The hijab-clad Karate maestro Shaheen Akhtar, 52, barely looks what she is — a 4-time National Champion in Karate, chopping her way surgically in all top events worldwide, is now appointed the first and only woman ‘Officiating Referee’ at the ongoing 19th Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games in China.
Packing up her bags to serve as the International Technical Official or Officiating Referee, Shaheen is a smiling but simple granny whose daughter Sana Hava and son Ayaan Ansari are also National Champions in Karate.
She learned her first Karate kicks, stances, punches, blocks and chops aged 13 while a schoolgirl at the Christ Church School, Byculla, excelled while studying for her B.Com degree from H.R. College, Churchgate and loved it enough to make it a full-fledged professional career as a ‘karateka’.
Over four decades since, she has punched her way from Youth League to Premier League to South Asian Championships to Asian Championships to Commonwealth Championships to World Championship events globally, earning medals and honours for her discipline and laurels for the nation, both as a participant and as a referee.
“In Hangzhou, I shall be the Officiating Referee for all events of Karate at the men’s and women’s events scheduled between October 5-7, with top champions participating from 42 Asian countries… It’s a very crucial responsibility,” said Shaheen softly, in a chat with IANS.
Discussing her upcoming challenges as Officiating Referee, Shaheen said that “handling pressure” will be the most critical part of her assignment — when over two billion pairs of eyes from all over Asia will scrutinise her every move and decision.
“All countries are coming there and vying for the medals… Besides the top-class champions from all countries in the ring, there will be top games experts from different countries, sports officials, VIPs, judges and viewers in the stadium and at their homes… Any wrong decision on my part can lead to havoc right inside the stadium,” Shaheen added.
Inside the ring, when the medal-hungry champions from different competing nations would be lunging at each other, the experience will be another trial even for Shaheen, herself an established and acclaimed figure in the sport.
“My job will be to control these rivals in the ring, command them to obey and adhere to the rules of the games, if they falter then there are levels of warnings, penalties, etc. to rein them in… And all under the watchful eyes of many,” Shaheen smiled.
Only on rare occasions, the moderator ‘Kansa’ (Match Supervisor) intervenes and also equally rarely the ‘third umpire’ or the video review supervisor, mainly while appealing for points is resorted to, she explained patiently, without clenching her deadly fists or flailing her arms.
In her new role, the former 4-time National Champion, 6-time Maharashtra Champion, a 8th Degree Black-Belt holder, Shaheen is also the highest and most qualified World Karate Federation and Asian Karate Federation female Referee in the country and in South Asia.
Now, Shaheen is passing on the baton to the gen-next through SAMA (Shaheen’s Academy of Martial Arts) affiliated to Karate India Organisation, and striving to groom future state-national-international champions and referees.
“I hope my long journey inspires the younger generations to take up Karate as a serious and viable career option… India has tremendous untapped potential and there could be many young champs waiting in the wings to grab their moment of glory given the right opportunity…I am always here to help anybody,” Shaheen declared.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> India> Indian Muslims> Sports / September 25th, 2023
City-based Assamese poet Shaheen Akhtar has been awarded the ‘Independence Day Literary Honour’.
Guwahati :
City-based Assamese poet Shaheen Akhtar has been awarded the ‘Independence Day Literary Honour’ by “Motivational Strips – World’s Most Active Writers Forum” in collaboration with the Gujarat Sahitya Academy (Under the Government of Gujarat).
Shaheen was declared as a recipient of the award “owing to her brilliance in poetry which is considered to be at par with world standards”.
The Independence Day Honour’ is conferred annually to the best poets worldwide jointly by the ‘Motivational Strips’ and the ‘Gujarat Sahitya Academy’ . The literary awards are given as a tribute to India’s Independence Day and the honor is considered as the most valued in the global poetic circle. Shaheen was accorded the honour on August 15, 2021.
The awarding procedure undergoes an exhaustive evaluation process, where the poet’s literary acumen, behaviour, global interactions and inclusions are taken into consideration before the recipient is conferred with the honour. A total of 440 poets from 82 countries were selected for this award.
‘Motivational Strips’ includes writers from more than 160 countries. The average visitors to this forum are beyond 7.2 million every month.
source: http://www.sentinelassam.com / The Sentinel / Home> Cities> Guwahati / by Sentinel Digital Desk / August 27th, 2021
Success comes to those who believe in hard work and this sentence fits the case of Dr Shaikh Muna Afroz, who is all set to join the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and probably become the first Muslim female Gastroenterologist (GI) surgeon in India.
In a message to the youth, Dr Muna says, “Perseverance and determination are the keys to success. I have experienced that my consistent efforts have enabled me to surmount every obstacle on my path to success.” Intending to become an academic surgeon, she struck an optimum balance between patient care, teaching, and research. She has authored more than five indexed research publications.
Dr Muna has presented her research papers at numerous conferences and won many accolades. Her inspiration is her grandfather, who is a General Surgeon and has been serving the community since 1967.
Dr Afroz hails from Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and bagged the All India Rank (AIR) third in MCh GI-HPB Surgery in the INI-SS 2023 and she also secured an All India Rank (AIR) – 10 for the Minimal Invasive Surgery Fellowship in 2021.
Prior to it, she aced CET-UG by securing the 93rd rank and completed her MBBS in 2017 from GMC Aurangabad.
In 2022, she acquired the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) in Edinburgh, UK. Having cleared the licensing examination from Dubai Health Authority (UAE) in 2022, Dr Muna is currently licensed to practice medicine in India, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
This report is filed by ANI news service.
source: http://www.thenewsmill.com / The News Mill / Home / by ANI / pix: edited / June 04th, 2023
Callisthenics performer, international karate referee, biker, calligrapher who don the headscarf by choice to share stage at YB Chavan auditorium on World Hijab Day
Packing a punch: Shaheen Akhtar, the first female karate referee in south Asia, with her students. (Right)
On Instagram, 19-year-old Haleema Momin calls herself ‘Hijabi Beast’. The athlete from Jogeshwari who performs callisthenics stands out not only for her choice of career but also her attire.
“People who don’t know about Islam assume that hijab is a sign of oppression. For me, the hijab brings a sense of security, strength and dignity. I get a lot of support and attention because of my hijab,” said Ms. Momin, who is trained in powerlifting and martial arts.
Extraordinary feats
The teenager, who works as a personal trainer, is all set to perform a range of moves like the headstand, handstand, superman push-ups and flips at YB Chavan auditorium on February 1, World Hijab Day. She will share stage with an international karate referee, a biker, a calligrapher and other women who wear the hijab by choice and take pride in it.
The first-of-its-kind event has been organised by the non-profit Al Hadi Organisation with the aim of shattering the popular belief that the hijab is an obligation and not a choice. “I started wearing the hijab at the age of 41. It was a sudden consciousness that dawned upon me and I became a hijabi,” said Mazgaon resident Shaheen Akhtar, a World Karate Federation referee and the first female karate referee in south Asia. Ms. Akhtar was lucky that in the same year, 2014, the World Karate Federation introduced the hijab as a part of the attire for referees. Her 26-year-old daughter, who holds an MBA and works with a multinational company, does not wear a hijab. She said, “My mother always told me that our religion calls for it, but never forced me to wear the hijab. I made my own choice and I will let my daughter make her own choice too.”
The event also aims at highlighting the bias against hijabis in schools, colleges and workplaces. “It took so many years for television channels to have hijabi anchors. Why?,” asked 29-year-old Fatema Zaidi Mirza, an anchor with Channel WIN (World Islamic Network) and one of the presenters at the February 1 event. Ms. Mirza will also share her own story of being asked to remove her headscarf while in school, which later resulted in her parents filing a court case. “Even today, there are so many schools that do not allow Muslim girls to wear the hijab and women are asked to remove it at many places,” she said.
Shabana Sadik Husein Pattawala, founder of Al Hadi Organisation, said the event will bring together women from all Muslim sects. She said, “The message we want to spread is that women can do wonders wearing a hijab, and wearing it does not hide their talent. The speakers and performers at the event will bear testimony to this fact.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mumbai / by Jyoti Shelar / January 29th, 2020
We, The Indian Muslims are proud to be citizens of this great country. We have been an architect of this land all through centuries since the days of dynastic rule. Whether it was construction of world class network of transport facilities like Grand Trunk Road linking major cities, founding new cities of highest standards for that age, huge monumental structures to attract the world, development of living standards and maintain cordial relationships between groups belonging to various religions, languages, castes and cultures, we pioneered justice and maintained the system.
With the passage of years, decades and turn of events, the foreign forces got attracted to it and slowly took over the rein of rule.
We were first to challenge and fight for country’s independence valiantly. Even our clergymen took to streets and fought, thousands laid down their lives. Colonel Balwan Singh Nagial, a third-generation Indian Army officer who retired in 2019 wrote in Times of India (April 23, 2022), thus: “Muslim leadership contributed enormously to divergent phases of the Indian struggle for independence. They (Muslims) played a larger-than-life role and made significant sacrifices in this struggle for independence.
From the last Mughal ruler Bahadur Shah Zafar to nawabs, princes, landlords of all sizes, clergy, ulema and the ordinary people, they all stood for the cause and took on enormous challenges and made supreme sacrifices.
When the INC was formed in 1885, the Muslims responded enthusiastically and supported all its efforts throughout the freedom struggle until India became free. The most enthusiastic support for the INC was from the Muslims of the conservative Ulama of Deoband. Earlier, the Ulama had participated in the 1857 uprising with heart and soul.
They made great sacrifices, and hundreds of them were sent to Andaman-Nicobar and many to Malta, an island to the south of Italy.
Muslim leaders who contributed to India’s struggle for independence were:
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Muhammad Ali, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Allama Iqbal, Muhammad Barkathulla, Bi Amma (mother of Ali brothers), Badarudeen Tyabji, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Dr M.A. Ansari, Dr Siafudeen Kichlu, Dr Basheer Ahmad, Syed Ameer Ali, Dr Syed Muhammad, Hasrat Mohani, Nawab Abdul Latheef, Altaf Hussain Hali, Syed Ahmad Sirhindi, Syed Ahmad Bareilly, Maulana Shibli Numani, Munshi Karamat Ali, Munshi Zakaullah.
Hindus and Muslims together fought the foreign forces shoulder to shoulder. A report by the ‘Milli Chronicle’ says that names of 95,300 freedom fighters are etched on the India Gate in Delhi, and remarkably, 61,945 of these names belong to Muslims, signifying that 65% of these brave individuals were Muslims. The significance of this statistic is eloquently captured by the renowned writer Mr. Kushwant Singh, who boldly declared that the story of Indian freedom is etched in the blood of Muslims, emphasizing their large contribution to the freedom struggle, considering their dis-proportionately smaller population percentage.
The annals of history are adorned with the stories of Muslim freedom fighters who put their lives on the line to liberate India from the shackles of British oppression. These individuals, driven by an unwavering determination to secure their homeland’s independence, demonstrated exceptional courage and resilience.
All through ages we find tall personalities like Sultan Haidar Ali, father of Tipu Sultan, (he pioneered the fight against British colonial forces); Tipu Sultan, son of Haider Ali; (he pioneered the use of iron-cased rockets); Ashfaqullah Khan,(noted for his daring attacks on British government trains); Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, the youngest President of the Indian National Congress,(who rallied Hindus and Muslims alike against British oppression); Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, (a pivotal figure in the Khilafat movement); was jailed for 13 years by the British), Sirajud Daula, (the last Nawab of Bengal), Badruddin Tyabji (of Indian National Congress); his wife, Suraiya Tayabji, who designed the present Indian flag., Zain-ul-Abideen, an officer of the Indian National Army (INA), coined the iconic patriotic slogan “Jai Hind.”
While recounting the names of every Muslim freedom fighter may be an impossible feat, their contributions and sacrifices in the fight against British colonialism are immeasurable and undeniable. The fact that many chose to remain in India underscores their deep-rooted connection to the land. Despite attempts to distort history, India will forever be the cherished home of its Muslim citizens. We gave the independent India Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister, Dr. Rafi Ahmed Qidwai, Dr.Zakir Hussain (an Educationist and Vice President), and numerous figures as servants to the country in the form of politicians, officers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, researchers, technocrats etc. in every field.
Our very recent contribution to the nation’s public service has been the world famous Scientist/Technocrat and President Dr.A.P.J. Kalam. He set the highest, un-believable standard of honesty, transparency and clean image in public life. A glimpse into the life he spent in the Rashtrapati Bhavan as President gives a shocking information. The same is as under: Mr. P M Nair, (retired IAS officer, then Secretary to Dr. Abdul Kalam, the President writes in his book “Kalam Effect” that Dr. Kalam used to receive costly gifts whenever he went abroad (as it is part of custom & protocol) used to ask the gifts to be photographed and then catalogued and handed over to the archives. Afterwards, he never even looked at them. He did not take even a pencil from the gifts received when he left Rashtrapathi Bhavan. It was a regular practice for every President to host an Iftar party, a routine. Upon being reminded about it Dr. Kalam asked Mr. Nair why he should host a party to people who are already well fed. Instead he estimated and donated Rs.22 lac being the cost to a few selected orphanages in the form of food, dresses and blankets besides a cheque for Rs.1.lakh from his personal funds. Though himself a devout Muslim, he never organized Iftar parties in President’s house at Public expense. Once Dr. Kalam invited 50 of his relatives to come to Delhi and they all stayed in Rashtrapathi Bhavan. He organized a bus for them to go around the city which was paid for by him.
No official car was used. Their lodging and food bill which came to Rs.2 laks was paid by him as per his instructions. Dr. Kalam’s elder brother stayed with him in his room for the entire one week as Dr Kalam wanted his brother to stay with him. When they left, Dr. Kalam wanted to pay rent for that room also. Imagine the President of a country paying rent for the room in which he is staying. This was any way not agreed to by the staff who thought the honesty was getting too much to handle. When he was to leave Rashtrapathi Bhavan at the end of his tenure, every staff member went and met him and paid their respects. Mr. Nair went to him alone as his wife couldn’t as she was confined to bed due to fracture. Upon noticing her absence and knowing the reason Dr. Kalam visited his house and chatted with her for some time. The following property was left behind by Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam: 16 doctorates, 1 website, 1 twitter account, 1 email id, 2500 books, 1 Padmashri, 1 Padmabhushan, 1 Bharat Ratna, 1 flat (which he has donated), 6 pants & 4 shirts (DRDO uniforms), 3 suits (1 western, 2 Indian). He didn’t have any Car, jewelry, stocks, TV, AC, land or any bank balance. He had even donated the last 8 years’ pension towards the development of his village. He was a real patriot and true Indian Muslim. We are proud of him.
Our character building efforts continued even through the present 21st century in the country with unique results as records vouch. For example, the city of KAYALAPATTANAM (in Tamil Nadu) with 100% Muslim population goes. There is no Police Station, no cinema and no crime in the city because there had been no crime there for decades.
The present day situation in the country may appear to be disheartening and disappointing for some. The irresponsible attitude towards Muslims by some extremist groups in the country belonging to a certain ideology should be viewed as a momentary period. Their efforts to demoralize, degrade, deny civil rights are synonymous with their declared intentions. A great majority of country-men still believe and practice true Hinduism as had been for centuries in the past. True Hindus do not endorse hatred, support arson and distrust.
A long history of peaceful co-existence of Muslims and Hindus for centuries with mutual respect, rejoicing specially the occasion of festivals and long socio-economic ties in every nook and corner of the country is its evidence.
Our country has been an example of ‘Unity in diversity’ for the world for a long time. Nobody from either community can imagine a survival without another. The bond has been and will surely be strong as Steel. The ever increasing social evils like Corruption, nepotism, frauds, woman-bashing and vandalism like termites in the country have made the life of common man miserable.
Decline in the values like increased greediness, and wide spread of dishonesty, revenge, vindictiveness, and non-adherence to law need to be challenged and controlled. The ‘PLEDGE’ we used to read in our text books once in first page is long missing both from the book and in practice.
We the Indian Muslims, whether a common man, clergy, intellectual, and technocrat, worker or even those with any political group should realize that notwithstanding the company or area, we have a responsibility towards the country and duty-bound to work for our own community. We need to understand todays challenging scenario and strengthen its unity. We are the inheritors of a great legacy, and not followers of the ilk of this day. We Muslims should remember that we are ordained by the Almighty Allah to be united, behold his Commands; make efforts to spread virtuous deed and work eradicate evils. The entire country is looking forward for the honest.
As the phrase rightly goes, ‘Service to humanity is service to God’. Our population in the country according to 2011 census stands at about 200 million which constitutes 15%. We need to contain our extravagant life-style especially in matters of functions and festivals.
We should stop depending on politicians, their promises and focus on a self, collective effort. We need to move forward together in the fields of education, employment opportunities generating plans through mutual cooperation. For this purpose and as in the days of our Prophet, we should make our area Masjid a center for gathering, deliberation, planning, guidance and service as per law.Experts and experienced in relevant fields can be roped in for the purpose and the available resources can be put to work.
سبق پڑھ پھر صداقت کا، شجاعت کا، عدالت کا۔۔ لیا جائیگا تجھ سے کام، دنیا کی امامت کا۔۔
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Syed Ilyas Basha / October 03rd, 2023
Khushboo has been practising different forms of martial arts for about 11 years.
Leaving her home and family behind in Uttar Pradesh, 23-year-old Khushboo Nishad secretly travelled to Hyderabad two years ago under the guise of a job transfer to become a mixed martial artist. Within a short period of time, she earned a silver medal at a national-level amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament.
A native of Allahabad, Khushboo has been practising different forms of martial arts for about 11 years now. She started with Judo at the age of 12, moving on to master the South Korean art of Taekwondo for another three years. Khusboo’s father taught her Karate.
Mastering different styles of fighting consequently developed her interest in the fastest-growing combat sport- Mixed Martial Arts. Khushboo said she tried learning MMA in UP, however,”I couldn’t find the level of training I was looking for,” she told Siasat.com.
She started her own research, some ‘asking around,’ and concluded that the best training she could find was in Hyderabad under the guidance of Sheikh Khalid. Moreover, Khalid taught MMA in a traditional form.
Khusboo never told her family about her dream to become a mixed martial artist. “I worked for Radisson in Ludhiana for eight months in order to save money and persue my goals,” she added.
Knowing very well her family would not allow her to go to Hyderabad, Khusboo told them she was transferred to the city of pearls by her company.
Narrating an incident that led to this decision Khushboo said, “One day my father saw a video where I was punched on my face by my coach. Disturbed, he immediately called me back.”
Khusboo was studying at Amity University, Lucknow at that time.
To keep her father happy, Khusboo studied hard and secured a top rank in her college. However, she still nourished the dream of becoming a mixed martial artist.
“I am extremely grateful to the person who recommended Sheikh Khalid to me. I have learned so many new things here,” she concludes adding that she has fallen in love with the city.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Usama Hazari / July 28th, 2022
Waheeda Rehman, 85, is a towering legend of Indian cinema known for iconic roles in films like ‘Guide’, ‘Pyaasa’ and ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’
Waheeda Rehman
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on September 26 announced that veteran Bollywood actor Waheeda Rehman would be conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021, honouring her stellar contribution to Indian cinema.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the 85-year-old actor through an X (formerly Twitter) post. “Delighted that Waheeda Rehman Ji has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award. Her journey in Indian cinema has left an indelible mark. A beacon of talent, dedication and grace, she embodies the best of our cinematic heritage. Congratulations to her,” he said.
Ms. Rehman has been critically acclaimed for her roles in Hindi films, prominent among them being Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke Phool, Chaudhavi Ka Chand, Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam, Guide and Khamoshi.
The announcement coincides with the birth centenary of Dev Anand, who had worked with Ms. Rehman in the classics like Guide (1965), an adaptation of R. K. Narayan’s book; and crime thriller C.I.D. (1956), which was her first Hindi film. Earlier, she had acted in Telugu films Rojulu Maraayi and Jayasimha, which were released in 1955.
“In her career spanning over five decades, she has essayed her roles with extreme finesse, leading to a National Film Award for her role as a clanswoman in the film Reshma and Shera. A Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, Waheeda ji has exemplified dedication, commitment and the strength of a Bharatiya Nari who can achieve the highest level of professional excellence with her hard work,” said Mr. Thakur.
The Minister said: “At a time when the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (women’s reservation Bill, 2023) has been passed by Parliament, her being awarded this lifetime achievement award is a fitting tribute to one of the leading ladies of Indian Cinema and one who has dedicated her life after films to philanthropy and the greater good of society.”
The award will be presented during the 69th National Film awards ceremony. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award selection committee comprised prominent Indian cinema personalities, Asha Parekh, Chiranjeevi, Paresh Rawal, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Shekhar Kapur.
Ms. Rehman has worked in more than 90 films. She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her roles in Guide and Neel Kamal (1968). She also bagged the National Award for Best Actress (1971) and was honoured with the Padma Shri by government in 1972 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by The Hindu Bureau / September 26th, 2023
Thanjavur-based Shahida Malik, the elder sister of Waheeda Rehman, talks about growing up with her ‘Chand’.
Waheeda Rehman with Shahida Malik | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Many rejoiced at the news of veteran actor Waheeda Rehman being conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021.
But quite above the fan frenzy, is 92-year-old Shahida Malik, Waheeda Rehman’s elder sister based out of Thanjavur, who has been moved to tears of joy at the recognition of her beloved sibling, nicknamed ‘Chand’ (moon and a term of endearment in Urdu), whose innate talent has been finally given its due.
It often comes as a surprise to many that Waheeda Rehman is actually from Tamil Nadu. She was born in Chengalpattu.
With a beautiful dance sequence that marked her debut at the age of 17 in the 1955 Telugu film Roju Marayi (remade as Kaalam Mari Pochu in Tamil), Waheeda Rehman’s body of work spans several decades of unusual roles. Her career in Hindi started in 1956 with the Guru Dutt production CID.
“Waheeda’s Roju Marayi dance was so famous that people used to throw money at the screen whenever the song came on,” says Shahida. “We were amazed to see the reaction to our sister and so proud of her success.”
Trained in Bharatanatyam
Born in 1938 to district commissioner Mohamed Abdul Rehman and Mumtaz Begum, Waheeda was the youngest of four daughters. She and her sister Sayeeda trained in Bharathanatyam.
Shahida, who is seven years elder to the actor, remembers the family fearing for Waheeda’s poor health in her early childhood. They were also worried about the reaction to girls from the Muslim community taking up dance or films as a career.
She was first noticed as a performer at a Bharatanatyam recital for a cultural show organised during a visit by India’s last Governor-General C. Rajagopalachari by her father when he was posted at Vishakapatnam (in what was then the Madras Presidency).
“Father was asked to use only local artistes in the programme. Waheeda and Sayeeda were roped in for the dance,” recalls Shahida. As mentioned in the 2015 book Conversations with Waheeda Rehman by Nasreen Munni Kabir, the family went through straitened times after the death of Mohamed Abdur Rehman in 1951.
Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman at an event in New Delhi | Photo Credit: –
“Our father was transferred constantly, and this affected our studies. My elder sister Zahida and I managed to study up to Class 8, but Sayeeda and Waheeda didn’t get even that far. They worked very hard to stand on their own feet,” says Shahida.
Foray into films
Waheeda Rehman’s success in the Roju Marayi song led to a meeting with actor-producer-director Guru Dutt, who eventually signed her up for a three-year contract with his production house in 1955, persuading Waheeda and her mother to shift to Bombay from Madras.
Their creative partnership flourished in films like Pyaasa, Twelve O’ Clock, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Chaudvin Ka Chand and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. With a ringside view on the world of films, Shahida has many memories of her sister’s heyday as a young actor, and also chaperoning her to shoots in outdoor locations.
Waheeda Rehman in the Telugu film ‘Rojulu Maaraayi’ | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Shahida and Waheeda are the only two surviving sisters. Family members, irrespective of their age, refer to their star relative affectionately as ‘Chand Khala’. “I nicknamed her after the moon, because she was destined to rise high in life and shine. I am so happy, I cannot stop crying,” says Shahida.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by Nahla Nainar / September 27th, 2023
India’s Nikhat Zareen bowed out in the women’s 50kg semi-final after losing 3:2 to Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat. Parveen Hooda is assured a medal in the women’s 57kg.
(Boxing Federation of India (BFI))
Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen finished her campaign in the women’s 50kg event with a bronze medal at the Asian Games 2023 boxing tournament in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China.
Nikhat Zareen lost her semi-final bout against Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat by a 3:2 split decision. Zareen and Raksat faced each other in the quarter-finals of the world championships earlier this year and the Indian boxer had come out on top then.
In Hangzhou, both Nikhat Zareen and Chuthamat Raksat started the bout cautiously, the two only able to land soft punches with measured jabs. In the final round, the Thai boxer managed some decisive hooks to take control and won the bout by the barest of margins.
“My experience was great. I had very good bouts in these Asian Games,” Nikhat said. “Today, unfortunately, I couldn’t win the semi-final match against Thailand. But it’s fine, I will take this as a learning lesson.
“I’ll definitely come back stronger. I’ll learn from my mistakes from this competition, and I definitely look forward to that.”
Earlier in the day, Parveen Hooda made it to the women’s 57kg semi-finals by defeating Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan by unanimous decision. The 23-year-old Indian boxer, by virtue of making the top four, secured a maiden Asian Games medal as well as a quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics next year.
However, as National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes’ participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
Boxing at the Asian Games 2023 is also a Paris 2024 Olympics qualifier event. In men’s events, the gold and silver medallists in each of the seven weight divisions will be issued a quota to Paris 2024. In the women’s categories, four quotas will be on offer for all categories other than the 66kg and 75kg, for which there will be two berths on offer like men’s.
Parveen Hooda will face Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Ting in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Lamboria missed out on a medal after she lost by RSC (referee stops count) in the women’s 60kg quarters against Ungyong Won of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Indian boxer endured three standing counts in a space of one minute before the referee stopped the bout.
source: http://www.olympics.com / Olympics.com / Home / by Anurag Peesara / October 01st, 2023
In a small suburb in the Islam-dominated Jamia in Delhi, Mohammed Ameen manages to live a life which breaks norms and is still happy. . .
Football, as a game, has broken a lot of barrier in terms of religion and war. It is a well-documented fact that the Nigerian Civil War was stopped to watch Pele and his team play in the 1960s. If the game could stop a war, one can imagine its power over the other earthly, trivial matters.
Khel Now Football caught up with Mohammed Ameen, who originates from Patna but is currently staying in Delhi. Ameen is a Maulana, a person associated with formal qualification following study at a madrassa or darul uloom. Ameen comes across as a noble Muslim, who would go about his work and would lead a sedentary life in a city job.
Astonishingly, Ameen breaks the cliché. The middle-aged man is a sports coordinator for CEQUIN, an NGO which works on a variety of issues affecting women and girls such as violence, leadership, economic empowerment and other social benefits. You must be wondering that why are we writing these stories; but there’s a common link: FOOTBALL.
Football Is My Religion I Jamia I Mohammed-The Maulana Coach
Ameen trains girls in and around his area and said, “I train both the junior and senior girls equally hard. I want to see the senior girls mature in a way that they can train the next line of girls in the years to come,” says Ameen, who earns meagerly.
“Football is a team game, and the girls forget their stress while playing,” adds the gaffer. “There energy on the pitch brings a change in the community and shows a new door to the girls in the area. I’m working in the Jamia area and there are various challenges in the work I’m trying to do.”
One of them, he says, is the fact that he’s a Maulana. “People in general and parents in particular usually say that I’m a Maulana and I teach girls to play football, which adds a poor connotation to the notion. I usually stay silent, and they get my answer.”
Talking on our special segment called ‘Football is my Religion’, Ameen concludes with a brilliant message. “Football is played all around the world by white, black, men and women equally. There is no religious division in the game, and it should be that way forever. It connects people like nothing else.”
source: http:www.khelnow.com / Khel Now / Home / by Punit Tripathi / April 17th, 2017
