s observer for Deogarh and Sambalpur elections.
He was conferred the title of Biplabi Loka Kabi by the mayor of Cuttack in 1994. He was also awarded Utkala Jyoti and Gangadhar Meher Kabita awards for his notable contributions to the field of Odia poetry. People from all walks of life condoled his death. Expressing grief at Husain’s demise, Governor of Odisha Prof Ganeshi Lal said Odia literature will forever be in debt for his contributions.
Mourning his death, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Gandhi had a long association with Biju Patnaik and later with BJD. “He has contributed immensely in strengthening the Biju Janata Dal and promoted the values of Biju Babu and BJD.” An established writer, who contributed immensely to Odia literature, his death is a great loss to the state, Naveen added.
“I am saddened to hear the news of the passing away of Hussain Ravi Gandhi, a prominent literary figure of Odisha and former president of the Odisha Sahitya Akademi. May the immortal soul rest in peace,” Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bhubaneswar / by Express News Service / January 28th, 2023
We are celebrating the 811 annual Urs (death anniversary) according to the lunar calendar of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz of Ajmer who was born on February 1 1143 AD in Sijz, Sistan, Iran. He left the world on March 15, 1236 AD in Ajmer, Rajasthan. Since that time his disciples and followers have been celebrating his death anniversary as per the Sufi traditions.
The Sufi mystics celebrate the death and not birth as for them death means a reunion with Almighty Allah.
He was brought up in Khurasan, Iran, while his father Ghayasuddinn died when he was 15. He studied in Isfahan, Samarqand, and Bukhara, and went to Baghdad in search of a spiritual mentor. There, he met Hazrat Khawaja Usman Harooni. Thereafter, he went to visit the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Eventually, he came to Ajmer in India via Lahore where he lived for the rest of his life and became his resting place after death.
It’s a surprising truth that Muslim kings ruled for around 800 years over India and built many historical monuments such as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Humayun Tomb, and Qutub Minar, and yet none of them is alive in the hearts of people except in the history books. Unlike kings and rulers, Khwaja Gharib Nawaz won the hearts of millions of helpless, poor, weaker, and underprivileged people and seekers of truth. With divine mercy, he became Gharib Nawaz (supporter of the poor), though his original name is Moinuddin (helper of the religion).
He fulfilled Huqooq ullah (God’s rights) and Huqooqul ibad (human rights) equally and served the weak and poor, loved the unloved, and fed the hungry irrespective of caste, creed, gender, and religion. It was his outstanding service and love towards humanity that attracted people from across the society, unlike any rulers. They loved and followed this Sufi mystic and therefore he was called “Sultanul Hind”, the king of the Indian subcontinent. He then developed the Chishti Sufi order in this subcontinent and became the Sufi mystic with the highest following in the world.
The scene outside the Ajmer Sharif dargah
The uniqueness of his Sufi order and his character was that he greatly impacted others with his pious character and selfless service and he accepted and accommodated the local traditions and made them part of his Sufi order.The message of universal fraternity, harmony, and brotherhood spread by the Sufis saints was so loud and inclusive that even after their union with God (Wisal-e-ilahi), their hospices remain abuzz with the people of all walks of life.
On top of all Indian shrines, the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti known as Daghah Khwaja Gharib Nawaz in the heart of Ajmer city surrounded by Tara Gadh hills is the shining example of love, harmony, unity, and fraternity.
Maulana Rumi beautifully talks about the human heart:
Ek dil behtar hazaran Ka’be ast
(One heart is far better than a thousand Ka’baas).
He further says (Translated version):
Bring your heart in your hand; your soothing is more important than a pilgrimage. A single heart is better than a thousand Ka’abas. The K’aba was built by Allah’s Khalil (friend) Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), while the heart, in contrast, was created and tested by the Almighty God Himself.
The great Sufi saint of India Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty who is also known as Gharib Nawaz of Ajmer often taught the people: love towards all and malice towards none. His disciples and successors held this message of their mentor by tooth and their hospices became the center for spreading universal love and affinity. His disciple Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi often recited the following couplets of Persian poet Abu Said Abul Khair:
“If people spread thorns in your path, you just put flowers in their way; otherwise the entire path would become thorny”.
Sufi saints in a prayers at the Dargah during the Urs
Today, we Muslims in India must not forget what Khwaja Gharib Nawaz of Ajmer Sharif and Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi taught us.
The love, fraternity, and affection shown by the Sufi saints to the common people won their hearts, and their hospices (khanqahs were the center of love where people from all walks of life began to flock to seek succor for their miseries. These Sufi saints respected the local customs and culture to the extent that even many of them became vegetarian due to respect for their non-Muslim brothers. Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia, Sarmad Shaheed, Bu Ali Shah Qalandar, and many others had become pure vegetarians in respect of their non-Muslim brethren. Their philosophy was simple: live and let live; love and compassion to all, no hate or discrimination on the ground of caste, creed, culture, religion, and gender.
Chishty Sufis continued to adopting of local traditions. For instance in Delhi, Hazrat Amir Khusrau was the one who started celebrating Basant Panchami to make his mentor Nizamuddin Auliya happy. Since then, the Basant celebration is continuing on the premises of Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
Being a Persian scholar and follower of a Sufi order, I came across the anthology of Sufi poets like, Rumi, Jami, Khusro, Shah Niaz be Niaz, Baba Bulle Shah, Shah Zaheen Taji, Bedam Shah Warsi in both Urdu and Persian languages. Their metaphysical and mystic poems were very impressive, moving, and touching. This has increased my curiosity to know more about it, I got a chance to attend a 3-day-long Sufi music concert in Delhi, organized by famous music composer and film director Muzaffar Ali with the title of Jahan-e-Khusrau in Humayun tomb. This concert is organized by him every year and attended by world-famous Sufi musicians and vocals from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and many other countries. However, every year the well-known vocalist Abida Parveen of Pakistan steals the show.
As soon as she starts her melody in the most fascinating and moving voice, the people begin crying in their hearts. It seems as if she is on the direct hotline with the Almighty God. Though more than 2 decades have passed, I still remember the rhythm of her voice and her selection of poems from the anthologies of Amir Khausrau, Baba Bulle Shah, Shah Zaheen Taji, and Shah Niaz Bareilvi.
The following metaphysical mystic poems of Shah Niaz Barelvi recited by Abida Perveen attracted my special attention:
Yaar ko hum ne ja baja dekha, kahin zahir kahin chupa dekha…
I saw my beloved everywhere, somewhere apparent and somewhere hidden.
Kahin mumkin hua kahin wajib, Kahin fani kahin baqi dekha.
Somewhere He was merely a possibility and somewhere He was imperative. Somewhere I saw Him ephemeral, and somewhere I found him eternal.
Kahin wo badshah takht nashin, Kahin kasa liye gada dekha.
Somewhere, I saw Him a king sitting on His throne, and sometimes I saw Him mendicant with a begging bowl.
Kahin wo dar libas e mashooqan, Bar sare naz aur ada dekha.
Somewhere He was in the most beautiful attire, displaying His unique charm and attraction.
Kahin ashiq Niaz ki surat, Seena giryan to dil jala dekha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi handing over a Chadar for offering at the tomb of Moinuddin Chisty for the Urs
Somewhere He was like a lover Niaz, beating his chest and his heart was in flame.
This unique hymn of God almost mesmerized the entire audience. There was a pin-drop silence as the people felt that divine light is pervading from all sides. After hearing this fabulous hymn, I decided to pay my obeisance at his shrine built about 300 years ago in Bareilly.
Though he associated himself with both the Chishti and Qadri orders of the Sufis, he favoured the Chishty order in which the saints were encouraged to reach the maximum number of people whoever they may be. In the footsteps of his predecessors, he also followed the local customs and traditions to win the hearts of people from all creeds and castes. His main emphasis was to clean the heart instead of cleaning the apparent body and clothes.
The Chishty Sufi order was established in Indian Sub-Continent by Khwaja Gharib. It’s organised by Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakar Pak Patan and it flourished to the highest level by Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi. The basic philosophy of Chishty Sufis is to love the unloved, welcome the ignorant, and serve the unserved. They united the human heart and lived in harmony by their nature of acceptance of others’ good things from local tradition and influenced others by their pious and selfless character. They said that whoever comes to us give them food and don’t ask about their religion. that’s the beauty behind flourishing their Sufi order even though it’s increasing day by day after 800 years. Khwaja Gharib Nawaz shrine is 5th largest gathering spiritual place in the world after the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudia Arabia and Najaf and Karbala in Iraq..
Right from Khwaja Gharib Nawaz of Ajmer to Baba Farid Pak Patan, Nizamuddin Auliya Delhi, Sabir e pak in Peeran Kaliyar, Amir khusrau Dehlavi,
Sarmad Shaheed, Bande Nawaz Gesu Daraz in Gulbaga, Baba Tajuddin in Nagpur, Makhdoom Ashraf Jahangir Simnani in kichowcha and Alaul Haq Pandvi in Bengal, Shah Niaz in Bareilly and Haji Waris Ali shah in Dewa have their respective chains of Sufi shrines spread all over the Indian Sub-Continent. They continue to rule over millions of hearts through their unique philosophies of unconditional love and compassion. Anyone observes the impact of local traditions in their shrines’ rituals and amongst their followers.
Dr. Hafeezur Rahman is an author, Islamic scholar, TV host and the founder of Sufi Peace Foundation.
source:http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home / by Dr Hafeezur Rahman / posted by Aasha Khosa / January 29th, 2013
Bouncing back from adversity with indomitable resilience and willpower, Asif Iqbal helps others with disabilities as he pushes the limits. Ejaz Kaiser shares his story.
Since 2021, Iqbal has run 10 km each on 12 different races.
Chhattisgarh:
A life well lived is a life worth talking about. With complete vision loss, Mohammed Asif Iqbal’s life can force anyone to rethink disability.
A Kolkata resident, who had a successful stint in Central government’s smart city projects for digital inclusion initiative at Nava Raipur in Chhattisgarh, Iqbal (46) had partial vision loss since birth due to a genetic disorder called retinal degeneration. By the time he turned 16, he had turned completely blind.
He moved to the United States and managed complete his high school and partial college education in Oregon, USA. Iqbal returned to India in 1995 to later become the first visually challenged commerce graduate of St Xavier’s College Kolkata and got his MBA in human resources from Symbiosis Institute, Pune.
Around six years back, he was diagnosed with high blood pressure. Having given a choice to either change his lifestyle or be on medicines all his life, Iqbal decided to lead a life worth living. “I thought my health shouldn’t be a hurdle towards my contribution to nation-building. Just the thought of doing something to ensure I remain healthy. I was overweight. I began visiting the playground and park with the help of friends. It was there the idea clicked to participate in marathons and began preparing for the race to build my confidence”, Iqbal said.
Running became a routine; starting from 100 metre, he increased the length slowly to 300 and later to a few kilometres with the support of volunteers. Gradually, he learnt navigation on his own.
“I was competing with myself to enhance my performance”, he added. Since 2021, Iqbal has run 10 km each on 12 different races and has also been recognised by former Indian cricket skipper master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for his brave initiative.
But his biggest moment came on December 18, 2022 when he accomplished TSK-25 km (15.53 miles) marathon run in Kolkata only through voice guidance. He was blind-folded and had zero physical touch or physical assistance from anyone. He set a record and entered into Asian Book of Records, as the first Indian Asian blind runner to complete a marathon in 3:32 hours with voice navigation support from Dibyendu Mondel and Prakash Singh who piloted his run.
“While I run on voice guidance (talking GPS) issued by fellow buddy runners who run at the same speed, the mission of 25km marathon in Kolkata was well achieved,” Iqbal said. He is also the recipient of a national award, West Bengal state role model award and the extraordinary citizen of Kolkata award among others.
During his career spanning over 15 years, he has designed and implemented social inclusion strategy for AADHAR enrollment, accessible income tax, and accessible telecom under Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) among others.
He is presently an associate director at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India Ltd. In 2000, he filed a public interest litigation (PIL) for implementation of reservation quota in government-run universities including the IIMs and IITs.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Ejaz Kaiser, Express News Service / January 29th, 2023
Sitting in his clinic at Defence Colony, Dr. Asif Naqvi reminisces about the year 2012 when he was associated with the then Indian Premier League’s (IPL) Delhi Dare Devils team, and Kevin Peterson was a member of the squad.
Dr.Naqvi told Awaz-the Voice, “Back then Kevin was desperately looking for a chiropractor to adjust his spine and during that time in India nobody had a clue as to what this holistic method of treatment was…”
Frames in Dr.Asif’s clinic where he can be seen with cricketers
Coming from a sports background Dr.Asif says, “I have been rather I am a cricketer and truly speaking sports is my true love, while growing up I witnessed doctors accompanying the sports team and that inspired me to do something in this field…I was never an ace as a sports person thus I became a doctor to stay connected to my roots…”
After 2012, Dr Asif switched to sports medicine. He joined Sweden’s Ackerman College to study Chiropractic and later obtained a certification in Sports Rehabilitation from London Academy’s Sports and Health Sciences.
Today in South Delhi’s Defense Colony, he runs a clinic where patients are treated most holistically. Awaz- the Voice spoke with Dr.Asif about this journey from a sports physiotherapist to a Chiropractor and about this genre of medicinal therapy. Excerpts from the interview:
Normally people are interested in the more well-known genre of medicine, like gynecology, physiotherapy, neurology, or a plain master’s degree in medicine; why you became a chiropractor?
See, chiropractic is something we can do some manual treatment of your spinal joints. There are many problems where one often pops pills but that isn’t a cure, that is the management of an ailment for say a particular period. For example if one has diabetes, taking medicines would keep diabetes in control but would that be a cure? Of course, not. Similarly, posture misalignment is not a disease that can be cured by popping pills, rather it is a disorder that is prominent due to incessant working hours on the system.
Now if the posture is not correct the spine suffers the most as it is the most important thing in the body; all the nerve roots come out from the spine. The spine connects with your muscles, bones, organs, and everything through nerves, now if there is a posture misalignment, your body is not aligning and any nerve pressure means a disturbed supply from nerves to the respective body parts; this leads to the feeling of pain or weakness. Cervical slipped disc, and vertigo is some very common ailments that patients suffer due to posture misalignment.
In modern Allopathy, one would go for painkillers, but again, that further damages the central nervous system, here in chiropractic we re-align the spine and work on healing the posture, de-compressing the nerves, and so on.
Frames in Dr.Asif’s clinic describing neck injuries
How would you describe decompression to a layman?
Decompression means when you have a disc problem – lots of people nowadays have it – because of sitting on the system for long hours say 10-15 hours a day. Such people develop weak spines. Those who are going to the gym or playing sports can also have such problems.
Thus if you are going to the gym and doing the wrong exercise or doing very heavy exercises, you can injure your back and your disc. Also, it can happen if you have put on weight also. So once you put on weight, there’s extra load on your spine, especially your lower back.
Disc injury is very common nowadays but then this is not a disease but a basic structural problem. These days youngsters can be seen struggling with this problem. Above 60, we may say it is due to age but in the age group of 20, 30, 40, and 50 it is more of a misalignment.
Would you say changing lifestyle is one major reason for people to develop weak spines?
Well, yes, we can say that.
So why did you choose Sweden and London to study Chiropractic therapy?
Reason…It is easier in Europe to get admission than in America; also in Europe, there are n-number of short-term courses available for training as a chiropractor.
From a specialist in sports injury to a chiropractor; how would you describe your journey so far?
As far as my journey is concerned I would say, in the medical sciences or medical field, you always learn, you are always eager to learn new things and there’s always new research that comes and you have to update yourself. And that’s why it’s called practice. You always do the practice. You are never an expert. Exactly. So that’s how you know, we have to keep updating our knowledge and skills in all the related fields. Whether you are doing chiropractic or sports engineering medicine, whatever you are doing, you have to do a lot of fellowships, and crash courses to stay updated in this school.
So, that’s why I still do many courses, because when I see something new, I feel I can improve. I guess I am still learning.
What are the key myths around Chiropractic in India; are people scared of this therapy?
Definitely, they are, as you know, chiropractic is something new to Indians and people have only seen the video; though it looks exciting there when they face it they feel scared. We try to convince them but to date, I come across many patients who don’t allow me to do neck alignment, they say, “neck toot toh nahin Jayega, bone Chetak toh nahin Jayeza..(I will break my neck)”. Especially if somebody is a senior citizen, his children are more scared but we are taught to apply different pressure to different age groups, this practice is safe even for kids.
How do you convince them?
Actually, we give them options like physiotherapy and so on. We try to convince them but if they do not agree then we do not force them. We even get our patients to sign the consent form.
chiropractic adjustment table
Do you feel the millennials are the approach to holistic methods of healing? If yes, then what would your advice be to them to shun medicines or operations?
See chiropractic is something that is very much required, especially in a country like India which has the largest population, with this approach people can be saved from consuming medicines thus saving one’s liver and kidneys. So in the coming days, people will get fully aware of chiropractic and this treatment being solely for the spine or your joints and the shortest solution for any sports injury.
So that’s all in the coming days and the coming age. From what I see I feel chiropractic care is going to pop up in India and everyone is going to be aware of it. As you know, I’m getting patients from all over India. They come here as they can not find a chiropractor in their place. Also, I have treated patients from Nepal, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and so on…So, they are here because chiropractic cure is somehow not very popular in their countries also.
And when they see the videos online, they understand the therapy. Some people have been suffering for many years, especially from spine-related health issues. And a chronic illness leaves a person paralyzed and dependent upon the family as no hard labour can be expected from him. So, they are looking for a magical treatment.
How affordable is this therapy? I’m sure that many university students who are into sports could need it. How affordable is it for them or say for a middle-class person?
See, right now, obviously, Chiropractic treatment is expensive as there’s no competition. So, the basic thing is that we don’t even have a chiropractic school or college in India. Once we have this infrastructure, once we have a college, and many students are coming out from these then obviously there will be competition and prices will be at par with other therapies. Also, Chiropractic treatment would be more visible, easily available, and cheaper. But right now as it’s a bit expensive I do have students, senior citizens, or economically weaker sections in my consideration and offer them discounts. At times when we feel that some patients are very poor then I have even waived my consultation charges.
Is chiropractor an ancient therapy; like how would you define the root of chiropractic treatment?
Is a part of osteopathy (Bone therapy). You must have heard about the osteopaths and bone setters, in ancient times there weren’t any doctors so these bone setters would use sticks to wrap up the hands or legs. Just like Yoga, this practice is also ancient but today it has caught up the popularity and is spreading more scientifically.
Is there a change in the psyche of patients these days? Do you feel that holistic treatment is catching up with Gen Z?
It is mostly word of the mouth but then so much is available online at times that is a scam too so similarly, we get more and more patients via word of the mouth. I think that in our practice we are getting more patients from the word of mouth. We are treating more patients every day and obviously, people are getting cured and once you get cured, then you obviously refer other patients.
Can you tell me about a patient with chronic illness whom you have treated?
See, there are many. But I will mention about one lady who came from Manipur. She is Sangeeta, she has been advised of surgery. Also at a Delhi hospital, she was treated with injections. She was really in a lot of pain, I have given her 7 or 8 sessions and she is now walking. I will soon upload her interview on my YouTube channel, Dr.Asif Naqvi.
Frames describing the spine
Do you use social media platforms to promote your therapy?
Yes, we do so. Social media is the medium through which we can spread awareness about this field of medicine. However, that alone is not enough. Only if your work is good, you cannot retain patients. I do not like promoting myself but when I see people suffering I wish to help them. I think social media is a good platform to spread awareness about this field of medicine.
How far have we come from 2012 to the present day in the field of chiropractic treatment?
We still have a long way to go as we have a large population and we need good chiropractors. Unless we have colleges and schools in India it is very difficult. it is not affordable for everyone to go to America or to Europe to get an education we must have the course here.
Why one should go to a chiropractor and not for regular medicine? What would your advice be?
Obviously, I am not saying that people should not go for regular medicinal therapies but chiropractic can solve so many problems without making one swallow medicines. I think people prefer this nowadays. Awareness regarding the same is catching up these days. In the West people prefer naturopathy, massage or any treatment with fewer medicines and I guess here too this trend is now catching up. I believe that in the coming days once the awareness about the side effects of the pills increases more and more people would switch to holistic treatments.
How easy or how tough has it been for you?
Initially, when I opted for sports medicine then too it was a tough time as there wasn’t any awareness about this field of practice. Sports weren’t this popular in India back then. A normal sports injury would be taken to a regular doctor. Sports were played for the sake of playing and not for making careers. But today with the advent of IPL and other leagues parents are pushing their kids into sports and more and more as a professional.
So do you have any sportsperson as your client?
Currently, I don’t but yes I have treated Sachin (Tendulkar), Gautam Gambhir, and others
Frame describing Chiropractory
Is a doctor for sports an interesting glamorous job?
I love my job as I am a sports person. To date, I go to the gym and play corporate cricket. I am thankful to Almighty for all the opportunities and I feel proud that I have helped many through my practice. Sports is my inspiration.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home / by Shaista Fatima, New Delhi / January 23rd, 2023
Sikander Mirza Changezi, Founding Member of Shah Waliullah Public Library, showing the Diwan [book] of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Diwan-e-Zafar. Photo: Video Screengrab.
Located in a narrow lane in front of Jama Masjid, Old Delhi, Hazrat Shah Waliullah Public Library is home to around 25,000 books including rare works in Urdu, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and English.
When the area witnessed communal riots in 1987, a group of young individuals formed the Delhi Youth Welfare Association (DYWA) in Shahjahanabad – today’s Old Delhi, to help people with food and medicines.
With time, the group started expanding its activities to education and opened a library in 1994. This library was named after the revered Islamic scholar, Hazrat Shah Waliullah, who was a Muslim reformist in 18th century India.
Reporter, Camera & Edit: Oohini Mukherjee, Zeeshan Kaskar.
Special thanks: Taqi Mohammed, Mohammad Naeem, Sikander Mirza Changezi.
source: http://www.himalmag.com / Himal, South Asian / Home> Culture> India> Video / by Oohini Mukherjee and Zeeshan Kaskar / October 04th, 2022
