By directly procuring ingredients such as wheat, raggi, millets and almonds needed for products directly from farmers, Shamila ensures a profit for them as well.
Shamila with her husband Muhammed Shahabaz
Ernakulam : :
With adulterated food posing a serious hazard, staying healthy now depends as much on trustworthy sources as on a balanced diet. Worried parents face a difficult time trying to get their children to eat nutritious food.
Doctor-turned-entrepreneur Shamila Shahabaz, 30, is aiming to make life easier for such parents. ‘Mama Papa Zay’, Shamila’s venture, aims to provide a variety of fully homemade and preservative-free products for children, right from eight months old. By procuring ingredients like wheat, ragi, millets and almonds directly from the farmers, the venture is earning profits for them as well.
“The idea struck me when I became a mother,” said Shamila, who is also a certified child nutritionist.
“People, generally, don’t have the habit of reading labels and ingredients before buying a product. This should change. You will stop buying so many products just by reading the ingredients list such as added sugar, artificial flavours and preservatives. It shocked me too and I wondered what to feed my baby. When I started sharing my recipes on social media after my pregnancy, people asked me whether I could make the products myself on a larger scale. Now we are getting orders from all over the world.”
Local farmers are benefiting greatly from Shamila’s initiative. “Kannankaya is the key ingredient used to make banana powder. We have a few local farmers cultivating it, and we directly deal with them. Shops charge Rs 35-40 per kg for the fruit. We pay Rs 20-25 directly to the farmers, who thus get a better deal than selling their produce in the market. Millets, ragi, nuts and other ingredients are similarly sourced from farmers in Salem and Mysuru,” said Mohammed Shahabaz, Shamila’s husband.
“We are playing a small part in trying to transform our society’s health as a whole, by cultivating healthy food habits. This is just a small step, we hope to be known as a trustworthy source of nutritional food for children. Young mothers should never find themselves in the quandary I was in, to identify unadulterated baby food,” said Shamila.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Anuja Susan Varghese, Express News Service / May 22nd, 2022
Whether it is a hundred-year-old dish Kuzi or Fish Salad or Badam Ka Kund or the Noorani Seviyaan, Shahnoor Jehan, the descendent of a Sultan of Yemen, dishes out these mystic 100-year old cuisines for the connoisseurs and the gourmands.
Even as the erstwhile nawabs of India deal with the loss of their titular legacy, tables laden with succulent meats, and the foods flavoured with freshly ground spices and their untranslatable code of tehzeeb- their last standing bastions of power, wealth, and heritage – Shahnoor Jehan, whose grandmother Muzaffar Unissa Begum hailed from the family of the Sultan of Yemen, has kept it alive.
Meeting this soft-spoken lady was a quiet grounding experience given her repertoire of knowledge on food.
Shahnoor Jehan with her daughter
Daughter of an IAS officer and wife of a very supportive businessman Adil Mirza, Shahnoor Jehan was also encouraged by her adorable children Shohrab Mirza and Nimrah Mirza to use her knowledge and the knowhow inherited from her blue-blooded family and preserve the 100-year-old recipes for posterity. Khassa, a food brand, is a reality because of the support Shahnoor Jehan got from her family.
Shahnoor Jehan says, “There’s a certain etiquette that embraces all nawabi culture. It’s not so much about the commonality of ingredients or dishes but the way the food is prepared and served and the way we host our guests. And for these families, it’s comforting if you understand that,” she says. “Khassa is just that.”
In earlier days people never said “food is ready’ while inviting guests to the table,; they would say but said “Khassa Taiyaar Hain.” Shahnoor Jehan has preserved her well-guarded recipes dating back to several generations.
A dish from Shahnoor Jahan’s cook book
Her cookbook which she has preserved to date from her school days takes on a narrative beyond food; it’s about legends, anecdotes, and antiquities that comprise heritage. It is this inherited legacy that has made her take up cooking as a passion and make it her business. “I think cooking was a hidden talent in me. Most of the time friends appreciating my cooking made me ponder over the possibility of taking it up as my profession and when my kids and family support came, I converted my culinary skills into a startup.”
“Till I got married, I never had any experience of cooking; it was only an interest. It was my grandmother and mother who inspired me initially and the realization and confidence that I can cook well came with the appreciation I got from my friends and family who eagerly awaited the indulgence. The original cuisine is slowly fading away. I kept up the tradition of preparing dishes on charcoal and grounding spices made by hand..”
Begum Shahnoor Jehan the granddaughter of Nawab Ahmed Baig and her Grandmother Muzaffar Unissa Begum shares a princely legacy of the Sultan of Yemen and her food is an amalgamation of Mughal, Turkish and Arabic and influences of Hyderabadi cuisine.
She has infused local foods like rice, wheat, and meat dishes and the skilled use of spices herbs, and natural edibles in Khassa,
Owner of brand Khassa, Shahnoor Jehan serves cuisines like mutton haleem, mutton Shikamaru, dum ka murgh, or whether it is her signature dish a hundred-year-old dish called the Kuzi- leg of mutton cooked in pure almonds, saffron, and spices like black pepper enriched further with dry fruits, sugar candy ( Rock Mishri ) saffron, and silver foil are steeped in history.
Shahnoor Jahan’s recipies
While Khassa has been in the limelight for its iconic Kuzi, mutton roast or the kebabs like Shikampoor Shahnoor has also drool-worthy desserts to her credit that you can never say ever! Whether they are the innovative desserts like the Noorani Seviyan or the most rich ones like the Badam ka Kund– a traditional Hyderabadi dessert rich in almonds infused with saffron and cooked for hours together to get that creamy finish.
Says Shahnoor Jehan some of the recipes are native but they have been prepared and perfected down the generations at Shah Manzil, which is the present-day Raj Bhavan (the official residence of the State Governor). They have been part of Shahnoors family legacy for generations over a hundred years of age Adds Shahnoor my maternal Grandmother Muzzafar Unissa Begum, the daughter of the Sultan of erstwhile Yemen, and her grandfather Nawab Ahmed Baig, the son of late Shehzoor Jung, was influenced prominently by the flavours of Yemen, where she was from. I picked up most of her techniques and recipes which were well guarded and preserved by Shahnoor Jehan’s mother Faiq Jehan Till date Shahnoor continues to preserve the diaries and books belonging to her royal family. She adds that while her mother has been an inspiration for her she did pick up a few techniques from her mother-in-law Shaheda Begum she adds.
Today this luxury dining has come alive with her cuisine “Khassa” which is offered to her customers by way of food based on orders from her customers. It is indeed a luxe dining experience as nothing is too extravagant at her end whether it is the use of the saffron or the almonds, or whether it is the use of gold and silver foil, they season most of her meals. Only the finest cuts of meat make it to your orders. Whether it is ordering the mutton roast -chunks of meat soaked in sauces, ginger garlic paste, pepper, and roasted or whether it is Kairi Ka Do Pyaaza chunks of meat cooked alongside with raw mangoes spices and silky onion gravy a seasonal specialty.
Shahnoor says some of her dishes are cooked languorously , sometimes for entire day-the dum (where food is cooked for hours over low heat in lagan and smoked with the piece of burning coals placed on top to flavor the food , and these remain her techniques of choice.
Shahnoor Jahan with Khassa
In the earlier days, the chefs or the bawarchis at her Shah Manzil sometimes specialized in just one dish. Kitchens were considered laboratories, and chefs artists were encouraged to experiment innovate and create. Today we are preserving this past heritage as an agenda. She recalls the Nawabs of yore were patrons of food, helping the food to evolve Now dining With The Khassa brings back some of the grandeur and is a beautiful reminder of the lavish brilliance of nawabi food.
Says Shahnoor Jehan we want to bring a culinary slice of Yemen and the Nawabs of Hyderabad at Khassa with dishes that resonate with our philosophy of cooking with the choicest of ingredients.
Her spread in her menu looks fit for a king. There are Shammi Kebab-succulent pieces of tender lamb cooked with spices a melt-in-the-mouth experience and the Mutton Shikampur, the iconic kebabs from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad. The main course consists of Tamatar ka Kut a classic Hyderabadi dish and a rich tomato gravy topped with mild temperate spices and boiled eggs. Mutton Dalcha, is an age-old recipe of mutton cooked with lentils and bottlegourd. There are classic dishes such as Chicken or Mutton Korma cooked in rich gravy sauce or the traditional Kairi Do Pyaza a tangy lamb preparation. Her signature dishes include Haleem, Kuzi, Fish Salad Mutton Roast, Dum Ka Murgh, or the Dum Ka Raan all slow-cooked in mild spices.
Also, there are desserts to die for whether it is the Zafrani Badami Kheer, Sheer Khorma, or the Qubani ka Meetha.
Khassa indeed brings the hidden treasures of food that is heavy on aroma and boasts of rich flavours that will hit the spot if you’re looking for a feast.
www.khassabyshahnoorjehan.com
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Culture / by Ratna G. Chotrani, Hyderabad / April 17th, 2022
India’s first Urdu newspaper Jam-E-Jahan-Numa. Source: @indoislamicpage
Most people might be unaware, but 27th March is a historic day in the history of Urdu Journalism. On this date, the first-ever printed newspaper in the Urdu language was published exactly 200 years ago.
Urdu Journalism started in the Indian sub-continent from Calcutta with the launch of Jam-e-Jahan Numa on March 27, 2022.
In today’s India, Urdu is associated with Muslims and is considered the language of Muslims. In this context, when we look at the history of Urdu journalism, one may be surprised today to learn of its heritage and secular origins. Urdu, which has been on a decline in India over the years, and one which is much maligned by Hindutva groups, had a Hindu man who established the first journalistic publication.
Hari Hardat, a Bengali Brahmin Hindu, published the Jam-e-Jahan Numa from Calcutta on March 27, 1822. It was published under the editorship of Lala Sada Sukh Lal; a Punjabi. The printer was William Hopkins, a British national and an employee of the East India Company.
The composition of people under whom Urdu Journalism saw the light of day is really remarkable, as it truly reflects its secular characteristics. Non-Muslims had a huge contribution in the growth and development of Urdu journalism, as most of the editors in the 19th century were also not Muslims.
However, in post-independent India, Urdu language, which is widely spoken and read even today, came to be perceived as a Muslim language.
In 1822, with the publication of Jam-e-Jahan Numafrom Calcutta, the journey of Urdu journalism began. Soon it spread to other parts of the subcontinent covering what we study today as the history of the 19th and 20th centuries here. During its two hundred years, Urdu journalism has seen many ups and downs and has left a deep imprint on the history, politics, economics and sociology of the subcontinent.
The history of this entire subcontinent i.e, present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Afghanistan would be incomplete without Urdu journalism. The political, economic and cultural conditions of that time truly reflect on the pages of Urdu newspapers of that time.
Urdu journalism started even before Gujarati journalism took off. The latter’s first publication, the Bombay Samachar, appeared first on July 1, 1882. Similarly, Hindi Journalism had its first newspaper – Utand Martand – published on February 9, 1826. For Tamil Journalism, the Tamil Magazine, a journal, was published in 1831.
However, Bengali journalism had set in by that time and the first newspaper in the language was the ―Bengal Gazette appeared in 1816.
After Bengali newspapers, Jam-e-Jahan Numa was the second newspaper that came out in any Indian language from undivided India. At that time, two Bengali newspapers, the Sambad Kaumudi and the Samachar Chandrika were already in circulation. So it can rightly be said that Urdu journalism held the distinction of being the second vernacular which began journalism in India.
Technologically, Urdu journalism is also at par with other vernacular journalism. India has also witnessed the digitisation of Urdu newspapers in the 21st century. There are over three dozen Urdu newspapers that have launched their e-newspapers.
Urdu journalism in its 200-year-long chequered history has seen many ups and downs. It is the only language in the country that sadly also is facing step-motherly treatment in the birth of its place. Today, it is also treated with a suspicious eye in its own country. The integrity of its antecedent is doubted often too.
In spite of all this injustice, today Urdu journalism continues to shine. Its readers owe Harihar Dutt for his idea of starting an Urdu language newspaper.
It is worth mentioning here that when Harihar Dutt launched his newspaper, he had never imagined that he was going to sow the seed of Urdu journalism and that it would also galvanize others to do the same from across the nation.
Jam-E-Jahan-Numa: The Pioneer Urdu Weekly
Jam-e-Jahan Numa – the pioneer Urdu language newspaper was printed at Mission Press, 11, Circular Road, Calcutta and published from No. 2, Colootola – a commercial place of central Calcutta.
It was a 3-sheet (6 pages) weekly of quarter size and issued on every Chahar Stambah (Wednesday). Each page of the Jam-e-Jahan Numa was divided into two columns and there were normally 22 lines in each column. The size of the paper was 20×30/8 centimetre, and it was priced at Rs.2/ per month, and the word ―Chahar Shambah (Urdu word of Wednesday) was printed on each issue below the Masthead with the date.
Harihar Dutta brought out this pioneer Urdu weekly at such a time when the language was not popular in Bengal. Urdu was prevalent only for conversation and it had not been adopted in the field of Journalism. But it was the foresight of Harihar Dutta that he introduced Urdu language as a new field in the printed newspaper form.
But his experience could not succeed at once. Therefore, after 6 issues of Urdu edition of the Jam-e-Jahannuma, he converted it into a Persian weekly. The Jam-e-Jahan Numa which was launched as an Urdu paper ceased to exist in Urdu after its 6th issue and became a Persian newspaper on May 16, 1822.
The reason behind this change was that majority of the readership was illiterate and poor. And Persian was the official language of that period and the language of the elite too. Hence it made sense.
But it seems that this condition was confined only to Bengal. In other parts of the country, Urdu had become popular by that time. So, a few years later Urdu newspapers started publishing in north India. The popularity of Urdu increased rapidly and it compelled the then colonial government to change the official language from Persian to Urdu.
The interest of Harihar Dutta in Urdu did not subside. And after one year he introduced an Urdu supplement with the Persian edition of the Jam-e-Jahan Numa. This supplement was started on May 23, 1823. It consisted of 4 pages and the pages were divided into two columns.
All types of national and international news would publish in the Jam-e-Jahan Numa. Human interest stories and news of scientific inventions would get due coverage.
The Urdu Jam-e-Jahan Numa continued to be published for around four years and eight months; starting from 23rd May 1822 to 23rd January 1828. During this period, around 241 issues were published. Out of these 241 issues, almost 100 issues carried the historical events of Britain, Europe and the Mughal emperor Jahangir.
The Persian edition consisted of 8 pages and the Urdu supplement was of 4 pages. The government was extending some financial support to this newspaper then as well. But high postal charges were a burden on the proprietor of this newspaper.
To curtail the expenditure of the newspaper, Harihar Dutt stopped the Urdu edition once again in January 1828 and continued the Persian edition. The pages of the Urdu edition were also allotted to the Persian edition. However, it finally ceased to exist forever due to non-patronage of the government.
How long the Jam-e-Jahan Numa continued is not known but Abdus Sattar Siddique in his article entitled ―Hindustan Ke Purane Akhbar, wrote that the paper continued to publish till 1845.
Condition Of Urdu
When Harihar Dutt launched the first Urdu newspaper, Urdu was not the language of the elite and educated class. It was in its evolution phase. It was not developed as a reading and writing language among the educated class, and was only used as a means of communication among the people belonging to the lower strata of society.
The readers of Urdu were few. The educated class, be it Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or others, was Persian reading. All official work was also carried out in Persian which was the official language of that time under the British.
In fact, reading and writing Urdu was considered demeaning during that period, and the educated class considered it an insult to use Urdu, as it was the language of the masses and ordinary people. All official communiqué was done in Persian only.
The nobility would consider the use of Urdu language as below the standard action. Moreover, newspaper reading habit was also not developed by that time. Even the elite did not have time to read newspapers or to know about society in general. Producing a newspaper in Urdu was also not an easy task at that time, hence.
Before the commencement of Jam-e-Jahan Numa, there were a few handwritten newspapers- not printed, which were basically written for the nobility and the rich. These handwritten newspapers were written by a band of writers who were called calligraphers. It was a tiresome and time-consuming act, so the number of copies of these papers that were sold was small.
Even the cost of producing these handwritten newspapers was very high, which was another reason which made it out of reach of the common people. These handwritten papers were the only source of information for the nobility and the rich class as well.
We have to keep this fact in mind while reading about Urdu journalism, when Harihar Dutt published the Jam-e-Jahan Numa, the concept of reading a newspaper had not turned into a habit. So, in a way, after Bengali, it was Urdu journalism that appeared on the horizon and changed things.
This article first appeared in The Siasat Daily. Published here with the author’s permission.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> Culture / by Dr Md Zafar Iqbal / April 01st, 2022
Hamied has successfully steered Cipla on an accelerated growth path with a focus on boosting margins, without diluting the core values it stood for.
Synopsis
“I am humbled and honoured to receive the ET’s Businesswoman of the Year Award. This recognition belongs to each and every one of our 25,000 employees who stand with Cipla, putting patients’ interests before their own and upholding our purpose of Caring for Life,” Hamied, executive vice-chairperson, Cipla, told ET.
Samina Hamied represents a rich legacy. Her grandfather, KA Hamied, a freedom fighter and nationalist, founded Cipla in 1935, making it one of India’s oldest pharmaceutical companies. Her uncle Yusuf Hamied is the doyen of Indian pharma known globally for making affordable generic AIDS drugs accessible to millions of patients in Africa and other low- and middle-income countries.
“I am humbled and honoured to receive the ET’s Businesswoman of the Year Award. This recognition belongs to each and every one of our 25,000 employees who stand with Cipla, putting patients’ interests before their own and upholding our purpose of Caring for Life,” Hamied, executive vice-chairperson, Cipla, told ET.
Hamied has successfully steered Cipla on an accelerated growth path with a focus on boosting margins, without diluting the core values it stood for.
Both as executive director from July 2015 and as executive vice-chairperson from September 2016, Hamied has been instrumental in driving the company’s transformation from a traditional low-cost drug manufacturer to one with a young professional management and an aggressive approach towards inorganic expansion. Under her, Cipla also restructured its business and has also initiated cost-optimisation measures.
She spearheaded Cipla’s entry into the US market with strategic acquisitions of two generic companies, InvaGen Pharma and Exelan Pharma, for $550 million in 2015.
From FY15 to FY21, Cipla’s US revenue grew close to five times. US business contributed one-fifth of the total revenue in FY21.
Cipla’s revenue from operations grew at a compounded annual growth rate of 7% in the last 5 years to Rs 19,160 crore in FY21. Ebitda margin and net profit rose 12% CAGR in the last 5 years to 22.5% and Rs 2,405 crore, respectively, in FY21.
During Covid, Cipla launched antivirals, antibody cocktails, testing kits, masks and sanitizers. Cipla’s India business grew 15% year-on-year to Rs 7,736 crore.
Hamied focuses on board and governance issues, furthering Cipla’s global partnerships, shaping its corporate culture and hiring the right talent.
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> English edition> Business News> Industry> Healthcare-Biotech> Healthcare / by ET Bureau / March 28th, 2022
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru | Photo Credit: The Hindu
The lab has been set up to build cutting edge AI products in the healthcare domain, and bridge the gap between clinical medicine and technology by training healthcare professionals in AI
To understand disease patterns and improve treatment outcomes using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, Aster CMI Hospital has joined hands with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) to launch an AI lab.
The lab has been set up to build cutting edge AI products in the healthcare domain, and bridge the gap between clinical medicine and technology by training healthcare professionals in AI.
The lab was launched by Azad Moopen, founder Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare; Lokesh B., Consultant Neurology at the hospital; and Phaneendra K Yalavarthy, Professor of Medical Imaging, Department of Computational and Data Sciences, IISc.
Aster CMI will work with Prof. Phaneendra K Yalavarthy and his team on ‘Development of Deep Learning Methods for Automated Tracking and Segmentation of Nerves in Ultrasound Images’.
Sriram Ganapathy, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IISc. has been collaborating on ‘Automatic Acute Stroke Symptom Detection Using Mobile Health Technologies’ and also on audio analytics in neurological disorders. Aster CMI believes that these initial projects have a direct impact on the current clinical practice in neurosciences.
At the launch, Dr Moopen said, “With the use of AI, doctors and medical providers will now be able to deliver more accurate diagnosis in the fastest possible time, which can aid the treatment journey. Also, AI would be a big leap towards predictive and proactive data analytics, which will improve preventive care recommendations for patients. We are glad to partner with IISc.”
Prof. Phaneendra K Yalavarthy, who has been instrumental in setting up the lab by providing the computational infrastructure and expertise, said, “AI-powered medical technologies have been rapidly evolving and have become powerful adjunct tools in clinical practice. The broad spectrum of digital medicine, especially to enable the 4P model of medicine (Predictive, Preventive, Personalised, and Participatory) involves natural collaboration between academic institutions and medical institutions.”
He said this artificial intelligence lab is a collaborative effort to develop these AI technologies in the hospital settings such that the translation to clinic will be seamless. “The initial focus of this collaborative lab will be in neurology and will later be expanded to other clinical specialities. We are thankful to Aster CMI for providing space to establish this lab in their hospital to enable co-development of some of these AI technologies for healthcare. This collaborative lab will enable the development of highly impactful research and technologies with a focus on translation to the bedside,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / Bengaluru – March 19th, 2022
All lathe machine operators, constantly worried about the fly out accidents during the machining operation can now rest easier as Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Associate Professor from the University Polytechnic; Mr Shamshad Ali has invented an ‘Automatic Carriage Stopper’ which will reduce the chances of accidents.
The invention has been patented recently by the Patent Office, Government of India.
“The carriage stopper can be installed as a utility tool clamped on the lathe machine bed with a station ratchet system. It will be used as a multi stage stopper mechanism for turning application”, said Mr Shamshad.
He pointed out that the purpose of the invention is to reduce the likelihood of accidents, improve productivity, reduce product cost, lessen the rejection rate during manufacturing process and decrease the mental and physical fatigues of the operator.
Explaining how the invention will work, Mr Shamshad said: “The ‘Automatic Carriage Stopper’ will open the split nut in conventional lathe machines automatically to disengage the power source from the carriage, resulting in the carriage stop at desired position”.
“Similarly carriage movement through the feed rod will also be stopped automatically by using the ‘Automatic Carriage Stopper’. This auto carriage stopper can be used for any conventional lathe machine without any change in its design and it is easy to manufacture, maintain and operate at a low cost”, he added.
Mr Shamshad has invented the auto carriage stopper with his students, Suhail Ahmad.
source: http://www.amu.ac.in / Aligarh Muslim University / Home> Public Relations Office / February 08th, 2022
Artist Akmal Pasha of Rajivnagar and his 45-member team provide a magical touch
From skilfully made pots, carefully sculpted sandalwood miniatures to hand-woven sarees, Karnataka’s rich tradition of handicraft were on grand display at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi’s Rajpath on Jan. 26.
In fact, the Karnataka tableau stole the show with an eye-catching depiction of the land’s cultural icons. A massive Asiatic elephant sculpted out of Mysuru rosewood with ivory inlay carvings, impressive Bidriware, bronze statues and lacquerware toys from Channapatna were the highlights of the tableau which was based on the theme — ‘Karnataka: The Cradle of Traditional Handicrafts’.
The tableau also featured Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, the acclaimed freedom fighter from Karnataka, who is also hailed as the ‘mother of traditional handicrafts in India’. She is seen offering ‘bagina’ that includes a sandal box, peacock shaped lamp pots, banana fibre bags from Sandur among others.
For the tableau to impress the guests and onlookers, the efforts of many artists have to be taken into account and this time, it is Akmal Pasha, a resident of Mysuru who displayed his talent in designing and giving a shape to the tableau. A resident of Rajivnagar in the city, Akmal Pasha is a retired employee of BEML.
Pasha has acquired the skills of an artist due to years of hard work. Under the guidance of Shashidhar Adapa, Art Director of Prathiroopi, Pasha has been designing tableaus for the Republic Day parades. Shashidhar Adapa was the Art Director for this year’s Karnataka tableau. A 45-member team functioned along with Akmal Pasha and the initial sketches were provided by Shashidhar Adapa that were brought to life by Pasha and team.
16 traditional handicraft products
The 45-feet long, 16-feet high and 14-feet wide tableau showcased 16 traditional handicraft products that have received the Geographical Indication tag. The coastal traditions of the State also found a place on the tableau in the form of Yakshagana models and bronze face masks used in ‘bhootha aradhane’ (devil worship).
A mammoth Mysuru elephant with rosewood inlay carvings led the tableau which also featured Ganjifa cards, Bronzeware, Kinhal toys, Kolhapuri slippers and Mysore traditional paintings. Various weaves were a part of this artistic presentation including the Navalgund Jamkhana, Gulledgud Khana, the Ilkal, Molakalmuru and Udupi sarees, Mysore Silk, along with traditional Kasuti and Sandur Lambani embroidery.
The central portion had a huge vase depicting Bidri carving and two large peacocks were placed behind. At the end of the central portion was a large installation of Hanuman depicting Kinhala artwork which was surrounded by Channapatna toys, lacquerware toys, Navalgund fabric and sandalwood carvings and terracotta articles.
From BEML to art
After completing his ITI in Hassan, Akmal Pasha got a job in KGF where he pursued his passion for art and drama. He worked backstage creating various artefacts and visual appeal objects that fit into the theme of the dramas. Later he was transferred to BEML and in 1991 he designed certain ‘Jumboo Savari’ tableaux. He did this task for 10 years and later joined Shashidhar Adapa’s team. In 2000, he visited New Delhi to prepare the Republic Day tableaux and has never looked back since then. Akmal Pasha is a constant feature in the nation’s capital when it comes to Karnataka tableaux. He has been awarded by the Karnataka Nataka Academy in 2013 and has also bagged CGK award in 2015.
Pasha has been designing Karnataka tableaux in Delhi for 13 years under the guidance of Adapa. This year, Pasha and team left Mysuru to New Delhi on Dec. 23 and worked tirelessly to make the culture tableaux a reality.
Commenting on the overall Karnataka tableau this year, Pasha said that the design will bag the best tableau award this year. Online voting is open till Jan. 31 and after that, the winner will be decided, he added.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles> Top Stories / by A Ganesh / January 30th, 2022
Hyder Ally (Anglicised version of Haidar Ali) was a popular exotic name in the 1770s when the fledgling United States of America was fighting for its independence from Britain. There were racehorses named after this ruler of the Mysore Kingdom in South Asia as well as his warrior son Tipu Sultan.
In the early 1780s, Haidar Ali’s bravery was invoked in one of the earliest documented recruitment for the US Navy. A ship named after him gave the USA one of its greatest naval victories during the same time. His name was chanted on the streets of America, in 1781. Let’s travel back in time to understand this.
In 1775, a great upheaval shook thirteen British colonies on the east coast of North America as its residents rose against the Government of Great Britain, declared independence and flew their own flag (1, 2). Apparently, the first flag of the Union, now the US national flag- the Stars and Stripes, sent to the state of Maryland was hosted on a sailboat by teenager Joshua Barney at Baltimore in October 1775. Barney had just started his service with the US Navy.
Rocket Warfare, by Charles H. Hubbell (1898–1971) captures the humiliation of the British at the Battle of Pollilur (Sep. 1780) by Mysorean war rockets.
A few years later- in 1780, in the far-away Mysore Kingdom, the East India Company was suffering one of the worst reverses in its military history. This was at the hands of Haidar Ali and his son Tipu Sultan who were supported by the French, an ally of America. The humiliation of the British at the Battle of Pollilur in September 1780 reverberated in America where the news reached the country (3). On 19 October 1781, the British land force led by Charles Cornwallis surrendered to the Americans led by George Washington (incidentally a decade later in India, Cornwallis gave EI Company and its Indian allies victory over Haidar Ali’s son Tipu Sultan in the 3rd Anglo Mysore War). Nine days later Cornwallis’ surrender, along with that of Haidar Ali’s victories in India, was celebrated at Trenton, New Jersey. The town on that day was decorated with American colours. Inhabitants including the Who’s Who attended a service at the Presbyterian Church, where a discourse highlighting the occasion was delivered by a Reverend. In the afternoon the gathering drank 13 toasts accompanied with a discharge of artillery, number eleven of which was for ‘The great and heroic Hyder Ali, raised up by Providence to avenge the numberless cruelties perpetrated by the English on his unoffending countrymen, and to check the insolence and reduce the power of Britain in the East Indies‘ (ibid., ref. 3).
The other toasts were raised and artillery was discharged for the below. Quote: 1. The United States of America; 2. The Congress; 3. The king of France; 4. General Washington and the American army; 5. The Count de Rochambeau and the French army; 6. The Count de Grasse and the French fleet; 7. General Greene and the Southern army; 8. The friends of liberty throughout the world; 9. The memory of Generals Warren, Montgomery, and all the other heroes who have fallen in the defence of the liberties of America; 10. Peace on honorable terms, or war forever; 12. The governor and State of New Jersey; 13. The glorious 19th of October, 1781. At seven in the evening the company retired, and the rejoicings were concluded by a brilliant illumination. Unquote. (ibid., ref. 3).
Hyder Ally and America’s struggle to reclaim its seas from the British
Sketch of action between American naval ship USS Hyder Ally and English warship General Monk in 1782. Source: Life of Commodore Joshua Barney, Hero of the US Navy (1776-1812), 1912.
Despite this, America was far from being an independent nation. The British still ruled the seas. They kept a keen watch on the ships entering and exiting the ports of northeast USA, often capturing the vessels and looting goods. General Washington an American sloop-of-war was captured by Admiral Arbuthnot, and placed in the king’s service under a new name The General Monk, which was then used to pirate American ships. By 1782 the commerce of Philadelphia City, as well as the ordinary life of the residents of the coast and nearby streams, was deteriorating. The fledgling American Union was not in a position to protect the affected vessels. Therefore the State of Pennsylvania, at its own expense, fitted a number of armed vessels that operated in waters leading to Philadelphia. The state purchased Hyder Ally, a small sloop (single mast ship) equipped with sixteen six-pounder guns to help protect the American vessels. 23-year old Lieutenant Joshua Barney, now in the US navy, arrived at Philadelphia where he was honoured with the command of Hyder Ally (4). Assigned with recruiting men, Barney used a poem penned by Philip Morin Freneau to attract young American men to the ship. The poem exalted Haidar Ali’s bravery against the British with the following lines (5):
Come, all ye lads who know no fear,
To wealth and honour with me steer
In the Hyder Ali privateer,
Commanded by brave Barney.
From an eastern prince she takes her name,
Who, smit with freedom’s sacred flame,
Usurping Britons brought to shame,
His country’s wrongs avenging;
Come, all ye lads that know no fear.
With hand and heart united all
Prepared to conqueror to fall.
Attend, my lads! to honor’s call —
Embark in our Hyder-Ally!
And soon Barney led a force of a hundred and ten men. On April 8, 1782, he received instructions to protect a fleet of merchantmen to the Capes just before the sea, at the entrance of Delaware Bay. Dropping the convoy at Cape May road he was awaiting a fair wind to take the merchant ship to sea when he saw three ships (6) which he realised were waiting to plunder the convoy. Barney immediately turned the convoy back into the bay, using Hyder Ally to cover the retreat. Soon the bigger General Monk under the command of Captain Rogers of the Royal Navy nearly doubled his own force of metal, and nearly one-fourth superior in number of men caught up with Hyder Ally. Despite being fired upon, Barney held Hyder Ally’s fire till within pistol shot when both the two vessels got entangled. A short but desperate fight ensued. Lasting 26 minutes, it resulted in the lowering of flags by General Monk indicating her surrender. Both vessels arrived at Philadelphia a few hours after the action bearing their respective dead. The Hyder Ally had four men killed and eleven wounded. The General Monk lost twenty men killed and had thirty-three wounded including Captain Rogers himself, and every officer on board, except one midshipman ! (7)
‘Surrender of Baillie to Hyder Ali, 1780’, illustration from Cassell’s Illustrated History of England (20th century), 1780.
A hero is celebrated
Philadelphia burst in celebrations. Ballads were made upon this brilliant victory and sung through the streets of the city! And echoing with Barney’s name was that of Hyder Ally (ibid., ref. 1).Here are some lines:
And fortune still, that crowns the brave
Shall guard us over the gloomy wave —
A fearful heart betrays a knave!
Success to the Hyder-Ally!
While the roaring Hyder-Ally
Covered over his decks with dead!
When from their tops, their dead men tumbled
And the streams of blood did flow,
Then their proudest hopes were humbled
By their brave inferior foe.
A small sword with mountings of chased gold- the guard of which on the one side had a representation of the Hyder Ally, and on the other the General Monk was ordered by the Legislature of Pennsylvania and a vote of thanks was passed for Captain Barney in 1782. This gold-hilted sword was presented to him in the name of the state by Governor Dickinson. Source: Life of Commodore Joshua Barney, Hero of the US Navy (1776-1812), 1912
In 1782 the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed a vote of thanks to Captain Barney and ordered a gold-hilted sword to be prepared, which was afterwards presented to him in the name of the state by Governor Dickinson. It was a small sword with mountings of chased gold- the guard of which on the one side had a representation of the Hyder Ally, and on the other the General Monk (ibid., ref. 1). Barney was the last officer to quit the Union’s service, in July 1784, having been for many months before the only officer retained by the United States.
Barney was sent by the American Government to Paris. A reception was given in France him as a hero of dashing naval exploits during the Revolutionary War (8). A painting representing the action between the two ships was executed in 1802 by L. P. Crepin in Paris by order of Barney, while in the service of the French Republic. The same was presented by him on his return to the United States, to Robert Smith, Esquire, then secretary of the navy (9). The painting is now in the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland (ibid., ref. 1). Barney was an intimate friend of Count Bertrand, one of Napoleon’s generals (ibid., ref. 2). Napolean incidentally had an alliance against the British with Haidar Ali’s son Tipu Sultan, during the latter’s lifetime (10).
Barney was appointed a Captain in the Flotilla Service, US Navy on 1814 April 25 (11). He took part in seventeen battles during the Revolutionary War and in nine battles during the War of 1812. A British Musket-ball lodged inside his body in battle at Bladensburg, Maryland in August 1814 (12). He passed away on December 1, 1818, aged 60.
The world today is considered a global village thanks to the scaling down of boundaries between nation-states and individuals alike. But it may surprise us even in the 18th century seemingly local political events and humans made an impact on lands and societies far away. The name Haidar Ali, after an adventurer from an obscure place in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore who gave many a lesson in military and political strategies to global colonial powers of England and France, echoing across the proverbial seven seas in distant North America for nearly a century is a testament of this (13, 14).
Painting of Commodore Joshua Barney at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Life of Commodore Joshua Barney, Hero of the US Navy (1776-1812), 1912.
70 years after Hyder Ally’s victory over General Monk, James Cooper wrote “This action has been justly deemed one of the most brilliant that ever occurred under the American Flag. It was fought in the presence of a vastly superior force that was not engaged, and the ship taken was in every essential respect superior to her conqueror.” (ibid., ref. 4)
Sources/ Notes:
1. Barney, Mary., A biographical memoir of the late Commodore Joshua Barney, 1832, Mary was a sister of Joshua Barney. Her book provides in-depth information about the latter’s personal and military life. Born on July 6, 1759, 13-year old young Philadelphia Joshua Barney set sail on his maiden merchant ship journey to Ireland in 1771 with his brother in law Captain Thomas Drysdale. He sailed back home the following year and made trips to ports in Europe again. He set sail for Nice, France in December 1774 during which journey Captain Drysdale died. He took control of the ship which needed urgent repairs and therefore docked at Gibraltar, Spain instead. In a few months, he sailed to Algiers, Algeria from Alicant, Spain to deliver Spanish troops during which he witnessed the annihilation of these troops by the Algerians which made him return to Alicant soon. He immediately set sail across the vast Atlantic Ocean for Baltimore, USA. As he entered the Chesapeake Bay on 1st October he was surprised by the British Sloop of war Kingfisher. An officer searched his ship and informed him that Americans had rebelled and that battles were being fought. He was fortunate enough to escape detention. Returning to Philadelphia he was determined to serve the Americans fight against the British. At that time a couple of small vessels were under at Baltimore ready to join the small squadron of ships stationed then at Philadelphia and commanded by Commodore Hopkins. Barney offered his services to the commander of the sloop Hornet, one of these vessels. He was made the master’s-mate, the sloop’s second in command. A new American Flag, the first ‘Star-spangled Banner’ in the State of Maryland, sent by Commodore Hopkins for the service of the ten gun Hornet, arrived from Philadelphia. At the next sunrise, Barney unfurled it in all pomp and glory. In 1776, Robert Morris, President of the Marine Committee of the Congress offered him a letter of Appointment as a Lieutenant in the Navy of the United States in recognition of his efforts during a naval battle engagement in Delaware. 2. Adams, William Frederick., Commodore Joshua Barney: many interesting facts connected with the life of Commodore Joshua Barney, hero of the United States navy, 1776-1812, 1912. Adams provides a good summary of Mary Barney’s book in this book. 3. Moore, Frank., Diary of the American Revolution, Volume 2, 1860. 4. Cooper, James Fenimore., History of the Navy of the United States of America, 1853. 5. Freneau., Poems written and published during the American Revolutionary War, 1809. 6. Two ships and a brig- a sailing vessel with two masts. 7. As explained by Barney himself in his painting of this war commissioned later. 8. Bowen, A., The Naval Monument,1815, Concord, MA. This book gives an account of the reception received by Barney in France. 9. The painting was accompanied by a description, in the handwriting of Commodore Barney, which is reproduced in Mary Barney’s book. 10. Ahmed, Nazeer., https://historyofislam.com/tippu-sultan/ (downloaded October 13, 2017). 11. Record of Service, Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, United States Navy. 12. The conduct of Commodore Barney, at the Battle of Bladensburgh, was appreciated by his military opponents as well. He was wounded in the engagement and was taken prisoner by General Ross and Admiral Cockburn but paroled on the spot. At the time of his death in 1818, the ball was extracted and given to his eldest son. For the valuable services of her husband, Congress granted Mrs. Barney a pension for life. 13. Goold, William., Portland in the past, 1886. This book has information on at least one more well-known ship named Hyder Ally built in the US in the 1800s after the one described in this story. This ship, like many other US ships, resorted to pirating British ships in the Indian Ocean all the way up to the island of Sumatra and around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa in the run-up to the British-American War of 1812. 14. Corbett’s Annual register (1802) documents the ship ‘Tippoo Saib’ registered in Savannah, Georgia, the southernmost of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British in 1776 and formed the original ‘United States of America’.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> History / by Ameen Ahmed / December 27th, 2021
Abdul Khadar Nadakattin, was on Tuesday named among the winners of the Padma Shri award.
He is an innovative farmer from Annigeri town in Dharwad district. Being a mechanic by hobby, he developed an interest in agriculture in his inherited land of 60 acres falling in dry area.
His experiments started with planting mango, sapota with intercrops like chilli and ber in the 1980s. His innovative ideas turned into reality in 1994 when he developed a device to separate tamarind seeds from the pulp after spending Rs 3 lakh and six months. In one day, this device can carry out the work equivalent to 500 labourers per day.
Nadakattin started innovating in 1974 soon after he left school as he could not get up early in the morning and his father wanted him to become a farmer. At that time, he had developed a kind of bullock drawn tiller capable of deep plouging in which whetting was not needed. He also invented a multi–purpose sowing machine in 1985.
He established Vishwashanthi Agricultural Research and Industrial Research Centre in 1975.
Now agricultural equipment named after ‘Nadakattin’ are famous across the country.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Hubballi News / by TNN / January 26th, 2022
Bengaluru, KARNATAKA / La Jolla California, U.S.A :
Nasir is the man behind Discrete Cosine Transform – the technology which makes it possible to share photos & videos.
If you’ve been following the Pearson family closely, you must have watched episode 8 from the fifth season of ‘This is Us’ introducing two new characters to the show – Nasir and Esther Ahmed.
The first time we see the pair, it’s circa 1963 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where a man introduces himself as “I’m Nasir from India” as a young Esther is seen walking up to him, asking for a light.
The next time we see the couple, Nasir is cradling their son in his arms. Shortly after, another scene reveals their relevance.
As Esther is seen getting annoyed at Nasir for having returned late from work, Nasir replies, “When your mother wants a picture of you, what do we have to do? What if instead of waiting for the mail, she could see it instantly? They will be able to share images… Imagine if you could talk to someone on the screen but with a video.”
These lines from the show piece the puzzle together as viewers learn by the end of the episode that Nasir is the man behind the video-calling technology we use today. He’s the reason the Pearsons are able to stay connected using FaceTime amid the raging coronavirus pandemic .
From Bengaluru to USA
Nasir Ahmed hails from the southern city of Bengaluru, in India. He was born in 1940, and subsequently completed his schooling from Bishop Cotton Boys School. He earned his Bachelors in electrical engineering from the University College of Engineering in Bengaluru in 1961. Thereafter, he moved to the US for his higher studies and pursued both his MS and Ph.D at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
After his graduation, Ahmed worked as the Principal Research Engineer at Honeywell in St Paul, Minnesota from 1966 to 1968. He then took on the role of a professor at the Kansas State University and taught there till 1983, following which he joined the University of New Mexico and retired in 2001. He is currently Professor Emeritus of electrical and computer engineering at the University of New Mexico.
What is DCT?
In the 1970s, Nasir led a research team that developed the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), which makes it possible to share photos and videos.
In a paper on how he built the technology, Nasir says he had written a proposal to the National Science Foundation to study the cosine transform using two distinct polynomials. “Much to my disappointment, NSF did not fund the proposal,” he lamented, adding that a reviewer had deemed his proposal “too simple”. Not one to give up, Nasir kept at it through his P.hD until he finally cracked the DCT.
Today, Nasir and his team’s work on DCT is used in high-definition digital TVs, teleconferencing, and other image-sharing platforms, among numerous other commercial applications.
He is also credited with having invented the .jpg file format for photos, according to Bustle.
Finding Love
The real Nasir and Esther. /(Photo Courtesy: A still from the episode) /Esther and Nasir Ahmed video conferencing with This Is Us show creator Dan Fogelman and executive producers Vera Herbert and Jess Rosenthal in August of 2020. NBC
Nasir met Esther Pariente, an Argentinian, at the University of New Mexico. According to the College of Graduates in Economic Sciences of Tucumán, Esther holds a master’s degree in English from Kansas State University and a Ph.D in Spanish and Latin American Literature. Their son, Michael Pariente, is a well-known criminal defence attorney based in Las Vegas.
The makers of ‘This is Us’ caught up with the couple over a video chat to know their story, before paying a fitting tribute to the couple in the eighth episode.
According to Bustle, Nasir and his wife Esther released a limited-edition book about their lives called Parallel Lives In Curved Space in 2018. The couple celebrated their 56th anniversary recently.
source: http://www.thequint.com / The Quint / Home> The Indian American / by Rinki Sanyal / February 19th, 2021
