Wattoo Village (Kulgam District, South Kashmir), JAMMU & KASHMIR:
Hailing from Watoo village, some 20km from main Kulgam town, the twin sisters have also realised the dream of their mother, a school teacher.
NEET UG 2023 Result:
Syed Sabiya had dreamt of becoming an IAS officer until her twin sister, Syed Bisma’s passion for MBBS influenced her to follow the same path. A year later, both sisters have successfully cleared the NEET examination.
The twin sisters, who reside in a remote village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, are the daughters of a religious cleric who leads prayers in a local mosque.
“Bisma had aspired to be a doctor since her early childhood,” says their father Syed Sajad. “But Sabiya had initially wanted to pursue a career in the Indian Administrative Service. However, she later decided to follow Bisma’s chosen path.”
Originating from Watoo village, situated approximately 20 kilometers away from the main town of Kulgam in south Kashmir, the twin sisters have also fulfilled their mother’s dream, who works as a school teacher.
“While my father always expressed his contentment with whatever decision I made, my mother consistently desired for both of us to become doctors,” says 19-year-old Sabiya. “Numerous factors motivated me to prepare for the NEET, including my mother, my teachers, and a society that holds doctors in high regard.”
Sabiya commenced her education at New Era Private School in their village, while her sister studied at Kids Care Private School in Kapran village, located in the neighbouring Shopian district, where their aunt resided.
After their initial schooling, both sisters enrolled in separate government higher secondary schools in different villages.
Upon completing their 12th grade, the sisters relocated approximately 75 kilometers away to Srinagar for NEET coaching.
Despite hailing from a remote area, Sabiya believes that being from a village is no longer a disadvantage. “The internet has revolutionised everything,” she asserts. “It is as accessible to us as it is to boys and girls in Srinagar.”
Sabiya explains that both sisters prepared for the competitive exams together. “We maintained a regular study schedule of eight hours per day, but it required serious effort,” she shares. “In the days leading up to the exams, we extended our study hours to up to 16 hours a day.”
This year, three candidates, including one boy, from Watoo village, which comprises around 450 families, successfully qualified the NEET exams.
Twenty kilometers away from Watoo, Sumera Mehraj’s father, Mehrajudin Rangrez, finds it difficult to believe that his 21-year-old daughter has cleared the exams.
“Only God knows how challenging it is for a girl from a humble family to qualify for such an exam,” says Mehraj, who works as a driver for the Deputy Commissioner of Kulgam. “I can’t believe that she has actually made it.”
Sumera studied at GNV Ashmuqam for the past six years and narrowly missed selection last year. Mehraj explains that he was encouraged by his superior to send her for coaching this year, which turned her fortune around.
“Last year, she had secured 475 marks. For us, it seemed like the end of the dream,” he recalls. “But the sahib (DC) motivated and helped me to enroll her in coaching.”
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Education / by Bashaarat Masood / Srinagar, June 16th, 2023
Three cousin sisters from Jammu And Kashmir have cracked the NEET UG exam on their first attempt.
Three cousin sisters, Tuba Bashir, Rutba Bashir and Arbish from Nowshera in Srinagar cracked the NEET UG Exam. Their achievement has sparked great celebration within their family. “I feel great that all three of us have cleared NEET together because we went to school and coaching together and we thought we would clear MBBS and become a doctor. I am very happy because I worked hard and got the result,” Tuba Basheer told news agency ANI.
pix: ANI
Rutaba Basheer, who also successfully cleared the NEET, expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards her parents for her achievement.
“We are very happy. We started preparing for the NEET exam from the 11th standard itself. We practiced a lot. The credit for our success goes to our parents; they have supported us since childhood,” Rutaba Basheer.
Urbish also expressed her immense joy. While talking about her journey She said, “I am feeling very happy. There was no doctor in our family, it was my own decision to become a doctor. Our parents supported us completely from the beginning. While preparing, we had to keep in mind that this was the first and last attempt, we had to walk with this determination and keep studying.”
Notably, the National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the NEET UG Result 2023 on Tuesday. This year, in the merit list of the top 50 candidates of NEET UG 2023, forty are male candidates and ten are female candidates. Meanwhile, two candidates – Prabhanjan J of Tamil Nadu and Bora Varun Chakravarthi of Andhra Pradesh have secured the first position in the medical entrance exam with a perfect score of 720 out of 720.
source: http://www.news.abplive.com / ABP Live / Home> Education / by ABP News / ANI / June 16th, 2023
Social media got flooded with congratulatory posts in Assam’s Darrang district, particularly in the minority-dominated areas following the announcement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on 13 June 2023. Among the many qualified students, the success of two candidates assumes significance owing to the fact that their families and their parents’ fellow villagers were murdered on suspicion of being “illegal immigrants”.
Minhazul Abed Nannu and Sayed Nazibul obtained 565 and 589 marks respectively to qualify for the NEET test this year to pursue their dream of becoming a doctor. Both of them are descendants of victims of one the most brutal killings in Assam during the 1983 riots against Bengali Muslims.
They come from Chaulkhua Chapori. The Chapori (a low-lying flood plain area, where people live but not designated as a village) where Bengali-speaking Muslims live was encircled by a mob of Assamese nationalists on 14 February 1983 and chased villagers from 13 villages killing at least 190 people in a single day.
The unofficial count for the casualties was more than 500 at that time.
Nannu’s father, Kazimuddin Ahmed was happy for his son’s success in the coveted entrance exam. Surviving the horrific night and almost drowning while fleeing the mob on a hand boat to cross the Brahmaputra river, Ahmed was of the view that their second generation is proving their worth to the Assamese society by qualifying “some of the toughest exams in the country”.
“Everyone killed and living in Chaulkhuwa Chapori are Indian citizens. The whole massacre was targeted by a conspiracy that planned to exterminate everybody living in these villages. Now, you see, our children’s hard work and success are proving the point that their ancestors were not illegal immigrants,” said Kazimuddin.
Nazibul’s father, Sokman Ali Ahmed, moved to Mangaldai town, the district headquarter of Darrang when he was only 10 years old. Sokman said, “Everything was burning. The boat I was on while fleeing the village almost drowned. But we somehow got to the shore. Since then, we have worked really hard and 40 years down the line my son has qualified for NEET. Despite the burning of every institution, be it educational or religious, the people of Chaukhuwa rebuilt them. The perseverance has now borne fruit.”
It has been 40 years since the Chaulkhuwa Chapori massacre of Muslims in Assam and the place still remains “inaccessible and infrastructure, including educational, health, hygiene etc., extremely poor” as locals say.
Mojammil Hoque from Dhalpur village concurs with the parents of NEET-qualified students, “If there is more government intervention regarding roads, schools and health facilities many students from here would do very well. Two our own people qualified NEET, many would follow.”
While people in the Chapori, where 13 villages went through the pogrom, rejoiced the success of the two students, they also pointed out the “historical injustice meted out against the poor Muslims”.
The Settlers
The greater areas of Chaulkhuwa and Dhalpur, comprising a number of chars, are surrounded by the Brahmaputra river on the eastern and southern sides, and the northern sides are encircled by Nanoi River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra.
Fenced by waterbodies, the riverine sandbars are fertile and ideal for sustaining peasantry displaced by erosions. Following the 1950 massive earthquake in Assam, the Brahmaputra and its tributaries started changing course, eroding huge areas and displacing thousands of people.
“Due to the erosions, people from Morigaon, Kamrup, Barpeta and Goalpara districts started to settle down in Darrang district’s Chaulkuwa and Dhalpur chars in the 1960s. The people who live in riverine chars, their lives are decided by the flow of rivers. When one char submerges underwater, another sand island emerges. People navigate their lives accordingly”, says Saddam Hussein, who hails from nearby Kirakara village.
As eminent journalist and author Sanjay Hazarika pointed out in the much-appreciated book Rites of Passage about the ‘repatriation’ of Bangladeshi immigrants in the 1960s, the question of illegal immigration in Assam had long existed. In 1979, after the death of the MP from Mangaldoi Constituency, Hiralal Patowari, the election commission called for a customary revision of electoral rolls. This provided the state officers with a window to strike down the names of alleged foreigners on the voter lists.
From here, the anti-foreigner movement got the fuel and subsequently, the six-year-long agitation started. As part of the movement, the Muslim residents of Chaukhuwa Char were attacked and massacred by the Assamese ethnic nationalists.
“The people who were once murdered labelling them as Bangladeshis or bideshis, their descendants are proving their Indian nationality by cracking national level competitive exams. So, the question is, why were the people ruthlessly killed on mere suspicion of being foreigners without any investigation? If the blame is on an unruly mob, then why investigations have been suspended and for those who were killed, will there be justice for them? The NRC, the younger generation who are getting into government jobs or qualifying coveted national level exams are proving that those who were murdered were not Bangladeshis but Indian citizens butchered due to certain racial prejudices,” Saddam enquired into the labelling of ‘illegal foreigners’ of Muslims during Assam Agitation.
In the words of Mojammil, “The new generation is bringing the question back to the society by asserting their rights whether those killed in the name of being foreigners do not deserve enquiry into the killings? Whether their families, who have proved their citizenship, do not deserve the Constitutional remedies for justice?”.
source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob / Home> Features India> Latest> North East India / by Mahibul Hoque
In a special interview with Akhlaque Sk, Taskeen said UPSC is a test of hard work and patience; one has to struggle every day to achieve it. I have cracked the exam on my fourth attempt.”
Taskeen Khan, a 25-year-old from Uttarakhand, has always wanted to be Miss India. But then, in view of the circumstances, she changed her mind, and on her parents’ advice, she turned towards the civil service and finally secured the 736th rank in the UPSC 2022 exam.
Before entering UPSC preparation, she was selected as Miss Dehradun and Miss Uttarakhand in 2016 and 2017, respectively. At that time, Taskeen’s next goal was to become Miss India.
Taskeen had studied 1st to 12th science at Kendriya Vidyalaya Ordinance Factory, Dehradun. In 2013, she passed 10th grade with 92% and 12th-grade science in 2015 with 93%. Taskeen had qualified for NIT, but her father was a Group D employee in the Ordinance Factory, so due to his meagre salary, it was very difficult to manage the hostel fees. Later, she completed her BSc in 2018 from Dayanand Brijendra Swarup College, Dehradun, with 75% marks.
Taskeen reveals that she was so weak in math till the 8th grade that her teacher, Ansari Sir, counselled and said, “You should come to me to learn arithmetic every day. When the father came to know about the math weakness and tuition, he met the sir and asked about the fees in a subdued language. On understanding the inner state of the father, the sir promised to give tuition without fees. The attachment to math gradually increased. Despite excellence in studies, Taskeen said about extracurriculars and active participation in sports that I was a basketball champion in college, played up to the state level, and was also part of NSS. Head of scouting in college and represented India in two international events. Due to my command of the language, I was a national debater and won many prizes in various elocution competitions. I also used to act and joined the theatre during my studies. Later on, I started acting and modelling along with theatre at a professional level, which helped me to bear my educational needs and expenses.
Regarding the preparation for UPSC, Taskeen said that “My journey through UPSC is quite different from others.” After my father retired from service, he asked me to focus on my studies, and I decided to change career paths. In those days, many people used to get in touch through social media because of modelling. I learned about UPSC preparation from a follower during a chat on Instagram. After reading his profile, I came to know that he is UPSC-qualified and is now taking IAS training at LBSNA. Somehow, I tried, got UPSC-related information from him, and googled. I felt that if I worked hard, this could be a very good career option for me. When I discussed the same at home, both my father and Mother encouraged me a lot.
I came to know about Hajj House in Mumbai and Jamia RCA in Delhi. I thoroughly reviewed the NCERT syllabus and previous years’ question papers, cracked the Mumbai entrance exam, and came to Mumbai. The facilities and study environment in Hajj House were quite conducive for me. Then I came back to Meerut due to the lockdown. Appeared in the Jamia entrance exam, came to Delhi in 2020, and joined Jamia coaching. Apart from UPSC Prelims, I wrote Haryana, UP, and Uttrakhand state service exams. My performance was good in all three. But in the prelims of 2021, I failed again, and hence I had to leave Jamia.
Thank God, I got admission to Atiya Foundation Civil Services Coaching in April 2022 due to my good performance in the UP-PCS interview. However, during the prelims and mains of 2022, my father suddenly had to be hospitalised for nearly four months because he suffered from neurological problems. Every two days, I had to travel from Delhi to Meerut. Household expenses, including his modest pension, his sister’s educational expenses, and Abbu’s illness, had created a financial crunch. I was finding everything very difficult, so Sahil sir and his mother, Atiya Aunty, helped me in every way, which I cannot forget for a lifetime.
50 children are selected based on the entrance exam at the Atiya Foundation. No fees are charged for children. I put in a lot of effort and was able to pass the prelims and mains from here, so I went to the SERVOKON Foundation in Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, to prepare for the interview. I tried my best here and cracked the UPSC exam. In response to a question, Taskeen said, My name means “satisfaction,” and I am satisfied with my result. My main goal is to join the service that will be allotted and help my family. We must also consider how we can serve our people and the country with what we have. Taskeen said in the message to the students, I have reached this place because of my parents. Difficulties and struggles are part of human life. While I was giving the prelims and mains, my father was in the ICU. UPSC was a herculean task that required hard work. I cleared this test on my fourth attempt.
Interviewer Akhlaque Sk can be reached at sakhlaque@ymail.com.
source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Education / by Shaikh Akhlaque / June 03rd, 2023
Misbah Anwar Khan, a resident of Jalna city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, has become an inspiring example for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds with her remarkable performance in the NEET Exam 2023, scoring 633 out of 720 marks.
Misbah hails from a humble working-class family, with her father running a puncture repair shop in Mujahid Chowk, Jalna City.
Her achievement is a testament to her perseverance and determination. Despite facing challenging circumstances at home, she remained focused on her studies and never gave up. To date, she has only received a scholarship of 15 thousand rupees from the “Seema Khatib” foundation after passing her SSC exam.
The Seema Khatib Medley Pharma scholarship, awarded by an NGO based in Mumbai, supports deserving students who aspire to pursue professional or technical courses such as medicine or engineering.
Misbah’s academic performance has been exceptional even in her SSC Board Exam, where she scored 92% marks, followed by 86% marks in the Class 12 board exam.
Cracking the NEET Exam
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Misbah shared that she had dreamt of becoming a doctor since childhood. “Alhamdulillah, now I am qualified to pursue this course. I dedicated myself fully to my studies, never wasting time, and remained focused on clearing the NEET Exam.”
“This was my second attempt,” she explained. “The guidance provided by Ankush sir in the tuition class was invaluable to me, and he didn’t charge any fees. I will always be grateful for his educational assistance.”
Due to the high fees associated with coaching and a lack of proper guidance, Misbah couldn’t succeed on her first attempt. However, her enthusiasm caught the attention of Akash Sonawne, who runs the ‘Premier Institute of Science.’ He took her under his wing, providing free coaching at his institute.
Overcoming Hardships
Despite facing challenging circumstances and coming from a financially disadvantaged background, Misbah and her siblings are determined to pursue their dreams through education. Misbah is the third child among four siblings. Her elder sister is married, while her brothers are currently studying in 12th grade and the first year of their degree program.
Misbah’s father, Anwar Khan, completed his education up to the 9th standard. Due to hardships at home, he started his small shop repairing vehicle tyre punctures. The family lives in a one-bedroom house that belonged to Anwar’s grandfather.
“I understand the importance of education,” Anwar told TwoCircles. “That’s why I want my children to study. My eldest son wants to help me after his college hours, but I don’t allow him to do that. I don’t want him to get distracted. I have been running my tyre puncture repair shop for the last 30 years.”
Running the household and bearing the educational expenses of his children is burdensome for 53-year-old Anwar Khan. However, he has full faith in Allah and manages to earn between Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 15,000 from his work, with the potential to earn up to Rs. 20,000 during prosperous times.
Felicitation and Honors for Misbah
After learning about Misbah’s success in the NEET exams, prominent members of Jalna visited their humble abode to extend their congratulations and good wishes. Her school management also invited her for a felicitation ceremony.
Iftikhar Bagwan, the secretary of Anjuman E Ishat E Talim’s Urdu High School & Junior College, Jalna, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I thank the Almighty for rewarding Misbah’s hard work and sincerity. I also extend my thanks to everyone who prayed for Misbah’s success. Her achievement is a feather in our institution’s cap. Misbah has always been a bright student and has once again excelled in NEET, making us proud.”
Misbah’s father, Anwar Khan, overflowing with joy, shared that, tears of happiness filled their eyes upon hearing the news of her success. “I thank Almighty for showering his blessings on me and my children,” he said emotionally.
“We are looking forward to admitting her to medical college. Misbah has won a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000, and some well-wishers have promised to assist with my daughter’s higher education. So, I am hopeful that we will be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor,” he added.
Misbah’s aspiration as a future doctor is to provide medical aid to the underprivileged.
Anwar Khan can be reached at 8806342962.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> India News / by Imran Inamdar, TwoCirlce.net / July 14th, 2023
Bhandara Char Village No.4 (Bangagaon District), ASSAM:
Afruja Begum, a student of BH College, Barpeta, Assam, has secured first position in the Philosophy Department of the University of Guwahati. She scored 9.07 CGPA.
The University of Guwahati (GU) has announced the results of the Bachelor’s Degree Examination in Philosophy.
Afruja’s achievement comes at a time when Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma has openly praised the talent of the youth of the rural areas.
Afruja, daughter of Habel Ali, a resident of Bhandara Char village No. 4 in Bangagaon district, has brought joy to the underdeveloped area.
“It was very difficult for me to leave home and take classes in college because our area is very backward. During the rainy season, the roads are flooded. There is no way to get there. So I stayed in hostel.”
Afruja is grateful to the college authorities for allowing her to stay when the hostel should be otherwise closed.
She says her parents inspired her to dream big and now she wants to enroll for a postgraduate degree.
Afruja Begum’s father runs a small business. The village of Bhandara Char where he lives is very inaccessible. The roads are in poor condition.
Afruja Begum is happy that despite coming from a remote village topped in the Philosophy department of the University of Guwahati in the Bachelor’s Examination results.
Meanwhile, a delegation led by AMSU President Rezaul Karim Sarkar visited the house of Afruja and felicitated her and her parents with flowers, gomochas, sharai, pens and books.
“We are delighted with the performance of Afruja, a daughter from a very remote area like Bhandara Char village. She studied with great sacrifice and hard work. We wish her even better results in the coming days We hope he will be a good citizen who can serve the region,” said, Rezaul Karim Sarkar, AMSU President.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / July 18th, 2023
Presidency University Chancellor Nissar Ahmed and two other achievers were awarded honorary doctorates by Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot at the 2nd convocation ceremony of the Bengaluru City University on Monday.
During the program organized at the Jnanajyothi auditorium of the Bengaluru City University, Nissar Ahmed, who is a native of Mangaluru and also chairman of the Presidency Group of Institutions, was awarded a Doctor of Literature (D.Lit) degree.
Writer Tarini Chidananda and social activist Dr. Wooday P Krishna were also awarded D.Lit degrees by the Bengaluru City University during the convocation ceremony on Monday.
Renowned cardiologist and director of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research Dr CN Manjunath and Vice-chancellor of the Bengaluru City University Prof. Lingaraja Gandhi were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karnataka / by Vartha Bharati / July 10th, 2023
JMI student bags President’s scholarship to pursue Ph.D. at CEPT University, Ahmedabad
Haaris Zafar Khan, a student of M. Arch (2021-23 batch), Faculty of Architecture & Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has received a scholarship of Rs. 40 thousand per month with a waiver of annual fees to pursue Ph.D. programme at CEPT Architecture University, Ahmadabad, country’s seventh top institution in the field of architecture education.
This merit-based scholarship, known as President’s scholarship, is awarded to doctoral students to promote and develop research practices in the areas of architecture and planning. The scholarship has been awarded to him based on his performance in the entrance exam and interview conducted by the university.
Haaris aims to create inspiring spaces that uplift and inspire the human spirit by integrating his interdisciplinary knowledge and embracing diverse perspectives. He is also interested in pedagogy as it expands understanding of different ways of thinking and learning. He strives to develop innovative solutions that promote positive change and enrich people’s lives.
It is worth mentioning that the Faculty of Architecture, JMI is one of the highest ranking institutions in the country in architecture, planning and ekistics education.
The Faculty improved its position from 9th to 6th top institution in Architecture & Planning category in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)- India Rankings 2023, recently released by the Ministry of Education (MoE).
source: http://www.theokhlatimes.com / The Okhla Times / Home> JMI/Edu / by The Okhla Times (headline edited) / July 02nd, 2023
Afrid Afroz with his parents and brother at the NDA, Khadkwasla
Afrid Afroz who earned the NDA best cadet award and President’s Gold medal two weeks back is all set to fly high. At the threshold of a promising career in the Indian Air Force, Afrid cannot wait to fulfill his long-cherished dream of becoming a fighter pilot.
Afrid is proud to be an Indian. He says, “The greatest service a man can give to his country is to safeguard its borders by laying down his life. I feel very special and fortunate that I will be able to protect the pride and honour of my country by joining the armed forces.’’
Although he has taken seven sorties in a Super Dimona, an Austrian aircraft in the sixth term of NDA like his other batch mates, he found it exciting but not thrilling. “It is a powered glider and does not have too much speed. I want to fly a fighter aircraft.’’
Afrid Afroz at NDA, Khadakwasla
He is eagerly awaiting the start of year-long training on June 23 at the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad.
Not only is Afrid the first person in his family to join the Indian Air Force, he modestly admits that he happens to be the only Rimcollian, graduate from the 187th course of Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, to have made it to the IAF. But Afrid does not think that this is extraordinary as none of his RIMC batch mates opted for the Indian Air Force.
Afrid considers himself lucky to have cleared the medical test for IAF at the first go.
“Medical screening for the Indian Air Force is very tough. This includes seven to ten odd X-rays of the body. You must have perfect eyesight. You cannot be colour blind. There is a dental check-up. You must have a certain number of heart pulses. You cannot have knock knees. Air Force cadets cannot have a sitting height that is longer than a certain length otherwise they cannot fit inside a cockpit. One must meet this entire criteria,’’ explains Afrid.
Of the 365 cadets who passed out of NDA’s 144th course on May 30 this year, 116 made it to the Indian Air Force.
Afrid Afroz with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan
The announcement for the best cadet award was made on May 26 by the Commandant on the dinner night. As soon as Afrid came to know that he had got this award, he rang up his sister Saima as she was the one who encouraged him to join RIMC.
Afrid says, “The President’s gold medal was awarded by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan. Three medals are distributed in the final Passing Out Parade, according to the overall order of merit. This order of merit includes all the events and activities carried out in three years. These include Physical Training, Drills, and Equitation/horse riding which are called outdoor training activities. In NDA, we have lots of drill. Then, we have games where importance is given to cross-country race of 14 kilometers.’’
Asked why he was selected for the President’s Gold Medal, Afrid says, “I was good in academics. Like other Air Force and Naval cadets, I completed my B.Tech at NDA. We are given final cumulative grading. I got 7.5 out of nine. I was among the five top cadets. I was second in PT. Then, there are tests for proficiency. The first level is the merit card. After that, it is half blue, then blue, then the blazer in PT, equitation, and all other scores. So, I was half blue in P.T. and half blue in equitation. One is required to fulfill certain criteria for all four levels.”
Afrid made it to the RIMC in Dehradun in July 2015 where only one cadet is selected per State or Union Territory. An aspiring candidate has to crack three examinations and an interview to get admission.
Likewise, getting admission to NDA in October 2020 also meant clearing a national-level test and an interview.
Afrid says that he joined the Echo Squadron in NDA where cross country was the tradition. ” The blue and maroon family took me into its fold at the end of the later half of my second term at NDA. This Echo family encouraged me to pursue my interest in horse riding and P.T. I finally passed out as the Battalion cadet Captain No. 2 Batallion- half blue in P.T., half blue in riding and Polo, the best all-round Air Force cadet and got the Presidential Gold Medal for standing first in Overall Order of Merit.”
Son of Dr Mohd, Habib, a Professor of Comparative Religion, Afrid always enjoyed a good academic environment at home. He was born on the campus of Punjabi University, Patiala in Punjab his father was teaching from 1998 to 2022.
He is the youngest of four siblings- three brothers and a sister. His eldest brother, Inaan is an Electronics Engineer and the other brother, Amaan is in the IT industry.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan congratulating parents of Afrid Afroz after the passing out parade at NDA
Asked if he was good at sports in school, Afrid says he was good at mischief and was harmlessly naughty. “I was interested in all subjects of Science.”
Speaking about the environment in NDA and RIMC, the young cadet says,“ When you talk about defence and institutions related to defence, the environment is across religious boundaries. There is no segregation based on religious communities, economic classes, or backgrounds. When you are in defense, you are one. People don’t form their groups based on religions, communities, or sects. When you wear the uniform, you are all the same. The uniform is to establish uniformity. We represent our institutions. When I was in RIMC for five years, I was in the Shivaji section and I had the best friends in my section. They were from different States- Chhattisgarh, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. It was like a mini-India. We shared the closest bond throughout our days in RIMC. We continue to be friends even after passing out in 2020. When we talk even after many days; we pick up from where we left last.’’
Afrid studied from nursery to Class VII in St. Mary’s School in Patiala. He finished Class VII in Amy Public School, Patiala and then studied at RIMC from Class VIII to Class XII.
Afrid who is now a role model for many cadets, acknowledges that his years in RIMC played a pivotal role in preparing him for a career in the armed forces. ” The teachers and the seniors play a crucial role in bringing out the best in a cadet. The routine of RIMC is is also very favourable for the growth of a student. They teach us to never give up. All these officer-like qualities of perseverance, honesty, integrity, diligence and owning up your mistakes, are nurtured there.”
Afrid who will turn 21 next month, says he is very grateful to his parents for supporting him and having faith in him.
Afrid likes reading self-help books and also likes to maintain a diary- a habit that goes back to his school days.
His advice to Air Force aspirants is, ” Life is full of ups and downs. There are good days and bad days. In order to move ahead in life, we must not cling to memories of bad days. Instead, we must be motivated by memories of good days and continue working towards our goals.”
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Tripti Nath, New Delhi / June 14th, 2023
These candidates, despite being from a poor financial background, worked hard to achieve their goals.
JEE Advanced, NEET toppers felicitated at Hyderabad Institute of Excellence
Hyderabad:
Hyderabad Institute of Excellence (HIE) recently organized a felicitation program for the toppers of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
Notably, distinguished guests and esteemed personalities graced the occasion, including Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, the Managing Editor of Siasat Daily, who attended as the chief guest.
During the program, Md. Anas Khan who clear JEE Advanced and secured rank 1745, and Sayed Affan who secured 572/720 in NEET were felicitated. Apart from them, two more candidates, Md. Rayan Mohi Uddin and Md. Sadeem who secured 471 and 422 respectively in NEET were also felicitated.
These candidates, despite being from a poor financial background, worked hard to achieve their goals. HIE played a remarkable role in students’ achievement.
During the felicitation program, Javed Hood, the Dean of HIE, expressed his gratitude towards Zaheeruddin Ali Khan for his unwavering support in HIE journey
Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, while addressing the audience, expressed his belief in the transformative power of education. He shared a profound vision, stating that if every successful student from HIE commits to supporting a student from a financially challenged background, it would eradicate the cycle of poverty in the country.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Sameer Khan / June 27th, 2023
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