Tag Archives: Mohammed Zubair

Five From Karnataka Among ‘100 Indian Muslim Achievers’ Recognized by Muslim Mirror

KARNATAKA / NEW DELHI :

Muslim Mirror’s list of 100 Indian Muslim achievers features four notable personalities from Karnataka, recognized for their contributions to education, business, journalism, and community development.

Bidar’s Abdul Qadeer – Educator and Visionary Leader
Abdul Qadeer, a renowned educationist and founder of the Shaheen Group of Institutions in Bidar, has dedicated his life to empowering marginalized communities through education.

Under his leadership, Shaheen Institutions have grown into a network providing quality education, emphasizing academic excellence and holistic development. His commitment to integrating modern and traditional education has enabled numerous students to excel in competitive examinations and achieve higher educational aspirations.

Mangaluru’s Dr. Abdullah Kunhi – Entrepreneur and Educationist
Dr. Yenepoya Abdullah Kunhi, the founder of Yenepoya University in Mangalore, has transformed education and healthcare in Karnataka.

Known for his vision and humanitarian spirit, Dr. Kunhi established Yenepoya University as a multidisciplinary institution offering innovative programs across various fields.

He also expanded healthcare access through advanced medical facilities and initiated programs to uplift marginalized communities, including scholarships and community health initiatives.

Azim Hashim Premji – Business Tycoon and Philanthropist
Azim Premji, former chairman of Wipro Limited, revolutionized India’s IT industry and emerged as one of the country’s most influential business leaders.

A recipient of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, Premji is also one of the world’s leading philanthropists. Through the Azim Premji Foundation, he has donated over $21 billion, primarily to improve education and healthcare in India, leaving an indelible mark on society.

Mohammed Zubair – Journalist and Fact-Checker
Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking website Alt News, is a pivotal figure in combating misinformation in India.

Transitioning from an engineering background to journalism, Zubair has exposed numerous instances of fake news and disinformation, fostering accountability and promoting responsible journalism. Despite facing harassment and legal challenges, his dedication to truth and transparency remains unwavering.

Irfan Razack – Real Estate Mogul and Community Advocate
Irfan Razack, Chairman and Managing Director of Prestige Group, is one of India’s leading real estate entrepreneurs.


Based in Bengaluru, he has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s real estate landscape, making Prestige Group one of the most prominent property developers in the country.

Razack is also the co-founder of Inventure Academy in Bengaluru and has held esteemed positions, including Honorary Secretary of the Al-Ameen Educational Society and Chairman of CREDAI.

His community contributions through the Kutchi Memon Jamat and philanthropic initiatives have earned him numerous awards, including the Real Estate Excellence Award (2008) and Entrepreneur Extraordinaire Award (2010).

According to the 2024 Forbes list of India’s 100 richest tycoons, Irfan Razack and his siblings are ranked 49th, with a net worth of $6 billion.

These five distinguished individuals from Karnataka exemplify excellence, resilience, and a commitment to societal progress, earning them well-deserved recognition on this prestigious list.

source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Education / by The Hindustan Gazette / January 06th, 2024

Tamil Nadu Govt Honours Fact-Checker Mohammed Zubair With Communal Harmony Award

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA:

TN chief minister M.K. Stalin with Mohammed Zubair at the awarding ceremony. Photo: Video screengrab.

The government noted that his “work helps prevent the occurrence of violence in society likely to be caused by fake news.” 

New Delhi: 

Fact-checker and journalist Mohammed Zubair is the recipient of the 2024 Kottai Ameer Communal Harmony Award given by the Tamil Nadu government.

The citation notes that Zubair has been “rendering various services to promote communal harmony.”

It observes that in creating the website Alt News – which he co-founded with Pratik Sinha – Zubair has set up an instrument to analyse the “veracity of the news coming out on social media,” giving primacy to real news.

The government noted that his “work helps prevent the occurrence of violence in society likely to be caused by fake news.”

The citation especially says that in March 2023, when there was a rapid spread on social media of the disinformation that migrant workers were being attacked in Tamil Nadu, Alt News‘s verification of the authenticity of the video was instrumental in proving that the footage was not from Tamil Nadu at all.

It “stopped the spread of rumours against Tamil Nadu and acted to prevent violence caused by caste, religion, race and language in Tamil Nadu,” the government said.

In 2022, Zubair was arrested by the Delhi police for a 2018 tweet in which he shared a screenshot from a 1983 Hindi movie. Six cases were slapped on him during the period of his incarceration until the Supreme Court gave him bail.

Zubair is often attacked online by Hindutva commentators for fact-checking viral claims and disinformation.

source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Media> Government / by The Wire Staff / January 26th, 2024

Alt News’ Mohammad Zubair wins 2023 Freedom of Expression Awards – Journalism by Index on Censorship

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA / INDIA:

Mohammad Zubair, one of the founding members of fact-checking and news website AltNews, won the 2023 Freedom of Expression Awards – Journalism by Index on Censorship.

“His fight against fake news and disinformation in #India has led to him facing attacks, slander and even jail,” The group said while announcing the award on social media.

Index on Censorship is a nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. The other nominees for the award were Bilan Media — Somalia’s first women-only media organisation and newsroom— and Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi.

Jailed educationalist Matiullah Wesa from Afghanistan won the 2023 Freedom of Expression Awards – Campaigning. Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi won the award in the art category.

Alt News’ approach focuses on political fact-checking to scrutinise claims made by political parties, leaders and other persons in positions of authority; debunking social media rumours; and examining media misinformation and bias.

In June 2022, following a tweet exposing a national spokesperson of the BJP making hateful and Islamophobic utterances on national TV, Mohammed Zubair was arrested by the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh state police.

It has been reported that whenever Zubair was granted bail on one case another FIR would be lodged against him. This led to six FIRs being lodged against Zubair, resulting in him being caught in a 24-day cycle of arrest, bail and re-arrest.

The following month, the Indian Supreme Court granted Zubair bail and ordered his release, as there was no justification for keeping him in custody.

source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob Media / Home> India / by Maktoob Staff / October 20th,2023

Nobel Peace Prize 2022 | AltNews cofounders Pratik Sinha, Mohammed Zubair among favourites

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA / INDIA :

File picture of AltNews co-founders Mohammed Zubair and Pratik Sinha after Zubair’s release from police custody in July 2021. The duo are among the favourites to win the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize | Photo Credit: Twitter/@free_thinker

AltNews journalists Pratik Sinha and Mohammed Zubair and Indian author Harsh Mander were included in an unofficial shortlist of favourites for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, ahead of the announcement of the winner on October 7

Cofounders of fact checking website AltNews Pratik Sinha and Mohammed Zubair and Indian author Harsh Mander are among the favourites to win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, according to unofficial shortlists released ahead of the announcement on Friday.

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on October 7 in Oslo, Norway. Ahead of the announcement, predictions are being made about who and which organisations are the favourites and top-runners to win one of the most prestigious global honours.

TIME magazine, in a report, compiled a list of “some of the favourites to win, based on nominations that were made public via Norwegian lawmakers, predictions from bookmakers, and picks from the Peace Research Institute Oslo.”

The list includes journalists Mr. Sinha and Mr. Zubair, who “have relentlessly been battling misinformation in India.” The Time report said that the duo has “methodologically debunked rumors and fake news circulating on social media and called out hate speech.

Mr. Zubair was arrested by Delhi Police on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through his tweets.

The TIME article notes that Mr. Zubair’s arrest was condemned by journalists around the world who “argued it was retribution for his fact-checking work.”

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy among favourites

The TIME list of favourites also includes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the U. N. Refugee Agency, Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the World Health Organization, Russia’s jailed opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunburg.

The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) director Henrik Urdal also released his annual shortlist of probable Peace laureates. His list includes Mander, and the campaign he launched in 2017 ‘Karwan-e-Mohabbat’. Mr. Urdal also names Mr. Sinha and Mr. Zubair as “other worthy candidates for a prize focused on combating religious extremism and intolerance” in India.

“Religious extremism helps justify discrimination and violence, and stokes tensions between groups that can result in armed conflict.

Making a significant contribution to fighting religious extremism and promoting interreligious dialogue is therefore a compelling rationale for being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. A worthy recipient of such a prize is Harsh Mander, along with the campaign he launched in 2017, Karwan-e-Mohabbat (“Caravan of Love”),” according to Urdal’s shortlist.

“Mander is an important voice for religious tolerance and dialogue, and his campaign an important rallying point for those who oppose interreligious conflict and violence.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by PTI / New York – October 06th, 2022