Category Archives: Sports

Sevens Football: Throbbing Soul of Kerala’s Sporting Fraternity

Sports

KERALA:

A scene from the match ( photo: Grace Mubashir)

The December weather in Northern Kerala is humid and soakingly sizzling. Askar Vandithodi, a 33-year-old IT official by profession and loyal fan of football attends a peculiar Kerala version of football. 

All passages to the make-shift stadium in Malappuram district are decorated with life-size posters of rival teams and players. The gallery is filled to the brim and spectators are hooting and cheering incessantly.  The mud football ground in the middle is recently manicured and marked with fresh chalk powder. Here, two teams with seven players on each side are sweating out to ram through defenses and score goals.

After three years of Covid-induced shutdown, Sevens Football is back to ubiquitous vigour in Kerala from 2023.

Colonial genesis of Football rage

Northern parts of Kerala, known as the Malabar region, are well known for their football mania where football kicked off a psychological resistance against colonialism. Football was introduced by the British in Malabar when an armed battalion of Malabar Special Police was raised in the 19th century to deal with rebellious native Mappilas. Mappilas were an agrarian community predominantly living in North Kerala, part of the erstwhile Madras Presidency. 

Watching the British play the game, some were inducted into the team as substitutes and rookies to balance the numbers of the teams. Awed by the intensity of the game and the cheap availability of sports gear, compared to polo and cricket, made football more popular.

After the devastating 1921 Mappila Rebellion, British employed the football to reach out to the aggrieved Mappila community, hostile towards the government for its violent reprisal of rebellion. According to eminent journalist and author V. Musaffar Ahmad, the British successfully made inroads into the wounded minds through football diplomacy. And thus the steady growth of football.

From ballboys to formidable rivals, soon Malabar football advanced. Oldtimers still revel in the memories of homegrown barefoot team thrashing the British in the 1940s. 

Innovative, indigenous sports format

This football format is an ingenious innovation to suit the geographical and sports needs of the people. This style of football is conveniently modified according to local needs.

Seven-people strong rivals compete with each other, to reach the knock-out stage and to semi-final and final.

Around 50-60 Sevens Football tournaments are held every year in Kerala between November and April. Out of these, 15 to 20 tournaments are held under the banner of the Sevens Football Association.

Number of trophies won by clubs ( photo: Grace Mubashir)

The tournament period starts by the end of the paddy harvest and stretches into the onset of monsoon by June. Even though agriculture has lost its patrons in the region and only small tracts are cultivated, the timing of the tournaments is a nostalgic throwback to the agrarian connection the Sevens has in Kerala.

Typical mud ground is 35-40 meters in width and 55-60 meters in length. Unlike professional football, the offside trap rule is more lenient to give the match an attacking charm. 

Along with legendary clubs, every year new clubs join the fray. Some clubs like Super Studio Malappuram, AL Madeena Cherppulessery, and FIFA Manjeri, have more than three decades of annual presence, courting them die-hard fan base. 

“Footfalls will be huge when teams like Real FC Thennala and Al Madeena Cherppulasseri play. These teams have traditional fanbase due to successive impressive runs in recent years”, said Vandithodi.

‘Football is a religion’

The entire football festival is locally managed without any government support. Tournament committees are formed after deliberation and the local people wholeheartedly back the event from beginning to end. 

The matches are not profit-oriented. Many tournaments are conducted to support the palliative and charity efforts of the locality. 

Tournaments are local festivals of harmony and recreation. Here, football seeped into the inner fabric of people and is a hereditary trait coursing through the arteries of society and culture.

Religion and politics blur in the Sevens hysteria. “For the people of Kerala, especially in Malabar, football is a religion; a phalanx of icons from Maradona and Pele to Neymar and Messi are the gods”, noted sports journalist Jaffer Khan in his book documenting football history in Malabar.

Women greeting players at Koyappa tournament ( photo: Grace Mubashir)

Football culture is intrinsically imbued within the everyday lives of North Kerala people. From sandy beaches and laterite quarries to splashy water bodies to verdant fields football is a conspicuous sight. In summer, football is played on rough terrains whereas monsoon ushers drenching mud football.

The sheer excitement of chasing football cheering on the players or dishing out money for sports never wavers.

For buffs like Bava Ashraf, popularly known as Super Bava after the football club he founded in Malappuram, football engulfs the whole life. Started as a ferocious central back in the 1980s, Bava now runs Super Studio Malappuram Club, one of the most successful Sevens clubs in Kerala. 

Football providing employment to locals

Seven Tournaments are local festivals with parallel economy. “Tournaments directly and indirectly employ a lot of people. Players, referees, gallery builders to live streamers to hawkers are part of this football grid. A fisherman or autorickshaw driver in the day, fastening laces in the night is a common sight here”, said Asker.

Furthermore, Sevens at night is relaxation. People after the hard toil of the day, rush to the grounds to get carried away in the wizardry of football.

Players before the start of the match ( photo: Grace Mubashir)

According to P.P Jihad, who manages a football team in Delhi named ‘Malabar Makhani’, the sheer physical intensity and swiftness of the Sevens format captivate the people. He equated Elevens to test matches, Nines to ODI, and Sevens to Twenty20.

A fan of the sport told Two Circles that their lives revolve around football. “From childhood, our life is woven around football. We run from the crack of dawn to the ground and spend there until darkness shrouds us. Then we chat and squabble about football. People from all generations mingle easily in the magic of football here” boasted Nifad, a Gen Z from Therattammal village.

Springboard for professional football career

Sevens Football is a prelude to a professional football career. Many past and present players of professional football were part of this local football festival. I.M Vijayan, star of Indian football chiseled his skills as a Sevens player for various teams, before making a foray into the national team. Former Indian players like U. Sharafali, Asif Saheer, and Noushad started their careers in the rough terrains of Sevens Football. 

Players from abroad compete 

Another major attraction of the game that draws many eyes and mints money at ticket counters is the glossy presence of foreign players, mainly from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Senegal. 

Players are scouted through agents and brought into Kerala on contracts. Some players are successful enough to carve out an everlasting niche in the lingering public football memory. Suhaib Hamza from Mannarkkad fondly remembered his childhood heroes Francis and Junior Francis who had a dreamy run between 2012 and 2018, playing for FIFA Manjeri. 

According to Sevens Football Association rules only three foreign players can play in a match. “The playing prowess of foreign players adds romance to the events. Plus, it also improves the overall quality of the game” opined Asker.

In dire need of overhaul

Without government support and recognition by football associations, Sevens is in dire need of critical interventions. 

“Football grows not seasonally. To have a vibrant football culture permanent stadiums are necessary. Around such stadiums, coaching academies could be opened to professionally train coming generations,” said Jihad. 

Still, Sevens is the exclusive space of males, frowning the presence of women in galleries. Although some changes are visible through an increasing number of women spectators, this sport is still patriarchal entertainment as games are muscular. 

Grace Mubashir is a freelance journalist based in Delhi, India. 

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Arts & Culture / by Grace Mubashir, twocircles.net / March 24th, 2024

Meet Shams Aalam from Bihar who receives two World No.1 Rankings and Won 06 Gold Medals, at Reykjavik Games

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BIHAR:

Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh won 6 gold medals at the Reykjavik International Games held at Laugardalslaug Iceland from 26-28 January 2024, whilst representing India.

Aalam has ranked no. 1 in men’s 100m butterfly stroke and men’s 50m breaststroke, according to World Para Swimming’s official world rankings for 2024.

In Iceland last month, Shams Alam won 6 medals, including one gold in 200m individual medley, one silver medal in 50m and 100m breaststroke and butterfly stroke, and three bronze medals in 50m and 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly stroke.

Aalam also broke Herojit Singh and Shreekant Desai’s time records in 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke, respectively.

In his interview with TOI, Alam seemed confident that he’d qualify for the Paris Paralympic Games 2024 by meeting the Paralympic time requirements soon enough. He will also be participating in the National Paralympic Games scheduled in March this year, in Gwalior. 

“I am yet to reach the Paralympic qualification mark with my timings at Reykjavik but I am confident that I will get enough opportunities to secure a berth at the Paris Games. The National Games will be my next shot at the Paris quota,” Aalam said in his interview with the Times of India.

Image

Mohammad Shams Aalam is a 37-year-old, paraplegic swimmer, who holds the world record in the longest open sea swimming by a paraplegic individual.

Born in Bihar, Alam was interested in sports as a child, particularly karate and swimming. However, after a spinal cord injury in 2010, Alam took up professional swimming and even went on to represent India at the Asia Para Games in 2018. 

source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob Media / Home> East India / by Maktoob Staff / February 27th, 2024

Oman boys emerge champions

Amazing Feats, Karnataka (under research project), NRI's / PIO's, Sports, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

INDIA / OMAN:

Rahil Habibulla-led team trounce Hong Kong, China by 100 runs in the final of ICC Men’s U19 CWC Asia Division 2 Qualifier in Bangkok.

Muscat :

A dominating performance by Oman boys was capped with a spectacular victory in the final of the ICC Men’s U19 Asia Division 2 Qualifier as they routed Hong Kong, China by 100 runs at the TERD Thai Cricket ground in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday.

Both Oman and Hong Kong, China, had already qualified for the ICC Men’s U19 Asia Division 1 ahead of the final. Tuesday’s victory for Rahil Habibulla-led Oman meant that the boys kept a clean slate in the tournament, winning a total of five games on the trot.

Rahil Daniyal Habibulla Of Oman receives the winning trophy during the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Deepak Malik / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
Nitish Nadendla Of Oman receives Player of the Tournament award during the presentation of the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Deepak Malik / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
Saumya Bhavin Sampat Of Oman receives Player of the Match award during the presentation of the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Deepak Malik / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

In the final, Oman’s Saumya Sampat stood out with his all-round performance as he missed a half-century (48 off 80 balls) in the team’s total of 249/5 in the allotted 50 overs.

Saumya then excelled with the ball as he picked up three wickets for 25 to be deservingly named the player of the final as Hong Kong, China, were restricted to 149/9.

Opting to bat first, Oman, coached by Syed Aamir Kaleem, rode on two century partnerships to set up a total to defend.

Oman players celebrate after winning the Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier match between Hong Kong China and Oman held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, Thailand on March 5, 2024. Photo by: Vipin Pawar / Creimas RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

First, it was a 108-run second-wicket stand between Jeet Shah (50, 99 balls) and Saumya and then it was the unbroken 104-run sixth-wicket partnership between Nitish Nadendla (51 n.o., 35 balls) and Rohan Ramachandran (49 n.o., 53 balls) that saw Oman post a total of 249/5.

Both Rohan and Nitish  took over the run-charge after the fall of Rahil in the 37th over and slammed more than 100 runs in the next 13 overs with ten boundaries and a six.

Harry Hodgson and Arya Panjwani claimed two wickets each for Hong Kong.

Chasing a tough target, Hong Kong stumbled early on as they were down to 17/2 in the fourth over. Two quick wickets by the tenth over had Hong Kong reeling at 45/4 with Saumya, Varshieth Dinesh, Puladith Ralalage and Prathiesh Ramesh among wickets.

Mathew Clayton fought a lone battle with a half-century (50) as Oman bowlers picked wickets at regular intervals to restrict their rivals to 149/9 in 50 overs.

Aarez Dar (28), Arya Panjwani (15), and Rishan Shah (18) were the only other batters to get to double digits.

Oman tried out as many as eight bowlers and seven of them were successful with Saumya taking three. Varshieth, Puladith, Arya Sampat, Prathiesh, Gaurav Dinesh and Rohan Ramachandran claimed a wicket apiece.

Earlier, Oman had topped Group B with three straight wins as they beat Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, China and Bhutan to make it to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, Oman got the better of Malaysia before coming up with yet another stellar display to keep their winning streak.

Oman’s Nitish Nadendla was adjudged Player of the Tournament for scoring 164 runs in 5 innings.

Brief scores: Oman 249/5 in 50 overs (Jeet Shah 50, Saumya Sampat 48, Rohan Ramachandran 49 n.o., Nitish Nadendla 51 n.o.; Harry Hodgson 2/45, Arya Panjwani 2/51) beat Hong Kong, China 149/9 in 50 overs (Aarez Dar 28, Mathew Clayton 50; Saumya Sampat 3/25).

source: http://www.thearabianstories.com / The Arabian Stories / Home> Sports News / by TAS News Service / March 05th, 2024

Oman Triumphs in Cricket: Rahil Habibulla’s Leadership and Aamir Kaleem’s Coaching Celebrated

Amazing Feats, Karnataka (under research project), NRI's / PIO's, Sports, World Opinion

INDIA / OMAN:

Oman’s cricket team, led by Rahil Habibulla and coached by Aamir Kaleem, clinches a significant win, eyeing greater successes in Division 1 competitions.

Oman Triumphs in Cricket: Rahil Habibulla's Leadership and Aamir Kaleem's Coaching Celebrated
Oman Triumphs in Cricket: Rahil Habibulla’s Leadership and Aamir Kaleem’s Coaching Celebrated

Oman’s cricket team, under the stellar leadership of captain Rahil Habibulla and the strategic coaching of Aamir Kaleem, recently clinched a significant victory, marking a triumphant moment in their cricketing journey. This win not only celebrates the team’s collective effort but also highlights individual accolades such as Malaysia’s Mohammad Akram being named Batter of the Tournament and Kuwait’s Janath Herathliyanage winning Bowler of the Tournament.

Strategic Leadership and Team Dynamics

The victory was a result of meticulous planning, unwavering dedication, and the seamless execution of strategies developed over months of hard work. Rahil Habibulla, reflecting on the journey, emphasized the blend of youth and experience within the team. Leading a team with a majority of players facing their first international tournament, Habibulla’s leadership was pivotal in navigating through the challenges and steering the team towards victory. The support from the Oman Cricket Board was instrumental, providing the necessary resources and belief in the team’s potential.

Coaching Excellence and Team Performance

Aamir Kaleem, expressing pride in the team’s achievement, highlighted the adverse conditions under which the tournament was played. The hot and humid conditions posed a significant challenge, yet the team’s character and resilience shone through. Kaleem’s commendation of the team’s unbeaten streak underscores the comprehensive preparation and the adaptability of the players across all departments. The acknowledgment of Rahil Habibulla’s decisive leadership on the field further illustrates the symbiotic relationship between the captain and the coach, enhancing the team’s performance.

Looking Ahead: Ambitions and Gratitude

With this victory, Oman sets its sights on future glories, aiming to replicate and surpass their current achievements in Division 1 competitions. The team’s ambition is fueled by the support from the Oman Cricket Board and the guidance of Head Coach Duleep Mendis. The gratitude expressed by both Rahil Habibulla and Aamir Kaleem towards the board, the coaching staff, and the management underscores the collective effort and the supportive ecosystem that has been pivotal in reaching this milestone.

As Oman cricket celebrates this remarkable achievement, the journey ahead promises even greater challenges and opportunities. The dedication, talent, and spirit displayed by the team signify their readiness to face future competitions with the same zeal and determination. This victory not only marks a significant milestone in Oman cricket’s history but also lays the foundation for aspiring to greater heights in the international cricket arena.

source: http://www.bnnbreaking.com / BNN / Home / by BNN Newsroom / by Salman Akhtar / March 05th, 2024

Kashmir’s Wushu sister Anas, Ayeera win golds at Moscow

Amazing Feats, Sports, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

JAMMU & KASHMIR:

Ansa Chisti and Ayeera Chisti showing their medals at Moscow

New Delhi :

Kashmir’s Wushu Sisters, Ansa Chishti and Ayeera Chishti brought laurels to India by clinching Gold medals in the Russian Moscow Stars Wushu International Championship.

The ongoing championship started in Moscow on 28 February and will conclude on March 5, 2024.

Both players performed exceptionally in their respective weight categories of 52 and 56. They beat their Russian opponents in the finals and made their fans proud as well as the entire sports fraternity of J&K.

J&K Sports Council Chief Nuzhat Gull asked people to cheer the two bright women sportspersons fromthe Valley on  X:

Both players performed exceptionally in their respective weight categories of 52 and 56. They beat their Russian opponents in the finals and made their fans proud as well as the entire sports fraternity of J&K. 

This is the 3rd International medal for Ayeera as she won Gold in Georgia and Bronze in the World championship in Indonesia earlier. Now it’s 3rd consecutive medal in the international Wushu Championship and last year she was also shortlisted for the State Award.

Ayeera is the 1st Wushu Female Athlete who was shortlisted for this prestigious award. Similarly, Ansa, who won the 2nd Medal in the international Wushu Championship, had won Silver in the Georgia International Wushu Championship.

With today’s medal, she has won her 1st Gold medal in an international championship. Notably, both players are National Champions in their weight category as they won many medals in National championships.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by ATV / March 04th, 2024

Shabnam Shaikh is India’s first doctorate in wrestling studies

Amazing Feats, Education - Gold Medallists, Toppers, Merits, Achievers (wef. June 12th, 2023), Sports, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aambijalgaon, Kajrat (Ahmednagar District), MAHARASHTRA:

Dr. Shabnam Shabbir Sheikh
Dr. Shabnam Shabbir Sheikh

Shabnam Shabbir Shaikh of Aambijalgaon, Maharashtra, trashes stereotypes of Indian women. Having picked wrestling as her field, this 28-year-old woman has broken all the shackles that a girl child faces while growing up in a small village.

Hailing from the village Aambijalgaon, Karjat, of the district Ahmednagar Shabnam was born in Jammu where her father Shabbir Sarabhai Shaikh was posted in the Indian Army. She is the third child of her parents and she grew up seeing her mother Rizwana Begum looking after the house and the family. However, Shabnam’s father always wanted his daughter to be brave, self-reliant, and break social stereotypes.

A great votary of women’s education Shabbir Shaikh encouraged his wife Rizwana Begum to complete her MSc degree after their marriage.Due to her father’s frequent postings across the country, Shabnam did her schooling mostly at the Army schools in Ambala, Udhampur, Srinagar, and Ahmedabad. After her father’s retirement, the family settled in their native village and Shabnam joined the local school.

She joined the 11th class in the Dada Patil College, Karjat, in the science stream. despite an irregular and sluggish bus service to Karjat, she somehow managed to study and also attend coaching for wrestling.

Coach Shabnam with her team

Shabnam completed her Bachelor of Physical Education (BPE) from Aurangabad (Sambhajinagar). She also got a diploma certificate in Coaching from the National Institute of Patiala, Punjab, and later did her Master’s from Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and then registered for her PhD studies.

Shabnam’s wrestling career began at the age of seven with her father as her coach. Shabnam says, “’My father is my first guru.”

Shabnam came from a family of wrestlers: her grandfather Sadarbhai Shaikh and great-grandfather were well-known wrestlers in the area. Their ancestral house has a wrestling arena where she watched male members of her family and neighbours practice wrestling. 

Shabnam had to face the scorn and disapproval of her extended family and relatives when she started practicing wrestling. People even asked her family why she was allowed to wear shorts.

Shabnam at the convocation of the University

Shabnam started with Kabaddi, a game that requires a lot of alacrity and stamina.

Initially, she did not get to enter the arena where her brothers wrestled, so she took to Kabbadi. “I used to think that if I wrestle and win that will be my victory. Even if I lose, it will also be my failure. Will happen… I expressed my desire to wrestle to my father. He responded positively.”

Shabnam’s father had a precondition for training her. He wanted her to concentrate on training and practice for the first two years. She started receiving training from her father and two elder brothers.

Every morning at 4 o’clock she was sent to pick lemons from their farm located about 10 km away. She learned the nuances of wrestling and participated in her first competition in Ludhiana (Punjab). She bagged a silver medal and there started her winning streak.

Shabnam says, “Once in my village, my father came to know about a competition in Delhi. I was just 10 years old at that time. He gave me a paper with the address written on it and a train ticket and wished me good luck for the journey.”

At that time she wondered why she was going alone, ‘Why don’t my parents come with me? But my father always used to tell me that some battles in life have to be fought alone,” she says going down memory lane.

Shabnam Shaikh with her trophy

Shabnam won the title of ‘Women Maharashtra Kesari’ in 2010. She has won the gold medal in ‘Shirdi Kesari’ for three consecutive years since 2009, the gold medal in ‘Latur’ in 2011, gold medal in the ‘Maharashtra State Kustigir Parishad’ competition for six consecutive years.

She has also participated in four inter-university competitions, 10 national competitions, and more than 15 state-level competitions. In the national level ‘Great Bharatkumari Wrestling Competition’, Shabnam is the first winner not only from the Muslim community but also from Maharashtra.

Shabnam says her father taught her that one doesn’t need an outer veil. “Always keep the veil that differentiates between good and bad people in front of your eyes!” he told her.

Shabnam says, “People used to question my parents’ ways. A girl should not play sports like wrestling. Teach her to fast (during Ramazan) and pray. Don’t you want only boys to play wrestling? Hundreds of questions were asked but my parents did not let the pressure of society affect me.

“My father never changed his opinion under the pressure of society. He never let these things affect my game. I always got the support of my parents and my elder brothers.”

Shabnam’s mother Rizwana Begum says, “I have not two, but three ‘sons’! My brothers did not give me a share of our parents’ property. But, I will not let this injustice happen to my daughter. I will give her everything she deserves. Shabnam has brought glory to us. As a mother, I will always be proud of her.”

Shabnam’s thesis for her Ph.D. degree is ‘Comparative study of emotional maturity of rural and urban women wrestlers in Maharashtra’. She toured the entire state for research.

Shabnam is the first woman in India to do a doctorate in sports studies. While doing her Ph.D. in Wrestling, there were often deliberate attempts to embarrass and thwart her effort to earn a doctorate.

In the year 2017, Shabnam was selected as the junior coach of the Wrestling Women’s Association of India; she imparted wrestling training to Anushka Sharma and Salman Khan for the film ‘Sultan‘. Shabnam has represented India in Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

She currently works as a ‘Senior Trainer’ in the ‘Wrestling Women’s Association’ of India. India has never had success in the ‘World Women’s Wrestling Championship’ till now. However, in the ‘Under-20 World Championship’ of 2023 India won seven medals in ‘Women’s Wrestling’. Out of these, three are gold medals.

Shabnam Shaikh after her victory in a foreign location

Dr. Shabnam Shaikh is today known as the ‘International Wrestling Coach.

Shabnam says, “I was selected as the coach of ‘Maharashtra Team’ for the national tournament held in Gujarat last year. Twenty-four hours ago, my name was canceled! I was not given any idea about this.”

“Many times, despite having the right credentials and qualifications, I am not given a chance. Probably, because I live with self-respect! I always think that when someone asks me, “How did you get all this?’ I should proudly tell him, ‘I have earned it through my hard work.’

Shabnam says, “Wrestling gave me identity. Sometimes I wonder, ‘Is wrestling a curse or a blessing for me?’ Initially, relatives and other people of the society hated seeing me wrestle.

“Later, when I started winning competitions, people would post the news of my success on their ‘status’ on various social media platforms and write the caption, ‘Congratulations and best wishes to our sister or relative.’

After reading the news of my winning, I became everyone’s relative at that time! But, they speak against me on behind my back! However, now they hesitate to speak against me openly!”

Shabnam says, “Most of the time I am rejected for marriage. I play wrestling. The suitors who come to see as a potential candidate for marriage, see my trophies and see ‘Doctor’ written next to my name. When they go home their answer is, ‘We don’t want such an educated girl.'”   

Shabnam continues to work hard to ensure that other girls do not face what she has.

Her advice to the youth: “No matter what happens, do not get tired. Do not give up the fight.” Her dream is to build a wrestling center for girls.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Chaya Kaveri / February 29th, 2024

Wazeer Ahmad Khan is Asian 65+ Champion

Sports, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rampur, UTTAR PRADESH:

The Myanmar Chess Federation organized the Asian Seniors Championship 2016 from 27 October to 04 November at Hotel Hazel, Mandalay, Myanmar.

The tournament was held in two categories — for players aged above 50 and 65. India’s 69-year-old IM Wazeer Ahmad Khan won the gold in the 65+ category where 18 players competed.

The tournament had 56 players from 12 countries competing for the medals. We have a quick report.

Wazeer Ahmad Khan is Asian Seniors 65+ Champion

69-years-old IM Wazeer Ahmad Khan of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh is the Asian Seniors 65+ Champion. He began the event as the fifth seed…


…but rampaged to a perfect 9.0/9 to claim the title.
Khan receiving his trophy from the Asian Chess Federation Secretary General Hisham Al Taher.
New Zealand’s CM Helen Milligan (2053; extreme left) was declared the women’s champion — she was the only woman competing in the entire 56-player event — while Myanmar’s Myint Han (2281; second from right) won the Asian Seniors 50+ Championship with 8.0/9.

New Zealand’s CM Helen Milligan (2053; extreme left) was declared the women’s champion — she was the only woman competing in the entire 56-player event — while Myanmar’s Myint Han (2281; second from right) won the Asian Seniors 50+ Championship with 8.0/9.

Final Ranking after 9 Rounds (65+)

Rk.SNo NamesexFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2  TB3 
15IMWazeer Ahmad Khan IND18479,00,049,538,5
214 Saw Kyaw Nyein MYA06,50,047,035,0
31 Gibbons Robert NZL19546,01,045,036,5

Final Ranking after 9 Rounds (50+)

Rk.SNo NamesexFEDRtgPts. TB1  TB2  TB3 
13 Myint Han MYA22818,00,037,5433,0
21IMLodhi Mahmood PAK23407,50,539,5419,0
37IMMohandesi Shahin IRI21997,50,537,5410,5

source: http://www.chessbase.in / Chess Base / Home> India / by Priyadarshan Banjan / December 10th, 2016

UP Government confers Yash Bharti award to 46 people, list includes nine Muslims

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Education - Gold Medallists, Toppers, Merits, Achievers (wef. June 12th, 2023), Sports, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

UTTAR PRADESH:

Lucknow:

Uttar Pradesh’s highest honour Yash Bharti award was given to 46 personalities on Monday. Among them, nine Muslims were conferred the award by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in presence of Mulayam Singh Yadav. The award is given annually by Culture Department of UP government.

Yash Bharti comes with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, citation and a shawl. The awardees are also eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 50,000 for their life.

Yash Bharti award were constituted in 1994 by the then CM Mulayam Singh Yadav but were discontinued between 2007 and 2012 by Mayawati. It has since been revived by CM Akhilesh Yadav.

1. Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan
Classical singing
Born- 3 march 1931, Badaun

Belong to Rampur Sahaswa Gharana in classical singing. Conferred honorary citizenship of Baltimore and Maryland in 1986. Padamshri in 1991, Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2003, Padam Bhushan in 2006 and Rashtriya Tansen Award in 2008.

2. Professor Irfan Habib
Historian
Born-12, August 1931 in Baroda.
D.Phil from Oxford

Chairman, Indian Council of Historical Research 1987-93, 1993-96. Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship in 1968-70, D.Lit from BHU (2008), Vishwa Bharti (2008), Kalyani Vishwavidyalaya (2009), North Bengal University (1990) and Ravindra Bharti University (1989). Padam Shree in 2005.

3. Dr Nahid Abedi
Sanskrit literature and philoshophy
Born—12 February 1961, Mirzapur
D. Lit from Lucknow University in 2009. Padam Shree awardee.
Several books and papers published in Sanskrit.

4. Iqbal Ahmed Siddiqui
Ghazal singer
Born—November 9, Allahabad

Performed at All India Radio and Doordarshan. Released 17 cassettes. Sang one song in film Rama O Rama.

5. Anwar Jalalpuri
Urdu poetry and writing
Born—6 July 1947

Several awards on Urdu poetry like UP Gaurav Samman, Mati Ratan Samman, Iftikhar-e-Meer Samman etc.

6. Dr Nawaz Deobandi
Poet and educationist
Born—16 July 1956, Saharanpur

Chairman, UP State Urdu Academy. Established Rafiqul Mulk Mulayam Singh Yadav Urdu IAS Study Center in Lucknow. Several awards like Kaifi Azmi award, Dushyant award, Rotary award etc.

7. Aleemullah Siddiqui
Artist
Born—10 June 1953, Lucknow

Artist using stem of wheat plant, painting on cloth etc. Acted in play Dilli Ka Akhirir Mushaira and Main Urdu Hoon.

8. Imran Khan alias Imran Pratapgarhi
Literature
Born—6 August 1987 Pratapgarh.

Internationally acclaimed poet and attended Mushairas in Oman, Bahrain, Dubai, Sharjah etc. Received Urdu Academy award in Saudi Arab, Red Cross Society Orissa’s Vishist Vidyarthi award and Sadbhavna award by Maharashtra Municipal Corporation.

9. Wazeer Ahmed Khan
Chess
Born—4 February 1947, Rampur

Participated in Chess National B competition in 1972, 1980, 1995, 1999, 2004 and 2008. UP Champion in 2004-2005. First prize in Asian Senior competition in Iran in 2015.

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Arts-Culture / by TCN Staff Reporter / March 22nd, 2016

Fatima Begum: A Pioneer of Women’s Football in Manipur

Amazing Feats, Sports, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kshetri Awang Leikai (Porompat sub-division of Imphal East District), MANIPUR:

Fatima Begum, a pioneer of women’s football in Manipur, started playing football since her childhood days. She started playing football in a small playground in Kshetrigao among boys. They used to stuff torn footballs with clothes and sometimes even stole nobab (pomelo) and played with it. 

From State to International Level

When the women football tournament first started in Manipur, she joined the Eastern Sporting Union. She belonged to the first batch of women football players. Back in her days, the government did not spend much money in promoting sports and games in Manipur. She says that generous people like Yambung Nimai who were interested in football helped her buy boots and football. They even provided money for her diet as she could not afford it. She became part of the Manipur team around 1974-75 and also captained the team for three years. After playing at the national level, she was called to Kolkata for a camp. She says, “Amusana, late Chawui, late Bijyalakhsmi and I were called there and that was how we joined the Indian team.” 

At international level, she also played against the England team in Manipur. The match happened in Polo ground. It was a friendly match to raise some funds. She also played against the Nepal team in Kathmandu. Remembering her visit to Kathmandu, she says, “It was the first time I had gone to a foreign country. Earlier we had opportunities but given that we did not have money, I could not go. We always have seven-eight players from Manipur in the Indian team. In our time also, there would be five-six players.”

According to Salam Irene’s book, The Muslims of Manipur, “Fatima Begum of Kshetri Awang Leikai was a member of the India eleven team that played at Bhirt Nagar, Nepal in 1975. She captained the Manipur team that played against the UK football team at Imphal. Fatima was the first Muslim player of the North-east in this discipline.”

Paving Ways for Many

She laughed telling us that she failed the matriculation exam five times. Fatima recollects, “My family’s economic situation was not good. Playing football was very tiring. So, it was hard for me to study. I was not good in studies. Finally, I did clear the matric exam. I did not study much. I did not take much interest in it. Football was always on my mind. I liked sports.” She told us that she also played other sports such as handball, softball and other track sports at national level. According to her, there were not many good women athletes at that time. “I was good at those things,” she says, “so, I got selected.” Having said that, she feels that the situation of women in sports has improved considerably compared to those days. 

During those days, she says that she was the only pangal woman in the football team. After her, there were one or two pangal women who joined the team. She says, “Now, there are many good players. The one from Khutheibam, I do not remember her name. We call her Thoibi. She played in Eastern Sporting Union. There is another one called Bukshera.  Kashmina is also another one.  She is famous now. She lives in mainland India.”

Regarding the support she got from her family and community, she tells us, “My family was alright with me playing sports. The community was reluctant at that time. In the villages, there was purdah system. They did not like the clothes we were wearing while playing. So, they were a little unhappy. But I continued playing football anyway.” When asked about the situation of pangal women in sports these days, she says, “These days, things are much better. Now, we think that we should participate in sports. It is not about looking down at my community. We should also preserve our religion but at the same time, we should also be participating in these things.” Nowadays, she says, there are lots of pangal women in sports such as Judo, Taekwondo and racing. 

Experiences and Memories

Regarding her experiences while she was playing football, she says that “at times, we suffered because we had to travel without any reservation on the train in crowded compartments. There would be no place to stand even. On the other hand, there were also times when the whole compartment would be reserved for us. We would sing and play music and enjoy ourselves.” The most pleasant of the memories she says was her visit to Goa. She says, “They are good people. They welcomed us nicely. They played nicely and took care if we got injured. They have discipline.” Regarding her unpleasant experiences she had during her career, she says, “The most unpleasant experience I had was in Kolkata, Bengal. They did not care about us. They would kick on our knees, they would attack our calves. They wanted us to fall down and get injured. They would attack our good players like that.” Furthemore, she says, “Bengalis are a little cunning. They controlled the selection process for the Indian team. So, they selected mostly their people. They are not good people. Goa and Maharashtra are a little better. Manipur and Bengal will always confront in the finals at the national level. They are hard to deal with.”

When we asked her about the goals she scored, remembering her friend Amusana, she said, “When I was in Eastern Sporting Union, Amusana was a stopper. I was the striker.  Her long kick was beautiful. I can run really fast. People say that the horse is running. She would start the ball. I would give the ball back to her and she would immediately do a long kick. There was an understanding between us. The moment I passed the ball to her I would run really fast. And, she would pass it to me. That is how we scored easily. At that time, there were no good women players. I teamed up with her, that was why I could do that. She could do that because I was there. Given that we have two-three good players, we managed that. But it became boring if we scored a lot of goals. If we scored around twelve-thirteen goals, then it became boring.” When asked about the match when she scored the most goals, she says, “I think it was in Pondicherry. I scored seven goals. I was becoming famous that time. I could not score much against Goa and Bengal because they had better players.”

Post-Retirement Days

After she joined the state’s sports department, it became her responsibility to take the teams for matches as a coach.

At times, she would take a friend from another sports department as a manager if others did not agree to go with her. “If the people who work with me on football did not want to go,” she says, “I would take someone from other sports.”

Post her retirement from playing, she has been actively participating in improving sports facilities and helping those interested in football, especially women. She used to support the club KIYC in her locality monetarily. She is also supporting some women players in the locality. She proudly tells us one of the players she supported is playing in KRYPHSA, Naoremthong. She has also sent some Muslim women in Chaoba’s team. Chaoba is her junior, who is now the assistant coach of the Indian team. There are some women also from her locality in Eastern Sporting Union. Fatima is grooming them. 

source: http://www.weretrospect.com / We Retrospect / Home> History / by We Retrospect / January 25th, 2021

Saudi-Indian biker couple clocking up miles in global odyssey

Amazing Feats, NRI's / PIO's, Sports, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

Hyderabad, TELANGANA / SAUDI ARABIA:

Mir Shakeel Ur Rahman and Amal Ahmed have broken records and achieved several personal ambitions during their adventures. (Supplied)
  • The couple set out on their first discovery ride after the coronavirus pandemic, traveling around Saudi Arabia
  • Later, Ahmed became the first Saudi woman to ride across the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range

A Saudi-Indian husband and wife team have been clocking up the miles in a round-the-world odyssey — on motorbikes.

And during their road trips, adventurers Mir Shakeel Ur Rahman and Amal Ahmed have broken records and achieved several personal ambitions.

The couple set out on their first discovery ride after the coronavirus pandemic, traveling around Saudi Arabia to areas including Makkah, Jazan, Abha, Hail, Riyadh, Dammam, and Al-Ahsa, before exploring other countries.

Later, Ahmed became the first Saudi woman to ride across the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range. “It was an unbelievable moment, and I will not forget it,” she said.

Her husband said: “This was a great achievement for a Saudi woman during the 92nd national day for Saudi Arabia and I was happy to see her flying the Saudi flag on the top.”

The pair’s shared passion for biking has transformed their lives.

Rahman, originally from the south Indian city of Hyderabad, has been working in the Kingdom for 30 years in the field of navigation air services.

He said: “In India, the first thing you learn is how to ride a motorcycle. Me and my sister used to steal our father’s bike while he was sleeping. So, that was the time when I became obsessed with motorcycling.

“It has been a passion since I was young, and I have been all over the world.”

Soon after moving to Makkah in 1993, he bought his first motorcycle — a Honda 70. “I was happy with my first bike and very pleased to continue my passion here in Saudi Arabia,” he added.

Until meeting Rahman, Ahmed had never considered riding a motorbike.

“As a Saudi woman, I used to travel by plane, car, or train, and never thought I would travel on a motorcycle until I met my husband in Jeddah. He convinced me, despite my fear, that riding was something anyone could enjoy,” she added.

For her birthday last year, Rahman surprised his wife with a new Honda Gold Wing touring bike. The couple — who married five years ago — now have three motorcycles, including a classic Harley-Davidson, and a Kawasaki.

Ahmed said: “We started riding on a two-seater bike around Jeddah with other groups and then took off to several places in the Kingdom. Our first regional trip was to Ras Al-Khaimah in the UAE. It was a great experience.”

The couple regularly post videos online which have gathered quite a following.

“As a long-time rider, I have been everywhere in the world but didn’t document my adventures until my wife created our accounts on various platforms,” Rahman said.

Ahmed added: “I wanted to make it a very important part of our life and we really received positive reactions from our followers. Our goal is to spread happiness and smiles to our followers.”

The biking duo next plan to journey to Kashmir.

source: http://www.arabnews.com / Arab News / Home> Saudi Arabia> Lifestyle / by Saleh Fareed / January 09th, 2024