Faculty members and scholars of Aligarh Muslim University underscored the salient features of the writings of Dr Syeda Narjis Fatima, especially stressing the aesthetic and philosophical aspects of her work, during the release ceremony of her book, “Muntakhab Mazameen” (Selected Essays) in the conference hall of the Faculty of Social Science, Aligarh Muslim University.
In his presidential remarks, the founder and director of Ibn Sina Academy, Aligarh, Prof Hakeem Syed Zillur Rehman, congratulated Dr Narjis Fatima on the publication of the book and said that most of the articles included in the book bring forth the aesthetic aspects of Urdu literature, which is an important genre of literary criticism in Urdu. He said that her canvas of writing is vast and her articles introduce the Urdu readers to a new way of thinking.
The chief guest, Prof. Qazi Jamal Hussain, while underscoring the aesthetic aspect of various topics included in the book, said that studying Urdu literature from an aesthetic point of view is a difficult task because people generally do not differentiate between aesthetics and impressionistic criticism, while both are different things. He said that aesthetics covers all the genres of fine arts and Dr. Narjis Fatima has employed the aesthetic elements in her essays with great objectivity and dexterity.
He said that Dr. Fatima’s articles emanate from her philosophical concerns and this is another important quality of her writings.
The Guest of Honour, Prof Syed Siraj Ajmali, Department of Urdu said that the release of a book in an educational institution is an important event as it reflects its academic activities. Dr Narjis Fatima’s book is an embodiment of philosophical and aesthetic ideas with reference to her essays. He said that Dr Fatima belongs to a family of scholars and carries forward the scholarly tradition. She submitted her PhD thesis on Aesthetic Criticism in 2009, which was later published in the form of a book.
Former associate professor of the Department of Philosophy, Dr. Tasadduq Hussain said that although Dr Fatima is a housewife, her academic activities continued over a long span of time as she has a genuine aptitude for reading and writing and pondering over scholarly topics. He added that the book contains enough material for the students of literature and they can benefit from it in many ways.
While conducting the program, Prof Mohammad Asim Siddiqui, Chairman, Department of English, said that Dr Fatima’s book stimulates the thought process as the articles included in this book cover important subjects like the aesthetic dimensions of Iqbal’s and Faiz’s poetry and the aesthetics of progressive writers’ movement.
He said that the book is very helpful for students of English literature, especially comparative literature, as the it includes special studies on “Shakuntala and Shakespearean Heroines”, “Antigone and Greek Drama” and Manto’s “Toba Tek Singh: A Critical Review”.
Prof. Ashiq Ali, Chairman, Department of Hindi extended a vote of thanks.
Prof Mehtab Haider Naqvi, Prof Shahid Rizvi, Prof Madihar Rehman Suhaib, Prof Samina Khan, Prof Prem Kumar, Prof Sami Rafiq, Prof Shambhunath Tiwari, Mr. Ajay Basaria and a large number of teachers and students congratulated Dr Narjis Fatima for the publication of the book.
source: http://www.amu.ac.in / Aligarh Muslim University, AMU / Home> AMU News / by Public Relations Office, Aligarh / July 17th, 2023
Long thought to be simple fare, Kokni Muslim cuisine’s unique flavours and aromas are slowly wafting out of the confines of home kitchens.
The Konkan coast, which is home to the Kokni Muslim cuisine
When you think of Muslim cuisine, what do you think of? Hyderabadi dum biryani, Lucknowi galouti kebab on a warqi paratha, or the lavish Bohri thaal? Dishes such as yakhni gosht (dry mutton), machli cha halduni (fish gravy), dum che Bombil (Bombay Duck made in the dum technique) are not the ones that readily come to mind as most of us are unfamiliar with the cuisine of the Kokni Muslim community.
What has kept this cuisine away from public knowledge is that it cannot be found at just about any restaurant and can be sampled only at home-dining experiences or pop-ups, that too only over the past couple of years.
One such is Ammeez Kitchen, a home-dining service on weekends at Marol, Mumbai, founded by Shabana Salauddin in 2017. “Ammeez Kitchen happened over a conversation with my mother, Ammee, while having our meal,” she recalls. “The discussion hovered around why Kokni Muslim food, which is so delectable, is unknown compared to other regional cuisines? Ammee dismissed the idea, saying our food is just ‘ghar ka khaana [simple home food]’. This strengthened my resolve, as I felt this was exactly what I wanted to showcase.”
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Kokni Muslims are a sub-ethnic group from the Konkan region, including the areas of Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. About 1,000 years ago, trade between the Indian sub-continent and West Asia saw Arab merchants coming to this region—to ports such as Chaul, near Alibaug—and, over centuries, settling along the coast, marrying into the local communities and giving rise to the Kokni Muslim community of seafarers. The Arabs brought along with them the knowledge of food such as yakhni or mutton dishes, and spices such as fennel. Besides, owing to their location, seafood became an integral part of their cuisine along with local, Maharashtrian influences.
(From top left) Khatte bangde; roath, a semolina-based cake
Nujmoonnisa Parker, author of Kokni Delights (a book of recipes and history of the community) and an exponent of Kokni Muslim cuisine, explains, “The backbone of Kokni Muslim cuisine has always been what is harvested from the ground, i.e. local produce. Like the cuisine of the Goud Saraswats of Konkan and Christians in Goa, Kokni Muslim cuisine is largely dairy-free, and, in this respect, differs from the Mughlai cuisine. There are various permutations of any given recipe, based on the region, availability of ingredients and seasonality. Coconut, rice, lentils, onions, potatoes and red chilies are the main ingredients of this cuisine.”
Although a myriad spices and ingredients go into each dish, according to Shahida Khan, a Kokni Muslim from Navi Mumbai, the food is light on the stomach. “Kokum, dry mango, black sesame seeds, coconut, red chilies, turmeric—all grown in the region—are used in our cuisine. Rice, which is also common, is used in whole or powdered form in almost every dish.”
Elaborate meals are the cornerstone of this cuisine. Popular dishes include machli cha halduni, chavachi chutney (coconut chutney that is eaten as a main dish), chawrachi roti (boiled rice flour chapati), kavtacho bojar (stuffed egg), kolbi chi chutney (dried prawns chutney), alni paalni (chicken soup without salt).
“Kokni Muslim food is always a complete meal. We have roti, chawal (rice), sabzi (vegetables), saalan (gravy), kebab or talela, and tondilavayla (condiments). Many a time, the number of condiments exceeds the number of main courses, and typically include hari chutney (green chutney), sirke ka achaar (onions pickled in vinegar), kalkhand, kuldey (rice papad), thecha (chilli chutney), raita or kachumber,” says Salauddin.
Saravle, a wheat pasta
The cuisine has similarities with other Konkan cuisines and yet remains distinct. Mumbai-based home chef-turned-entrepreneur Mumtaz Kazi Pawaskar, who hails from the fishing village of Harnai in Ratnagiri and runs a catering business along with her cousin Sameera Gawandi, elaborates: “We call ourselves Kokni and not Konkani. The use of coconut milk as in other Konkan cuisines is common. But we use it instead of water to make curries, and this is one such distinction of Kokni food. So much so, that coconut milk is even used to cook rice, which gives it a glaze and extra flavour.”
Pawaskar adds that the cuisine has three broad spice combinations: Fish masala, mutton masala, and haldi (a combination of turmeric and fennel ground together). Fennel, a key ingredient of Kokni cuisine, is an example of the Arab influences. “Isan is the process of adding a few prawns to some vegetable preparations like stuffed brinjals, a yellow curry with drumsticks, and yam in garam masala for extra flavour,” she explains. “In our village, during summer, all household courtyards have whole red chillies drying in the sun, while households make and store spice mixtures for the whole year.”
Each meal has some special dishes. “Ghavne and sandan are breakfast dishes made with rice flour and a bit of jaggery. While ghavne [delicate crepes] is made on a tawa with pure ghee, sandan [similar to the Goan sanna] is steamed and is lighter in texture,” Khan explains. “Ghario, on the other hand, is an evening snack made with shredded cucumber, jaggery and rice flour, deep fried and typically served with Sulaimani chai.”
Cooking methods and ingredients vary from village to village, according to Salauddin. “Every family has their own version of the recipe. Most of the Kokni families have at least one clay pot or degh in which machli ki halduni and kalsani ka saalan (fish gravy) are prepared. The wet spice mixture—coriander, chillies and garlic—is always freshly ground. There are two extremes in our cooking: An entire meal can be fixed in 30 to 45 minutes, while others that include sandan (like idlis, made of coarse rice, coconut, milk, sugar and steamed), roath (semolina-based cake), khichda (slow-cooked meat and lentils), sarole or saravale (wheat pasta), bhakorche (like rotis), and ukdi ke kanole (rice dumplings) are laborious.”
Chonge, or sweet puris
Desserts occupy an important place in this cuisine. Pelve are rice flour crepes stuffed with grated coconut and jaggery and garnished with chironji, a variety of nut. Poppy seeds are used abundantly to garnish sweet dishes like mitli (made of rice flour and coconut), peyushi (coconut milk and cashew pudding), duderi (flour and egg pudding), chonge (sweet puris) and seviya (vermicelli in milk).
Although Kokni Muslims have traditionally cooked and enjoyed their own cuisine at home, Parker feels that in the last few decades the community has learnt to incorporate various styles of cooking into their kitchens.
Saravle, a pasta made from wheat dough moulded into tiny rings, is a favourite in this cuisine. It plays a significant role in weddings as it is part of a bride’s ‘rukhwat’ (gifts) when she leaves her parents’ home. It is cooked as a savoury dish with mutton or chicken, or as a sweet when steamed and topped with eggs.
Salauddin says, “Ukdi ke kanole, small half moon-shaped rice dumplings stuffed with freshly grated coconut, sugar and nuts, are prepared on the wedding day. These piping hot dumplings are bought in a big plate and placed in front of the couple. The groom is expected to pick up the maximum number of dumplings and gift them to the bride. The belief is that the larger the number of dumplings he picks, the more likely he is to take care of his wife.”
Religious occasions, too, call for special dishes being prepared at home. “Women prepare sandan on Ramadan Eid, and roath and malido in the first week of Muharram,” says Parker.
Until recently, Kokni Muslim food had remained restricted to homes and was not considered to be a cuisine that could be popularised beyond the community. However, many women are now making an effort to help more people become aware of their rich culinary heritage through pop-ups and curated home-dining experiences.
Since 2017, Pawaskar and Gawandi have been delivering food from their home under the name of Kokni Dastarkhwan, and have joined hands with Authentic Cook, an organisation that offers unique culinary experiences hosted by home chefs. For instance, in 2019, Neel, a popular Mughlai and North Indian cuisine restaurant with branches in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi and Powai held a Kokni Muslim cuisine pop-up with Pawaskar and Gawandi.
Salauddin’s Ammeez Kitchen offers home dining experiences on weekends, where customers can reserve their seats in advance, and also delivers Kokni Muslim fare to the homes of customers. “Most Kokni Muslims now live in nuclear families, and with the busy lives we lead we all prefer to have quick-fix meals rather than our own cuisine, which can be quite elaborate. Families have either stopped making these dishes, or are unaware of old recipes made by our grandparents,” laments Salauddin. “This is why the transfer of knowledge from one generation to another is at a standstill. While we Koknis love our food, we have always undervalued it. It is confined within the walls of our kitchens. It is now time to let the world know.”
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(This story appears in the 14 February, 2020 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)
source: http://www.forbesindia.com / Forbes India / Home> Life> Forbes Life / by Mini Ribeiro / February 08th, 2020
Inshada Bashir Mir, a 29-year-old MBA graduate hailing from Hanjiwera Bala Pattan located close to LOC near Kanehama in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite challenging circumstances, Inshada with grit and determination has found a company “Tubruk”, which sells a plethora of hand crafted articles.
She works with 40 artisans and has expanded her business to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Jaipur. Inshada’s ambition is to take her brand “Tubruk” to the international level to introduce the handmade crafts of Jammu and Kashmir and give a new lease of life to the art and artisans who are vanishing day-by-day.
Inshada was invited as a panelist to share her success story in the recently held “Kula – 23 Conclave” organised by “200 Million Artisans”, a social enterprise enabling ecosystem for craft led enterprises for the community at the Bangalore International Center in Bengaluru.
Narrating her successful journey to IANS, Inshada explained that “Tubruk” is a Kashmiri word meaning a souvenir and blessing. “When I approached artisans with business proposals, they just saw me as a little child and laughed,” she says.
The young lady had dreamt of establishing a business at her native while she studied crafts management in Srinagar Craft Development Institute. She had learned the basics, value supply chains, but the challenge was to deal with the existing ground realities in Kashmir.
When asked about whether she was allowed to carry out business by the family, Inshada explained that she hailed from a family which was into the business of carpets.
“Outsiders think Muslim women are not allowed to carry out business. Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) wife is the first businesswoman of this world. My father’s advice on my adventure was negative. Don’t start a business as it is risky, was his opinion. But, as I was firm with my intention, he did not stop me from pursuing my dream. He is there for me all the time. My mother supported my dream as well.
“I started my business by making advance payments to artisans. I got the new designs of shawls, stoles, jewels, ear rings, laptop covers and other articles with signature modern embroidery works. You have to take that one first step and you will realize there are many to help you. You have to do it with a creative mindset,” Inshada revealed.
She participated in the Bengaluru Exhibition organised by the NGO Commitment to Kashmir in 2018. After that she attended a few more events which helped her to get contacts, networks and market.
“I started with four to five artisans. Now, I feel proud that I am working with 40 to 50 of them. The more joy comes as I am able to make their payments in advance. Now, my aim is to take Tubruk to international level,” she says.
200 million artisans under the leadership of its founder Priya Krishnamoorthy are doing great work to bring together the handicraft artisans and enterprises community and promote this sector.
“I am grateful to them to invite me for this Kula Conclave event in Bangalore and share my thoughts and journey along with other eminent personalities from the handcraft segment and discuss on how we can save this sector,” Inshada says.
Kashmir is marching forward, it is going ahead, Inshada explains with glitter in her eyes.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Karnataka / by IANS / July 23rd, 2023
Today, Google Doodle commemorates the birthday of Zarina Hashmi, an influential Indian American artist who would have turned 86 today.
The doodle, designed by guest illustrator Tara Anand from New York, pays homage to Hashmi’s artistic style by incorporating her signature geometric and minimalist abstract shapes.
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> English Edition> Business News> Magazine> Panache / by ET Online / July 16th, 2023
The cover of Nisar Kubra’s only published book Khayalat e Kubra
“I used to write criticism of every book or article which I believed needed to be countered. Apart from these, I had written fiction, non-fiction, satires, and novels. Unfortunately, I could not publish any of these works because my Father-in-Law (May Allah Bless him with Paradise) was old-fashioned. In his opinion, good women did not write or engage with the public. Still, I got a few of my articles published in magazines under a pseudonym.”
These are the words of a Muslim woman writer from Patna who lived about a century ago. She was Nisar Kubra, one of the first women Urdu poets from Bihar to get published. She had written at least 50 books that were never published. In fact her works got destroyed by natural calamities. Her first notebook with her poems was torn by her elder brother, who questioned her daring act of being like Sauda (a famous Urdu classical poet). The poems were lost.
Probably, looking back, one could have reconciled to her plight had she been from a less-educated or backward family. Kubra’s mother Rashid un Nisa was the first woman author to publish a novel in Urdu. She had also established one of the first girls’ schools in Patna. Her father-in-law was Syed Ali Karim, who took part in the 1857 revolt and was a well-known scholar of his time. Kubra’s family and her in-laws belonged to Patna’s intellectual class.
In her memoirs, Kubra wrote that in the early 20th century “women’s education was considered to be evil, and teaching them the art of writing was no less than a grave sin”.
Muslim women are taught to read the Quran but without understanding it. They weren’t taught to read or write Urdu, Hindi, or English. She was no different. The female tutor hired for her didn’t know anything but the Quran, without understanding its meaning.
Kubra would have ended up like other girls of those times, uneducated but for her passion for reading and writing. She imitated alphabets on waste papers with the help of a piece of straw dipped in colour. One day her mother, who was an advocate of women’s education but couldn’t do much against the wishes of male members to help her daughter, saw Kubra trying to write. She was moved. She immediately gave her pen, ink, and paper. A tutor was hired for her. A female tutor who herself didn’t know much about writing could teach only the basics. But, this was enough for Kubra. She started practising.
Kubra learnt Arabic by comparing Arabic with Urdu translations; English from male family members’ books and Hindi from a Hindu maid at home. She would read any scrap. She followed her mother’s advice that girls should be exposed to both good and bad literature. Their minds should be developed in a fashion that they could distinguish between good and evil.
Kubra and her niece, Asghari, started writing poems. Once, when the Urdu poet Shad Azimabadi was shown her poems, he appreciated those and said that she should have been sent to a formal educational institution. Professor Syed Abdul Ghafur also appreciated her writings but Kubra’s elder brother did not endorse a woman from the family writing poetry. He tore down her notebook of poems. Kubra recalled, “This humiliation killed my passion for poetry and I would not write another poem for years to come”.
Kubra felt independent only in 1934, after the death of her father-in-law. Her children had grown up by then and she was on a pilgrimage to Arab. She got her poems published and called it Khayalat e Kubra (Kubra’s thoughts).
Kubra’s poems written before 1934 were lost because she also feared the rage of male members of her family if she discloses her passion.
Kubra wrote on religion, women’s rights, political movements, social movements, freedom struggle, Hindu-Muslim unity, and education.
In one of her poems on Hindu-Muslim unity, she wrote, “Suno aey Hindostaan waalo tum aey Hindu Musalmaano, Tumhi aapas ke kul jhagdo ko bekhatke mita sakte” (Listen my Indian people divided into Hindus and Muslims only you can solve these internal communal feuds).
Kubra also wrote about the need for education among women. She welcomed the freedom of women with a caution that Indians should not get carried away with western ideas. Kubra was satisfied. She wrote, “Now the times are changing. Women are attaining freedom, rather they have gained freedom. Old traditions are now past. We have no dearth of teachers for girls. Girls’ schools are being opened. Muslim women should also move forward with women of other communities to educate themselves. They should not lag.”
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Saquib Salim / July 21st, 2023
Dr Asima Banu has taken charge as the principal of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), becoming the first Muslim woman to hold this position at the institution. Dr Banu, with 23 years of service at BMCRI, assumed her new role on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the college’s history.
Dr Asima Banu’s journey at BMCRI began in the 1990s when she completed her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the institution. In 2000, she joined as a faculty member in the microbiology department and has since held various key positions, including quality in-charge, infection control officer, head of the microbiology department at Bowring Hospital, convenor of the medical education unit, and nodal officer of the simulation and skills centre at BMCRI.
Her contributions during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic have garnered widespread appreciation. In 2020, Dr Banu served as the nodal officer of the Covid ward at the Trauma Care Centre, Victoria Hospital. Her dedication to patient care and well-being was evident as she implemented innovative measures to ensure the comfort and recovery of COVID-19 patients.
Dr Banu’s efforts to make patients feel at home and ease their recuperation included providing essential facilities and amenities in the isolation wards. She personally ensured that patients had access to juice tetra packs, nail cutters, toiletries, kettles, and pedestal fans. In an interview, she emphasized her commitment to meeting the diverse needs of patients, even when language barriers made it challenging. Dr Banu’s compassion and determination to ensure patient satisfaction have been instrumental in creating a positive healing environment.
Despite the immense responsibilities as the overall in-charge of the facility, Dr Banu consistently prioritized the patients’ well-being. She went above and beyond by catering to their specific requirements. Whether it was arranging for clothes and essentials or fulfilling requests for games, cakes, and chocolates, Dr Banu spared no effort to bring happiness and comfort to the patients. She established a WhatsApp group where patients could message her directly, creating a channel for communication and ensuring their needs were met promptly.
As Dr Asima Banu assumes the position of principal at BMCRI, her appointment serves as an inspiration to aspiring medical professionals, particularly women from minority communities.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by The Cognate News Desk / July 06th, 2023
Human Welfare Foundation (HWF), in collaboration with RailTel Corporation of India Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to carry out a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project aimed at promoting healthcare and women’s empowerment in selected villages of the Jalna District of Maharashtra.
The project will include two interconnected initiatives. The first will address menstrual hygiene in a few selected villages in Jalna District, while the second will run a mobile unit staffed by healthcare professionals to facilitate special online consultations and offline solutions for common people in selected villages.
RailTel Corporation of India Limited will provide funding support for the project, which will be implemented over a period of one year in six villages in the Jalna District, namely Chikali, Dalegaon, Kedarkheda, Loangaon, Chandai, and Rajur.
The project’s activities will include the formation of two self-help groups comprising 60 women who will be responsible for the distribution of sanitary napkins in the villages. The project will also create a source of livelihood for the women, sensitizing and raising awareness among young girls and women in these villages about the health benefits of the use of sanitary napkins, menstrual hygiene, and health-related issues.
The project’s goal is to empower people in the selected villages to address health and nutrition issues and set up income-generating plants for women. The project will focus on two areas of activity, namely self-help group formation for menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and tele-health medicine.
The project aims to provide infrastructure, training, health, and medical facilities in Jalna District villages, promote hygienic menstrual practices among rural women and adolescent girls, eliminate stigmas and taboos related to menstruation, facilitate authentic information and guidance to reduce hospitalization, empower girls by addressing gender issues, provide comprehensive mobile health care services, and enhance the physical and psychological well-being of rural women. The project also offers free tele-consultations by an expert panel of doctors to all beneficiaries.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Economy / by admin India Tomorrow / March 08th, 2023
The mini Taj Mahal constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore at Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu which is the hometown of the businessman is drawing crowds from across the state.
Chennai:
In a unique love for his mother, a Chennai-based businessman has constructed a mini Taj Mahal in memory of his mother.
The mini Taj Mahal constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore at Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu which is the hometown of the businessman is drawing crowds from across the state.
Family History
Amrudeen Sheik Dawood Sahib is a hardware businessman in Chennai and the only male member among the five siblings. His father Abdul Kader Sheik Dawood was a businessman in Chennai and dealt with leather goods.
However, Abdul Kader Sheik passed away while his children were very young. His wife, Jailani Beevi was a person who did not give up easily and struggled hard to run the business and to bring up the five children, including four girls. All the children grew up and after the four sisters were married off, Amrudeen Sheik also got married.
In 2020 Jailani Beevi passed away, which was a major shock to Amarudeen, as he was the one who had helped his mother from a very tender age in the shop and was always moving around with her. She passed away on a new moon day and Amarudeen decided to feast 1,000 people on every new moon day with biryani.
However, Amarudeen thought that this was not enough and later came across the idea of constructing a mini Taj Mahal for his mother. He bought one acre land at his ancestral village, Ammayiappan, and with the support of a builder friend started constructing the monument.
What’s inside this Taj Mahal?
He bought marble from Rajasthan and made pathways and walkways around the monument just like in the Taj Mahal at Agra and on June 2, the monument was opened to the public.
It has meditation centres where people of all faiths can meditate and a madrasa where 10 students are presently staying.
Amarudeen, however, did not give publicity to the Taj Mahal of the South and people came to know of this through word of mouth.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Life & Style / by IANS / June 11th, 2023
The story of a girl from a small town who goes out to make her place on a global map voicing out the importance of the equality, inclusion and economic empowerment of women.
A survival story of a girl from an industrial town with an SSLC graduation who goes out to make her place on a global map voicing out the importance of the equality, inclusion and economic empowerment of women.
How I became an entrepreneur
I was born and brought up in a very well-reputed, broad-minded family of people involved in the leather business. I got married at the early age of 16 to the only son of the leather industry’s biggest names. My parents found the best for me. However, life isn’t a bed of roses and i and my spouse had our struggles.
The sudden demise of my father-in-law had shattered my husband and then I decided to accompany him in his business. It was very much unheard of and extremely novel in the industrial town of Ambur to see a woman come out and shoulder financial responsibilities with their husband in business.
What was the turning point?
The formation of ‘Ammara’ a footwear manufacturing factory is unique with its idea of the implementation of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and its individuality stands alone as it’s the only women-owned factory in the whole industrial belt of Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Ranipet, Vellore, Gudiyatham, etc are the industrial towns completely male-oriented businesses where “Ammara” stands unique with the only female-run business where I had always strongly stood for women empowerment actively volunteering with the Government and International organisations like Tamilnadu State Planning Commission, NITI AAYOG, UNDP, United Nations for the awareness of entrepreneurship development in women by organising Awareness programs in villages and rural areas for the same.
What was the lesson I learnt
“Believe in yourself…If you believe it then you can Achieve it”
When I entered into the business of footwear manufacturing in a male-oriented industry, it was very tough for me to survive as there was no encouragement or positive energy. I had to face a lot of criticism and abuse. I was targeted for the wrong reasons and there were constant blame games on my name. I had to overcome hurdles and obstacles until I found my place in the business and the industry. I am a firm believer in destiny and have always had a positive outlook on things.
I have always believed that these were tests and are nothing but a process of learning and grooming on the road to success. I started small with the pure motive of the economic empowerment and growth of women. I named my factory ‘Ammara’ meaning ‘Eternal’ which I believed will InshaAllah, like its meaning last forever against all odds and will triumph towards the Implementation of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 8.
Coming from an orthodox conservative Muslim society, I chose the path less travelled, and that made all the difference in my life.
Why financial independence for women is key
Each and Every woman should be financially independent as everyone is born with gifts by birth but aren’t aware of what to find in them and I believe that girls and women in my home town Ambur are very intelligent and smart but they lack the right support and the correct guidance in the areas of knowledge on skill development, capacity building, mentoring, financial assistance that make a woman strong. I believe that these skills made me strong enough to voice out my opinions louder about the need for knowledge and education on life skills. I had always felt that it was the need for the hour and the cry of society on the road to women’s empowerment & entrepreneurship.
How a women’s health platform is needed to ensure more women join the workforce
Awareness/Advocacy/Action/Accountability is the key to ensuring that we make more women join the workforce. The only idea is to see ‘women in a leadership role’ which keeps me motivated and inspired. I have always believed that women are driven, courageous, brave and strong. Women can achieve anything and everything they set their minds to. I’ve always wanted women to be honoured in my industrial town in leadership decision-making roles. I second the opinion that the world needs more and more women in the board rooms, in the courtrooms, in academia and in civil service. I am inspired by women achieving in many areas and it keeps me motivated.
What’s next for Aysha
‘Inclusion & Equality’
Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything it’s high time that we believe Inclusion is a must to see the growth in the GDP and the economic progress of a country will be made possible by empowering more women and Seeing is Believing and Believing is Achieving and she has always strongly believed in herself and her instincts which kept her moving forward. She has witnessed herself and the organisation progressing towards our vision & goal from the day she started. From the scratches till today, she considers each day is a new lesson and new development in the areas of manpower, product, technology, fashion, manufacturing and empowerment. Her husband and her fellow workers and staff of her factory have come a long way by understanding the process of standing together throughout the journey and she has always seen herself getting closer to the light at the end of the tunnel. She has been growing since Day 1 and each day is a new day with a new opportunity and a new idea.
I’m now moving towards my next endeavour and all set for my first in-person meeting of the Action Council in Delhi on March 15 as an integral part of the G20 Action Council & Taskforce.
source: http://www.shethepeople.tv / She The People / Home> Personal Stories> Drafts / by Aysha Sanober / March 08th, 2023
J-K’s Shaista Khan wins ‘Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar’ in 2022
New Delhi [India], (ANI):
‘Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar’, initiated in 2011 to promote language and literature, has served as an inspiration in the lives of youth in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the rise of their interest in the Kashmiri language.
Sahitya Akademi New Delhi had started this award in 24 languages. Nine writers have received this award for the Kashmiri languages so far, according to a report.
The latest in the list is a Srinagar-based young writer Shaista Khan who won the award for her fictional collection “Brand Birs Peeth” in 2022.
“It has been observed that due to this award, other novice writers are also getting inspiration and they are getting interested in Kashmiri language and literature,” the report said.
According to the report, the previous recipients of this award in the field of fiction, poetry, and criticism in the Kashmiri language include Nishad Azam, Farooq Shaheen, Adil Mohiuddin, Nighat Sahiba, Diba Nazir, Sagar Nazir, Muzaffar Ahmad Pare, and Razi Tahir Baghat.
A young writer, Nisar Azam, was the first one to receive this award in 2011 for his poetry collection ‘Pathalej Zone Dars’.
Farooq Shaheen was awarded this award in the year 2012 for his literary criticism book “Gash Miller”. Adil Mohiuddin received this award for criticism in his book “Zol Dith Sardars” in 2016. Nighat Sahiba was awarded the Yuva Praskar in 2015 for her poetry collection “Zardpankh Dear” while Diba Nazir won the award for her fictional collection “Zarin Zhom” in 2018.
Sagar Nazir won the award for his poetry collection “Thar Anganch”. Awarded in 2019 for Uva Proscar while the 2020 Yuva Proscar was won by Muzaffar Ahmed Pray for his poetry collection “Wauch Baath” and the 2021 Uva Proscar recipient in the Kashmiri language is Razi Tahir Bhagat who received this honour for his fictional collection “Yela”. Awarded for “Ain Phath”, the report said.
A certificate of Rs 50,000 is given to writers up to 35 years of age in a grand ceremony.
“This is a welcome step by the Sahitya Akademi to encourage young writers. It gives more inspiration to the writers and encourages them to produce quality literature,” the report quoted researcher Mohammad Salim Salik as saying. (ANI)
This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> India / by ANI / January 01st, 2023
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