President Droupadi Murmu confers the Vigyan Shri Award on Professor Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi in Earth Sciences during the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar-2024, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on Thursday August 22nd, 2024 .
Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqv from CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow receives Vigyan Shri award in Earth Science from President Droupadi Murmu / pix: x.com/DDNewslive
New Delhi :
President Droupadi Murmu confers the Vigyan Shri Award on Professor Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi in Earth Sciences during the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar-2024, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on Thursday August 22nd, 2024 .
Two students from TGMREIS have secured Scholarship for Higher Education under INSPIRE by virtue of performance of being within top one percent in class XII Board Examination held during the academic session March 2024.
Hyderabad :
Two students of Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGMREIS) have secured a Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) under Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) of the Department of Science & Technology of the Government of India.
According to Aisha Masarath Khanam, Secretary TGMREIS, students of TGMREIS are continuing their excellence in academics.
Two of our students from TGMREIS have secured Scholarship for Higher Education under INSPIRE by virtue of performance of being within top one percent in class XII Board Examination held during the academic session March 2024.
Asma Sultana and D. Saniya from Vikarabad Girls’ Junior College have made TGMREIS proud.
INSPIRE is an innovative programme sponsored and managed by the Department of Science & Technology for attraction of talent to Science.
SHE component of the INSPIRE aims to encourage meritorious students to study basic and natural sciences at undergraduate level through attractive scholarship and mentorship opportunities. SHE offers 12,000 scholarships every year to meritorious students in the age group 17-22 years.
Mohammed Faheemuddin Qureshi, Vice-Chairman and President, TGMREIS, Shahanawaz Qasim, Secretary to Chief Minister, Tafseer Iqbal, Special Secretary to Government, Minorities Welfare Department and Aisha Masarath Khanam have congratulated the students and teachers on their achievement.
TGMREIS, earlier called TMREIS, was launched in 2017 with the aim of providing quality education and holistic development opportunities to the minority communities in the state.
The society was formed under the Telangana State Public Societies Registration Act with a vision to bridge the educational gap and promote social inclusion among minority communities. TMREIS aims to create an environment where students from minority backgrounds can access quality education, develop their talents, and build a strong foundation for their future.
TMREIS runs 204 minority residential schools and junior colleges across the state, where about one lakh students are getting education.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Education> Focus / by Radiance News Bureau / August 23rd, 2024
The group is looking to tap the fast-expanding air traffic between India and the Gulf.
Kerala-based travel service operator Alhind Group with a strong presence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to launch its airline, aiming to provide economical air travel options for residents.
The group, which has been a significant player in the travel industry for over three decades, has received the Civil Aviation Ministry’s initial nod to start an airline — Alhind Air.
The chairman, Mohammad Haris announced that the Group is in the final stages of obtaining the required approvals.
“Last week, we had a meeting with officials at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL); we submitted all documents required for landing permission at the airport,” he said. “We had earlier received the no objection certificate (NOC) to start the airline. We are hoping to begin operations by January 2025, if not earlier,” said Haris as quoted by Khaleej Times.
Initial operations and fleet
According to the reports, Alhind Air will start its initial operations with three Atr-72 turboprop aircraft, focusing on regional routes in southern India, including connections between Cochin, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai with an initial investment of ₹200 crores to ₹500 crores as it adds more planes into the fleet.
“We will have five ATR planes in total to fly on regional routes. We have secured all support from Cochin International Airport for our operations. Once this process is completed, the exercise for hiring pilots, cabin crew, engineers and other ground staff will start, a top official of the group told CNBC-TV18.
The group’s promoter revealed that the Alhind Group offers services including air ticketing, holiday packages, Haj-Umrah services, visas, and money exchange. The group already boasts a turnover of ₹20,000 crore and has a robust sales network that could facilitate the successful launch of the airline.
Pertinently, Alhind Group is one of the leading players in the travel and tourism industry in India and abroad.
The strategic launch into the aviation sector is anticipated to enhance completion, potentially lowering airfares and improving service quality for travellers.
Mohammad Haris stated that the group which is also the General Sales Agent (GSA) for many airlines is looking to tap the fast-expanding air traffic between India and the Gulf.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> India / by Sayima Ahmad , (Headline edited) / August 22nd, 2024
In the much-anticipated elections held today, Wednesday, at the Jali Pattan Panchayat, Afsha Qaziya was elected as President, while Advocate Imran Lanka was elected as Vice President. Both candidates, backed by the prominent social organization Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, were elected unopposed.
In a related development, Tanzeem-backed councilor Mohiddin Altaf Kharuri was also elected as Vice President of the Town Municipal Council (TMC) Bhatkal on Tuesday.
The election processes for both the TMC and Jali Pattan Panchayat were supervised by Bhatkal Tehsildar Nagaraj.
The President’s position at Jali Pattan Panchayat was reserved for a General Woman, and the Vice President’s position was reserved for Backward Class A (BCA). In the TMC election, the President’s seat was reserved for an SC woman, and the Vice President’s seat was reserved for BCA. However, since there was no SC woman councilor in the TMC, no nominations were filed for the President’s position. As a result, all three key positions across both bodies were filled unopposed.
The new President of Jali Pattan Panchayat, Afsha Qaziya, is a highly qualified woman with degrees in B.Com, B.Ed, and M.Ed. She has been actively involved in social and community work and has served as a councilor in the Jali Pattan Panchayat for the past 28 months. Advocate Imran Lanka, elected as Vice President, is also highly educated and an active member of the Tanzeem’s political panel. He has been serving as a councilor in the Jali Pattan Panchayat since 2015-16.
The newly elected Vice President of TMC, Mohiuddin Altaf Kharuri, has been serving as a municipal councilor for the past 24 years and has previously held the position of Standing Committee Chairman twice. He also has significant experience serving as the General Secretary of Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, a century-old social organization in Bhatkal.
Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem continues to have a strong influence in local bodies, with their backed candidates consistently securing key positions in the TMC and panchayats.
source: http://www.sahilonline.org / Sahil Online / Home> Coastal News> Featured News / by IG Bhatkali – (Headline edited) / August 22nd, 2024
Wahdina Village / Sringar, KASHMIR / JAMMU & KASHMIR :
Muzaffar Hussain Baig at his home
Muzaffar Hussain Baig is among nine top Indian legal luminaries who also took to politics. He figures in the book Courting Politics by Shweta Bansal, along with other well-known legal bigwigs like Ram Jethmalani, Shanti Bhushan, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Arun Jaitley, Salman Khurshid, Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Baig, a recipient of Padma Bhushan (2020), who held several top positions in the government – Advocate General of J&K, Deputy Chief Minister, Law Minister, a member of Lok sabha – has risen in life wading through extremely difficult circumstances and yet never allowed anything do diminish his thirst for knowledge and limit his genius.
Having studied Law at the Harvard in the USA after graduating from the Delhi University’s School of Law, he also practiced in the US and Supreme Court of India before shifting to Kashmir. He was keen to make a difference to society and contested Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate. However, with the onset of the Pakistan-backed insurgency in Kashmir in the summer of 1989, Baig jettisoned his dream of pursuing a political career.
Muzaffar Hussain Baig
Baig is credited with drafting the anti-defection law of the J&K and his legal genius is reflected through the important cases he won in the Supreme Court of India and the J&K High Court.
Baig, 78, was born as the second of eight siblings in Wahdina village near Baramulla in North Kashmir. Though the family had a rich and royal legacy, he lived a life of penury. Baig speaks of he footing two km distance to school barefoot.
At the school, he was seen as a determined and hard-working student. One of his teachers Mohammad Maqbool Shah encouraged him to participate in activities like drama and speech making. Baig also taught to younger students in the school.
He learned the English alphabet in his 6th standard as was the norm those days. Soon, he started speaking in the English language with a “thick Kashmiri accent”. He topped the Board examination of the State in the 8th standard (Middle).
He shifted to Baramulla town,15 km away from home, to study further.
There was no stopping for this genius from then onwards till he joined Delhi University for his LLB and topped the examination. He then joined Harvard, USA, for higher studies and again topped the examination.
“You will find all over the world that there is an inbuilt desire in the minds of people to join politics, not to become Government functionaries but to secure some change for the society”, Muzaffar Hussain Baig told Awaz-The Voice at his residence, overlooking Dal Lake in Srinagar.
The Cover of the Book Courting Politics
He said, “I wanted to see the welfare of people…. had this desire to represent society. I did not even charge anything from my clients for whom it was unaffordable”, he said. “Politics, for me, was not just a profession but a mission to represent my society”.
Baig’s maiden attempt in politics, and as a distinguished lawyer having practiced in the US and Supreme Court of India, brought him to the notice of several political leaders including the then Congress leader and a former Minister, Abdul Ghani Lone, and the National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and also former union Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Lone had later constituted the Peoples Conference in the 1970’s, after quitting Congress. “Abdul Ghani Lone, with the idea of some change in Jammu and Kashmir, had become important as a political leader”, with mass support in Kupwara. North Kashmir. Lone extended his support to Baig in a couple of subsequent Lok Sabha elections. Baramulla constituency, then comprising Baramulla district of the entire North Kashmir, now comprises three districts, Kupwara carved out in 1979 and Bandipore carved out in 2007.
Describing Abdul Ghani Lone a rebel, who was among several others after having been educated at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Baig said that he (Lone) enquired “about my interest in politics. I was already contesting as an independent candidate, he assured me of his support in Kupwara”, he said.
Muzaffar Hussain Baig as a student in Harvard
Baig added that both of them almost belonged to a similar “deprived background”, and had to suffer together for many years. Abdul Ghani Lone represented his home constituency of Handwara in 1967, 1971 (Cong), 1977 (JP), and Karnah, 1983 (Peoples Conference) both constituencies in the Kupwara district. Things changed with the eruption of militancy late in 1989, leading to a political vacuum.
Having been at the forefront of political activities in Jammu and Kashmir since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was launched by the former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 1999, Baig had “good relations” with top political figures including former PMs, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh. He opines that Vajpayee was “extraordinarily intelligent” and Dr. Manmohan Singh was the most “humble and efficient person”.
Baig equally holds the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in high esteem for his sincerity and clarity of approach. “A Statesman thinks about the next generation and a politician thinks for next elections.’ he said.
On his experiences in the Lok Sabha as a PDP MP from Baramulla between 2014 and 2019, Baig lays importance on the “substance and sincerity in speech” adding that one has to say “things openly for the (welfare of) people”. He hailed the high political qualities of former union Ministers, Ms Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.
Muzaffar Hussain Baig in his younger days
Given his distinguished legal background, Baig’s association was sought by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to frame the Constitution of a new political party, which later took the shape of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999. There was a need to float a new party while the Congress and National Conference were the only two national and regional level active political parties in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. Mehbooba Mufti, elected from the home constituency of Beijbehara in Anantnag district in 1996, was the CLP leader in the State Assembly.
Apart from practicing in the US after his post-graduation in the Law, Baig, being a senior counsel practiced extensively in J&K High Court, Delhi High Court, and Supreme Court of India Some of the important cases he had dealt with include the case of Reliance Petrochemicals in the SC, while he was associated with Shardul and Pallavi Shroff & Co in Bombay.
The case about Compulsory Convertible Debentures was being opposed by the senior Advocate, Ram Jethmalani. Quoting a ruling from the House of Lords, London, Baig, appearing for Ambanis asserted on the plea that no person should appear in public in any case while it is sub-juidice. The verdict was in favor of his plea, while the senior lawyer, Ram Jethmalani withdrew from the case. The legal luminaries present included N A Palkivala, Fali S Nariman, and Soli Sorabji.
He soon returned to Kashmir and decided to contest the elections as an independent to “work for the welfare” of the people. In J&K he is known for the Anti-Defection Law, following the new government formation by G M Shah in July 1984. A close associate of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and his son-in-law, G M Shah formed the Government after some of the NC MLAs defected to him from the Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah. Shah was the J&K Chief Minister from 1984 to November 1986, before Farooq Abdullah again took over after the Rajiv-Farooq Accord.
On the personal front, Baig got married to Safina in 2007, who is the first elected woman Chairperson of the J&K Haj Committee and also the DDC Chairperson of Baramulla.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Ehsan Fazili, Srinagar / August 23rd, 2024
Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA / Chennai, TAMIL NADU / INDIA :
Syed Zubair Ahmad, the founding editor of Muslim Mirror, has added another feather to his cap by being declared one of the prominent Changemakers of 2024 by the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP). The prestigious recognition was announced during a grand event held at the B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology, a deemed university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The event was graced by honorable guests and attended by a large gathering of participants from across India.
Ahmad, a distinguished journalist, is known for his powerful advocacy for the rights and representation of marginalized communities, particularly Muslims, in India. Over the course of his career, spanning more than two decades, he has built a reputation for his unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and journalistic integrity.
The Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) is Mumbai based pan India non-profit organization dedicated to the socio-economic empowerment of the Muslim community in India. Through initiatives in education, employment, and community development, AMP works to foster leadership, skill-building, and social welfare, connecting professionals and organizations nationwide for collective progress.
“In a memorable ceremony, 100 inspiring individuals were honored with Changemaker Awards, and 100 state-level NGOs were recognized in the Best and Jury categories. Additionally, 10 organizations were celebrated in prestigious national categories,” said a press statement issued by AMP.
Notable national NGO awardees include;
ALTNEWS
APCR (Association for Protection of Civil Rights)
IMRC (Indian Muslim Relief & Charities??)
Institute of Objective Studies (IOS),
Allana CSR
Pataka CSR and
Seethakathi Trust
Some of the prominent Changemaker awardees included;
Syed Zubair Ahmad (Muslim Mirror)
Mohammed Wajihuddin (Times of India)
Aslayah Kallakath (Maktoob Media)
Abdur Rahman IPS (Retd.)
Akramul Jabbar IRS (Retd.)
Hammad Rahman
Adil Meraj and
Syeda Ruksheda.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was posthumously bestowed upon the Late Moosa Raza, IAS (Retd.), which was received by his family.
The Omar Khatani Memorial Award was presented to the Tarraqi I Foundation, while BSA Crescent Institute of Science & Technology received the Partner of the Year Award.
Mrs. Mariam Habib, Trustee of B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology, served as the Chief Guest and commended AMP’s efforts in education, employment, and empowerment. She emphasized the role of NGOs in bringing about significant societal change in collaboration with policymakers, and she noted that the legacy of the late B.S. Abdur Rahman is being continued with great dedication by the current leadership.
Dr. N. Raja Hussain, Registrar of B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology and Guest of Honour, praised AMP’s work in recognizing and motivating various organizations and individuals. He highlighted the ongoing collaboration between the university and AMP in developing students and faculty through guest programs. The event was presided over by University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. T. Murugesan.
Motahar Hosain, Chief Executive and Guest of Honour, congratulated AMP for instituting these much-needed awards to acknowledge the contributions of individuals in the development sector. He remarked that despite the sacrifices made by these individuals in service to others, they seldom receive the appreciation they deserve, making these awards a significant recognition of their efforts.
Mr. Farooq Siddiqui, Head of the AMP National Coordination Team and the driving force behind these awards, stated, “AMP believes in collaboration and has been working alongside multiple organizations since its inception. Through the AMP NGO Connect project, we are connected with over 7,000 social organizations across nearly all districts of India, helping them with capacity building and implementing AMP’s social welfare projects in their regions. These awards are our way of appreciating their efforts and motivating them to continue their impactful work.” He also thanked the AMP Chapter and state teams for mobilizing massive nominations and captivated the audience at the packed Crescent Convention Center Hall with his superb and engaging awards announcement.
Ms. Shereen Sultana, State Head – AMP Tamil Nadu, in her address, shared details about AMP’s initiatives and invited everyone to join hands for the betterment of society and nation-building. She expressed her gratitude to the management and staff of B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology for their cooperation in hosting the event and mentioned how she took up the challenge of organizing the awards ceremony in Chennai.
AMP Tamil Nadu State Executive Team member Mr. Yahya Rasheed welcomed the guests and successfully hosted the event with the support of Prof. Ansar.
The awards process for the NASE was multi-layered, with state, central, and a 9-member distinguished jury led by A.R. Khan, IAS (Retd.), President of A.R. Welfare Foundation, Dr. Syed Zafar Mahmood, Founder & President of Zakat Foundation of India, Dr. Farah Usmani, Founder & Chairperson of Rising Beyond The Ceiling, Prof. Zubair Meenai, Professor & Former Head of the Dept. of Social Work, JMI, Prof. Naseem Ahmed Khan, Chairman of the Dept. of Social Work, AMU, Dr. Shazia Manzoor, Head of DSW, University of Kashmir, Sherin Ali, Global Lead – Corporate Social Responsibility, WNS, Sajid Ali, COO of Tech Mahindra Foundation, and Gulzar Hussain, Head of Government Partnerships, UN World Food Program (India).
The success of the 4th edition of the awards was attributed to the collaborative efforts of key AMP team members, including Sajjad Parvez, AMP Zonal Head – South India; Dr. B. Raja Hussain, State Secretary; Syed Faheem, Chennai Chapter Head; and Syed Deen, Chennai Chapter Secretary. Their contributions, along with the support from the back-office teams at the Central Offices in Mumbai and Vaniyambadi, were instrumental in making the event a success.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Media> Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror Desk / August 22nd, 2024
Wing Commander (retd) Mushtaq Ahmed Afraz lives up to the saying that a soldier is always on duty. Having served in the armed forces, Afraz has taken up the responsibility of documenting the stories of the martyrs and keeping their spirit of valour alive in the mind of public.
So far, he has collected 26,000 stories which are posted on his portal honourpoint.in. These are the soldiers and officers who laid down their lives in wars post-independence.
The Bengaluru-based Afraz says, “During my college days and job, I visited many memorials in the country. There are more than 200 memorials and almost half of them are inside the military cantonments. I would collect details of the martyrs from there.”
Afraz belongs to a Military family and he was brought up in Cantonments across the country. His father was in the Army; like him, his wife was in the Indian Air Force. His brother-in-law and many close relatives were in the Armed Forces.
He narrated a few stories about the martyrs, who would be forgotten and he made their memories come alive. Wing Commander Afraz talks about Flying Officer Farokh Dara Bunsha.
A post on the Facebook page of honourpoint.in commemorarting martyrs
Bunsha was martyred in the 1965 war. Soon his name was relegated to the pages of military history. Not many knew the poignant story of a young woman to whom Farokh Bunsha was betrothed.
After his story was posted on honourpoint.in it came up that this young woman had decided to live with his memory and never married.
Today, Farokh Bunsha’s fiancée is about 75 years old. She had no connection with the family of her martyred fiancé. However, when Wing Commander MA Afraz wrote the story, their families met and befriended each other.
He says, “When the Kargil war broke out, I was in the Air Force. I closely monitored the media coverage of soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
“I noticed within two or three days, that the stories of martyrs would be shoved into inside pages and gradually people lost interest in them and even forgot their names. It made me realize there is a dire need to commemorate our martyrs.”
A poster announcement prize winners of the competition held by honourpoint.in
After he retired from the IAF in 2008, he decided to turn his dream of commemorating the martyrs’ memories into a reality.
He started working on his project in 2015 and launched his portal within two years.
“Collecting data was a major challenge for us. These forgotten soldiers had fought in the wars of 1947, 1962, 1965, 1971, and 1999. I focused on those who didn’t receive awards or commendations.
Back then there was no internet or a single source for us to collect information. Most of their families lived in far-flung villages.
Afraz says, “I realised that while the countrymen have expectations from our soldiers, nobody has any idea of the martyrs’ expectations from their countrymen.”
Kargil War memorial at Drass, Ladakh
Besides maintaining the portal, Afraz organises gatherings of the families of martyrs with civil society members. “It’s difficult to describe in words the feelings of martyrs’ families when people talk about their sons. Pride and honour are important for these families and no medal or financial help can match it,” he says.
Wing Commander Afraz says, “It is the moral responsibility of every citizen to contribute to the country; the contribution can be of any kind.”
The portal team posts the stories of martyrs on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram almost daily.
He says, “We are also spreading awareness offline. For example, we are continuously working on making people and students aware with the help of our association with the CSR partners from companies.
“We also organize marathons, radio, and print in memory of the martyrs.
Wg Cdr (Retd) M A Afraz
We are also connecting with people through print media and television.”
Afraz’s team has been organising ‘Rang De Veer‘ events all over India level for six years. These events held on Republic Day, Independence Day, and Kargil Divas (26 July), are attended by schools from India and abroad.
Afraz says, “Civil society should get in touch with these families. The government can only provide them with pensions and schemes. When the stories of the martyrs come to light, I have noticed that common people tend to stand up for their families who need help. For example, lawyers fight their cases for free; doctors provide free treatment.”
Another story that Afraz narrates is of Flight Lieutenant Akash Yadav of Kosli village in Rewari, Haryana. He was martyred in November 2010 at the age of 26 years.
Flight Lieutenant Akash Yadav and Flying Officer Farokh Dara Bunsha
Aakash was a helicopter pilot and his chopper crashed on the India-China border. He was the only child of his parents and they fell into mental depression after his death. Both parents felt there was nothing left for them to live for; they cut themselves off from everyone and lived like a recluse.
In 2017, M.A. Afraz’s portal invited the family of Flight Lieutenant Akash Yadav to a program where the families of martyrs and members of civil society interacted.
After the function, the Yadav’s father said he would now onwards live the his life positively.
He set up an organization named ‘Flight Lieutenant Akash Yadav Yuva Prerana Samiti’ in their village. Under its aegis, the founder moves to the villages around Kosli and motivates the youth to join the armed forces.
He adopted children from slums and is educating them. Today he is fully involved in social service.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story/ by Rajeev Kumar Singh, New Delhi / August 14th, 2024
Mazin Hammad Al-Himali receives Mohammed Shahid Alam in Jeddah. (Supplied)
Director of Foreign Ministry Branch in Makkah Region Receives Indian Consul General in Jeddah
Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ branch in Makkah Mazin Hammad Al-Himali met with Indian Consul General Mohammed Shahid Alam in Jeddah on Monday.
The meeting was held on the occasion of the end of Alam’s tenure, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Alam took over as India’s consul general in Jeddah in February 2021. He previously served in Jeddah as the Hajj consul from 2015 to 2018.
An upright officer of the Indian Foreign Service, he has now been posted to the Indian High Commission in London.
source: http://www.arabnews.com /Arab News / Home> News> Middle East / August 06th, 2024
“He (Mahatma Gandhi) said that while he did not think that Umar Sobhani was a revolutionary, he was frank and open by nature and he (Gandhi) thought that if Umar felt convinced that a revolution was the best way to secure the well-being of India, he would not hesitate to adopt such methods. He thought that in such a case Umar Sobhani would plainly tell him (Gandhi) of his intentions…” This is what Mahatma Gandhi was reported to have told to C.I.D on 8 May 1919 during a police interrogation.
Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle
Sobhani was a rich businessman from Mumbai who traded in cotton and joined the freedom struggle early in his life.
Those who take an interest in Mahatma Gandhi consider Young India, an English journal edited by Gandhi, and Navajivan, a Gujarati journal, as his voice. Interestingly, these journals were started by Sobhani who later cajoled Gandhi to take charge as the editor.
Rajmohan Gandhi, one of the grandsons of Mahatma Gandhi, notes, “Three of the Sabarmati ‘covenanters’, Umar Sobhani, Shankerlal Banker and Indulal Yagnik, were between them bringing out two journals, Young India, a weekly in English from Bombay, and Navajivan, a monthly in Gujarati from Ahmedabad, and were also associated with the nationalist daily, the Bombay Chronicle. At the end of April, in one of the Raj’s drastic measures, Horniman, the British editor of the Chronicle, was deported, and the paper’s publication had to be suspended.
“In response, Sobhani, Banker, and Yagnik requested Gandhi to take over the editorship of Young India and Navajivan and with their help bring out Young India twice a week and Navajivan every week. Gandhi agreed, and on 7 May 1919 the first number of Young India, New Series, came out. When, soon, the Chronicle resumed publication, Young India reverted to being a weekly but now published, for Gandhi’s convenience, in Ahmedabad, along with Navajivan, which first appeared as a weekly on 7 September.
“Gandhi now possessed what he had hoped for from the moment of his return to India: vehicles to communicate his message.”
Charkha (spinning wheel) is a synonym for Mahatma Gandhi and his movement and Sobhani played an instrumental role in making it a success. Rajmohan writes, “Indian spinning mills wanted to turn all their yarn into mill-made cloth, not sell it to hand-weavers. Gandhi therefore asked associates to search for spinning wheels that could make yarn. At the Godhra conference in November. 1917, a woman called Gangaben Majmudar, who had ‘already got rid of the curse of untouchability and fearlessly moved among and served the suppressed classes’ (A 442), promised him that she would locate a wheel.
“She found not one but hundreds in Vijapur in the princely state of Baroda, all lying in attics as ‘useless lumber’ (A 443). Women who in the past plied the charkhas told Gangaben that they would spin again if someone supplied slivers of cotton and bought their yarn.
Gandhi said he would meet the conditions, his friend Umar Sobhani supplied slivers from his Bombay mill, and the ashram received more hand-spun yarn than it could cope with.”
Sobhani was one of the original 20 signatories of the pledge to oppose the Rowlatt Act. The pledge was prepared by Gandhi at his Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. Along with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Sobhani was one of the associates of Gandhi who backed him against the old guards in Congress on the question of the non-cooperation movement in 1918.
K. R. Malkani, a former R.S.S stalwart and BJP leader, writes, “Gandhiji’s right-hand man in Bombay in the 1921 movement was Umar Sobhani. The first bonfire of one and a half lakh pieces of choicest silk was ignited by Gandhi in Umar’s mill compound in Parel.
“When Gandhiji decided to collect Rs. 1 crore for Tilak Swaraj Fund, Umar offered to contribute the entire amount, but Gandhiji wanted it collected from a large number of people. But even so, Umar contributed Rs. 3 lacs.
“Umar was a big cotton merchant. When the British came to know of his role in the Freedom Movement, they ran special trainloads of cotton to Bombay by Viceregal order. As a result, cotton prices collapsed in Bombay and Umar suffered a loss of Rs. 3.64 crores. Daan-Vir Sobhani ended his life.
“Earlier the British tried to divide the family. At their instance, Umar’s father, Haji Yusuf Sobhani contested the office of Sheriff of Bombay. Umar worked. against his father and had him defeated. Later the British tried to tempt Yusuf Sobhani with a knighthood, but Umar told his father that he could accept the title only “over my dead body.” Today probably not even people living on Sobhani Road, Cuffe Parade, Bombay, know who the great Sobhani was!”
Sobhani used to lead the marches in Mumbai, arrange the meetings of Gandhi, and raise funds for the political agitations against the English. Gandhi, according to the police reports, used to call him one of the props of the satyagraha in Mumbai.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Saquib Salim / July 31st, 2024
A hundred-year-old Muslim library stands firm in the narrow lanes of Shivajinagar, Bangalore, barely visible from the outside and quite difficult to locate. By asking the locals, one can find a small staircase squeezed between shops leading to the library. You can easily detect the smell of old books on the staircase, and upon entering the library, a sudden sense of calm and peace permeates the bustling market. There have been many highs and lows throughout the library’s long and illustrious history, and in 2014, it celebrated its centenary.
At the beginning of the second decade of the 20th century, a group of intellectuals and benefactors in the city of Bangalore came together to promote the Urdu language and raise educational awareness among Muslims. On 5th May 1912, Bangalore’s Muslim Library was founded. The inaugural conference took place at Maulvi Abdul Ghaffar Sahab’s New Market Road (Char Minar Road) building on 9th May 1912. Five months after its establishment, in 1912, the library moved from the New Market Road building to a shop on Masjid Street, where Madarasa Quwwatul Islam was located.
In January 1929, a significant event took place when Amin-ul Malik Mirza Muhammad Ismail Diwan of the Mysore State presided over a grand meeting at the Globe Theatre (Opera Bazaar) in honour of the poet of the east – Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal. During this meeting, Allama Iqbal was presented with a letter of appreciation by the library. The library members raised money for Allama Iqbal’s visit and the meeting under the name “Iqbal Fund.” Additionally, the library celebrated its founding anniversary on 9th May 1937, with a grand celebration presided over by Baba Urdu Maulvi Abdul Haq, the Secretary of Anjuman Tarqee Urdu.
The Muslim Library was registered under Registration Act 21-1860 on 3rd May 1935, at the Bangalore office of Joint Stock Companies. To ensure the security and maintenance of the library’s assets, a trust named “Muslim Library Trust, Bangalore” was established and registered under the Indian Registration Act 1-1908 in the office of the Sub-Registrar, Civil Station, Bangalore, on 14th September 1957. Donations were received, and the present building of the library was purchased on 22nd May 1958, although there were concerns about the institution’s stability.
Throughout its 100-year history, many notable and famous personalities from the country and the state have visited the library and expressed their good wishes.
These include Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, Allama Dr Sir Muhammad Iqbal, Maulana Shaukat Ali (Ali Brothers), Maulana Zafar Ali Khan (Director Zamindar-Lahore), Baba Urdu Maulvi Abdul Haq, Professor Abdul Wahab Bukhari, Sagar Nizami, Hazrat Josh Malihabadi, Allama Seemab Akbarabadi, Mirza Yas Yagana Chingizi, Ejaz Siddiqui, Hazrat Jigar Moradabadi, Hazrat Hafeez Jalandhri, Hazrat Amjad Hyderabadi, Maulana Mufti Muhammad Ashraf Ali, and Professor B Sheikh Ali, among others.
Photo by Nabeel Ahmad
The two-storey library houses more than 30,000 books in various languages, though it has a treasured and rare manuscript collection in Urdu and Persian, some of which are even a century old. The library houses rare and valuable books on various subjects, ancient magazines, 1980s newspapers, and manuscripts from the Haidari era. The total number of manuscripts is 29. Some important manuscripts include: Maulvi Abdul Haq bin Saifuddin’s “Completion of Faith and Taqwaity of Faith”, “Al-Tazirat” (Dakhini Urdu), compiled by Hafiz Ahmad bin Muhammad Maghrib in 1235, “Deewan Naziri” (Fari Kalam) by Nazir Neshapuri, “Kaliat Kamal” (Urdu) by Kamal Shah Peer (Dakhini Urdu). Additionally, selected letters from Shaheed Tipu Sultan, written to various friends, are available here. The library also holds many rare books published by the famous publisher Munshi Kishore of his time. Notable among them is “Ajab al-Makhluqat,” published in 1889, and ancient and rare books on medicine such as “Talb Akbari,” Volume I, published in 1895, and the translation of “Makhzan-e-Adawiya” written by Hakeem Muhammad Noor Kareem in two volumes. Moinuddin Farooqi’s books on Islamic medicine are also available in the library.
A thick, long register at the entrance with visitors’ signatures in Urdu is a rare sight, but it simply depicts the library’s love of Urdu. Photo by Nabeel Ahmad
The first person to greet visitors at the library is Muhammad Altaf, the caretaker who has been looking after the library for the past 24 years. Altaf says, “Urdu is the sweetest of all languages, though the new generation is drifting away from it. There was a time when the library used to be filled with readers. However, most of those readers are no longer alive. Only a few PhD scholars now visit the library for their work.”
Photo by Nabeel Ahmad
A place that was previously bustling with activity from city dwellers who devoured Urdu newspapers, magazines, and novels is now desolate and silent. Amidst the haunting stillness, the sound of pages rustling from bygone eras is nearly audible. Altaf bemoaned the slow but steady decline of Urdu readers, citing youth as an example of an audience that values instant gratification more than the more reflective practice of reading, especially Urdu.
Altaf emphasised that parents should encourage their children to learn to read and write Urdu in this era. The new generation needs to pay heed to Urdu; otherwise, the language will gradually go extinct.
Altaf added, “The library is open to the public and provides a lifetime membership for Rs. 1,500. Members can issue the books; however, the older and rare collection is aesthetically stacked on the shelf. Over the years, Urdu lovers in the city have considered this place a haven for learning.”
The Muslim Library is one of the repositories of India’s linguistic and cultural wealth, holding the key to Urdu’s revival. By digitising their precious collections, these forgotten sanctuaries can be transformed into accessible digital archives. Coupled with restoration efforts, proper funding, and community engagement through reading clubs, literary events, and language courses, these libraries can become vibrant hubs of learning and appreciation. Strategic partnerships with the government, corporations, and the public are essential to ensuring their preservation and expansion. With a concerted effort, these libraries can ignite a renaissance of Urdu, reasserting its place as the soul of India’s literary heritage.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> Culture / by Nabeel Ahmad / August 01st, 2024
