Adila Khanam, currently a second-year M.Sc. Virology student at the Multidisciplinary Centre for Advanced Research and Studies (MCARS) at Jamia Millia Islamia, has been awarded the prestigious Princeton Foundation for Peace & Learning National Scholarship (USA) 2024-25.
The Foundation is dedicated to empowering young women by providing holistic education and mentorship. As part of the Princeton Foundation’s flagship initiative, GOAL, Adila will benefit from the financial assistance as well as extensive mentorship and internship opportunities, which include eligibility for both corporate and research internships.
Adila Khanam reacts Adila expressed her joy regarding the accomplishment and said: “I am excited about the USA-based internship and the opportunity to learn from different mentors who will shape both my personal and professional development. I am deeply grateful to my mentors, especially Dr. Jawed Iqbal, whose unwavering guidance and mentorship have been invaluable throughout my academic journey”
She conveyed her sincere gratitude to Dr Mohan Joshi, Assistant Professor, for introducing her to this remarkable scholarship opportunity, as well as to Prof. Mohammad Husain, Director of MCARS, and the other faculty members of the centre for their encouragement and invaluable mentorship.
In another development on the campus a few days ago, the Faculty of Dentistry organised a workshop on ‘Soft Skills in Dental Practice’ on 5th December 2024, for its fifty BDS Interns of the Batch 2020.
The workshop was conducted by Prof. Poonam Sood Loomba, Professor and Head, Microbiology Department, G. B Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi. She is a FAIMER Fellow from CMC Ludhiana and is actively involved in medical education. She is also the National Medical Commission Convenor for the Regional Centre, Medical Education Department, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi.
In the inaugural session, Prof. Keya Sircar, Dean, Faculty of Dentistry welcomed the gathering and emphasised on the need of soft skills in dental practice.
The organising chairperson, Prof. Ashu Bhardwaj, highlighted the origin of the term “soft skills” in the U.S Army in late 1960s, when apart from technical know-how, leadership values and emotional intelligence were considered to be important adjuncts to motivate soldiers. She made the interns aware that over the next few months, they would be stepping into the real world where adhering to soft skills would be a feather in their professional cap.
In her lecture, Prof. Loomba drew the attention of the participants to various aspects of soft skills, such as attitude, ethics and communication. Speaking on the significance of verbal and non-verbal communication, she emphasized on active listening at length, taking informed consent, breaking communication barriers and maintaining ethical standards.
The workshop was conducted through role plays of clinical case scenarios on convincing a patient about the importance of sterilisation, counselling a HIV reactive patient, taking informed consent regarding placement of implants, explaining treatment, and counselling a patient for compliance to dentures, obtaining cooperation of the mother of an anxious child, breaking bad news, communicating the importance of written records and dealing with an agitated patient.
The interns actively participated in the role plays with dynamic inputs from the resource person and the organising team. The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks by the Organising Secretary, Prof. Zeba Jafri.The event was organized by faculty members – Prof. Ashu Bhardwaj, Prof. Anuradha Sharma, Prof. Zeba Jafri, Prof. Nishat Sultan, Prof. Anupriya Wadhwa, Prof. Kirti Chawla and Dr. Nupur Gupta under the patronship of the Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, JMI, Prof. Keya Sircar.
source: http://www.okhlatimes.com / The Okhla Times / Home> JMI/EDU / by The Okhla Times (edited) / December 10th, 2024
Muna Shamsuddin, originally from Kasargod, has been appointed as the assistant personal secretary to King Charles in London.
Muna is the daughter of the late Shamsuddin and Saidunnisa, a couple from Talangere Teruvat Hasheem Street, Pudiyapurayil.
She pursued her education in London and began her career with the British legal advisory office. Her exceptional work led to her appointment as chief assistant secretary to the King while working in the London foreign Commonwealth development section.
Muna holds a degree in mathematical engineering from the University of Nottingham, Britain.
She has also served in the external affairs ministry of Britain, working as Britain’s consul general in Jerusalem and heading the external affairs department in Karachi, Pakistan.
Her husband, David, is employed with UNESCO. Muna had visited Kasargod 10 years ago.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daiji World.com / Home> Top Stories / by Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (MS) / December 01st, 2024
In my previous article, I featured an Ethiopian coffee export company who ran her business based on trust. This is factored in two ways; dealing with her farmers and clientele. In this day and age, we can learn a thing or two by understanding the wisdom behind why some people do the things they do, treading a harder path and not resort to shortcuts. They are in it for the long term, not focused on the short term gains. I have nothing but high regard for individuals like Medina.
Continuing a similar conversation, I have been focusing on what exactly is happening at the farm level by getting in touch with the producer directly. In this article, I talk to the owner of a coffee estate farm based in India. Sumaira gives us an insight about how her family’s coffee estate started in the late 18th century, processing techniques employed on her farm, the specialty coffee movement in India, and much more.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and Rasulpur Coffee Estates?
I am Sumaira, the owner of Rasulpur Coffee Estates & Roasters . We are located in the Rasulpur village, Coorg district, in the hot spots of the Western Ghats, India. My entrepreneurship journey has had its shares of ups and downs. I took up a career as an interior designer and worked as a business head for a furniture empire in India. Later on, I moved to the UAE and explored the real estate industry and the coffee sector. I envisioned starting up something of my own, being from a family of coffee planters and having the self-confidence and determination to start my own business. Something clicked the moment I realized how the coffee industry is growing day-by-day.
To add, I am a fifth generation coffee planter who introduced specialty coffee at our estate. We introduced better equipments and techniques, and new processing and fermentation methods which I’ll get into a little later. A laboratory is set up for roasting and cupping to create different roast profiles and new blends at our estate. We believe in helping and encouraging our coffee community, especially the neighboring small and marginal coffee growers to analyze their coffees, and improve their harvesting and processing methods to fetch a better price for their coffee.
The journey of Rasulpur Coffee Estates started in the late 18th century when our ancestors migrated to the Western Ghats of India i.e. Coorg at the time of the British rule, as their main occupation was trading in coffee and spices. They travelled to different parts of Coorg, as they developed a liking towards coffee estates and the greenery, purchased plenty of estates, learnt the methods of coffee cultivation, and started exporting coffee to foreign countries. England was one of the major countries to which coffee was exported to from our estates in that period with the help of the Coffee Board.
We named the estate and brand ‘Rasulpur Coffee’ after the village, Rasulpur, which is on the banks of the Kaveri river in Kodagu district is named after Mr. Rasul Khan, our first generation planter. He cleared the land, started cultivation, built dams for irrigation, made the place livable and initiated agricultural works. Looking at his abilities and progress, the government named this village after him.
In time, our second, third and fourth generation planters purchased more coffee plantations and improved the methods of cultivation, processing, and introduced pulping and irrigation. An R&D team was also set up and a variety of experiments are conducted to this day. The goal here is to enhance the quality of the crops, and advance the processing and post harvesting methods. Our coffee is featured in auctions, supplied for projects, sold locally and exported to wholesalers, cafes, and restaurants. We also ferment micro lots as per requirements from our roasters and young entrepreneurs who are venturing into the coffee industry.
What kind of processing is done on the farm?
Processing on our farm is done in three different ways along with few specialty processing methods, all of which change the sweetness, body and acidity of brewed coffee. These are natural/sun dried, washed, and honey processed.
Natural/sun dried process. A natural processed coffee, also referred to as dry processed, is a traditional yet common way to process coffee today. Originating in Ethiopia, it involves drying out freshly picked coffee cherries with the seed still inside. To do this, we place the cherries on drying beds in the sun. These beds are either patios or raised drying tables. The cherries have to be rotated and turned to prevent mold, and takes about seven to eight days to ferment. During this time, the sugars and mucilage (the sticky substance that coats the seed) will latch onto the seeds, develop flavours and make them sweeter. Once the coffee is dry, a machine separates the pulp from the seed. Natural coffees are heavy bodied, and have deep, complex tasting notes. This development comes from the way the cherry ferments differently. Natural processed coffees can be difficult to replicate because of the inconsistencies in fermentation. However when done right, these coffees can also be some of the sweetest you’ll taste. It is juicy, syrupy and well worth the extra effort.
Washed process. Unlike natural, washed processed coffees are called the opposite, i.e. wet processed. In this scenario, machines called pulpers remove the seeds from the cherries before drying them. However, it is not just any cherry that gets the seed removal treatment. These cherries must have the perfect amount of ripeness to make sure they are sweet enough. To accomplish this, they go through a sorter and are segregated according to density. Once these pulpers remove the skin and pulp from the seeds, they are placed in tanks full of water. The water separates the rest of the mucilage and fruit caked onto the seed. Finally, the seeds are dried on the beds in the sun. Washed processed coffees have cleaner, and more crisp tasting notes when compared to natural processed coffees. The body of a brewed washed coffee is lighter. There is typically more brightness as well, because of a cleaner acidity that balances out the sweetness of the coffee. They are just as fruity as natural coffees, but the flavor notes are easier to differentiate.
Honey processed. This method is a combination of both natural and washed. It is a rare and demanding method, and not as commonly practiced as the previous two. However, it produces a unique cup of coffee, with flavours similar to both of the previously described processing methods. During honey processing, a pulper removes the seed from the cherry before it undergoes a drying process. However, it does not go into washing tank to remove the mucilage. That mucilage, which is what the ‘honey’ refers to stays on the seed and is now dried in the sun. The amount of mucilage left behind determines the sweetness, and there are even machines to control the amount on the seed. Like natural process, the seeds are dried on beds. The flavor components of honey coffees are varied and complex. Like washed coffees, they have lighter body and are very syrupy and sweet. Acidity is present but more mellow when compared to washed coffees.
Specialty processing. This is an emerging field and we use unique methods like anaerobic, aerobic, natural fermented, and fruit fermented to name a few. We ferment our coffee in a temperature controlled environment, with or without oxygen, followed by controlled drying to bring out unique and funky flavors out of the coffee.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
What is the current state of the specialty coffee industry in India?
The coffee culture in India has evolved over the past decades. The nostalgia-inducing coffee houses were popular meeting grounds until the 1980’s. In the 90’s, cafe culture took over the country and coffee became the trendy drink to try.
Cafes are becoming the primary hangouts for youngsters and coffee found an emerging and appreciative audience. In the past two decades, we have seen a surge of cafes all over the country. They have materialized as a central hub for meeting, whether casual or business, and also doubling up as co-working spaces.
The 2020 pandemic impacted the industry In multiple ways and its effects were manifold. Logistics of coffee exports are pretty bad even today. Traditional coffee plantation owners who supply heavily within India and export to Europe are left with excess stock of coffee that could no longer be shipped to international markets.
Coming to the Indian coffee space, in recent years, the spotlight is on specialty coffee. This movement is picking up speed with many brands and roasters setting up shop. Analysis gives us a deeper understanding on how speciality coffee has emerged as the current buzzword in coffee circles. Current generation and millennials have emerged as the major chunk of consumers of specialty coffee within India.
Increased awareness and interest about coffee augmented by growing exposure to worldwide trends due to rising international travel and social media saw many of them exploring specialty coffee and manual brewing techniques. Lockdowns put a halt to the possibility of exploring cafes and thus many coffee consumers in the country turned to home brewing.
Many retail specialty coffee brands saw skyrocketing sales in 2020 as consumers invested in manual brewing equipment ranging from French Press, Moka Pots, Chemex and Aeropress. The new generation of coffee consumers respect the people behind the product, want to better understand the ‘farm to cup’ journey and are willing to invest in educating themselves on all nuances of coffee.
A few years back, this was largely unheard of. Farmers were just one aspect of the coffee supply chain, but hardly ever found the spotlight on them. Now plantation owners are keen on sharing their stories and experiences, information on their crops and the work they put in to make that perfect cup of coffee.
One can safely say that specialty coffee will not just be a passing trend, but en route to becoming one of the mainstays of the Indian coffee space in the coming decade.
I think there is a lack of communication between the consumers and farmers. I know some of the consumers, including me, have started to pay attention to where exactly the coffee is coming and from which farm. What do you think can be done to fill this gap?
The missing ingredient is awareness. People need to be educated about Indian coffee. The new-generation farmers need to collaborate with the Coffee Board of India and conduct events to promote coffees originating from India within the country and internationally.
Joint efforts need to be made by all coffee enthusiasts to encourage the consumption of coffee by making people understand the benefits of drinking coffee. The government has to support and help promote farmers to come forward and establish their own brands.
Being honest and transparent ensures the consumers and clients knows about the past, present and the way you are going to build a future. Bringing credibility to the table builds trust factor for the brand with the consumers.
I know some of the issues the farmers are facing currently are the increasing production costs, what steps are you employing to change that? Have you increased the price of your coffee to reflect that?
Whether we like it or not, coffee is getting more expensive. It’s important to look at some of the reasons why this is happening, before you potentially do one of the following:
Buy less sustainable and ethical coffee because it’s cheaper or
Lay blame on the wrong people for higher prices.
There are many factors influencing the cost of coffee from climate change, disruptions to global shipping, consumer demand, and packaging cost. While the need to use more environmentally-friendly packaging for coffee cups and bags is real, so too is the cost for shops switching to compostable or recyclable materials. We have also witnessed fluctuating shortages of packaging stock forcing some companies to find more costly short term solutions to packaging which comes at a higher cost.
Lastly, coming to the cost of quality, producing coffee of higher quality simply costs more. Coffee must be cared, harvesting and processing is hard work. It requires time and physical effort if you want to achieve the highest quality standards. You can’t have it both ways.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
What are your thoughts on transparency? Has it benefitted you in any way?
Yes, by ten-fold. Transparency has improved our overall trust factor in this industry. It solves many problems and even stops disasters before they happen. It expands relationships, increases productivity, strengthens innovation, and improved our revenue.
What is the future of specialty coffee?
By far, the most interesting and exciting coffee segment of the moment is specialty coffee. It is rapidly expanding in India and across the globe as consumers continue to seek out the best cup of coffee to enjoy.
When it comes to coffee quality, specialty coffee is the ‘cream of the crop’ and is likened to fine wines due to its distinctive characteristics and delicious flavour that can only be achieved under certain growing conditions.
In today’s market, specialty coffee has become an intricate science and a global phenomenon that is seeing rapid growth across all sectors. More estates are coming into this specialty game, that will give ‘Indian specialty coffee a lot of mileage.’
What do you do in terms of R&D on Rasulpur Estate
We are currently doing research on developing a hybrid plant which is resistant to white stem borer and leaf rust. These are the two biggest pests and diseases faced by all Arabica growers throughout the world. International Coffee Organization (ICO) is working with different countries to find a solution for this.
This R&D program has been ongoing for the past four years on a 40 year old, 30 ft tall, Arabica plant labelled by us as Rasulpur Arabica. So far, the results look promising and it is resistant to these diseases. We have propagated progenies of this plant by clonal cutting, seed and tissue culture, and cross-bred this plant with other varieties of Arabica.
source: Rasulpur Coffee Estates
About Rasulpur Coffee Estate
Rasulpur Coffee Estates & Roasters is based out of Rasulpur village in Coorg district in the hot spots of the Western Ghats, India. The Estate is run by Syeda Sumaira, a fifth generation coffee planter and entrepreneur.
Fun fact: Coffee farms are the best place to get first hand knowledge about the beverage, how it is grown, harvested and processed.
Rasulpur Coffee Estates organizes coffee tours, get in touch with them to find out more.
source: http://www.fltrmagazine.com / FLTR / Home> Insight> People / by Naveed Syed / August 11th, 2022
Khazima practised 12 hours daily for months to prepare for the championship.
Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin awarding Rs1 crore cash to M Khazima (Photo | Express)
Chennai :
Three TN women dominated the Women’s Carrom World Championship. M Khazima (18), the youngest world champion, who competed in doubles and team events, received Rs 1 crore from the state government. Mithra (17) and Nagajothi (26), who won the doubles and team events, received Rs 50 lakh each from Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in a felicitation conducted by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).
Khazima practised 12 hours daily for months to prepare for the championship. Mehaboob Basha (her father), an autorickshaw driver, runs the Cherian Nagar Carrom Coaching Club with 45 members. “This is a huge recognition,” Khazima said.
“My brother, Abdul Rahman (26), a Junior National Champion, quit playing due to our financial condition. We live in a rented house, and my father’s club is also in a rented space.” She added that the government has promised to improve the club and revealed that she plans to buy a house with the money.
Mithra’s father also drives an autorickshaw. She learned carrom when she was in Class 5. She said her father bought her a carrom board since none of the people playing carrom in her compound included her. She expressed her dream of buying a house and supporting other players.
Nagajothi was part of the winning team in the Asian Cup. She works as an Income Tax Inspector, selected through the sports quota.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Tamil Nadu / by Subhashini Vijayakumar / December 19th, 2024
Indian carrom team returns triumphant from World Cup in San Francisco, with Rashmi Kumari praising champions Srinivas and Khazima.
Some members of the World Cup-winning Indian carrom team on return in Delhi on Wednesday (November 21, 2024). From left, K Nagajothi, M Khazima, V Mithra, VD Narayan, Bharti Narayan, Rashmi Kumari, K Srinivas, and Aakanksha Kadam. | Photo Credit: Kamesh Srinivasan
It was a happy homecoming for the champion Indian carrom team from the World Cup in San Francisco, USA, on Wednesday (November 20, 2024).
Even though it was K. Srinivas and M. Khazima who won the individual men’s and women’s titles in a thrilling fashion, it was the World Champion Rashmi Kumari who was singing their praise, appreciating their high-quality game, in a chat with The Hindu.
The evergreen women’s champion Rashmi, who has won the national title 12 times, apart from three World titles, expressed admiration for Srinivas finishing brilliantly with a white slam, to emerge champion after trailing 16-20.
“It was a great finish,” said Rashmi.
On his part, Srinivas said that Mohd. Arif had executed nine slams through the World Cup with his brilliant play, and that he derived great satisfaction in winning in such great style with a slam, not giving the opponent any chance.
The 17-year-old Khazima, a first year student of Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College in Chennai, had won a thriller 25-23, 22-25, 25-24 agaiinst Rashmi in the final for the women’s crown.
“I have great respect for Rashmi. I practised 12 hours a day to prepare for this World Cup. My father Mehboob Basha and former World Champion Maria Irudayam have guided me”, said Khazima, who won the doubles title with V. Mithra.
For one so young, Khazima was quite unselfish and was thinking more about improving the structure of the Chennai Nagar Carrom Coaching centre as and when she gets to meet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
The small structure that gets flooded during the rains, has already produced many national champions, including Khazima’s brother.
It was a triple crown for both Srinivas and Khazima, as they not only won the singles but also the doubles and the team championships. Srinivas won the doubles title with Mohd. Arif.
The secretary of the All India Carrom Federation (AICF), Bharti Narayan, was delighted with the high quality performance of the Indian players, in sweeping every possible medal except one.
“Preeti Jakhotia of the USA played a superb game right through and beat two of our players, V Mithra in the third place match and K Nagajothi in the quarterfinals”, said Bharti.
The secretary general of the International carrom federation, VD Narayan said that the standard of the game was going up globally, and that the USA had done a great job of hosting the World Cup, acquiring 80 boards from India, and changing the frame to blue for a more impressive screen presence.
“We are planning to have the Asian championship every year, like the way Europeans conduct their championship. We have many plans to develop the game”, said Narayan.
“Khazima played a very aggressive game, pulling off many impressive shots. The loss in the final gives me the motivation to train better in the next four years,”, said Rashmi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport / by Kamesh Srinivasan / November 21st, 2024
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presenting the award for the Best Long Documentary at the 15th International Documentary and Short Film Festival (IDSFFK) to Nausheen Khan for Land of My Dreams in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Nausheen Khan’s Land of My Dreams, a poignant recollection of the peaceful women-led protest at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act, has been chosen for the Best Long Documentary at the 15th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. The award carries a cash prize of ₹2 lakh.
Prateek Shekhar’s Chardi Kala – An Ode to Resilience, a wide-ranging chronicle of the farmers’ protest witnessed in the country for over an year against a set of laws enacted by the Union government, won the award for the Second Best Long Documentary. The special mention in the Long Documentary category went to Divya Kharnare’s 15 Seconds a Lifetime on a youngster’s attempt to become famous on TikTok.
Gurleen Grewal’s Somewhere Near and Far, which gently excavates quotidian everyday moments to stitch together a contemplative, melancholic yet precise portrait of a family in Delhi, won the award for the Best Short Documentary, carrying a cash prize of ₹1 lakh. Siddhant Sarin’s Mum won the award for the Second Best Short Documentary. Lourdes M.Supriya’s’ What Do I Do After You and P.Vishnu Raj’s The Soil shared the special mention in the Short Documentary category.
Documentary filmmaker and researcher Deepa Dhanraj with the IDSFFK’s Lifetime Achivement Award
Gaurav Puri’s A Flower in a Foglight won the award for the Best Short Fiction for powerful rumination on a village faced with imminent displacement for the construction of a new airport. Tarique Ahamed’s When I Look at the Horizon won the award for the Second Best Short Fiction. Alen Savio Lopez’s Samuel 17 won the award for the Best Campus Film. Arbab Ahmad’s Insides and Outsides won the Kumar Talkies Award for Best Editing.
During the valedictory function, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to documentary filmmaker and researcher Deepa Dhanraj.
“IDSFFK is very special to me personally, having been present from its very first avatar 16 years ago and also having participated over the years as a filmmaker and jury member. I have been grateful that such a supportive space exists for documentary, where films of all political views, including those which goes against the powers that be, find a platform,” said Ms.Dhanraj, who dedicated the award to her longtime collaborators cinematographer Navroze Contractor and editor Jabeen Merchant.
Inaugurating the function, Mr.Vijayan said that democracy becomes meaningful only when space is provided for different voices, not when they are suppressed.
“Autocratic forces fear documentaries which bring to the screen the harsh realities in our society. The latest instance of this is the Union government’s ban against the BBC documentary on Gujarat riots, which was followed by raids by investigative agencies on the channel’s offices. Such actions tainted the country’s image as the world’s biggest democracy. India currently occupies the 150th spot among 180 countries in the Press Freedom index. It is in this context that the significance of this festival as a democratic space for different voices increases,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home / by The Hindu Bureau / August 10th, 2023
The Kota Railway Station witnessed a jubilant scene as city residents came together to honour Ayesha Khan, a local athlete who recently clinched a silver medal in the 200-meter race at the 39th National Junior Athletics Championship.
Adorned with flower garlands, Ayesha was welcomed like a star and paraded through the city in an open jeep from the railway station to the cantonment area.
The streets came alive as large crowds gathered along the procession route, which passed through Nayapura and Kotri before concluding at Ayesha’s home. The grand celebration symbolised the unity and pride of Kota’s people in nurturing and supporting exceptional talent.
The event drew dignitaries and prominent figures, including Farooq Rana, National Secretary of Pehal Foundation, former District Sports Officer Abdul Aziz, Councilor Salina Sherry, and social worker Wazid Mansuri, among others, underscoring the community’s commitment to fostering and celebrating athletic achievement.
Ayesha’s victory carries a story of resilience and determination. A resident of Chhawni, she fulfilled the dream of her late father, Abdul Rahim, by winning the silver medal. Her father, who ran a tire repair shop on the Kota-Baran highway, aspired to see his children excel as national-level athletes. Tragically, he passed away on November 27 in a tire burst accident while at work.
Amid this heart-breaking loss, Ayesha displayed remarkable strength, persevering in her training and competition with the unwavering support of her family and community.
In the wake of her father’s sudden death, Ayesha’s family faced emotional and financial hardships. However, the Kota community stepped in, offering both moral and financial assistance to help them navigate this challenging time.
Competing in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races, Ayesha secured the silver medal in the 200 meters. Her achievement not only honours her father’s memory but also inspires countless others by proving that courage and determination can overcome even the greatest challenges.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> News> Sports / by Raheem Khan, Radiance News Bureau (headline edited) / December 16th, 2024
Dr Nishat Afroz receives the international award for research and innovation in medical sciences
Aligarh:
Dr Nishat Afroz, Professor, Department of Pathology, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has been honoured with the award of “Distinguished Researcher in Histopathology” for her contribution and achievement in the discipline of Health and Medical Sciences by the Venus International Foundation.
The award was bestowed upon her at the 10th Annual Research Meet – ARM 2024 on the theme “Diverse Approach to Address Societal Challenges and Deliver Novel Solutions”, organised by the Centre for Research and Innovation – Venus International Foundation at Chennai.
Earlier, Dr Nishat Afroz attended the Pathology Conferences at Subharti Medical College Meerut, Narayana hospital & RN Tagore Medical College, Kolkata and SMS Medical College, Jaipur as guest speaker and workshop convener.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation. Awards> Focus / by Radiance News Bureau / December 12th, 2024
In 45 essays, three editors gather multiple travel accounts by Muslim women who, alone or chaperoned, veiled or unveiled, travelling for work or pleasure, bust every stereotype. Apart from records of the new and the unexpected, there are also observations about all aspects of life, including religious and social practices.
For representative purposes. | Photo Credit: AFP
I began reading Three Centuries of Travel Writing by Muslim Women (Zubaan Books) chronologically, hoping rather ambitiously to read it from cover to cover, one essay at a time. That was a mistake, I think. The book is better served, and savoured, if the reader were to dip into it in no particular order. Each essay is so precisely contextualised by the immaculate ‘Introduction’ prefacing each entry and followed by ‘Further Reading and ‘Notes’ that even a casual reader can dip into this richly documented, beautifully translated volume of disparate writings and partake of the spirit behind it.
For the more serious reader/researcher, there is of course the scholarly introduction by Siobhan Lambert-Hurley and Daniel Majchrowicz who edited the book (along with Sunil Sharma). They write: “On the face of it, the premise of this volume is simple: a comparative study of travel narratives by Muslim women who travelled the world before the ‘jet age’ transformed modern mobility. Yet in our contemporary moment, the very juxtaposition of these terms — Muslim, women, travel mobility — instantly raises a number of questions.”
Colonialism, gender, travel, religion, money come together in unexpected ways throughout this book. What is more, these accounts by educated and “privileged” Muslim women also contain descriptions — sometimes empathetic, occasionally derisive — of other Muslim women they meet during their travels who are poor and disadvantaged and, being illiterate, could not have recorded their experiences or left written records of their lives. So, apart from records of the new and the unexpected, there are also observations about the different practices of child-rearing, food, cooking habits, dress, religious and social practices.
Multiple voices
These first-hand accounts, originally written in Urdu, Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Chaghtaai Turki, Punjabi, Bengali, Indonesian, German and English, span the 17th to 20th centuries thus presenting an array of experiences and impressions. Written variously as conventional travelogues (Halide Edib, Zainab Cobbold), excerpts from autobiographies (Salamah Bint Said/Emily Ruete, Huda Shaarawi), diary entries (Muhammadi Begum, Begum Hasrat Mohani), written for limited circulation as magazine articles (Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Shams Pahlavi), recorded for family and friends (Begum Sarbuland Jung, Ummat al-Ghani Nur al-Nisa), or with a pronounced political overtone (Suharti Suwarto, Melek Hanim) quite naturally, therefore, present different voices and concerns. Chatty, informal, informed when the writing is for herself or her family members; or formal, structured, detailed, sometimes even didactic when she knows what she is writing is meant for public consumption.
Travel as life
There are 45 accounts in all, grouped under four headings: Travel as Pilgrimage, Travel as Emancipation and Politics, Travel as Education, and Travel as Obligation and Pleasure. While large numbers of Indian women have written haj accounts, there is only one Indian in the second section, Shareefah Hamid Ali, who represented India at the United Nations and travelled by air. Several Indian Muslim women chose to travel for education, sometimes their own, or their husband’s or sons’. There is Mehr-al-Nisa from Hyderabad who joined her doctor husband in Ohio to train as an x-ray nurse, and Zaib-un-Nisa from Karachi writing an account of her 60 days in America as a member of the U.S. Department of State-sponsored Foreign Leader Exchange Programme where she crosses the breadth of the United States in a hired car with her husband.
Safia Jabir Ali, daughter of the esteemed Tyabji clan, married Jabir Ali who travelled extensively for business from their home in Burma to Europe.
Her memoir, written in Urdu, is brimful with an easy confidence: “I had to travel by myself from Bombay to Marseilles, and that was the first time I had occasion to depend entirely on myself and spend more than three weeks among entire strangers. However, as probably some of you know by experience, on board the steamer, one gets to know people very soon. I was lucky in being able to travel on the Loyalty, the steamer of an Indian company where there were a good many Indian passengers, and some of us soon became great friends.”
Connecting the dots
The last part, ‘Travel as Obligation and Pleasure’, has by far the most interesting experiences: Mughal Princess Jahanara’s mystical meeting in Kashmir; Salamah Bint Said, a princess of Zanzibar, who flees her home to unite with her German lover in Hamburg, converts to Christianity and takes the name Emily Ruete; and Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s pleasure trip to the Himalayas, among others.
While most women travelled with a male (husband, father, son, brother), some travelled alone: “Safia Jabir Ali travelled alone from Bombay to meet her husband in post-First World War Britain, Sediqeh Dowlatabadi from Tehran in 1923 to study at the Sorbonne in Paris, Selma Ekram from ‘Stamboul’ to New York in 1924 on the promise of work, Muhammadi Begum with her infant child from Bonn to Oxford in the mid-1930s, and Herawati Diah en route to study at Barnard College in New York in 1937.”
Alone or chaperoned, veiled or unveiled, travelling for work or pleasure, these accounts by Muslim women bust every stereotype. In one voice, these women seem to be saying: “only connect”.
Rakhshanda Jalil is a translator and literary historian.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books / by Rakshanda Jalil / December 12th, 2024
Social organisation “Pahal” addresses workplace discrimination and provides sustainable employment
Mumbai :
In a bid to tackle the persistent issue of workplace discrimination faced by Muslim women, a Mumbai-based social organisation, “Pahal,” has launched a unique initiative aimed at providing sustainable employment opportunities. The initiative focuses on offering employment in tiffin services and sewing, addressing both economic and social barriers faced by these women.
Many Muslim women in Mumbai encounter significant obstacles when seeking employment, particularly in housework and cooking. Despite their skills and experience, they often face rejection based on religious biases. This challenge is especially pronounced in areas like Govindi, where Muslim women frequently struggle to secure work.
Dr. Joy Pardeshi, a Product Manager at IIT Mumbai, alongside her husband Dr. Siddharth Acharya, has spearheaded the “Pahal” initiative to combat these issues. Recognising the dual problem of unemployment and the need for quality home-cooked meals, the couple established a tiffin service that both provides employment and meets the demand for home-delivery food in Mumbai.
“Pahal” aims to empower Muslim women by utilising their cooking skills and experience in a professional setting. The initiative operates out of the Pardeshi residence, where women are employed to prepare food with an emphasis on cleanliness and quality. This initiative has provided meaningful employment to many women who were otherwise struggling to find work.
Kulsoom Khan, one of the beneficiaries of this initiative, shared her experience, saying: “Despite many tries, I didn’t get any opportunities. Through the Pahal Foundation, I found employment and am now able to contribute to my family’s income.” Another participant, Kanta Nadir, a community health worker with 28 years of experience but limited formal education, also found new opportunities through the initiative.
The initiative not only provides job opportunities but also combats conservative mindsets within the Muslim community that often discourage women from working outside the home. Parveen Qazi, a coordinator at Pahal, reflected on her own journey: “Conservative views can create barriers, but with support from my family, I was able to work. The training and opportunity at Pahal have been transformative.”
Director Siddharth Acharya emphasised that the initiative’s goal is to address broader issues beyond just employment and education. “Our motto is ‘Goodness, Generosity, Sewing,’ reflecting our commitment to holistic support. We aim for comprehensive change that includes not only providing jobs but also addressing health concerns.”
“Pahal” provides health checks and organises health camps to ensure that women’s health needs are met. Blood sugar and blood pressure monitoring, along with free medical guidance and treatment are part of the initiative’s broader mission to support women’s overall well-being.
The “Pahal” initiative represents a significant step towards overcoming discrimination and providing sustainable solutions for Muslim women in Mumbai. By addressing employment, health, and social barriers, the organisation aims to foster self-reliance and enhance the quality of life for these women.
The success of “Pahal” underscores the potential for similar initiatives to create positive change in communities facing discrimination and economic hardship. As the program continues to expand, it offers a model for integrating social responsibility with economic empowerment, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable future.
source: http://www.clarionindia.com / Clarion India / Home> Editors Pick> Indian Muslim> Women / by Team Clarion / August 02nd, 2024
