Renowned researcher, author, and former Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Delhi, Dr. Shamsul Islam, is scheduled to deliver the BV Kakkilaya Inspired Oration for 2023. The oration, titled “Joint Martyrdoms, Joint Heritage of 1857 War of Independence,” will take place on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Ravindra Kalabhavana, University College, Mangaluru.
The annual BV Kakkilaya Inspired Orations serve as a tribute to the life and contributions of Sri BV Kakkilaya (1919-2012). Kakkilaya was a freedom fighter, a leader in the Karnataka unification movement, a prominent figure in the Communist Party of India and All India Trade Union Congress, a member of the first Rajya Sabha, and the Karnataka State Assembly.
He was also an award-winning writer and thinker. The oration aims to promote alternative thoughts and approaches to address the challenges faced by the underprivileged masses in India. The event is organized by Hosatu Monthly, Bangalore, MS Krishnan Trust, Bangalore, and Samadarshi Vedike, Mangalore, in collaboration with the Department of History, University College, Mangaluru.
During the event, Dr. Shamsul Islam’s book, “The Untold Amazing Stories of 1857,” will be released in its Kannada translation, titled “Bharatada Modala Swatantrya Sangrama 1857 – Helade Ulida Adbhuta Kathegalu.” The book is translated by Dr. B.R. Manjunath and published by Navakarnataka Publications. Dr. Jayaraj Amin, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University, will have the honor of unveiling the translated work.
Additionally, the event will feature the publication of the names of 128 martyrs from Karnataka, who hailed from diverse backgrounds including various castes, religions, sects, and socio-economic strata. These martyrs gave their lives during the 1857-58 anti-British revolts. Dr. Shamsul Islam compiled this list from national archives, and the occasion will be marked with tributes to these brave individuals.
The public is warmly welcomed to attend this significant event.
source: http://www.varthabharati.in/ Vartha Bharati / Home> Karnataka / by Vartha Bharati / September 09th, 2023
Following a major reshuffling in the police department by the Karnataka government on Tuesday morning, the government issued another order in the evening modifying/cancelling some transfer orders issued earlier in the day.
The latest order also modified the posting of Senior IPS officer Abdul Ahad who was serving as the Superintendent of Police Coastal Security Police, Udupi. In the earlier order he was transferred as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Division, Bengaluru City. However, in the latest order, his posting has been as modified and he has been posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Crime Branch, Bengaluru.
Abdul Ahad, who is from Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada District has earlier served as DCP, Whitefield, SP of Anti Corruption Bureau Bangalore City, SP of Economic Offenses wing of CID and Commandant of Karnataka State Reserve Police.
Shekhar H Tekkannavar will now take charge as the Deputy Commissioner of Police Central Division, Bengaluru City.
Among the other changes, the order posting Karthik Reddy, SP of Ramanagara District as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic South, Bengaluru has been cancelled.
Anita Bhimappa Haddannavar SP of Karnataka Lokayukta, Vijaypura has been transferred as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic West Division, Bengaluru city while Ashok KV, SP of Karnataka Lokayukta has also been transferred as SP of Tumkur district.
source: http://www.varthabharati.in/ Vartha Bharati / Home> Karnataka / by Vartha Bharati / September 05th, 2023
Mohammad Kasim (as his name is spelled in UP Judicial Services Exam Result Sheet) secured the 135th rank in the coveted exam result of which was declared on August 30, 2023.
Justice Mohammad Qasim (sitting in the middle with specs and in white t-shirt )(Photo shared by Adv S G Rabbani Alig (@sgrabbani_ias) who described Mohammed Qasim as his mentor and friend)
Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh):
Nobody can fail you if you are determined and committed to what you have planned to achieve, Mohammad Qasim, 29-year-old Judge from the Muslim dominated but neglected district of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh said.
Mohammad Qasim is one of the six students from the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to crack the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Service Civil Judge (Junior Division) Examination 2022, conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC).
Mohammad Kasim (as his name is spelled in UP Judicial Services Exam Result Sheet) secured the 135th rank in the coveted exam result of which was declared on August 30, 2023.
Earlier, Mohammad Qasim had bagged the All India Rank 1 in the LLM Entrance Exam in 2019. He later also qualified for the UGC NET in 2021.
The story of Mohammad Qasim’s impressive success run however is full of struggle and challenges.
Mohammad Qasim’s Journey to Success
Qasim was born in a very poor family of Ruknuddin Sarai in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. His father used to sell Haleem (a type of Biryani) on a handcart on roadside. In his early days, Qasim used to wash plates to help his father. As he grew older and learnt the art of making Haleem and Biryani from his father, he set up own stall. During this journey however, Qasim did not stop his education.
“My mother is the motivational force behind me and never permitted me to drop out of the school”, he recalled.
“If you are not son of a celebrity or do not belong to a political family then the only option for you to become big is education. It is only through education that you can become a hero. And, today the way I am being felicitated and being welcomed is the testimony of this fact”, a beaming Qasim said while talking to a local YouTube Channel.
Qasim completed his early education from a government school in Uttar Pradesh and passed Inter from Warsi Junior High School of Ruknuddin Sarai. He later joined Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and graduated in BA LLB and then passed LLM from Delhi University (DU).
“At AMU, I saw a number of students in Law department who after completing LLB go to DU and pursue LLM and then join the judiciary. Law always fascinated me, and the immediate thought that came to my mind is if I wish to fulfil my dreams I too will have to follow the same route”, he recalled.
After BA LLB from AMU, Mohammed Qasim started practicing as a lawyer and simultaneously joined Delhi University to complete LLM. He then appeared for the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Services exams in 2022.
“The most interesting part of my judicial service exam was personal interview. There was a panel headed by a High Court judge. They were all too impressed by my “direct approach” of engaging with the people”, Mohammed Qasim recalled explaining about the art that he perhaps had mastered when he was a roadside food vendor.
Besides his mother who motivated him, Mohammed Qasim gives credit for his success to his teachers in his own home town and at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
“I was quite weak in few subjects, especially English and Mathematics. Coming from a small village it was unbelievable for me watching AMU students read English language newspapers. I used to become nervous. But teachers there helped me which is why I could become successful”, he said.
(With inputs from Hukoomat Express YouTube Channel)
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Education & Career / by Aneequa Sabaha, ummid.co / September 06th, 2023
Rashid belongs to a small town of Chapra, Bihar. Both his parents, Noor Alam Khan and Noor Aisha, are teachers by profession.
New Delhi:
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) alumnus Rashid Khan who is currently working as Scientist SD in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Propulsion Complex, Tamil Nadu played an important role in ISRO’s first Solar Mission Aditya-L1 launch.
Rashid Khan was actively involved in the acceptance test of PS2 and PS4 stage used for Rocket PSLV-C57.
India launched its first Solar Mission on September 02, 2023. The Mission, Aditya L1, is designed for providing remote observations of the solar corona and in situ observations of solar wind.
The spacecraft, named after the Hindu Sun deity Aditya, is set to traverse a vast distance of 1.5 million kilometres (930,000 miles) to reach its destination.
Nigar Shaji, daughter of a Muslim farmer from Tamil Nadu was the Project Head of India’s Solar Mission.
Rashid’s Role in Chandrayan-3 Mission
Jamia alumnus Rashid also played an important role in ISRO’s Moon mission Chandrayan-3 launched on August 23, 2023. For Chandrayan-3 Mission, Rashid’s responsibility was to conduct Acceptance tests of L110 stage (Liquid Propulsion System) and C25 stage (Cryogenic Propulsion System) propellant tanks for LVM3- M4 rocket used for Chandryaan-3 mission launch on 14th July 2023.
Rashid’s future responsibilities are design qualification for different stages of rockets for ISRO’s future missions like Human space programme (Gaganyaan Mission) etc.
Rashid belongs to a small town of Chapra, Bihar. Both his parents, Noor Alam Khan and Noor Aisha, are teachers by profession. It was their dream to see Rashid working as Scientist in ISRO which he successfully fulfilled.
Rashid completed his B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in the year 2017. He secured AIR-11th rank and was selected by ISRO to work as Scientist in 2017 itself. He has been working with the space organisation since March, 2018.
India’s unmanned Moon mission Chandrayan-3 has been designed to stay “alive” for 1 Lunar Day which is equivalent to 14 days on our Earth. After a stay of more than a week on Moon , the Vikram lander and Pragyan Rover both have been put in “sleep mode”.
“The Rover completed its assignments. It is now safely parked and set into Sleep mode. APXS and LIBS payloads are turned off. Data from these payloads is transmitted to the Earth via the Lander,” ISRO said in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Science & Technology / by ummid.com News Network / September 06th, 2023
Yusha Ayman Chamundi, a 15-year-old prodigy trained under the guidance of Team Alliance Martial Arts Academy in Bhatkal, has achieved a remarkable feat by clinching the gold medal in the Junior Level Kickboxing National Championship, presented by the Wako India Kickboxing Federation in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Yusha’s victory has not only earned him the prestigious gold medal but has also secured his position to represent India at the forthcoming international level. Notably, the international kickboxing championship is slated to take place in Uzbekistan next month, scheduled for September.
Currently pursuing his SSLC studies at the esteemed Anand Ashram Convent School in Bhatkal, Yusha’s journey to this achievement began with a triumph at the District Level Kickboxing event held in Bhatkal. His stellar performance continued as he clinched a gold medal at the State Level Kickboxing (Junior Level, Under 57 kg) competition in Mysore on July 16. The young talent’s remarkable consistency propelled him to the national level, where he stood out among competitors from 24 states in the championship held in Ranchi from August 23 to 27.
In an impressive display of his skills, Yusha navigated through the rounds with finesse. Notably, he conquered Maharashtra, Telangana, and Rajasthan in the initial stages and emerged victorious against Haryana in the final, securing the illustrious gold medal. This exceptional feat has not only illuminated Bhatkal and Uttara Kannada but has also brought Karnataka into the limelight.
Beyond kickboxing, Yusha boasts proficiency in volleyball and kabaddi, frequently showcasing his talents in school-level competitions. His achievements extend to the realm of karate, where he has consistently excelled. As he continues to juggle sports and studies, Yusha’s aspirations reach beyond the arena – he envisions becoming a Chartered Accountant after completing his matriculation.
Yusha’s dedication to martial arts traces back to his early years, fueled by a passion that led him to join Alliance Martial Arts Academy under the guidance of Mohammed Ismail and Mohammed Shammas. His late uncle, Athar Armar, also played a pivotal role in nurturing his martial arts skills.
As Yusha returned home to Bhatkal from Ranchi, he was greeted with exuberance by his community. The youth of Madina Colony and Mohiuddin Street, his residential areas, warmly welcomed him, adorning him with garlands in a jubilant celebration of his achievement. Friends, family, and well-wishers filled his home, expressing their pride and admiration.
Azizur Rahman Ruknuddin Nadvi, President of Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation, joined the chorus of congratulations, offering floral garlands to Yusha and extending his good wishes to both him and his family.
source: http://www.sahilonline.com / Sahil Online / Home> Coastal News> Featured News> Sports News / by S O News Service / headline edited / by IG Bhatkal / August 31st, 2023
Global NRI Official presenting a memento to Hafiz Abdullah Abdul Mateen Usmani, presented by Azmat Ali Emran and Syed Abdul Hadi / SG Photo by Abdul Rahman M Baig
Jeddah:
Hafiz Abdullah Abdul Mateen Usmani, winner of the annual Qur’an memorization contest organized by Jamiat Khairokum Li Tahfizul Qur’an Kareem (Khairokum Qur’an Memorization Society) for Makkah region, was recently felicitated by the Global NRIs Youth Club here.
Abdullah Usmani won the first prize from among 1,000 participants out of which 13 candidates were bracketed in the category of those securing between 95 and 99 marks. In the ensuing round involving the 13 finalists of the competition, he was declared the winner.
Abdullah Usmani was presented a car by Jeddah Governor Prince Mishaal Bin Majed.
Jamia Al Khairiya Li Tahfiz-ul-Qur’an Kareem is a semi government institution and center established for the students to memorize and recite the Holy Qur’an. It holds the competition every year to encourage students and other participants.
Hafiz Abdullah Usmani is an Indian and belongs to the city of Hyderabad in Telangana state.
Syed Abdul Hadi, vice president of Global NRIs Youth Club, presented a Mishla’h (an adornment cloak wore by men) to Hafiz Abdullah Usmani as a token of appreciation. It was followed by a memento presented by Azmat Ali Emran, president of the club. Bouquets were presented to the contest winner by Fysal Ali, Farhan Baig and Syed Khaja Viqaruddin.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Hafiz Abdullah Usmani said: “It took me four years to memorize the Holy Qur’an. I was 11 years old when I started the memorization.”
He is also the alumnus of IISJ from the batch of 2017. Initially he was admitted to Muaz Bin Jabal School where he memorized about one/sixth of the Qur’an. Later he got enrolled in Dar Ul Furqan School from where he completed his memorization of the Holy Qur’an while learning Tajweed. He completed the memorization of the Qur’an four years back. It was last year when the Masjid Al-Aziziyah officials advised him to appear for the Qur’an memorization contest.
Hafiz Abdullah Usmani took the opportunity and appeared from Masjid Al-Aziziyah under the supervision of Sheikh Hamza Rayyan, imam and khateeb of the mosque.
Abdullah Usmani continued with his worldly pursuits along with his Qur’an memorization and took an open school examination from 6th to 8th standard from IISJ. He became a regular student of IISJ from 9th standard after completing his Qur’an memorization.
Initially, he started memorizing of Holy Qur’an on the instructions of his mother. Later after getting admitted in Muaz Bin Jabal School he gained interest in memorizing and was very much motivated by seeing his peers doing so.
While memorizing the Qur’an, he got a chance to meet Sheikh Ayman Rushdi Suwaid, and learned Tajweed from him. He is known to be the Sheikh Ul Tajweed in Jeddah. In his early days of memorizing Qur’an, he used to listen to the Qirat of Sheikh Abdurrehman Al-Sudais and learned the ayats (verses) of the Qur’an that made him memorize the Qur’an faster.
Talking about his future plans, Abdullah Usmani said he would like to learn more Arabic, Islamic history and Qur’an. He said he was interested in pursuing advance accounting courses and build his career. He also has plans to lead Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan in any of the mosques of Jeddah.
Listening to the recitation of Sheikh Meshary Alafasy, Sheikh Mohammed Ayub and Sheikh Al-Sudais helped him learn the correct pronunciation and also helped him in the memorization process.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, the award winner’s father, Abdul Mateen Usmani, said: “I would first thank and express my gratitude to Almighty Allah for the honor bestowed on my son.”
In this context, he said, efforts of Jamia Tahfiz-ul-Quran was exceptional. “This prize is more than a hundred billion dollar for me. I have not even dreamt that my son Abdullah will be winning the first prize.”
He said all his children initially received their early education having British curriculum. “Me and my wife decided that we will invest money on good education for our children. All my children were enrolled in Al-Waha International School for their primary education. It was my wife’s plan that we will encourage Abdullah to be a Hafiz. So after completing 5th standard, we removed Abdullah from the school and admitted him in the institute for Qur’an memorization. I was a little reluctant but my wife played a major role in making my son Hafiz.
“I advise all unmarried as well as married people not to waste or kill their time by watching movies and TV serials and spoil their future but instead focus on their education both for the deen (religion) and duniya (world). Even the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that one should give priority to the Seerah of anbiya (prophets).”
He said his wife started attending religious classes with other women in our neighborhood soon after she landed in Jeddah. She sacrificed her sleeping hours during daytime to attend these classes.
“It’s the parents responsibility to mold their children as they want. One can lay the right foundation from the word go,” he said.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Azmat Ali Emran, president of Global NRIs Youth Club said: “It’s an honor for our club to be the first to felicitate Hafiz Abdullah Abdul Mateen Usmani.”
Syed Abdul Hadi, vice president, said: “Abdullah made the Indians and specially the people of Hyderabad very proud by winning this award. I would like to thank Allah the Almighty and also congratulate his parents on behalf of Global NRIs Youth Club.”
source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa / Saudi Gazette / Home / by Abdul Rahiman M Baig, Saudi Gazette / Headline edited / September 18th, 2018
Muslim women are not a monolith, says Dr Farah Usmani, the founder and honorary editor of the “Rising Beyond The Ceiling” (RBTC), an initiative born out of frustration with the stereotypical narrative surrounding Muslim women in India. RBTC is preparing a directory of Muslim women who have excelled in different fields.
However, millions of Indian women, who identify themselves as Muslim, reach across spectra of ethnicities and languages, states and union territories, do not look the same or sound the same and contribute towards nation building in a variety of ways, says Dr Usmani adding that the compendium is under finalisation.
Member, UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, Sabiha Ahmad, who is busy preparing the list of prominent Muslim women in Uttar Pradesh, said, “The organisation is in the process of preparing a directory of such Muslim women who hold certain positions in social, corporate and professional workspace.”
She says the women spotlighted here from Uttar Pradesh do many things—they fly planes, serve in police and armed forces, they are skeet shooters and bike riders, write books and poetry, create art, play snooker and tennis, administer and govern, espouse social issues, serve as lawyers, scientists and doctors, are entrepreneurs and corporate professionals and are substantive contributors to the progress of the country.
Recently an online international meeting was organised in which the issue was discussed at length.
Veteran politician Mohsina Kidwai; vice chancellor, Era University, Lucknow, prof Farzana Mahdi; writer Sabeeha Anwar; artist Dr Farzana Shahabuddin and Samreen Ahmad were prominent among those who attended the virtual event.
Ahmad further says there is a myth surrounding Muslim women in India that they are highly conservative, prefer to stay home, not at par in education with women of other communities.
“Rising Beyond the Ceiling (RBTC), a non-profit organisation focused on supporting and promoting Indian Muslim women and their leadership and contributions in their respective fields, is working to bust this myth,” says Ahmad, who is also incharge, RBTC UP 100 .
RBTC UP 100 is a congregation of 100 women representing 22 million (2.2 crore) Muslim women from UP.
It is working under the leadership of Dr Farah Usmani, the founder and honorary editor of RBTC initiative who is also serving at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) headquarters in New York as director-1 level.
“The stories of these Indian Muslim women are for all women and girls to draw inspiration, role model them and thus become mentors in their own districts and neighbourhoods thereby become inspirations themselves for future generations,” Ahmad adds.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / by HT Correspondent, Lucknow / September 22nd, 2021
A promising author, Zehra Naqvi, nuancedly articulates how the multi-layered and complicated processes with its intense emotional pressure leave mothers completely burned up in her book, ‘The Reluctant Mother: A Story No One Wants to Tell’.
Much -revered and almost deific motherhood sprouted by religious injunctions, social practices, cultural prescripts, and ethnic sensibilities – goes well beyond its well-defined boundary – being a place where all love begins and ends. Motherhood symbolizes self-effacement and denial.
The status of the hyped-up emotional and domestic pivot of the family pleasantly prods a mother to relinquish her existence to her offspring. These popular assumptions offer a deceptive and naive simplistic view of a far more complex and intriguing relationship between a mother and child than we perceive
The idolized representation of motherhood has a long tradition in literature, but it did not mirror in some highly acclaimed literary texts such as Hamlet, Madame Bovary and Lolita. Queen Gertrude, Emma Bovary and Charlotte Haze present a repugnant image of a mother who poses a constant psychotic and physical threat to the children.
The mothers, refusing to stick to subservient roles stipulated by the society, fire the imagination of non-conformist authors. These sorts of mothers continue to subvert the dominant narrative of the world that mocks normativity and moral policing.
Here Christina Crawford’s memoir, “Mommie Dearest” (1978), comes forth that tears apart all that is traditionally associated with motherhood. Her mother, Joan Crawford, emerges as the grandmama of all socially ambitious and figure conscious women who find pregnancy, birth and rearing too exasperating.
Indian cultural ethos adores motherhood, and hardly any authors treat it with disdain by equating it with “motherdom”. A promising author, Zehra Naqvi, nuancedly articulates how the multi-layered and complicated processes with its intense emotional pressure leave mothers completely burned up in her book, “The Reluctant Mother: A Story No One Wants to Tell” (Hayhouse,2021). Far from a misery memoir, the book written in a diary format narrates a tantalizing and equally agonizing story of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood.
Contrary to popular perception, her reluctance is not restricted to the early days of motherhood, but it seems to be a festering emotional wound that refuses to heal. Not overly dramatized but reasonably pitched entries of the diary covering four years provide a shifting glimpse into harrowing and fascinating maternal experiences.
Zehra’s observations, wrapped in lucent prose, are funny and bittersweet. She seeks to upend the dominant notion that hardly recognizes a mother more than the deliverer of the child. The author who joined the company of prominent Muslim female English writers such as Rakshanda Jaleel, Rana Safavi, Ainee Zaidi, Nazia Erum, Sami Rafique, Ghazala Wahab, Reema Ahmad, Tarana Khan, Huma Khalil, Saba Bashir and the like, astutely refutes that only function of the mother is to breed.
Diary writing closely resembles fiction as intense creative outpourings spruce it up. It is a less formal and intimate medium of stitching up a warm and immediate rapport with the reader. Zehra’s intriguing, placid and tearing entries set a pulsating debate on the nature of the life of desire, individual space, possessiveness and socially bred sense of sacrifice.
At the onset of motherhood, the author hardly feels exulted; contrarily, it produces annoyance and irritation instead of euphoria. The moment of ecstasy leaves her completely downcast:
“I had always seen in movies that women break into tears of joy and men swing their wives up in their arms on kerning that they have a new life coming. I do break into tears. But they are tears of shock, of dread, of dismay.
And they are the tears of wrath- wrath that I unleash on the man that I love the most in the world. Wrath of having my dreams washed over, having my carefully magical universe destroyed. “. p13.
For her, marriage is not meant for procreation or extending the family. It is an intense companionship through which both can explore the unrealized potential of their lives. The child adds an extra presence to intimate companionship. It sounds selfish, but it affirms Jean-Paul Sartre who defines hell as the presence of the other.
The author, after initial reluctance, gets herself prepared for caring, but it cannot be taken for love. She has a point here, but love does not happen in a vacuum and caring is the place where it is born.
Nuancedly written divergent entries make it clear that Zehra strives to perform different but equally significant roles with the same sense of devotion and impeccability. To abandon one role is an affront to womanhood as her epilogue reads,” I am not a mother above everything else. I am a mother along with everything else that I am . It is an integral part of me. And I should not have to denounce all other parts to acknowledge this one.”
It is a refreshing and insightful read that spells out new contours of motherhood in graphic prose with occasional sloppiness. Zehra deserves accolades for not regurgitating the traditional aspects of motherhood.
(Shafey Kidwaiis a bilingual critic and teaches miscommunication at Aligarh Muslim university.)
source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> National / by Shafey Kidwai / December 25th, 2021
The 1860s and 70s were a difficult time for the old and noble families of Delhi. The changes ushered in after the rising of 1857 had precipitated the decline of the city that had begun with the invasion of Nadir Shah over a century ago. The grandeur of the old Mughal capital was gone and with it disappeared the wealth and commerce. This was the era of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib and his poetry of decrepitude and nostalgic longing. Old merchant families were particularly badly hit.
The Ellahies were just such an old family of Delhi merchants. By the 1870s it was being run by Hajee Karam Ellahie. The writing was however, on the wall and the family realized that opportunities in Delhi were dwindling. Karam’s much younger brother, Bukhsh, an ambitious young man therefore decided that he would not sit around waiting for the decline to be complete. Rather he would take on the challenges of the new era head on.
If Delhi was in decline, the new capital of the British, Calcutta, had been growing rapidly over the same period. By the second half of the nineteenth century it was a city bursting with opportunities, ideas and wealth. Young Bukhsh decided the best way to approach the new age was to move to Calcutta. In 1878 he joined an old Muslim firm in Calcutta as a young apprentice hoping to pick up enough skills to survive in the new order.
Gauhar Jaan in a Cigarette Advertisement
During his time in the city, Ellahie also keenly observed his fellow denizens closely. Amongst the new fashions that caught his eye was the habit of smoking cigarettes. The British army had picked up the habit during the Crimean War in the mid-1850s from their Turkish rivals. Unbeknownst to Ellahie precisely around the 1880s, when he was apprenticing in Calcutta, a new cigarette-rolling machine was making it faster and cheaper to produce cigarettes commercially.
A shrewd businessman, Bukhsh soon asked his older brother to lend him some capital to start a business importing tobacco to make cigarettes. In 1885, with his brother’s loan, Bukhsh set up Bukhsh Ellahie & Co. Apart from new production techniques he also adopted new advertising techniques to popularize the new trend in the city. Cashing in on the growing celebrity of the Hindustani classical singer, Gauhar Jaan, Bukhsh Ellahie launched a brand of local cigarettes called the ‘Gauhar be Baha’. he also distributed free cigarettes to the army as a precocious new promotional tool.
The brand and the business were an enormous success. Before the century ended, Bukhsh was one of the richest men in the city. So complete was Bukhsh Ellahie’s domination of the local market that when foreign firms such as Wills and ATC first came to India, they had to enter into partnerships with Ellahie and depend upon the latter’s distribution networks.
Bukhsh Ellahie & Co Offices
Until 1901 the firm of Bukhsh Ellahie therefore remained the sole agents for the major foreign tobacco companies. It was only in 1901 that E.J. Parrish, the manager of ATC’s Indian operations eliminated Ellahie’s sole agency and instead set up its own distribution depot at 95, Clive Street, Calcutta, with its own devoted staff. While the partnership flourished however, Ellahie innovated once more and advertised the partnership using yet another then still fairly new commodity, i.e. matchboxes.
Matchbox label issued by Bukhsh Ellahie & Co. advertising their partnership with British American Tobacco.
Bukhsh Ellahie & Co. were, as they themselves would later advertise, unquestionably the “Pioneer of the Tobacco Trade in India”. Yet, their mercantile portfolio were not limited to tobacco, or indeed matches. Ellahie was a general merchant and dealt in a wide variety of goods. He was also an official supplier for the Indian Army, thereby acquiring a large and lucrative captive market. Above all, they were one of the first local firms to recognize the importance of foreign trade and worked hard to develop international trading partnerships.
In time, Hajee Bukhsh Ellahie became members of both the Bengal and Punjab Chambers of Commerce and was honored by the British government, first with the title of Khan Bahadur and later, with the Companion of the Indian Empire (C.I.E.). He also became a well-known philanthropist and built or sustained several charitable institutions in his adopted city, Calcutta. On Chitpur Road he built a Musafirkhana or a Traveler’s Lodge. He also founded an orphanage and an association for the burial of indigent Muslims.
Khan Bahadur Haji Bukhsh Ellahie
Notwithstanding recent awareness of the unhealthfulness of smoking, Calcuttans continue to smoke in large numbers today. A recent survey found the city is the highest consumer of cigarettes in all of India. Few of these modern smokers however, have ever heard of Bukhsh Ellahie. His once legendary fame and wealth have, alas, disappeared from public memory like the smoke from his Gauhar cigarettes.
In the heart of Bangalore, where diversity thrives and stories of perseverance resonate, two remarkable individuals, Lubna Afza and Azeem Azeez, are rewriting the narrative of education and hope through their initiative, “Our English School.”
This inspiring journey began with two distinct backgrounds converging in a shared mission to make a difference. Lubna Afza, an advocate, and Azeem Azeez, a social activist, embarked on a remarkable endeavor to provide education to madrasa students and differently-abled children.
In 2015, Lubna Afza endured a heart-wrenching series of tragedies that would break anyone’s spirit. She lost her father, mother, niece, and brother-in-law in a tragic road accident in Saudi Arabia. The same day, her husband divorced her, leaving her in a state of emotional despair. Struggling with the loss of her family and her marriage, Lubna spiraled into severe depression. Her sole source of strength was her 8-year-old son, who sometimes had to step into the role of caregiver during her darkest moments.
Azeem Azeez, a seasoned community activist, had spent years volunteering at government schools and organizing scholarship camps for disadvantaged children. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that fate brought Azeem and Lubna together as they volunteered at an NGO. This serendipitous encounter led to a shared dream of making a positive impact on society.
Their journey took a significant turn when Azeem introduced Lubna to the world of madrasas. Together, they embarked on a mission to provide quality education to madrasa students, starting with their work at a madrasa in Varthur. The bond they formed with these students ignited a fire within them to do more.
Their vision took a leap forward when they stumbled upon “Our English School,” a historic institution in Jayanagar established in 1965. The school had fallen on hard times due to the pandemic, and its owners were considering selling it. Azeem and Lubna made a bold decision to purchase the school’s license, envisioning a brighter future for it.
However, challenges remained. The pandemic forced them to adapt, and “Our English School” became a mobile school, reaching students across three madrasas in Bangalore. Under Lubna and Azeem’s leadership, the school began offering English, Hindi, Kannada, Maths, and Science courses to students pursuing Hifz or Aalim programs, impacting the lives of over 200 madrasa students.
For Lubna, this endeavor became her lifeline, giving her a renewed sense of purpose after enduring immense personal hardships. However, a crucial hurdle looms ahead. To maintain their school license, they must establish a physical school, a financial burden they are unable to bear alone.
Lubna, Azeem, and the dedicated teachers they have assembled are passionate about their transformative work but need support to secure a permanent space. They have exhausted their life savings and are now reaching out to the community for assistance, appealing for funds or space to establish a proper school.
The need for their services is evident as this year, over a thousand students are eagerly waiting to enroll in “Our English School.” These aspiring students are a testament to the impact Lubna and Azeem’s initiative has had on the community.
“Our English School” has become a beacon of hope for many madrasa students seeking a well-rounded education. It symbolizes the resilience of individuals like Lubna and Azeem, who are determined to make a difference despite facing adversity.
To contribute to their mission or learn more about “Our English School,” please visit www.ourenglishschool.org.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> Education / by Shaik Zakeer Hussain / September 04th, 2023
