Category Archives: NRI’s / PIO’s

Doha: Voice of World – Season 1 winners declared

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Doha, QATAR :

The most awaited trending and entertaining Doha Music Lovers ‘Voice of World’ Online singing competition ended on September 10, 2021 by finding its three winners of both Hindi and Telugu languages simultaneously.

The show has gained huge popularity among fans and viewers because the show brought new concepts for all the viewers. The first episode of the show appeared on June 13, 2021 on Channel 5 and after three months, the grand finale happened at ICC’s Ashoka Hall, Doha, Qatar under 75 years Azadika Amrit Mahotsav in coordination with ICC. The show was produced by Doha Music Lovers Group in association with Telangana Praja Samithi Qatar.

The three winners announced in Hindi were Tejaswi from California, USA, Jyotisha Santosh from Doha, Qatar and Shruthi Prabhala from Bilaspur, India.

For Telugu the three winners were Medha Anantuni from Texas, USA, Geeta Lakshmi from Pennsylvania, USA and Mavuru Sravani from Vishakhapatnam, India. Many contestants are left in the show to entertain the viewers.


More than 650 singers participated in this ‘Voice of World’ online singing competition out of which 30 singers were shortlisted in Hindi and 30 in Telugu, it took three months to reach the finals with 10 rounds of competition in between.

The eminent dignitaries who were present at the Grand Finale are Babu Rajan ICC President was the chief guest, Krishna Kumar, general secretary of ICC, K S Prasad ICC advisory committee board chairman, Ziyad Usman, ICBF president, Vinod Nair, ICBF vice-president, Azim Abbas, IBPC immediate president, Gadde Srinivas, president of Telangana Praja Samithi Qatar, Nandini Abbagoni president of Telangana Jagruthi Qatar, Satyanarayana president of Andhra Kala Vedika, Khaja Nizamuddin, president of Telangana Welfare Association and Syed Rafi chairman of Channel 5 and director and producer of Voice of World and last but not the least Jai Prakash Singh of North Central India Group.

Talking to media Syed Rafi said that it was very difficult to decide the winners as everyone sang very well, but as it is a competition and we have to take some hard decisions, the winners were decided based on Judges votes, committee votes, elite members votes and public votes. It is one of the longest season and ended with a bang, marking a new era in online singing contest said K S Prasad of ICC advisory committee chairman.

The winners will be given cash prize of Rs 50,000; Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 for first, second and third positions in each language. Voice of World online singing competition was sponsored by Dana World Contracting Co Wll, Telangana Food Suncons, H P Industries, Jai Prakash Singh and by Indian Hyderabadi Spices Restaurant.

The Grand Finale witnessed spectacular performances by Doha Music Lovers Group and this program was live on youtube wherein thousands of people watched it online from various countries.

Arif Rayees, Priti Vikramnath from Qatar and Srilatha Mula and Dr Vishwanatha Sridevi from India were the judges of this competition.

Mohinder Jalandhary, Preeti Trivedi, Venkappa Bhagavatula and Harika were the anchors for this singing competition. The show has completed 10 rounds before the grand finale.

Speaking on the occasion Gadde Srinivas president of TPS said that they are proud to provide this kind of platform to budding artist and he thanked Syed Rafi for taking this initiative and said that he and his group will be ready to support him all the time. Sophia Bukhari appreciated the efforts taken by Syed Rafi to provide a unique platform to budding artist on an international level and said that HP Industries would be proud to be associated with these kind of programs.

Jai Prakash Singh said that its not an easy task to conduct such kind of program with so much ease and professionalism, and he said kudos to Syed Rafi and his team for surpassing all the expectations. Praveen Buyyani of Telangana Food Suncons said that he was closely watching Voice of World from the first round and he observed how the program changed from the day 1 to present with lot of technicalities, background changes, lighting effects and change of stages, he said that he never expected that these many changes can be done in any program with limited resources, he concluded saying that it was an excellent program which surpassed all the expectations.

Baburajan president of ICC said that they are ready to support this kind of programs and said that they would love people to come forward which such kind of new initiatives and he congratulated Syed Rafi for conducting such a wonderful program. The show was concluded with vote of thanks by Venkat general secretary of Telangana Praja Samithi Qatar.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Middle East / by Media Release / September 13th, 2021

Kerala Boy to Play Alongside Neymar Jr in Qatar After Winning Online Talent Hunt

Amazing Feats, Education, NRI's / PIO's, Sports, World Opinion, , , , ,

Pazhayangadi (Kannur) KERALA / KUWAIT :

The Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five is counted among the largest amateur football tournaments in the world.

Also a fan of Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr is a huge inspiration to Shahzad. (Image Credits: Instagram/iamshahzad10)
Also a fan of Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr is a huge inspiration to Shahzad. (Image Credits: Instagram/iamshahzad10)

A teenager from Kerala qualified in an online talent hunt that got hundreds of entries from all over the world.

The boy was handpicked as one of the seven freestyle footballers in the show dubbed as 2021 Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five. Shahzad Mohammed Rafi, a boy from Pazhayangadi, Kannur, made his state proud by achieving the feat. The 17-year-old will play alongside Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr in a global five-a-side event to be held in Qatar.

The PSG footballer was a part of the committee comprising the seven panelists that examined 60-second videos of footballing talent shared by interested contestants on Instagram. They were supposed to upload a clip showcasing their skills with the hashtag: #OutPlayThemAll. Shahzad is one of the two qualified from India in the upcoming championship. The Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five is counted among the largest amateur football tournaments in the world.

The candidates had to be evaluated under multiple level screenings based on their performance. Shahzad participated in the last year’s edition but did not qualify at the national level. A class 12 student of Wadihuda Higher Secondary School, he is born to Muhammad Rafi and Sherifa Rafi. Shahzad showed interest in football since he was in class 6. As his family is settled in Kuwait, he is listed as an entry from there.

Abhinash Shanmugamfrom Bengaluru also secured a place in the final. Jaimy Schallenbergh (Belgium), Simon Gustavo (Brazil), Leon Gillies Mannes (Norway), Giorgio Montalti (Italy), and Stanley Godian (Nigeria) are the other freestylers selected by Neymar Jr.

Shahzad told Onmanorama that he is eager to meet and play alongside Neymar Jr. Also a fan of Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr is a huge inspiration to Shahzad. A few years ago, a chance meeting with French freestyler Sean Garnier became the turning point for the boy. The event with Neymar Jr is likely to be held in December or early next year.

source: http://www.news18.com / News 18 / Home> News> Buzz / September 09th, 2021

2-year-old Indian boy makes a record, memorizes car logos

Amazing Feats, Education, NRI's / PIO's, Transport, World Opinion

Palakkad District, KERALA / Abu Dhabi, U.A.E:

Omar is now preparing to improve his skills by memorizing 150 car logos and brand new logos within one year to create another record.

Abu Dhabi: 

A two-and-eleven-months-old United Arab Emirates (UAE) based boy of Indian origin has been recognised by the India book of records for his amazing grasping and memory skills.

Omar Zayn was born on July 31, 2018, in the Palakkad district of Kerala; has become the youngest person to recall 101 car logos in 4 minutes and 7 seconds.

While most children his age struggle to speak properly, this prodigy has answered many questions related to cars.

Zayn’s interest in cars has grown since he landed in UAE last year and his passion for car logos took a new turn when he learned it online. He has currently memorized more than 110 logos.

“His sole learning came from YouTube. He sat for hours just to understand and memorise logos,” Omar’s father Zainul Abid told Khaleej Times.

A video of Omar memorizing the names of car logos was submitted to the India Book of Records last month, and the family recently received the coveted certificate and recognized his extraordinary talent.

Omar is now preparing to improve his skills by memorizing 150 car logos and brand new logos within one year and hopes to create another record.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Middle East / by Sakina Fatima / September 05th, 2021

Anisa Mohammed to lead West Indies T20 Cricket team

Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Sports, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , ,

Sangre (Trinidad & Tobago), WEST INDIES :

Anisa Mohammed is the interim captain as Stafanie Taylor is unavailable for the T20I series due to serving a period of isolation in Antigua

Anisa Mohammed to lead West Indies team as Stafanie Taylor in isolation.

St John’s (Antigua): 

A 13-member West Indies women’s squad led by interim skipper Anisa Mohammed for the opening T20 International against South Africa Women at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground on Wednesday (IST) was announced by the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel on Tuesday.

Anisa Mohammed is the interim captain as Stafanie Taylor is unavailable for the T20I series due to serving a period of isolation in Antigua, after being identified as a primary contact of a COVID-19 positive case in Jamaica.

The women’s chief selector, Ann Browne-John said in a statement:

“The T20I and ODI series against South Africa gives another opportunity for the team to play international matches ahead of the upcoming ICC World Cup qualifiers (In March-April next year in New Zealand). It is unfortunate that Stafanie will not be available for this series but there are a number of experienced players who we would be looking to, to fill any void.

“The young player Qiana Joseph brings another left-hand batter option as well as left arm orthodox bowling which has been lacking in the team. This will be a good test coming out of the recent Pakistan series, since South Africa is one of the higher ranked teams.”

The West Indies women’s team returns to the field after a successful double series win over Pakistan women, where they took the T20I series 3-0 and the ODI series 3-2. The West Indies women’s squad has been preparing in a high-performance camp in Antigua prior to the upcoming series.

The second and third T20Is will take place at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground on September 2 and September 4 respectively. The five ODIs will be played from September 7 to 19, with the first three matches being played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) and the last two at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

Squad: Anisa Mohammed (Captain), Deandra Dottin, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman.

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Sports / by IANS / August 31st, 2021

Meet Muhammad Fadi, the Keralite who got admission at the London School of Economics

Amazing Feats, Education, NRI's / PIO's, World Opinion, , ,

Niramaruthoor (Thirur), KERALA:

Muhammad Fadi (18), who has roots in Niramaruthoor in Thirur, Kerala, has secured admission in the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE), the alma mater of Indian stalwarts like Dr. BR Ambedkar, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Interestingly, the youngster had studied in regular schools that are run by the government in Britain, from class four.

Fadi attributes his splendid achievement to his systematic approach to academics and active participation in co-curricular activities too.

An academically bright student, Fadi had scored ‘A’ stars for two subjects and an ‘A’ for another in the sixth form, which is equivalent to the higher secondary course in India, to secure a place at the iconic institution.

This indeed is an amazing feat when the criterion for admission was just ‘A’ for two subjects and ‘A’ star for one paper.

From age 15, Fadi had been dreaming of pursuing his higher education at either one of the three premier institutions in London – University of Cambridge, University of Oxford or at the London School of Economics.

The youngster says that he had even changed schools in the sixth form to help him achieve this dream. He shifted to the well-known Harris Westminster Sixth Form School which specifically trains the students to secure admission at some of the high-profile universities and institutions in the UK.

At this school, Fadi was an active member of the football, badminton, geography and economics societies. He regularly took part in the weekly discussions and debates that were conducted by these clubs. He had mentioned this in his personal profile that he had submitted along with his application to the universities. Besides this, an excellent evaluation note by his teachers too had helped him secure a seat for the famed BSc Economics graduate course at the LSE.

Life goal

Fadi says that his life’s mission is to study about the modern economic techniques that are widely used in the developed nations and to adopt these to the social and cultural scenario of the developing countries like India to alleviate poverty.

Family’s Indian roots

Fadi is the son of Niramaruthur native Valappil Shareef who had completed an MBA course from the London School of Commerce in 2004.

After completing his studies, Shareef had settled in London.

Meanwhile, Fadi had studied until class three at the MES schools in Mangalam and Thirur. He then migrated to London with his family.

As his family had permanent residency certificate, Fadi easily got admission at the public schools in London.

There, education up to the sixth form is completely free. Fadi says that there aren’t many private schools in London and most students attend government schools as they offer quality ducation.

His mother is Fousia and has a sister, Marwa. 

source: http://www.onmanorama.com / OnManorama / Home> Career & Campus / by Naseeb Karattil / September 01st, 2021

Book of true historical value documenting Bhopal State’s military history released

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Martyrs of the Nation, NRI's / PIO's, World Opinion, ,

Bhopal, MADHYA PRADESH :

A book entitled “Nizaam-I-Bhopal”, highlighting the forgotten facets of Bhopal’s military history, penned by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Milan Lalit Kumar Naidu, PVSM, AVSM YSM, the former Vice-Chief of Army Staff, was recently released.

The book was released by current Vice-Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. C. P. Mohanty at Dronachal, the headquarters of Sudarshan Chakra Corps, in Bhopal.

Lt. Gen. Naidu’s untiring efforts gave shape to his book “Nizaam-I-Bhopal”. It took five years of research, poring through Farsi (Persian) and Urdu records that led to the book.

It is only befitting that this wistful narrative is brought out by Bhopal’s very own son, Milan Naidu, who personifies that gentility, sophistication and aesthetic refinement to do justice to any literature to do with Bhopal. As a thoroughbred officer-and-a-gentleman with the highest military credentials and an illustrious career behind him only could have produced such an exquisite and masterful body of work “Nizaam-I-Bhopal”. The unforgiving ravages of time, circumstances and dominant instincts that governed its leadership from time-to-time, have been minutely analysed, explained and postulated for posterity. The rich, unsung and often unknown facets and tapestry of Bhopal’s military traditions, legacy and its continuing imprints are generously captured, documented and brought alive in this book.

In the book “Nizaam-I-Bhopal” Lt. Gen. Milan Naidu (Retd.) has charted the transformation story of rag-tag forces of the Indian princely states, from the 18th century to that modern Army. He has lucidly described the socio-economic-politico environment which existed in those times and analysed the evolution, rules, service conditions, ceremonials and battles fought by state forces, with special reference to Bhopal State.

The Book is a historical analysis of the Militaries of the Bhopal Princely State. Bhopal had the singular position in the comity of Princely States in British India, with a 175 years’ continuous line of Begums rulers. They were visionaries, educated and erudite. They displayed tremendous administrative ability, leadership qualities and diplomatic acumen, coupled with comparable skill at horse riding and arms. These Rulers set the tone of the Militaries and its motivation. The Bhopal Battalion, as part of the Indian Expeditionary Force, was the first non-Europeans to have disembarked at Marseilles in France to fight the War on foreign shores battling the weather and enemy alike.

A Bhopal battalion was even awarded one of only nine Victoria Crosses given out to Indian soldiers in Mesopotamia in the Great War. That same unit is part of Pakistan now. In the 1965 India-Pak war this battalion was awarded “Nishan-e-Haider”. The icing on the cake was that its Militaries were demobilized in a peaceful and a placid manner, to be absorbed by the Civvy Street in a symbiotic equation.

With such historical genesis and background of the State Forces, Lt. Gen. Naidu (Retd.) helps us to understand how much of our present Army developed its traditions, values and ethos; the singular character which it win the Kargil war despite the severe adversities.

This book is of true historical value, especially of the painstaking research, much from many primary sources, obtaining information from abroad (including Pakistan), interviewing progeny of the soldiers, and finally putting all of it in order.

The author’s observations on the governance and policies of the rulers help us to trace the developmental process of the state. How these issues impinged at various times on the States Forces is reflected subtly. Some of the anecdotes narrated in the book are hilarious and some quite poignant.

Kalim Akhtar, a historian and researcher says: “It is interesting to read how the Bhopal army collaborated with the British and fought the World Wars as well. It presents a true picture of history after years of research of Farsi (Persian) and Urdu records maintained in libraries, as far as the UK. It will be of great interest to lovers of history and especially those who love Bhopal.”

While Iram Khan, a housewife, in her comments about the book says: “It is well researched and attention grasping and would recommend it to anyone who has even a slight curiosity about the old world charm that the city of Bhopal still exudes”.

Meanwhile, the author of the book, Milan Naidu joined the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the famed Rajput Regiment in 1967. He served for 41 years, holding several key positions – including worked as Military Attaché in Germany; Commanded 5th Battalion the Rajput Regiment in Sri Lanka; Commander of the Corps in Ladakh and GOC-in-C Army Training and Doctrine Command at Shimla before being made the Army Vice-Chief. He attended Canadian Forces Command and Staff College Course in Toronto. After retirement, he was appointed a member of the Armed Forces Tribunal at New Delhi.

His other assignments include: Working Chairperson of the Organising Committee for the Military World Games 2007; Member of the Executive Council of the Indian Golf Union; Chairperson of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies; Member of the Executive Council of the United Service Institution of India.

Lt. Gen. Naidu (Retd.) was born and brought up in Bhopal, the state capital of Madhya Pradesh. He did his schooling from Bhopal passing out X Class (Matric) from St Josephs Higher Secondary School, Bhopal in 1963. I may mention here that he was seven years senior to me in the school where I too studied in the sixties.

He did his M.Sc. in Defence Studies from Madras University in1984-85. Later on he did M. Phil in Defence Management in 1989-90. He completed Post Graduate Diploma in Environment and Ecology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal in 1996-97.

He won the Junior Small Bore in the National Shooting Championship in 1963. He was awarded ‘Shooting Blue’ in NDA.

source: http://www.maeeshat.in / maeeshat.in / Home> Books> Business / by Pervez Bari / August 02nd, 2021

Riyaz Bhat – ‘The Rugman of Doha’ who is weaving rugs & bringing his culture to Qatar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, NRI's / PIO's, , , , , , , , , , ,

Srinagar, JAMMU & KASHMIR, INDIA / Doha, QATAR :

On Al Mirqab Street at Al Nasser is a tiny carpet store that’s been there since 2000. Its neighboring stores come and go but this one hasn’t changed its location for 21 years. Now, sandwiched between a shawarma restaurant and a telecom shop, the store regularly brings handmade rugs and carpets from Kashmir and Afghanistan. The store is owned and managed by a man known as ‘The Rugman of Doha’. Why is he known by this name and what is special about his carpets and rugs?

The Rugman For Handicrafts shop on Al Mirqab Street, Al Nasser.

The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team reached out to ‘The Rugman of Doha’, Riyaz Bhat, to learn more about his passion for tribal rugs and how he sees each rug he brings to Qatar as a work of art. Let’s get to know him better!

ILQ: Please tell us something about yourself.

The Rugman of Doha’. / Image credit: Riyaz Bhat

Riyaz: My name is Riyaz Bhat. I was born and raised in Srinagar City in the valley of beautiful Kashmir in India. Since I was a child, I have always been fascinated by rugs handcrafted by my family of weavers — how they would fill tiny knots one by one with natural fibers like silk or wool, and then how those tiny knots on looms would take the shape of a beautiful carpet with amazing patterns. When I was in grade 8, I was given permission to use the loom and eventually learned how to weave rugs.

After I finished college I was planning to go for higher education and take a business course, but my destiny had something else planned for me. When I read the story of the nomad tribes of Central Asia and learned about how they make quality handmade rugs, I decided to travel to Afghanistan to see the process myself. So, in 1987 I started my adventure to war-torn Afghanistan. It really was a difficult journey, but very rewarding. I witnessed how the talented nomad women of the region would weave the most beautiful and fascinating rugs, which they would trade for food and money. I traveled back and forth to Afghanistan for more than 10 years, and as I learned more about designs, patterns, and dyes, my passion for carpets and rugs grew more as well.

ILQ: How long have you been here in Qatar and how has your journey been so far?

Riyaz: In 1999, while I was working with my uncle in Pakistan, a customer visiting from Doha came to our store and bought a few rugs from me. He introduced Qatar to me as a fast-growing and developing country and encouraged me to open up a store here. At first, I hesitated but destiny again planned one more great adventure for me. I landed at the old Doha Airport for the first time in October 1999 with a 14-day business visa, and that visa was extended and extended, and I’m happy to say that it’s my 22nd year now in this wonderful country.

ILQ: How did you get the title ‘The Rugman of Doha’?

Riyaz: After searching for many places here, I finally found a location for my store. On 4 April 2000, I opened my showroom at Al Mirqab Street in Al Nasser and have never changed location since then. During the first few days, customers started coming and my store was introduced to a great group of people from VCUarts Qatar. Among them was Cathleen Ferguson Huntington who upon entering my shop saw me and said, “Are you the Rugman?” And that’s how the ‘The Rugman of Doha’ was born.

ILQ: What do you value most about what you do? Why do you love what you do?

Riyaz Bhat weaving a silk rug on his family loom in Kashmir, India. / Image credit: Riyaz Bhat

Riyaz: Weaving rugs has been my passion since childhood, and I really love and value what I do. I value the times I’m with tribal groups and get to introduce nomad women designers and their amazing artworks to the world. By doing this I feel satisfied with what I have done in my life.

I also welcome students and small groups of people in our store for a free discussion about rug art and history. I enjoy discussing and providing information about the history of rugs and the beautiful story behind each rug that we have. I am thankful that I am gifted with the talent to weave and tell important stories.

ILQ: How will you describe your shop to people who’ve never seen it before?

Waji Khan, cousin of Riyaz Bhat, holds a 150-year-old pure wool handmade Shiraz tribal rug. It’s a wedding sufra (dining) rug, made by the mother of the bride.

Riyaz: My store, The Rugman, is not just a carpet store. It is rather a learning class for art and history and I bet once you listen to our stories and see our collections, you are going to love it for a lifetime. Each carpet has a story. Each rug is an art.

ILQ: What motivated you to bring your carpets to Qatar?

Riyaz: As soon as I arrived in Doha, I went around the city and strolled to see different places. I went to markets and to the lone mall during that time – The Mall at D Ring road. I saw one rug store inside that mall with many customers. I also went to the old downtown where there were more rug stores, and I saw people buying rugs. That’s when I decided to open a store here.

ILQ: Was it easy to set up a carpet store here in Qatar?

Riyaz: Yes, at that time it was very easy to open a store and I was very lucky to find a great sponsor who also became my investment partner. He helped in every way to open my shop. Qatar is one lovely country, and living and working here has been a lot easier compared to other countries and has been very encouraging for my business.

ILQ: What kind of rugs and carpets will people find in your shop?

Riyaz: We have extremely high-quality handmade rugs from my family of weavers. Besides that, we also have genuine handmade rugs made by nomads like Turkmen, Kazak, Balouch, Uzbek, Shirwan, Ghazni, and many other small tribes of the region. Each rug collected from them tells a beautiful story.

ILQ: What is the biggest difficulty you have faced in bringing these carpets and rugs from Afghanistan to Qatar?

Riyaz Bhat (left) in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in 2005. / Image credit: Riyaz Bhat

Riyaz: Going to Afghanistan, collecting these rugs from these nomads one by one in person and getting them shipped to Pakistan first by trucks, and then from Pakistan to Qatar by plane. It really is an extremely tiring process.

ILQ: Have you participated in both local and international exhibitions?

Waji Khan, cousin of Riyaz Bhat, describes one of the rugs available in the shop.

Riyaz: Yes, I have participated in both local and international exhibitions and shows. I recently returned from my shows in Houston, Texas, and Arlington, Virginia. These were my 5th and 6th shows in the USA. I have also done many shows for American Women’s Association Qatar, Tuesdays Ladies Group Qatar, Qatar Expat Women, US Embassy Qatar, Exxon Mobil Oil Qatar, Shell Qatar, and many other private shows.

ILQ: Do you have both local and international customers? How do you ship the rugs/carpets to your customers?

On the second floor of The Rugman store.

Riyaz: Yes, we have local and international customers and we ship our rugs all over the world. Our foreign customers are mostly from the USA, Canada, and Europe. We have a very economical door-to-door shipping facility.

ILQ: Why should people own at least one of the carpets/rugs you offer?

A rug inspired by the famous Ardabil Carpet is available at The Rugman store.

Riyaz: Our rugs are not like those commercial rugs you see in many stores. Our rugs are made by nomads and purely handmade using natural resources. These are the rugs that if taken good care of can end up in museums as they are extremely strong.

ILQ: What is the price range of rugs and carpets in your store?

Carpets/rugs and other souvenir items are available at The Rugman store.

Riyaz: It depends on the quality, the material, and the work put into it. Sometimes a very small rug costs much more than a huge rug. But I would say rugs in our collection range from QR 600 up to QR 70,000. It depends on how crazy you are about rugs and how much budget you have.

ILQ: What do you think is the future of handmade tribal rugs and carpets?

Carpets/rugs and other souvenir items are available at The Rugman store.

Riyaz: Carpet weaving is one difficult and time-consuming job. One must be very patient and creative to create rugs. The new generation is not taking it as a vocation, and it’s becoming a dying art. Sad to say, I feel that in the next 30 to 40 years we might not see genuine handmade rugs anymore.

ILQ: What message do you have for the people of Qatar?

Riyaz: Work with all the enthusiasm and confidence in you, and your achievement will just be right there at the corner. Obey and respect the rules and laws of this wonderful country.

Get in touch with Riyaz:

  • Phone: +974 5555 3407, +974 3396 2977
  • Instagram: @rugmanofdoha
  • Facebook: @therugmanofdoha
  • Website: www.the-rugman.com

Cover image credit: Riyaz Bhat

source: http://www.iloveqatar.net / I Love Qatar.net / Home> News / by Marivie / August 03rd, 2021

UAE based NRI entrepreneur announces Rs 1 crore reward for Sreejesh

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, World Opinion,

KERALA, INDIA / UAE :

A non-resident Indian healthcare entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates on Monday announced a Rs one crore cash reward for the Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper P R Sreejesh

P R Sreejesh, Indian men’s hockey goalkeeper

A non-resident Indian healthcare entrepreneur based in the United Arab Emirates on Monday announced a Rs one crore cash reward for the Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper P R Sreejesh.

The announcement by Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil comes days after the Indian men’s team won the bronze medal at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.

Sreejesh, who belongs to Kerala, pulled off a series of stunning saves to help the country win its first Olympic medal in hockey after 41 years.

“Through his outstanding performance at the Olympics, Sreejesh has brought joy to Indians around the world. As a fellow Malayali, I take tremendous pride in his achievement,” Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director of VPS Healthcare, was quoted as saying in a media release.

Vayalil also called Sreejesh to congratulate him for his exemplary performance.

Dr. Shamsheer has congratulated the entire team for this great achievement and offered his support to us. The announcement of the Rs. 1 crore reward caught me by surprise. A reward for winning a medal in the Olympics is delightful news and I feel very fortunate to be the recipient, said Sreejesh.

Over the last two decades, Sreejesh has carved a niche for himself in the field of hockey. Entering the junior national hockey team in the early 2000s, Sreejesh worked hard to make his way to the national team.

He also served as the captain of the national team in 2016. His quick reflexes and consistent performance have earned him the moniker The Great Wall of India’.

Sreejesh, who returns to India on Monday after the successful Tokyo campaign, will be presented with the cash prize at a special function in Kochi.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Sports> Tokyo Olympics 2020> News / by Press Trust of India, Dubai / August 09th, 2021

In a first, Hyderabad mosque sets up operation theatre for minor surgeries

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, FREE : Healthcare / Assistance, Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, Useful / HEALTHCARE, , , , , , ,

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

OT is addition to a Primary care, dental chair, Community ophthalmology, NCD Desk it runs for the weaker sections free of cost.

'First of its kind' operation theatre in Mosque for minor surgeries
The minor OT, which formally launched on Saturday in Masjid Omer-al-Shifa, located in Saif colony, Shaheenagar

Hyderabad: 

In a first of its kind initiative, a primary health care center run by a non-governmental organization (NGO), in Masjid Omer-al-Shifa, located in Saif colony, Shaheenagar has now set up a full-fledged operation theater (OT) for minor surgeries.

The minor OT, which was formally launched on Saturday will have state of the art equipment like surgery table, OT lights, advanced instrumentation, bio-waste disposal process for keeping good hygiene and sanitation for patient safety.

OT is addition to a primary care, dental chair, community ophthalmology, non-communicable disease desk it runs for the weaker sections free of cost.

The primary health care center run by the NGO Helping Hand Foundation (HHF).

All minor surgeries with pre-surgical profile and post op medicines will be given free of charge by HHF to all patients regardless of their caste or creed.

Most areas surrounding the health center have faced inundation last year October and continue to face problems of overflowing drains, nalas and flooding. Consequently, these slums are endemic to water borne and skin diseases.

The HHF in collaboration with AMPI (american muslim physicians of Indian origin), USA, is catering to the primary health care needs for over 20 urban slums since December, 2020.

With an average foot fall of seven hundred patients per day, it was observed that a significant number of patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases are having complications that require surgical procedures, which many cannot afford.

As per the survey done by the NGO, three per cent of the diabetics visiting the center had diabetic foot that very quickly translates into gangrene if untreated.

Cases of patients with Corns, Lipomas, Keloids, in growing nails, benign fibroadenomas, burning wounds, sebaceous cysts, non-healing ulcers are were also commonly seen in the center.

So far, 25 minor surgeries have been performed.

“Due to lack of awareness, poor hygiene and non-compliance to treatment many patients are landing in complications that require surgical intervention,” said Dr Arif Hussain, general surgeon at the clinic.

“Once a patient lands into complication the treatment for such conditions is prolonged and expensive and since majority of the patients are daily wagers with little saving, they tend to neglect resulting in devastating consequences,” said Mujtaba Hasan Askari, Helping Hand Foundation.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad News / by Sakina Fatima / August 07th, 2021

This UAE doctor served two generations of mothers

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JAMMU & KASHMIR / Abu Dhabi, UAE :

Dr. Saleema Wani – supplied photo

Serving the people of the UAE as a doctor for the last three decades has been a feeling of unconditional love for Dr Saleema Wani.

The greatest treasure for me as a doctor in the UAE, has been to witness babies born at my hands, go on to become mothers and fathers themselves!

During my three-decade’ plus journey in the UAE, I have been at hand to see generation after generation bring in beautiful children into this world.

I remember holding the hands of a young mother giving birth to her daughter. And then years later, holding the hands of her daughter as she gave birth to her two children.

And to think that when I landed here with my husband on April 15, 1989, I thought I would be spending probably a year or two, before returning to my home country.

The second day after landing in the UAE from Kashmir, I began work as a junior doctor at the Corniche Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Interestingly, when I arrived here, I had still not resigned from my previous role. I had planned on staying here for a few years, before returning to my home country. Little did I know then that those ‘few years’ would extend into a ‘few decades’ — thirty-two years to be precise.

In those years, I have walked in and out of the hospital day in and day out. There were times when I was extremely tired and desolate, as life kept marching ahead, but I could not give up. I was on a mission, with little time to spare!

When I think about leaving the UAE, it is hard to imagine. It is hard to leave a country when it feels like home and you are surrounded by family — not only your own blood, but the many who have become my extended family here — thanks to my profession.

I have served two generations of mothers, and today I am helping those women born through my hands, give birth to new babies! Many of them still call me up and ask for my advice, and treat me as if I were their second mother. How could I possibly leave my children behind?

When I look at these mothers, I see that while so many changes have taken place in the UAE over the last three decades — be it socio-economic change or in other aspects, two things have re mained constant — the values and traditions instilled in Emiratis and expats by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan. The second is the weather! And while not much can be said about the weather, it is fair to say that it was these values and traditions of love and patronage showered by families and elders, that made me feel like I was at home — just like a member of each of their families. It gives me comfort knowing my two sons Mohammed and Ammar are never going to be alone.

Raising two sons whilst working as a doctor, being a wife, and earning qualifications all at once was not easy. But how could I not upskill when the path was paved for me through the pragmatic and visionary leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Our Nation’s Mother Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).

Sheikh Zayed once said: “No matter how many buildings, foundations, schools and hospitals we build, or how many bridges we raise, all these are material entities. The real spirit behind the progress is the human spirit, able man with his intellect and capabilities.”

This particular quote resonates deeply with me. It inspired me to work on my growth in order to remain abreast with the latest technological advancements, as well as give back to the community by assuming several teaching and mentoring roles in the education sector.

Erich Fromm once wrote that: “People who manage to learn to love in a mature and conscious way understand that love isn’t possession nor conditions. Love is a caring and firm desire to promote the growth of all those people we love.”

Simply put, serving the people of this country as a doctor for the last three decades has been a feeling of unconditional love for me. As I reflect on my time in this country, and the years to come, I feel that life is not about us doing what we love; rather, we need to love what we do.

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> Year of the 50th / by Dr Saleema Wani / July 29th, 2021