The United Arab Emirates-based entrepreneur/ philanthropist who hails from Kerala donated Rs 11 crore to help relocate the victims of the earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria last week, killing tens of thousands.
An earthquake ravaged Turkey
Indian-origin businessman Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, who is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, has donated Rs 11 crore as an aid for the victims of the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, killing tens of thousands last week.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based entrepreneur/ philanthropist who hails from Kerala donated Rs 11 crore to help relocate the quake victims. The fund will be used to relocate those who have lost their homes and rehabilitate victims and families, the VPS Group, owned by Shamsheer Vayalil, informed.
Vayalil has said that the amount has already been handed over to the Emirates Red Crescent, which is carrying out relief efforts in the region.
“The fund will be used to support rescue efforts by providing medicine and other supplies, relocating those who have lost their homes, and rehabilitating victims and their families,” the VPS group, which owns the super-speciality VPS Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi, said in a release.
“This donation is part of our ongoing efforts to provide assistance to the relief work. My heart goes out to all affected by the devastating earthquake, and I hope this contribution will support their needs,” Vayalil said.
Thousands were displaced after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region on February 6, killing more than 34,000 people.
(With inputs from agencies)
source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / Money Control / Home> News> World (headline edited) / February 14th, 2023
The elections were being keenly watched by political observers because of BJP’s decision to back the Congress–Sena alliance, which has 42 corporators in the Malegaon civic body while
Nashik:
Tahira Shaikh of Congress was elected Malegaon Mayor while Nilesh Aher of Shiv Sena her deputy with comfortable leads over the candidates fielded by the NCP, MIM and Janata Dal combine on Thursday.
The elections were being keenly watched by political observers because of BJP’s decision to back the Congress-Sena alliance, which has 42 corporators in the Malegaon civic body while.
All the nine corporators of the BJP toed the party line during the election, thus enabling the Congress-Sena candidates bag 51 votes each. The NCP, MIM and Janata Dal alliance candidates got 32 votes.
The Congress-Sena candidates’ victories were a foregone conclusion as the NCP, MIM and Janata Dal combine have 32 corporators in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation, which has a total strength of 84 elected members.
A Congress office-bearer said that Shaikh is the only Muslim mayor of any city in the state at present. “This is her second stint as Malegaon mayor, the previous one being around seven years ago. She took over the reins from her husband and Congress corporator Shaikh Rashid, who has completed his two-and-a-half-year term.”
“The voting took place by show of hands in the presence of the returning officer and acting Nashik district collector, Bhuvaneswari S,” the Congress worker said.
“Cleanliness and improving the condition of roads will be my priority,” the new mayor said, adding that she would also strive to beautify the city.
The deputy mayor thanked his party for choosing him for the post and vowed that the civic body would work in cohesion with the state government to develop the powerloom town.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City News> Nashik News / by TNN / December 13th, 2019
Al Afadhil’s branches in Dubai and Sharjah are known for their spiced, slow-cooked kebabs.
Syed Jafar Husain started the restaurant in 1979. Photo: Husain family
When Syed Jafar Husain arrived in the UAE from India in the 1970s he longed for home.
Like countless others who came in search of a better life, he missed family and friends but there was also one other important ingredient missing — the food.
He longed for the spiced, slow-cooked kebabs and thick sweet lassi of his native Lucknow.
Mr Husain left his job in sales and opened a small restaurant named Al Afadhil dedicated to the traditional food of his home city.
He never hired a chef and made the food himself. Al Afadhil first opened on Dubai Creek in 1979 and moved several times before settling in its current location in Al Nahda, Sharjah in 1990.
View of the Al Afadhil restaurant in Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National
Today, trucks from the adjacent industrial area rumble past the dark wooden doors, while the clank of weights drifts across from a nearby gym. On the side of the wall is a simple sign stating: “Lucknow Kabab”. Inside is a collection of small tables and booths. A simple menu, barely unchanged in decades, lists only seven recipes.
An old menu from Al Afadhil restaurant. Photo: Husain family
Mr Husain died in 2018 but his legacy is being carried on by his two sons, Mohammed, 30, and Mustafa, 27.
It has become renowned among generations from Lucknow and, to this day, has only a handful of items on the menu.
“My dad simply missed the traditional food of Lucknow,” said Mohammed. “In the early 1980s there just weren’t as many options.”
One of the specialities is “galouti kebab” that takes about 14 hours to prepare. The dish has its roots in the historic royal kitchens of Lucknow and consists of tenderised, soft lamb mixed with spices, slow-cooked and served with a tamarind chutney that is a family secret.
This dish costs just under Dh14. A thick sweet lassi that people dip their paratha into is also a favourite.
“Nothing can be changed in the recipe,” said Mohammed. The two brothers work seven days a week from 4am to the afternoon to ensure they respect their father’s legacy.
Customers who have left the UAE have also spread the name of the restaurant far and wide. They even catered a wedding in Bonn, Germany. “We have fans across the world,” said Mohammed. “They tell us our food has to be there when they have guests over.”
Al Afadhil (it loosely translates as “generous”) moved from its first location in Dubai to Sharjah’s Bank Street in the 1980s. Bank Street has since been restored to a heritage area known as the Heart of Sharjah but it was here where the restaurant made its name. Scores of workers in offices and banks there came in droves in search of a taste of home.
“Customers used to fight to get into the place,” said Mohammed, with a smile. “The majority of the crowd told dad to increase their prices and stop giving it for cheap but he said no. He never wanted to overcharge. To this day customers say the same. We say no.”
After Bank Street, it moved to Al Nahda. A second branch opened in Dubai’s Karama in 2014 which is now the most popular of the two.
A second branch of Al Afadhil restaurant opened in Dubai’s Karama in 2014. Pawan Singh / The National
The pandemic and rising costs hit the business, but now the brothers said it is back to about 60 per cent of what it was.
Today they employ more than 20 staff across two branches. People from the Lucknow community travel from across the UAE to eat there, while it also attracts celebrities from the cricket and entertainment world.
“My dad never thought of customers’ money,” said Mustafa. “He just wanted them to be happy.”
Mohammed said: “It is more than 40 years of legacy here. If we can improve and provide the same quality, then we will be following in our dad’s footsteps.”
source: http://www.thenationalnews.com / The National / Home> UAE / by John Dennehy / February 04th, 2023
In a just-released tell-all book, the first woman Muslim minister of Karnataka doesn’t spare anyone who was unjust to her. Read on to know what she thinks about the Gandhi family members and others.
Nafees Fazal talks to the then Congress President Rajiv Gandhi during an Iftar party in the Vidhana Soudha banquet hall, Bangalore in 1990 (supplied)
If what the first woman Muslim minister of Karnataka says is true, politics is a horribly dirty sport where ministers and others take bribes, men can be lecherous, and foes within your party can go to any extent to bring you down.
Things got so bad for Nafees Fazal at one point that she asked Indira Gandhi’s Man Friday RK Dhawan whether she was not rising in politics because she wasn’t playing “bedroom politics”. Dhawan told her never to take that path: “They will pass you around till you become a whore.” She took the warning to heart.
The front cover of the book ‘Breaking Barriers: The Story of a Liberal Muslim Woman’s Passage in Indian Politics’ (Supplied)
In a just-released tell-all book (Breaking Barriers: The Story of a Liberal Muslim Woman’s Passage in Indian Politics, with Sandhya Mendonca, Konark Publishers), Nafees doesn’t spare anyone who was unjust to her.
Guided by Margaret Alva
Rebelling against convention, she plunged into politics at age 31 without any benefactor and became the first Muslim woman minister in Karnataka at age 52 in 1999. Religion and gender, however, shackled her. It did not help that she was feisty, had a husky voice, and dressed fashionably.
Nafees Fazal and her husband Hassan Fazal with her godmother and politician Margaret Alva at their residence in Bangalore in 1999 (Supplied)
Margaret Alva, whom she admires, guided Nafees and made her the president of the Bangalore wing of the Mahila Congress.
But prominent leaders from her own Muslim community didn’t like her. She was too glamorous. One of them was CK Jaffer Sharief, who proved duplicitous. Sharief was overtly nice but felt, like many other conservative Muslim men, that Muslim women should be confined to the home or remain low-key. “Muslim men,” she says with authority, “are the biggest MCPs and my opinion was reinforced in politics”.
Bribes, daggers, and knives
When she joined SM Krishna’s Cabinet, her learning was rapid. “Once you get the chair, you have to do your darndest to hold on to it. This meant that you had to be on the lookout constantly for the daggers and knives that many seen and unseen enemies would be holding.”
With Arjun Singh and Jaffer Sharief at an iftar party hosted by the former at his residence in New Delhi in 1994 (Supplied)
While a minister, the son of a trustee of a reputed college wanted government hospitals to import medical equipment. An IAS officer warned her against the deal. So she put her foot down. But Chief Minister Krishna was told that Nafees demanded ₹30 lakh as bribe. Krishna confronted her and was stunned when she told him that there was no question of seeking ₹30 lakh when she was offered ₹3 crore!
“I did not want the illegal money, and I did not want a bad name,” she writes. “Ministers and politicians often receive such bribes and perhaps take it, if not for themselves, then in order to fill the party coffers. How else would they hold on to their posts? This is how many of them operate. Nowadays the amounts offered would be several hundred crores.”
Sonia Gandhi & ‘an empty promise’ to Nafees Fazal
Nafees constantly faced attacks from known and unknown detractors. BJP leader (later chief minister) BS Yediyurappa tried to link her with the Telgi counterfeit stamp paper scam.
A Congress bigwig accused her of drinking alcohol at a party, almost leading to her sacking as the medical education minister. After one more allegation, she met Congress President Sonia Gandhi. “Don’t make an issue of it. I will look after you,” Sonia said. “It was an empty promise. She did nothing,” she writes.
Nafees Fazal with current Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (second from left), former chief minister SM Krishna (centre), his wife Prema, and former minister RV Deshpande’s son Prasad (right) at Deshpande’s golden wedding anniversary celebrations in Bengaluru in 2022 (Supplied)
Nafees has been asked if there’s a casting couch in politics. “I always counter by asking: ‘Why should politics be different than any other sector?’ It’s a known fact that certain women have risen to prominence because they have the attention and protection of powerful men. Some of these could be in a physical relationship with their sugar daddies and some may have used their position to do the work they set out to do.”
Rahul Gandhi leadership ‘disastrous’
Nafees Fazal with her idol and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the All India Mahila Convention held in Bangalore in September 1984 (Supplied)
While she was a childhood fan of Indira Gandhi, and both Rajiv (“Rajiv’s decisions were sometimes hasty”) and Sonia Gandhi (“Sonia’s only weakness is her son”) too earned her respect, Nafees dubs Rahul Gandhi’s leadership of the Congress as “disastrous”. There is no place for any other leader to grow in the Congress, she says.
Nafeesa Fazal welcomes Sonia Gandhi, who was contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Bellary, and party observer Ghulam Nabi Azad in 1999 (Supplied)
While she pats Rahul for taking steps to cut corruption in the party, she is bitter for insulting her in front of Karnataka party leaders.
Nafees Fazal with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Bengaluru in 2009 (Supplied)
She had submitted an application seeking nomination to the Legislative Council. Rahul saw a doctor’s picture on her brochure. It was a renowned heart surgeon with whom she had worked for years to help underprivileged people. Rahul turned livid: “Because of him you are disqualified. I will never entertain you again and I will never give you an appointment.” The public humiliation forced Nafees to quit the Congress.
Ahmed Patel was ‘busy meeting mullahs’
Ahmed Patel was very powerful in the Congress during the UPA regime. “Unfortunately, he had no time to hear the second-rung leaders as he was always busy with meetings with mullahs. It was a Herculean effort to get an appointment with him.”
She tried to gatecrash. “At times, I was treated badly by his watchman who would slam the gate on my face and chase me away like a pariah… Perhaps he (Patel) didn’t like me because I was a Muslim woman.”
‘Set dosas’ of Karnataka Congress
Sonia Gandhi, she says, once referred to SM Krishna as “a white-collared politician” who could not woo voters in rural areas.
Nafees Fazal with Mallikarjun Kharge (left), now the Congress president, and former Karnataka chief minister N Dharam Singh at a lunch hosted by the author for RK Dhawan at her residence in February 1999 (Supplied)
When she wanted to contest an election from Vijayapura in north Karnataka, then opposition leader and now Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was unhappy. He had never forgiven her for her role in displacing Dharam Singh, his friend, as the Karnataka Congress President. Nafees says that some colleagues called Kharge, HK Patil, and Dharam Singh as “set dosas” as they formed a powerful clique.
On hijab and UCC
While Rahul Gandhi talks about women’s empowerment, “the reality is that Muslim women are being denied a voice, and the support is only for our male counterparts”. Women with political ambitions must develop a thick skin, she feels.
She opposes the insistence on wearing hijab, finds the All India Muslim Personal Law Board “medieval and regressive”, and welcomes the Uniform Civil Code if it applies to Hindu Undivided Families too.
She admires Prime Minister Narendra Modi for outlawing triple talaq. After SM Krishna joined the BJP, she wanted to emulate him. But Yediyurappa objected. She also found the BJP too communal. So she quietly paid ₹10 and rejoined the Congress.
On her family and grandfather, a former sheriff of Madras
Nafees calls her father a philanderer, cruel, and sadist who enjoyed physically abusing his wife in front of his children. One of her uncles was a sexual predator. Her mother-in-law treated her like a maid and once clobbered her with a rolling pin.
Her grandfather, Khan Bahadur Mohammed Moosa Sait, a former sheriff of Madras, was a community leader but treated everyone, women in particular, very badly. All this “added to my mistrust of men, and I still carry residual anger against them”. One of the few men she has utmost love for is Hassan Fazal, her husband who backed her all the way from the time he began courting her.
(MR Narayan Swamy is a freelance journalist in New Delhi. He began his career more than four decades ago. He had a long innings in UNI, AFP, and IANS. His focus areas are diplomacy, politics, and spirituality, and he loves to read and review books. He is the author of three books on the Sri Lankan conflict)
source: http://www.thesouthfirst.com / South First / Home> Karnataka / by Narayan Swamy / November 02nd, 2023
February 5, 1884. Does the date ring a bell? No prizes for guessing. It was this day 139 years ago that the Hyderabad State got its sixth ruler, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan. He was just 18 when he was invested with full administrative powers. British Viceroy, Lord Rippon, visited Hyderabad for the first time to place the young Nizam on the gaddi at Khilwat Mubarak in Chowmahalla Palace.
The palace was recently in the news when the body of Mukarram Jah Bahadur, the titular Nizam, was kept here for public display and a few days later, his son, Azmet Jah, was crowned as his successor.
This day is also significant as Mahboob Ali Khan was the first Nizam to be coroneted by the representative of Her Majesty, the Queen. Soon after the investiture ceremony he was conferred the title of Grand Commander of the Star of India.
Interestingly the 6th Nizam inherited the masnad at the age of two itself when his father, Nawab Afzal-ud-Daula, passed away. But a Council of Regency was put in place to look after the administration till he came of age. When he turned 16 years, he was initiated into the details of office work and the administration of the State by Nawab Salar Jung.
The first thing that Mahboob Ali Khan did after assuming power was to proclaim that nothing pleased him more than seeing people live in peace and prosperity. Subsequent years proved that he lived up to his words by undertaking administrative reforms that benefitted the people. Development of railways, revision of revenue settlements, setting up of cotton mills at Hyderabad, Aurangabad and Gulbarga are among his significant achievements. Besides this, education, irrigation, medicine also received top priority. The famous Chloroform Commission was held in Hyderabad all because of the scientific interest shown by the sixth Nizam.
Popularly known as Mahboob Ali Pasha, he is also responsible for the establishment of the Victoria Memorial Orphanage, Madrasa-i-Aliya, Asafia State Library and Dairatul Maarif. Old timers recall how the sixth Nizam ruled more with the heart than the head. One can’t forget the relief measures he took after the disastrous Musi floods of 1908.
Poet, marksman, administrator and lover of gems and jewellery, his was a multifaceted personality. Elegantly dressed, he had a fascination for expensive clothes and cars. His two-storey wardrobe at Purani Haveli, the longest one in the world, still has a huge collection of expensive clothes collected by him. He had the reputation of not wearing the same dress twice.
Similarly, his fondness for vintage cars is legendary. Some of the expensive cars like Napier, Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts, were made to order for the then wealthiest man in the world. They are still a big draw at the Chowmahalla Palace.
It was he who bought the famous Jacob Diamond, which forms the crowning glory of the Nizam’s jewels. The 6th Nizam, who was exposed to Western education, was fond of a lavish lifestyle and had a fascination for the good things in life. He breathed his last at Falaknuma Palace at the age of 45 following a paralytic attack. But as his name, Mahboob suggests, he remains a beloved ruler even to this day.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Featured News / by J S Ifthekhar / February 06th, 2023
Controversial film producer Nazim Hassan Rizvi whose hit film “Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke” (2001) blew the lid off the Bollywood-Mafia nexus passed away at a private hospital here, industry sources said on Tuesday.
Controversial film producer Nazim Hassan Rizvi whose hit film “Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke” (2001) blew the lid off the Bollywood-Mafia nexus passed away at a private hospital here, industry sources said on Tuesday.
Admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) for certain undisclosed ailments, Rizvi breathed his last while under treatment late on Monday.
Said to be in his early 70s, his mortal remains are being taken to his native place in Uttar Pradesh for the funeral.
Rizvi had also produced other inferior films such as “Majboor Ladki” (1991), “Apaatkal” (1993), “Angarvaadi” (1998), “Undertrial” (2007), “Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke” (2001), “Hello, Hum Lallan Bol Rahe Hain” (2010), “Qasam Se, Qasam Se”, (2011), and “Laden Aala Re Aala” (2017).
However, he is widely known for the musical hit “Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke” starring the top trio of that time — Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta — which discussed the topic of surrogate motherhood for the first time on the silver screen.
Nevertheless, the film, which shot him into big league, also made news for other unsavoury reasons. Shortly before its release, Rizvi and another financer Bharat Shah were arrested in December 2000 for allegedly diverting tainted underworld-linked money for the movie production.
The stunning expose was made by a crack team of Mumbai Police Crime Branch comprising former encounter-specialists’ who had shadowed Rizvi, his associates, and investigated the case in depth before finally swooping on them.
The Mumbai Police had charged the Rizvi-Shah duo with allegedly receiving funds from the Mumbai mafia, specifically from Shakeel Babumiyan Shaikh – dreaded as Chhota Shakeel – and a close aide of the absconder underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.
Rizvi had been under surveillance for his alleged murky activities for months before the arrest by the Mumbai Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which later seized the film’s negatives and prints, and deposited them with the Special MCOCA Court in Mumbai.
The film was finally released under the Special Court’s order, with an unprecedented directive that all profits earned by the movie should go to the Maharashtra government treasury.
Interestingly, the film’s credits had acknowledged the role’ of the Special MCOCA Court, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch and the Court Receiver without whose untiring efforts and good offices the picture would never have been made.
Prior to its official release, the Mumbai Police were given a special screening as per a previous commitment and to ensure that there was no objectionable content in the film.
Ironically, during its formal release in cinemas in March 2001, where it got huge initial response, both Rizvi and Shah remained in jail, and later they were awarded six years and one year in jail, respectively.
“It was the film ‘Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke’ that is said to have convincingly proved the long-suspected theory of Bollywood-Mafia, bhai-bhai’,” a veteran Bollywood producer told IANS, preferring anonymity.
However, the film’s fiasco and its aftermath opened alternative doors for more respectable channels of film financing like banks, later some companies, corporate houses and even MNCs entering the scene, he explained.
He recalled how that was a trying period for Bollywood which was reeling under immense pressures from the underworld and mafia dons Gulshan Kumar was shot dead (August 1997), Mukesh Duggal was killed (March 1998), and an unsuccessful warning’ attack was made against Rakesh Roshan (January 2000), besides other similar scary developments that rattled Bollywood biggies.
Many quietly concurred’ or cooperated’ with the mafiosi, while a few dare-devils have admitted to getting death threats, extortion calls and other forms of intimidation from various underworld gangs in India and their shady operatives from foreign locales.
(SJ/IANS)
source: http://www.newsgram.com / NewsGram / Home> Entertainment /by Quaid Najmi / February 07th, 2023
Abdul Ghafoor Parekh was a well-renowned Islamic scholar, educator, humanitarian and expert in the Quran and its translation. He was known for his vast knowledge of Islamic theology and his ability to convey complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner.
Early lLfe and Education
Abdul Ghafoor Parekh was born in 1948 in Nagpur, India. He completed his Post Graduation in Commerce from Nagpur University. He was fluent in several languages including English, Urdu, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati (Kutchi-Memoni), and Arabic. He was raised in a devout Muslim family. His father, Padma Bhushan Maulana Abdul Karim Parekh, was a social worker, recipient of various national and international awards, and scholar, known for his translation of the Quran into the Urdu language. From a young age, he showed a deep interest in the Quran and its teachings. He was very well equipped with the book his father compiled, Lughatul Qur’an (Quranic Dictionary) which has been read widely throughout the globe and has been translated into several Indian Languages along with English, Turkish and Portuguese. Abdul Gafoor Parekh being the eldest son played a key role in continuing the mission and legacy of his father.
Personal Life
Parekh was a devout Muslim and was known for his deep commitment to his faith. He was a father to two sons and two daughters and was someone known to be deeply devoted to his wife and children. After his father’s demise in 2007, he continued with his work and legacy. He avoided publicity and mass lectures. He believed in shaping individuals personally within his reach and capacity.
Career
After completing his education, Parekh began his career as an educator, teaching at a number of universities and madrasas in India. He quickly gained a reputation as an expert in the Quran and its translation, and his classes were highly sought after by students.
He developed a unique and efficient method for teaching Arabic with 200 hours only. Many academic institutions and universities in India and abroad have adopted his system. Parekh’s expertise in the Quran and its translation led to many invitations to speak at conferences and seminars around the world. He was a much sought-after speaker and has traveled extensively, sharing his knowledge and insights with audiences in many countries.
In addition to his teaching and speaking engagements, Parekh has also designed several curriculums to teach Arabic. His lectures have been widely heard and highly praised for their scholarly rigor and excellence.
Parekh’s knowledge and understanding of the Quran and its teachings have made him a respected figure in the Muslim community. His work as an educator and author has helped to deepen people’s understanding and appreciation of the Quran, and his teachings continue to inspire and guide people of all ages and backgrounds.
“If people all over India understand Quranic Arabic in large numbers or even more, if people believe, it is possible to learn and understand the language, it is because of Ghafoor sir. He opened our minds and hearts to the word of God and made us believe that it reigns supreme. He leaves behind a literary legacy for teachers to emulate in India and abroad. He was a friend, philosopher and guide, a beacon for teachers and a proud mentor. He could cut you down to size with his words and yet praise you in the next sentence,” said Dr Kamran Khan, Surgical Oncologist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, with deep sorrow.
“It’s indeed a great loss. Like his father Janab Abdul Kareem Parekh, he worked very hard to spread the knowledge of Quran with understanding and left a legacy which is truly an inspiration for the generations to come,” said Haseeb Ahmad Khan, Manager, IT, MSEDCL. “His teaching style was so influencing that one cannot afford to miss a single class,” said Farheen Khan, a homemaker.
“One cannot forget his zeal, enthusiasm, and unique style of teaching the Qur’an. I attended some of the various teachers’ training classes a couple of times that he would conduct for teachers from Mumbai in the field of Islamic Sciences and Education. He pulled out references from Qur’an to explain how Qur’an was an excellent source of understanding the Seerah questioning the teachers on the chronology of the ayahs and nuances that usually goes unnoticed due to not understanding the beauty of Arabic grammar. I particularly remember his class in May 2013 when he announced that he wouldn’t be able to travel to Mumbai due to his deteriorating health marking that class as his last, which made all the teachers sigh in unison. He did come to Mumbai a couple of times after it. His unique advice to his students would leave a huge impact on them, his words still touch and shape me as a person, towards serving humanity and recognizing one’s true potential. He will by far be one of my most favourite teachers of all times, may Allah elevate his status and that of his father” said Zulekha Shakoor Rajani, an Islamic Educator and Counsellor.
Throughout his career, Parekh dedicated his life to spreading knowledge and understanding of the Quran, making it accessible to people from all walks of life. He would draw his living from the Timber business and travel to teach as much as he could. His work has had a profound impact on countless individuals, and his legacy as a leading expert in the field of Quran and its translation will continue to be remembered for many years to come.
On the eve of 24th January 2023, the cast and crew of the documentary All that Breathes was huddled in producer Aman Mann’s house to see the ceremony of the nominations for Oscar awards. Others involved in the film joined online. As soon as the list was announced, there was jubilation in the room.
All That Breathes by Shaunak Sen is among the shortlisted documentary feature films for the best in this category. From India, another film, The Elephant Whisperers by Kartiki Gonsalves is another documentary nominated for the coveted award in short category.
After Writing with Fire in 2022 this is the second time when Indian documentaries have made it to the Oscars. All that Breathes is a 90 minutes feature based on the story of brothers Nadeem Shehzad and Muhammad Saud who run the “Wildlife Rescue Centre” in North Delhi’s Wazirabad for treating owls and raptors (big kites).
The film has already been screened in Sundance Film festival, Cannes International Film Festival where it bagged the best documentary award. It has also been screened at Dharampura International Film Festival. It’ll be screened in Bangalore at a World Wildlife conference on 12th February then at the BAFTA followed by the Oscars ceremony in March.
As Awaz-the Voice visited their three-storey Home-cum-office-cum-hospitals in Wazirabad after the film made it to Oscar Nominations, brothers Nadeem and Saud spoke stoically about this event, for they were immersed in thoughts about where to raise funds from for their organisation and the mission.
They say that to run an NGO like theirs funds were a dire need and people weren’t that enthusiastic about helping out raptors like Kites, Vultures, Owls and other similar avians, “Some consider them a bad omen while others feel they aren’t endangered, it is easy to get funds for tigers, lions rabbits and elephants but not for carnivorous avians…they have zero cuteness factor”
Nadeem says, “We don’t have any recognition even now, it isn’t like after watching our film we were ushered with a lot of funds, our film producer did give us some, but it is strange as to how even after such a good film people are hesitant with the funds..” Nadeem jokingly chips in, “Many channels have released funds for doing a story on us but they cannot release funds to help our cause…”
Inside the building, the walls of the office have chipped sea green paint. Behind the reception counter are two chairs and a working computer. While Nadeem and Saud are seated, Salik is moving to and fro looking after the chores while an incumbent team member Sana is documenting the records on the word file.
Nadeem,42, and Saud,40, started the NGO in 1993. Salik joined the team later To solve the problem of constant lack of funds, the brothers have set up an organization in the USA because they find “It a bit easier to get funds in the US..” “We lack the running money for day-to-day basis—like salaries, transportation, bird food, medicines, and other expenses are always on the back of our mind; we always have what after two months, what after three months..”
On being asked as to why kites and other raptors were so important for the ecosystem they say that the Kites, Egyptian Vultures, Falcons and others help in clearing up the filth left by the slaughtering of animals, these big birds are nature’s scavengers, “India is the second largest exporter of meat after Australia..the waste from the slaughterhouses is normally dumped in Ghazipur, there one can see upto 7 thousand kites that eagerly wait for the dump…”, he adds.
He further adds that in Delhi open garbage system is a normalcy and then there is the tradition of feeding the eagles and the kites, “In Old Delhi and parts of Rajasthan people feed them, they consider them lucky, in a very dramatic manner the meat loaves are thrown in the air while the raptor scales down with its wings to savor upon the treat..”. This scene also serves as the opening for the trailer.
He adds that, “Rajasthanis often come and give us meat to feed the birds as they feel connected to their roots by following the tradition..”
Apart from treating Kites they also treat barn owls, sparrow hawks, harriers, falcons, migratory birds, egrets, storks, hornbill, “last year we had around 3100 birds, we are the largest care takers of the raptors in the world, this is because we have the highest population of kites and more than that we have manjha (glass powder covered kite flying threads that are suicidal for birds), thus we have means of hurting them as well with us..”
He adds that injuries due to manjha (flying kite thread coated with glass powder) are rampant in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, “we are continuously trying our best to augment the research around operating the birds injured due to manjha and we have presented the same techniques in the US conferences…”
He says that to their amazement the, “US wildlife centre likes our work and we discovered that even there this work hadn’t been done to retrieve a fully functional wing…” Nadeem and Saud told Awaz the Voice that their work falls under Wildlife Rehabilitation and they were a part of the community of rehabilitators, “US has the largest rehabilitator community and we often get sponsored trips to the US to take training and courses and incorporate them here..”
Nadeem says that their rehabilitators community is highly accepting and they don’t feel foreigners at all while on work trips, “We stay at other members homes thus fooding and lodging is expense free, I feel they are eager to share information which we as Indians lack a lot…the findings in the US are shared by one and all..the findings are shared annually worldwide through conferences…”
The rooftop hospital in Wazeerabad has three enclosures, the first one is an open on where healed birds are kept, it is designed in a manner that until the bird can fly 10 ft effortlessly, it won’t leave, whereas the rest of the healthy birds can come and go as and when pleased. Enclosure two holds surgery cases whose treatments are underway, whereas the the third Enclosure are reserved for birds under medication. Nadeem adds, “Since 2010 we get all the birds that are carnivorous, so in a way we are easing their work..”
The birds meanwhile cooed on top of their voice making the reporter realise their existence. While the rooftop was covered with black kites, Egyptia Vultures and falcons looked like foreigners. Nadeem continues, “We are a collection point for hospitals like Charity Jain hospital, Sanjay Gnadhi hospital, Menaka Gandhi Hospital, Animal care hospital, Karol Bagh jain hospital, we collaborate with them…” He says that their rescue rate differed according to seasons, during the bird’s nesting season they got maximum cases, “during this time we just need to feed them and give them water, we give them drips they are easy to maintain…”
“Second kind of cases are those due to the wounds by the Manjha, these are deep cut wounds in which even the bones are shattered…” He adds that in such kind of wounds the next part is to regain their functnality, “We may heal it and forget about wing functionality but then reconstructing is where the process lies. Here we need better understanding and better doctors. In humans we can achieve it through microsurgery but in birds they can lead to gangerine and then death…” He believes that even in birds also the wings can be fixed but then, “we do not have that kind of facilities. ..”
He adds with a shrug, “Animal hospitals abroad are better maintained than human hospitals here in India , cataract surgery for animals is available in abroad but in Indiat have Dr.Reena Dev who specialises in cataract surgery..” Talking about his favorite moments from the film he says he liked the end credits a lot, “When you see the movie you’ll see a lot of kites sitting on the trees and after color correction it looks like an oil painting, the shot gives the feel of a still shot until a bird flies far off then comes the names and it feels as if words are drooping down from the branches…it feels surreal…”
Talking his heart out about disappointments has eased Nadeem a little as he then reminisces his childhood days saying, “Bachpan se mai oscars zaroor dekhta tha..in fact DD Metro pe bhi Oscars aate the..(I always used to watch Oscars on DD Metro in my childhood) but after coming into this profession our lives are upended, we have no personal life whatsoever…”
The three years shooting gave them some special moments and for Nadeem the moment when they swam, across the river to rescue birds will always be special.
He says, “Our favorite ones are mostly deleted, out of the 500 hours of working footage only 90 minutes were in the Final Cut..still the camerawork and cinematography is beyond our imagination…”
Documentaries juxtapose real lives and thus a scene shows the duo (Nadeem and Saud) fighting over some trivia matter when asked they both reply instantly, “Asi ladaiyan toh roz hoti hain..(We fight like this on a daily basis)… See the work we are doing is very stressful and that too without money, there is a lot at stake and when workload increases our temperature also soars but then we are family so it is all in good faith..” “After 5 minutes we are like..what was it we were fighting about..we are best friends and brothers for life..so yea..this is normal..”, Saud adds.
Saud says that Shaunak took three months to make them feel at ease with the camera’s presence, “He started shooting us when we finally started yawning in front of the camera which was one of his idiosyncrasy, he used to say treat the camera as a fly on the wall..” Sharing his experience at various screenings Nadeem says, “at DIFF people were whistling on the scenes that they liked, they started clapping whenever they liked a shot whereas Cannes is very cosmopolitan..” He says that the close collar dress code at Cannes is a sign of respect for the artist, “we came across many great artists, the cameramen were running after them but we couldn’t recognise them, people were clicking selfies but then I didn’t knew them and then Shaunak was like Oh..Nadeem they are so and so of the Industry…”
Talks about Cannes has lightened the air and Saud seeems relaxed and hopefull than before yet he says, “Asli Khushi tab milegi jab Oscar milega..(we’ll be really happy after bagging the Oscars)” Salik chimes in saying, “It is a tough call but we are hopefull..” He adds, “We never thought that one day a documentary will be made on our efforts or that we will become world famous one day, it feels great…” Salik has a camera friendly face and when for the first time he saw his photo on the big screen he was excited. His favourite scene from the feature is the one where the kite takes his spectacles, “I just say arey chasma le gayi yeh mera(oh! She took my specs), it was as if they were aware of being documented…then there is a moment when I rescued a squirrel and it stays in my pocket, i had no idea that it was being shot but then it came out really well…” Salik feels that their social media presence has increased after the movie.
The ambience of the room feels lighter than before as the talks about the upcoming awards night are now the topic and who’s going to wear what becomes the major question now. Saud says, “There isn’t any prep for it as such, if there’ll be a photo shoot then we’ll prefer it in traditional Indian attire …”
Saud then smiles and tells Awaz the Voice, “In France people stopped us on the road and complimented us for our traditional wear..” Nadeem looked befuddled and happy for the first time when he says, “the women were wearing such long gowns that two to three men were carrying it yet our Indian attire outshone them.” Saud continues, “It was white linen Kurta with a closed collar and Jawahar cut jacket..” “We made sure to keep it as close to Indian traditions as possible..” Abdul Rehman of skylark tailors stitched our whole attire, Saud says, “When people asked is your tux from Paris, we replied “No, Chandini Chowk…the fabric was sourced from Katra Neel and Krishna Market in Old Delhi…”
They add, “We didn’t had much time, it was done at the last moment…” Even for Oscars Abdul Rehman will be stictching the attire for the brothers. One may find skylark tailors in Ballimaran near Rabia Girl School. Coming to footwear it was sourced from SreeLeathers and Ballimaran. Sharing their hopes and visions for the future the duo says that they want a hospital outside their home with proper operation theater, x-ray machines, blood testing laboratories, “someone gave us their lab equipment when they shut down theirs but we don’t have any money to hire a lab assistant…”
Meanwhile two boys rushed in with an injured kite to whom Nadeem attended like a professional healer. He felt for signs of injury through palpitations that were done manually and later placed it under observation after giving it first aid. He wishes people to be more sensitive and more aware of the surroundings like the movie which says “life is kinship and we are the community of air” thus “we must learn to share our surroundings with all the things alive around us. I am not asking everyone to open a hospital but we can still make time to help each other…”
On being asked what after Oscars and what if they win they say, “We’ll be back to work after the oscars..” They went on to add, “On 1st march there is a technical film festival and we are trying to reach them to learn how to document our work as many techniques that we know can be shared with the world…”
“We want to document our research in print and digital format now…We are working on orthopedic surgeries and very few know about it, especially the wounds by th kite flying thread, the surgeries require intricacies, for example if the bird is brought in late o the hospital then the technique to cure them is different..”
“The muscle moisture has evaporated, thus the method to cure them is different and difficult…we are currently researching the same…” Saud adds,“We don’t want our techniques to die with us,we wish them to be known to the world..” Nadeem winds up by saying, “Wildlife preservation conference see a huge footfall by the conservationists every year thus we wish to present it there…”
They again looked disappointed when they said, “It is tough to work with Indians, they have big egos, whereas people abroad are much more open to learning new techniques” “We have had hands on experience..through consultations with various vets we have developed these techniques, also we have had interaction with human doctors more thus we have tried to replicate the same in the birds..”
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Shaista Fatima / February 07th, 2023
Famous from the cafeteria in Alliance Francaise de Madras, Yousuf is now cooking from his kitchen in Royapettah and impresses with delicious biryani, chicken curry and a chocolate mousse
Mohammed Yousuf
In South India we often say that cooking is an art form and while it can be taught — some have ‘kai rasi’ (gifted hands) that makes any food they make a delicious dish. Mohammed Yousuf would come into that category. When we ask him about the addictive biryani that is part of the menu of Yousuf’s Kitchen, the home chef modestly avers, “It’s a simple recipe — most Muslim homes in Chennai follow this one.”
Muslim style mutton biryani
We have been sampling chicken quiches, chocolate cakes and puffs made by Yousuf since 1996 at the cafeteria at Alliance Française of Madras, down College Road.
Those were the days when before the pandemic hit us — we remember nursing a steaming cuppa coffee and a slice of freshly baked warm chocolate cake, dripping with chocolate sauce, as we waited for a play to begin at the Edouard Michelin Auditorium.
Often, we would pack a few slices of chicken quiche to take home after the show, and make a dinner of it. Like all spaces, the pandemic threw a spoke in the wheels here too and Yousuf found himself stuck at home through lockdown. “I started cooking from home since the first lockdown,” says the self-taught 46-year-old chef who started by adding biryani and curries to his repertoire. Expect café signatures like doughnuts, cupcakes, chocolate lava cake and chocolate mousse, besides options like cutlets, samosas, biryani and gravies.
Last weekend we went ahead and ordered the mutton biryani and the pepper chicken curry – and when we say that we plan to order the same again this weekend, you get the picture! The mutton biryani is delectable, packed with flavour and meat that falls off the bone delightfully. The pepper chicken has the perfect punch of spice and pairs well with the rice dish. So, we ask him what makes his food so delectable. And he answers simply, “It’s the slow cooking. Not just the meat — but even when cooking the gravy base and masalas — I take my time.”
Minimum order of mutton biryani at INR 1,800 for a kilo, that serves up to seven people. (Delivery within five kilometers is free). Place orders via yousufafm@ gmail.com
source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Food> Chennai / by Sabrina Rajan / August 13th, 2021
The first Muslim judge of a high court in colonial times, Syed Mahmood’s professional conduct offers a counterpoint to the declining standards in Indian judiciary.
WHEN Justice Abdul Nazeer addressed the 16th national council meeting of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad at Hyderabad last December, he said, “Great lawyers and judges are not born but made by proper education and great legal traditions, as were Manu, Kautilya, Katyayana, Brihaspati, Narada, Parashar, Yajnavalkya, and other legal giants of ancient India.” In the symposium on “Decolonisation of the Indian Legal System”, Justice Nazeer also said the “continued neglect of their great knowledge and adherence to the alien colonial legal system is detrimental to the goals of our Constitution and against our national interests…”.
Perhaps Justice Nazeer should have also recalled 19th-century jurist Justice Syed Mahmood (1850-1903). A pioneer in bold assertions against the colonial judiciary, he produced incisive legal commentaries that reflect an audacious dissenter’s point of view. Writing in an Urdu newspaper, his father, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, narrates Mahmood’s resignation from the Allahabad High Court in 1893 to “protect the self-respect of Indians against the racism of British judges”.
In that era, conceptions of nationhood were still evolving in India. Indian judges would not muster the courage to contest the racism of the imperial power or fellow European judges. But Mahmood did, in intrepid ways. Khan founded the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College at Aligarh in 1877 and figures prominently but contentiously, stereotyped as a British loyalist and separatist in debates on contemporary nationalism. Mahmood supported his father’s modern education project, but unfortunately, his contributions are largely ignored by historians and the legal fraternity.
By 1920, MAO College, now Aligarh Muslim University, was the most prominent residential university in the country. Its history department has been a premier centre for advanced studies for a half-century. In 1889, primarily on Syed Mahmood’s initiative and his gifts in terms of books, journals and cash, AMU established a law department. Yet, he was neglected in its research. Only in 1973, seven years after the centenary of the Allahabad High Court, the Aligarh Law Journal brought out Mahmood’s contributions, and legal scholars reflected on his high calibre as a lawyer and judge.
The good news is, in 2004, Alan M. Guenther did his doctoral thesis on Mahmood at McGill University, Canada, which is available online for the public to access. His meticulous and well-researched account touches almost every aspect of Mahmood’s public life. Guenther also published an extended essay in 2011on Mahmood’s views on English education in 19th-century India. (In 1895, Mahmood had written a book on the theme for his speeches at the Educational Conference.)
In 1965, Asaf Ali Asghar Fyzee (1899-1981) complained, “Syed Mahmood’s contributions to the transformation of Muslim law in India have been largely neglected by historians and survive primarily as footnotes in legal texts on Muslim law.” Guenther, too, observes, “…overshadowed by the life and writings of his illustrious father, Ahmad Khan, his legacy has not received the attention it deserves. A large part of his father’s achievements in the reform of education, in fact, would not have been possible without the assistance of Syed Mahmood. But when he reached the age at which his father had made his most significant achievements, [Mahmood] had his life cut short.”
Mahmood had laid out his life plans clearly. S. Khalid Rashid, writing in 1973, reports that Mahmood decided early on that, like his ancestors, he would devote the first third of his life to educating himself, the second to earn a living, and the last to “retired study, authorship and devotion to matters of public utility”. But Guenther writes about how Mahmood’s health had deteriorated through alcohol abuse and disease. He died before he turned 53, broken by forced retirement, estranged from his father (who had died five years previously), stripped of responsibilities at the college he had helped found, separated from wife and son, and in poverty. He was selling personal items to repay debts. “His father’s numerous writings and letters are still republished, but Syed Mahmood’s contributions to Muslim thought are hidden in bound volumes of the Indian Law Reports and brittle files of government correspondence,” Guenther writes.
One aspect of Mahmood’s last years is captured by Prof. Iftikhar Alam Khan’s Urdu books, Sir Syed: Daroon-e-Khana (2006, 2020) and the recent Rufaqa-e-Sir Syed: Rafaqat, Raqabat wa Iqtidar Ki Kashmakash. These accounts expose the smear campaigns of the three companion successors of Sir Syed—Samiullah, Mohsin-ul-Mulk and Viqar-ul-Mulk—against Syed Mahmood as they vied for the secretary’s post at MAO College. Often European members of MAO College conspired with them. Exploiting his weaknesses and eccentricities, they ousted him to get a hold over college affairs, compounding his hurt during his tragic final years.
SYED MAHMOOD’S ROLE IN SIR SYED’S EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISE
Having returned to India in 1872 after studying in England, Mahmood took time out of his budding legal career to assist his father’s reform work, particularly setting up MAO College. He prepared a detailed plan along the lines of his experiences in Cambridge. His specific aim, explained in February 1872, was to produce future leaders of India through an educational institution whose residential nature would be “as indispensable an education as the course of study itself”. The aim was to create a society of students and teachers quite different from the rest of society.
He travelled with his father to Punjab in 1873 and spoke at a rally to promote the project. In 1889, Sir Syed introduced a motion to nominate Mahmood as joint secretary of the board of trustees of MAO College by highlighting his assistance despite the opposition he faced. In particular, he considered his son’s influence the primary factor that persuaded European professors to come to India and teach there.
European staff members confirmed this around six years later when there was renewed opposition to Mahmood continuing as joint secretary. The principal, Theodore Beck (1859-1899), testified, “Syed Ahmad….acknowledged his reliance on Syed Mahmood for advice in all matters, and his imprint could be noted in the correspondence relating to the school. He declared his firm conviction that Syed Mahmood was the one person who shared his vision for the college, and apart from him, no one would be able to administer the school in keeping with that vision.” However, Samiullah (1834-1908) disagreed with Sir Syed on this count. As a result, a tussle for power began in the college management. The power-play could explain why AMU felt inhibited in bringing out a biography of Mahmood, a research gap that Guenther’s doctoral thesis fills. He has extensively relied on important correspondences of Mahmood preserved in the London India Office (British) Library.
SYED MAHMOOD’S TRYST WITH MUSLIM LAW
Mahmood is a forgotten pioneer of the transformation of Muslim law in modern South Asia. In 1882, at just 32, he became the first Muslim judge of the high courts in British India. He delivered numerous landmark decisions that shaped Muslim law, the law in general, and its administration.
Earlier, he blazed a trail his younger contemporaries followed in their judicial roles in British India. He was one of the first Indian Muslims to study in England and train in the English system of jurisprudence, the first Indian to enrol as a barrister in the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in 1872, the first appointed as a district judge in the restructured judicial system of Awadh in 1879 and the first Indian assigned as a puisne judge to the High Court at Allahabad. He was the first Muslim in any High Court of India. He cleared a path for Indian Muslims to participate in administering justice in India. But his contribution is not limited to creamy career opportunities for Muslim youngsters. His lasting legacy is how Muslim law is perceived and administered in South Asia today.
CHAMPION OF ACCESSIBLE JUSTICE
An abiding concern of Mahmood was the cost of administration of justice. Court procedures were lengthy and expensive, and the “mass of law” was complicated. Distance from courts was another concern, for which he proposed a network of village courts for “on-the-spot” adjudication. He sought to make justice accessible through unpaid tribunals and honorary munsifs. He prepared a comprehensive draft for this, Guenther informs.
Furthermore, he attacked the [racial] mindset and court fees and stamp duties on legal documents. He ruled in August 1884 and February 1885 that “…if justice costs the same amount [to the] rich and poor, it follows that the rich man will be able to purchase it, whilst the poor man will not.” He declared, more than once, that British judges in India were too quick to find fraud.
In a speech at the Allahabad Bar in April 1885, Mahmood raised the language issue in judicial transactions, saying laws should be in languages intelligible to the masses. He insisted on the vernacular in arguments, pleadings and justice delivery and translated verdicts so that people unfamiliar with English could rest assured that judgments are reasoned. Of course, the issue of judicial language continues to be debated, and for this, acknowledgement is due to Mahmood.
AN INDIAN DISSENTER IN THE HIGH NOON OF BRITISH COLONIALISM
Mahmood is known most for outstanding dissenting judgements. In volume 2 of his 2021 book, Discordant Notes, Justice (retd.) Rohinton F. Nariman writes that Mahmood was known for detailed judgments, some of which stand out for thoroughness and fearless language. Mahmood would refer to the original Sanskrit versions when ruling on Hindu laws and the Arabic texts for Muslim laws, rather than using interpretations of the relevant texts.
From the 1860s to 1880s, during the codification of laws, he sought limits on importing British laws and protested that the local context was getting overlooked. His concern was not just the laws but their efficacy and adaptability within India’s cultural diversity.
Guenther observes, “…throughout his life, he identified himself as a Muslim as well as an Indian and a subject of the British crown, and that he was actively involved in the education and improvement of the Indian Muslim community. At the same time, Mahmood… [made] efforts to promote harmony between people of diverse backgrounds, and…[supported] initiatives that improved the situation of all Indians, regardless of religious affiliation…”
An anecdote from Altaf Hali’s Hayat-e-Javed (1901), cited by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi (2006), is worth sharing. “Contrary to the culture of sycophancy and genuflecting before the English colonial authority….Syed Ahmad Khan and his high-profile and brilliant son Syed Mahmud strived to conduct themselves as if they were equal to the English….Syed Ahmad Khan had stayed away from the [1867 Agra] Durbar because Indians had been given seats inferior to the English. A medal was to be conferred on Syed Ahmad Khan at that Durbar. Williams, the then Commissioner of Meerut, was later deputed to present the award to Syed Ahmad Khan at Aligarh railway station. Willams broke protocol and showed his anger at having to do the task under duress and said that government orders bound him, or he wouldn’t be presenting the medal to Syed Ahmad Khan. Syed Ahmad Khan accepted the medal, saying he wouldn’t have taken the award, except that he too was bound by government orders.”
Indian democracy is an outcome of anti-colonial nationalism, and dissent is its core component: Mahmood’s dissent contributed to nationalism in his time. In 2022, the V-Dem Institute described India as an electoral autocracy where dissent is being criminalised, and the judiciary is failing to contain the majoritarian upsurge. Mahmood’s professional conduct is an encouraging counterpoint to the degeneration in the Indian judiciary.
WHAT DID MAHMOOD THINK OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS?
According to Guenther, though Mahmood never joined the Congress, he was “equally aloof” from the anti-Congress propaganda his father indulged in. “…a rare catholicity characterised his views on most of the controversial questions,” he writes. He adds, “His acceptance among the Hindus [elites] generally was demonstrated by the fact that they tried to send him as their representative to the Imperial Legislative Council, though he never received that appointment.”
Nonetheless, like his father, Mahmood harboured class and regional prejudices. Guenther reveals an article Mahmood wrote in The Pioneer on 4 September 1875, suggesting the government must strive to with the sympathies of the “higher classes of natives”. When challenged to defend his position by “Another Native” in the same newspaper two weeks later, Mahmood responded that people in Punjab and the North-western Provinces [now Uttar Pradesh] were, historically speaking, of “much greater political significance” than those of Lower Bengal. Gunther cites his write-up: “…any educational system that succeeded in ‘attracting the Bengalee and fail(ed) to exercise any influence upon the higher classes of the Rajpoot, the Sikh, and the Mussulman’ must be regarded as a failure.”
Considering the socio-regional composition of top functionaries of AMU, even impartial insiders would testify that it still harbours regional and sub-regional prejudices. The Sir Syed Academy is releasing many publications during the ongoing centenary celebration of AMU. Publishing Guenther’s dissertation may be a fitting tribute to Mahmood, who must be regarded as a prominent co-founder of MAO College.
Mohammad Sajjad teaches modern and contemporary Indian History at Aligarh Muslim University. Md. Zeeshan Ahmad is a lawyer based in Delhi. The views are personal.
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