Tag Archives: Arif Mohammed Khan

Arif Mohammed Khan | His own man

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , , , , , , ,

Bulandshahr, UTTAR PRADESH:

The Kerala Governor is in the midst of a controversy after he launched an attack on the State government in a press conference 

What’s unfolding now in Kerala is merely the latest episode in Arif Mohammed Khan’s lifelong story of being his own man, whatever the stakes, whichever the stage. Often loathed, sometimes loved but hard to ignore, Mr. Khan was that way when he entered student politics in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in the early 1970s and rose to be the president of the students union. It wasn’t any different when he became an MLA in 1977, aged 26. Or a Minister of State during the Rajiv Gandhi Government. It is scarcely any different now when he is into his 70s and occupies the august, if increasingly controversial, office of the Governor of Kerala. He is his own man.

Another matter not everyone shares his view of what’s right. Least of all Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. There is little, if any, love lost between the two. There is a reason: Mr. Khan has been publicly critical of the appointment of Mr. Vijayan’s private secretary’s wife as an Associate professor in Kannur University, where Mr. Khan is the Chancellor. So upset was Mr. Khan that casting custom aside, he called a press conference at Raj Bhawan where he fumed against the elected LDF government.

Unsurprisingly, the LDF government can barely stand him today. It is unlikely to worry Mr. Khan a bit. He is known to express himself even at the risk of social opprobrium. His old friends in AMU and Jamia Millia Islamia, where the Bulandshahr-born young man sought education, remember him as a frank and fearless person who was reasonable and open to debate. He is said to have been a good host who loved his Mughlai food and served it with relish to his guests. Today, they are both surprised and a shade speechless at the ideological and political vicissitudes in Mr. Khan’s life.

Indeed, what is happening today in Kerala is not without precedence in Mr. Khan’s multi-layered career which has seen him making pit stops over the Bharatiya Kranti Dal (the predecessor of Rashtriya Lok Dal), the Congress, the Janata Dal, the Bahujan Samaj Party before finally finding a bit of an echo to his views in the BJP. His stint in Kerala, his vehement opposition to noted Marxist historian Irfan Habib and constant run-ins with the Kerala Chief Minister are all attributed to his saffron leaning. Never mind the fact that he has won elections, notably from Kanpur and Bahraich on the tickets of non-BJP parties and has lost elections, as in Kaiserganj, on the BJP ticket in 2004.

Clash with clerics

Back in the mid-1980s, a section of Muslim clerics had no love lost for him at the height of the Shah Bano controversy when he risked it all in opposing Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s move to virtually overturn the Supreme Court verdict on maintenance to divorced Muslim women.

Faced with calls for social boycott and possibility of political oblivion, Mr. Khan did not equivocate then. He is not likely do that now too.

Mr. Khan is a redoubtable scholar of Islam with a uniquely his own interpretation of religion. One could question his interpretation of scripture, not his facts. Equally, unlike many clerics, he is open to being corrected. Faizur Rehman, an independent Chennai-based Islamic scholar himself, at one time agreed with him on the Shah Bano case, but later made his disapproval known when Mr. Khan supported the criminalisation of triple talaq following the Shayara Bano verdict. “Our friendship was not affected by my criticism of his views on criminalisation of talaq,” Mr. Rehman recalls.

One may disagree with Mr. Khan but there is merit in listening to him, even if he himself could do with being a better listener. In the Shah Bano case, the Muslim clerics had agreed for the husbands to pay a substantial one time alimony to a divorced wife. They later retracted. If the maulanas had listened to him then, India’s political trajectory would have been very different.

As for Mr. Khan, he would do well to remember the letter of the rule book he quotes against the Kerala government expects a certain spirit, a certain decorum from the Governor too. It’s time to listen to Mr. Khan as much as for him to listen to voices of constitutional propriety.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by Ziya Us Salam / September 25th, 2022

Skier Arif Khan leads Indian contingent at Beijing Winter Olympics

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Baramulla District, JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Arif Mohd Khan, of India, leads their team in during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing.   | Photo Credit: AP

Arif is the first Indian to secure qualification in two events of the same edition of the Games and his competitions are slated for February 13 and 16

Beijing Skier Arif Khan led a small four-strong Indian contingent during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony here on Friday amid a diplomatic boycott of the event by the country.

The 31-year-old Arif will be the lone Indian competitor at the Games, having qualified in Slalom and Giant Slalom events. India sent a six-member contingent to the Games including a coach, a technician and a team manager.

Arif is the first Indian to secure qualification in two events of the same edition of the Games and his competitions are slated for February 13 and 16.

India was the 23rd contingent to walk in during the grand ceremony at the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium here as China welcomed athletes from 84 countries amid a diplomatic boycott by powerful nations such as the USA and Britain over its alleged human rights violations in the Xinjiang region.

India announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games after China fielded Qi Fabao, the regimental commander of the People’s Liberation Army, who was injured during the 2020 military face-off with Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, as a torchbearer for the event’s Torch Relay.

India said China’s move was “regrettable” and it has chosen to “politicise” the Olympics.

Born in Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Arif took up skiing quite early in life, winning his first national slalom championship at the age of just 12.

He later went on to win two gold medals in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events of the South Asian Winter Games in 2011.

He has also participated in both the editions of the Khelo India Winter Games held in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir.

Arif’s inspiration was his father Yasin Khan, who owns a ski equipment shop in Gulmarg, a popular tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir.

Previously, India’s Winter Olympics campaigns have been identified with one man — veteran luge athlete Shiva Keshavan, who represented the country in six editions of the mega-event.

The 40-year-old from Manali, Himachal Pradesh has now taken up the role of promoting winter sports in India.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport / by PTI / February 04th, 2022

J&K skier Arif Khan qualifies for 2 events in 2022 Winter Olympics

Amazing Feats, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Sports, Travel & Tourism, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , ,

Tangmarg, JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Khan achieved the rare feat recently by qualifying for the his second event — giant slalom — a month after booking his first Winter Olympics ticket in alpine skiing slalom category in an Olympic qualifier in Dubai.

Alpine skier Arif Mohammed Khan. (Twitter/jswsports)

Jammu and Kashmir-based alpine skier Arif Mohammed Khan has become the first Indian athlete to qualify for two different events of the Winter Olympics, set to be held in Beijing from February 4, next year.

Khan achieved the rare feat recently by qualifying for his second event — giant slalom — a month after booking his first Winter Olympics ticket in alpine skiing slalom category in an Olympic qualifier in Dubai.

The news was confirmed by his promoter JSW Sports.

JSW-supported Alpine skier Arif Khan, who had earlier earned a provisional quota for the Slalom event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, has now qualified for the Giant Slalom event as well. ??#BetterEveryday ???? #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/Ua6EfIRJ65

— JSW Sports (@jswsports) December 29, 2021

“JSW-supported Alpine skier Arif Khan who had earlier earned a provisional quota for the slalom event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, has now qualified for the giant slalom event as well.

“For the first time in history, an Indian will be competing in two different events at the Winter Olympics,” JSW Sports wrote in a facebook post on Wednesday night.

While India was represented by two athletes — Jagdish Singh (cross country skiing) and Shiva Keshavan (luge) — in the 2018 Winter Games, Khan is the only person to have qualified for the 2022 Winter Games so far.

Khan is a professional alpine skier from north Kashmir’s Tangmarg and has qualified for giant slalom event at Kolasin, Montenegro recently. He has represented India in more than 100 ski events held across the world and has been undergoing training in Europe for the most part of this year.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Sports / December 30th, 2021

Jammu and Kashmir’s alpine skier Arif becomes first Indian to win 2022 Winter Games quota

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Tangmarg (Baramulla District), JAMMU & KASHMIR :

The 31-year-old Arif, who hails from Tangmarg of Baramulla district (Jammu & Kashmir), achieved the qualification in the final FIS Qualification being held in Dubai.

Alpine skier Arif Mohammad Khan

Chennai : 

Arif Mohammad Khan on Saturday became the first alpine skier from the country to win a quota for the Winter Olympics by accumulating requisite FIS (International Ski Federation) points.

The 31-year-old Arif, who hails from Tangmarg of Baramulla district (Jammu & Kashmir), achieved the qualification in the final FIS Qualification being held in Dubai. The 2022 Games is scheduled to be held in Beijing in February.

Father Mohammad Yasin Khan was Arif’s first coach. Yasin used to guide mountain tracking expeditions and teach the basics of skiing in Gulmarg. “Arif took up skiing at the age of three and quickly learnt the basics. It’s good that the efforts he had put in in all these years have eventually paid dividends,” said an elated father.

As per the FIS, a skier has to accumulate minimum qualifying points to confirm the Winter Games spot. According to www.olympics.com, in order to qualify for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in the slalom, the average of five best results in the event between the period of July 1, 2019, to January 16, 2022, is considered. For alpine skiers who have competed in less than five events during this period, an extra 20 per cent of average points are added to the International FIS points list.

The four slalom races in Dubai over the past week were the only events Arif has taken part in during the qualifying period.

“It’s a proud moment as earlier the Winter Games Federation of India used to organise trials to pick the teams including the skiers. Arif has become the first alpine skier from the country to secure qualification by earning FIS points,” Rauf Tramboo, member of Winter Games Association of Jammu & Kashmir, told this daily.

Alpine skiing comprises events like downhill, super G, slalom, giant slalom and combined.

Arif will now head to Italy from Dubai to compete in an international event. “Some international event is there. It will be great preparation for him ahead of the Games. He is unlikely to return to the country before the Games,” signed off Rauf.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport> Others / by Firoz Mirza, Express News Service / November 20th, 2021

Ishrat Firoz — A Fearless Activist Who Championed AMU’s Cause

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , , , , , , , , , ,

Azamgarh , UTTAR PRADESH :

OBITUARY

Senior Aligarian Ishrat Afroz passed away on September 30, 2020.

A senior Aligarian and one of the soldiers of the struggle of AMU’s Minority Character, Ishrat Firoz, breathed his last in JN Medical College, AMU on September 30, 2020.

He was my senior in VM Hall’s Nasrullah Hostel. For two years, I lived in Room 33 and he was in 34 and thus we were neighbours as well. Later, I moved to Room 25 with my classmate and close friend Waseem Ahmad Qadri (now a senior advocate at Supreme Court of India). Nevertheless, Ishrat Bhai and I lived in Nasrullah Hostel for nine years—1974-83.

Although much junior to Javed Habeeb, Arif Mohammad Khan (sorry to mention the name of this man who does not want to have anything to do with the community but a historical fact has to be mentioned), Akhtarul Wasey, Z.K. Faizan, Mushtaq Ahmad Khillu and several others, Ishrat Bhai and his close friend Nadeem Tarin —both PUC (Pre-University Course) students at that time—took an active part in the long struggle for the restoration of AMU’s Minority Character and went to jail for this cause.

In our student days, AMU used to be the hub of positive Milli activities. In such a lively culture and environment, our hostel, with residents like Azam Khan, Nadeem Bhai and Ishrat Bhai, was bound to be more vibrant and active. Not only was Ishrat Bhai an active student leader, he was also a cabinet member (perhaps senior cabinet, if my memory is not failing me) in the students’ union in which Azam Khan was Honorary Secretary.

In order to give young Aligarians and non-Aligarians an idea of the Aligarian spirit of those days, I feel it necessary to narrate an interesting incident. In our hostel, we had two groups: anti-Azam Khan and pro-Azam Khan. The pro-Azam Khan group was led by three seniors and very close friends:  Ishrat Bhai, Nadeem Bhai and Akhtar Zameer Bhai. Akhtar Bhai and Ishrat Bhai were roommates as well.

Akhtar Zameer, Nadeem Tarin and Ishrat Afroz in 1970

After leaving AMU Akhtar Bhai got a job in Dubai. Like any dutiful son and brother, obviously, he would have shared the joy of getting his first salary by sending money or gifts to his parents and siblings. But, along with them, he remembered his hostel mates as well and sent some money to Ishrat Bhai to arrange a dinner for the whole hostel total numbers of whose residents were around 109. Since Ramadan started only a few days after, Ishrat Bhai arranged a magnificent Iftar instead.

During the emergency, an atmosphere of fear and suffocation had gripped the country. Everyone was trying to be more loyal than the king and outdo even the most loyal Congress members by doing something extraordinary. In AMU, students’ union was dissolved and Azam Khan was arrested. As per tradition, our hostel was going to have an annual group photograph.

Even in that fear-stricken atmosphere, Ishrat Bhai, Nadeem Bhai and Akhtar Bhai showed the courage to propose that in the group photo Azam Khan’s portrait be put on one of the front chairs reserved for senior students, warden and the provost. 

Obviously, this was opposed by the anti-Azam Khan group and the warden and, as a result, that year there was no group photograph.

Born in Azamgarh in 1955, Ishrat Bhai came to Aligarh at an early age to join Minto Circle . He was a bright student and did his Ph.D. in Psychology from AMU. He was not only a good writer but was a fine orator too. He conducted cultural and social gatherings in his typically attractive Aligarian style quoting Urdu verses. But he had a passion for writing, took journalism as a career, and published a serious magazine Satoon from Delhi. But sadly, he could not pursue his journalistic career for long. He suffered from diabetic and related ailments affecting his kidneys and worsening his health rapidly forcing him to close his magazine and take leave from an active life. 

After leaving Aligarh, I lost touch with him. Whenever he happened to see my uncle (chacha), Dr Mohammad Yusuf Khan (Dept of Arabic), he told him without fail that he wanted to talk to me. But Chacha jan always forgot to give Ishrat Bhai my number or take his phone number. When Ishrat Bhai came on Facebook, I talked to him via voice mail and later by phone. On a couple of occasions when I phoned him he was not feeling well and had been hospitalised. Thinking that I might be disturbing him, I stopped calling him this way. I remained in touch on Facebook though. From his Facebook activity it was becoming clear that he was not keeping well.

In Ishrat Bhai’s demise, I have lost a good friend and the community has lost a sincere and dedicated activist. May Allah SWT grant him maghfirah (forgiveness) and bless his family the courage to bear this loss.

source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion / Home> India / by M Ghazali Khan , Clarion India / October 05th, 2020

Musliyars from God’s own country turn lawyers

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kozhikode, KERALA :

Musliyar01MPOs27dec2019

Kozhikode:

Jamia Markaz at Karanthur in Kozhikode is on a roll as the first batch of 20 Muslim religious scholars from Markaz Law College turned lawyers. Thanks to the mission of Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar alias Sheik Abubakr Ahmad, the founder and chancellor of Jamia Markaz in ensuring students overall growth–  Intellectual, Spiritual and Social.

And rightly the Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan during an event at Jamia Markaz a week ago had eulogised the services of Aboobacker Musliyar by saying– Kerala Muslims are blessed as they have visionary religious leadership. Not just imparting education, the Markaz hones the skills of students in different spheres thereby making them face the challenges in life after their course.

Musliyar02MPOs27dec2019

Joy knew no bounds for the Musliyars turned lawyers clad in black pants and white shirts with the advocate gowns after they got enrolled at the Kerala State Bar Council in Kochi. Interestingly, the enrolment event was like a festival with family members, college management and scores of friends and relatives accompanying them.  Markaz Law College is the first project launched under the Knowledge City of Markazu Saquafathi Sunniyya which is affiliated to the University of Calicut and is recognised by the Bar Council of India. The law college started in October 2014 at the markaz campus offers three year LLB course.

Notably, the religious scholars after completing their post-graduation in Islamic theology took up law course. Quite interestingly, fifty year-old Dr Hussain Saquafi C S,the vice chancellor of Jamia Markaz was one among the first batch of students to get enrolled as advocate at the bar council in Kochi. Enthusiam was writ large on the face of newly enrolled advocates, who are all set to begin their legal practice. Meanwhile, a few are preparing for governemnt postings as munsif cum magistrate while a major chunk of them are keen to specialise in criminology, human rights, corporate law and constitutional law.

Jamia Markaz (Islamic University) was established in 1978 in a sprawling campus at Karanthur in Kozhikode grew from strength to strength to emerge as a centre of social, cultural progress as well as educational excellence for the entire communities across the country as a whole Muslims in particular. Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad is the grand Mufti of India, who is also the General Secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama besides Chancellor of the Jamia Markaz and Chairman of the Siraj Daily and President of Islamic Educational Board of India.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Education> Indian Muslim / by M Rafi Ahmed, Muslim Mirror / November 01st, 2019