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Kolkata’s Shagufta Hanaphie is what zero to hero stories are made of

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Kolkata, WEST BENGAL :

Shagufta Hanaphie

Shagufta Hanaphie’s story is incredible, starting from a child as a shy girl who could barely speak, chronically ill with many complications to the point she would fall unconscious. Yet, at one point in her life, a “magic wand” touched and transformed her. She rose to become an Event Curator, Storyteller, Digital Creator, Author, Womenprenuer, Award Curator, and Philantropist.

She is also the co-founder of Best Friendz Society along with her friend Rajiv, and founder of SHE – Shagufta Hanaphie Events – which is a PR and event boutique, and many other organizations.

A turnaround came during  COVID 19 – pandemic when Shagufta along with a team provided food for a village of 400 people in Ernakulam, Kerala. 

Post Cyclone Amphan that hit Bengal, she and her team also traveled to places in Sundarbans where they provided food, dry rations, and clothes to the needey persons. 

Again, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Best Friendz Society reached Sundarbans.

She started a campaign with her team called Hunger Free Bengal. She coaches people who are emerging with startups and does personal counseling for the lonely, and divorcees, and on occasions, has even match-fixed singles. She works with suicidal people and conducts counseling sessions with young girls and boys. 

Titled with many monikers such as Event Organizer, Author, founder and Director, CEO at Teacher’s Excellence Award, Founder Director, Owner of SHE  Founder, Director, CEO at Inspiring Women Achievers Awards – IWAA, she tells Awaz-the Voice, “I am not a brand but I want to honour, felicitate people for their outstanding work.  While I may not be able to give a formal award, I want to prize people for the recognition for their incredible work and dedication which otherwise gets overshadowed by other giants.”

Shagufta Hanaphie

Shagufta lived with her parents and three sisters in a joint family of 17 members in the 100-year-old bungalow-style British-styled house in Kidderpore, South Kolkata. 

Her  uncle and aunt adopted her. As a little girl, Shagufta was emotional and shy, she hid behind her mother; and never spoke to people outside the family circle. She struggled with illnesses, and due to this could not study well.

“We say bhagwan ka ishara alag hota hain, maybe if a person does not do well in early life, perhaps later in life he will do something different or great.I was a very sick child right from the beginning making me heavily pampered and if I didn’t want to study, they would say don’t put pressure on her. My mom was very strict but others were soft on me. We lived in an extended family, Baarey Papa, Baari Ma used to lavish love on me, to the point that I became lethargic. I had a ligament injury in class 6 which affected the left side of my body. I sometimes even became unconscious.

“When I was 9, I underwent surgical removal of gall bladder; it had 72 stones.This story was reported by newspapers. When I was in class 8, I did not take my exams so I lagged one year. At that time, an angel in the form of my Dad’s friend, Uncle Junaid took the imitative to help me to study saying, “Let us bring back her motivation to study and let me teach her.

“Bedridden, with traction around my neck, my body aching, lying down, he taught me Maths and I started to like the subject.  After being bedridden for three months, I returned to school in a robotic dress. My principal called my father and asked him to take me home saying, “You don’t understand, she is going through a mental trauma right now.

Glimpses of events organised by Shagufta’s NGOs

“I repeated classes, and with mocking classmates around, I changed the school and got an A. I could not believe it and thought the mark sheet got mixed with someone else!

“The talk of marriage exasperated me and decided to go to Ranchi and stay at my Aunt’s home to do college.

“After Baari Ma had a fall, I returned in 2002 and refused to go back to Ranchi. Dropping out of college, one day I attended a workshop where Ruby Bhatia and Michele Pinto came to Kolkata. That was a defining moment in my life because I never knew what the other world was.

“This workshop was a beautiful learning experience where I met these amazing people who told me, “Since you don’t want to study higher, help us, since your English is good.” With them, I learned oratory skills. Earlier, I never spoke to anyone outside, but presently, not only am I doing public speaking but now everyone meets me and I am well known.

“My first salary was Rs. 3200 and I spent more money going by taxi to reach my workplace.  My Baari Papa used to say, “Let her travel so at least she will learn to talk and mix with people.” All these were life-learning lessons.  It falls into place later on in life.

“After this, Rajiv, a good friend and I launched a new brand called Launchers. I have worked with Rajiv for 17 years as a PR Director in a partnership firm.

“My parents got hold of a very handsome boy, who is my husband now. My husband works the whole day; he is very supportive, most of my photographs are clicked by him, travels with me to all the places, and my parents stand right behind me.

“My life changed in October 2018 when my Baarey Papa was diagnosed with cancer. We spent long hours talking till he passed away in 2019. I was shattered.I felt uprooted and disconnected and took a break from work. It was a break tha my Baari Papa used to encourage me to take.

“In 2020 I did my first event and soon went on to do 5 events. On March 22, 2020, lockdown closed everything. People say lockdown was bad, for me lockdown was a boon. Our NGO called Best Friendz Society was helping people.

A wall celebrating women from dfference backgrounds in Shagufta’s office

“One day, one of my friends Nisha, a fashion designer, asked me to help people in an area in Kerala during the COVID 19 Pandemic. I was into PR and media. First I wondered how could I reach out to people in Kerala. I told myself: Okay, we will find a way to them even though we are not into this.

“At first, we heard there were four people, turned out to be 40, and finally they turned out to be 400 people stuck in Bengali Para in Ernakulam. While the BSF was providing food in the general area they were not reaching out to the red done. We had to locate the exact place and then Nisha and I arranged for food for 400 people for a month. I felt new energy and joy rising in me. I started gathering people, and communicating with them.

“While people speak up for daily wagers, I started to have a burden for a class of people that are largely ignored such as models who barely get Rs. 2,000 for an assignment which may be all they have for that month, photographers, and even school teachers. I started to post about and for them and personally WhatsApp them telling them if they need help, let me know. I assured them help will reach theirplace, they don’t have to let anyone know about it.

“I got a huge response from many photographers and models.I learned that many people were on the verge of suicide, and sitting at home. I started helping them and listening to their woes. Under the umbrella of Best Friendz Society, we started a campaign called Phone a Friend.

“I am blessed to have amazing clients. I would message PR clients who were on Facebook and tell them, “Sir, I am going to this area to help so-and-so, if you can help me out, it will be a big support to this person. They were responsive and kind, some sent sacs of rice, dal, and many other goods. They told me that they wanted to help but had no idea what to do. Here, many NGOs are misusing funds and are running corruption rings. They told me that they knew could trust me and that I would use their money honestly. They stood behind me while I ran around with their help. This is how our connection happened.

“I organize a philanthropic club, which is a virtual club and I tell our helpers that they don’t have to go around; just help us with money or goods. Those days, I used to get out of the house at 4 a.m. and visit Sundarbans, and other areas during COVID-19 almost 18 times in 2020, and attend to everyone. Sanjay Mondal, a photographer and boat owner told me point blank that he doesn’t want money, only cash for the diesel tu run his boat. He travelled with us. He had three boats. We went to the village where we found their homes submerged under water. We helped the boat owner families.

“We returned from Sundarbans at 11:30 night, reached home by 12:30 night and my mother woke me up at 3:30 a.m. to tell me to catch the vehicle going for another trip for the COVID team. She said, “They are waiting for you. Since you promised, you have to go, whether it is raining or whatever it is, even if you are sick, you have to go.”

“You need parents like that. While we went out so much during COVID, by the blessings of Allah we never got COVID, but people in 5-Star Hotels got COVID.  Believe in yourself, believe in your God who has that specific blessing on you, keep doing good to others, and good will return to you and you don’t have to look back, all blessings are there, and people’s prayers are on your life. Just keep doing your work. When the government is doing 98 percent, I am doing my 2 percent.”

On the difficulties they face, she said, “Bengal is a politically disturbed area so to meet the right person is very difficult. In the last five years since 2020, I have opened small centers in every place I have worked with around 20 people or more in each center. We have adopted 23 orphans, senior citizens, teachers, and daily wagers who sum up to over 70 people and every month we send them food and other goods to help them run their daily lives.  Nothing is fixed on what we send, but it is enough to ensure them good nourishing food and other commodities so that they can sleep peacefully without going to bed hungry.

A Poster of the event of Shagufta’s NGO

“In October 2020, the Phone a Friend campaign opened our lives to many people. Each night, we got calls from senior citizens- 65 or 70 years old – or young girls or men, and I listened to and counselled them over the phone. One woman did not even have time to have a cup of coffee and was always serving others suffering mental and physical abuse. Due to this, I launched my new campaign called Abuse Durga, which became Amar Durga, Amar O Durga, with a question mark. I asked the public a lot of questions, such as, “If this is my Durga, who are you to ask me a question whether I should celebrate or not?” Being a Muslim, people found it unusual.

“I felicitated people who had running cases against them for 15-20 years who were not guilty and celebrated 11 people. Last year, we held an exhibition to give table space to NGOs which cannot invest; awarded the LGBT community and single mothers. We will be holding another event for the LGBT community soon.

“My NGO is my charity partner. I did this because I was feeling bad to keep asking people to fund my NGO, so I decided to promote my events, and whatever money I got would go to my NGO so I could help the maximum people with the blessings of the Almighty. I do not want to work to mint money, want to work to make my stand.

“My breakthrough came when an old client called and invited me to his office. He is Rajendra Khandelwal, MD, Dhanwantary. During my meeting, he kept saying, “Very nice, very nice,” I asked him, “Who are you speaking about and he answered, “The event you held, the Teachers Excellence Award, I am going to support you,” and to my amazement, he handed over a cheque. At that moment, I knew I was doing the right thing.  He asked me, “Why did you choose this topic, I replied, I am alive because of my teachers. Uncle Junaid who taught me how to hold a pencil and I want to do something in his memory. Without teachers’ investment, I would not be where I am today.”

“I do not work with an experienced group of people because there are a lot of young people looking for work, always take new people and give them scope, If they say, we cannot speak, I tell them you will learn to speak, If they are graphic designers, content writers, etc, I take them on board.

‘While we are a modern family, where I used to wear sleeveless and backless clothes, and my father even took us to Trincas to get us on the dance floor, I got to wearing hijab permanently unexpectedly. On my birthday in 2013 or 2014, my Baari Maa gifted me a hijab. I wore it to my office that day and since then, I have been wearing it. I changed as a person totally after that. While earlier, I was highly strung and emotional, I started to calm down after wearing the hijab believing it was my symbol of strength. My family was cool about my hijab.

“My dream is to meet 10,000 people with their inspiring stories and lift them on all my platforms. I highlight lives through events or writing about them. During the lockdown, I started to write in 2020. While my target is global, I also want to cover the map of West Bengal. I believe everyone can do anything but they just need a spark inside with a belief they can conquer the world, and they end up doing great things.  Sometimes, to create that spark, that road is blocked so I just need to push these people and bring that change within them.”

Rita Farhat Mukand is an independent writer and author

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Rita Farhat Mukund / August 24th, 2024

TGMREIS students get higher education scholarship under INSPIRE

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Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Two students from TGMREIS have secured Scholarship for Higher Education under INSPIRE by virtue of performance of being within top one percent in class XII Board Examination held during the academic session March 2024.

Hyderabad :

Two students of Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGMREIS) have secured a Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) under Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) of the Department of Science & Technology of the Government of India.

According to Aisha Masarath Khanam, Secretary TGMREIS, students of TGMREIS are continuing their excellence in academics.

Two of our students from TGMREIS have secured Scholarship for Higher Education under INSPIRE by virtue of performance of being within top one percent in class XII Board Examination held during the academic session March 2024.

Asma Sultana and D. Saniya from Vikarabad Girls’ Junior College have made TGMREIS proud.

INSPIRE is an innovative programme sponsored and managed by the Department of Science & Technology for attraction of talent to Science.

SHE component of the INSPIRE aims to encourage meritorious students to study basic and natural sciences at undergraduate level through attractive scholarship and mentorship opportunities. SHE offers 12,000 scholarships every year to meritorious students in the age group 17-22 years.

Mohammed Faheemuddin Qureshi, Vice-Chairman and President, TGMREIS, Shahanawaz Qasim, Secretary to Chief Minister, Tafseer Iqbal, Special Secretary to Government, Minorities Welfare Department and Aisha Masarath Khanam have congratulated the students and teachers on their achievement.

TGMREIS, earlier called TMREIS, was launched in 2017 with the aim of providing quality education and holistic development opportunities to the minority communities in the state.

The society was formed under the Telangana State Public Societies Registration Act with a vision to bridge the educational gap and promote social inclusion among minority communities. TMREIS aims to create an environment where students from minority backgrounds can access quality education, develop their talents, and build a strong foundation for their future.

TMREIS runs 204 minority residential schools and junior colleges across the state, where about one lakh students are getting education.

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Education> Focus / by Radiance News Bureau / August 23rd, 2024

City kickboxers excel in State Championship

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Mysuru, KARNATAKA :

Kickboxers of Elite Academy won 7 gold medals in State-level Kickboxing Championship-2024 held at Yuvaraja’s College in city recently.

The medal winners — (from left) Mohammed Junaid (Gold medal in Junior category), Riya-ul-arab (Gold medal in Tatami Mat Kick Light event), Abu Shama (Gold medal in Children’s category), Simra Khan (Gold medals in Kick Light and Light Contact events), Abdul Muheebudin (Gold medal in Tatami Mat Kick Light event) & Mohammed Adnaan (Gold medal in Junior category) — are seen with Elite Academy Director Sameena Tabbasum and Academy Founder & Head Coach Mohammed Farjath Iyaz.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Gallery> PhotoNews / August 21st, 2024

Bhatkal Anjuman students getting university rank continues; Najda Ekiri got first rank in Karnataka University Dharwad

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Bhatkal (Uttara Kannada District) , KARNATAKA :

 Students of the colleges run under Anjuman Hamai Muslim Bhatkal continue to get ranks at the university level and this time Najda Ekiri, a student of Anjuman Institute of Management and Computer Applications (AIMCA). Anjuman College has made the name of Anjuman College bright in the entire state by securing first rank in Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) at Karnataka University, Dharwad.

 AIMCA Principal Muhammad Mohsin has said in a press release that Najda Ekiri, of Mubeen Ahmed Ekiri and Nusrat Jahan, has also achieved a remarkable feat by memorizing the Holy Quran during her three-year BCA course. According to the press release, Najda secured 3421 marks out of 3700 marks, resulting in a pass rate of 92.46%. The BCA exams were held in August-September 2023.

It has been found that while Najda, a student of Bhatkal Anjuman, secured the first rank in Dharwad University, Dekshanagappa Kharvi, a student of Bhatkal Sri Gurusdhiendra BCA College, secured the third rank at the university level, with an average success rate of 91.73%. has been done.

The university’s second rank went to Shantala Raibagh, a student of Global College of Computer Applications, Hubli, who registered a pass rate of 92.27 percent.

It should be noted that more than fifty BCA colleges are affiliated to Karnataka University, Dharwad, and among the students of all these colleges, a student of Bhatkal Anjuman getting the first rank is a great achievement. In such a situation, memorizing the Holy Quran with modern education is also a big challenge.

The management of Anjuman Hamai Muslimin, the principal and other staff of the college have congratulated Najda for this wonderful achievement and wished her all the best for her future.

source: http://www.sahilonline.net / Sahil Online / Home> Coastal News / by IG Bhatkali, SO News Agency / August 23rd, 2024

Website of Sayeed Bin Mohammed Naqsh’s paintings launched

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Mahbubnagar District / Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Sayeed Bin Mohammed Naqsh was a prominent figure in the Progressive Art Movement, born on September 7, 1921, in Mahbubnagar District, Telangana.

  A self portrait of Sayeed Bin Mohammed Naqsh

Hyderabad: 

A website dedicated to the late Sayeed Bin Mohammed Naqsh, a renowned artist from the 1960s and 1970s, was inaugurated by Prof. T. Gangadhar, the Principal of the College of Fine Arts in Masab Tank.

The launch event for the website, ‘www.sayeedbinmohammed.com’, was organized by his son Hamid Bin Sayeed Babader and daughter Jameela Nishat, and featured a display of some of the artist’s paintings.

Sayeed Bin Mohammed Naqsh was a prominent figure in the Progressive Art Movement, born on September 7, 1921, in Mahbubnagar District, Telangana.

He was known for his innovative approach to portrait painting, initially mastering oil techniques that diverged from Western traditions.

His unique style later evolved to include watercolour, where he infused life into his subjects, often using blue backgrounds to evoke calmness and spirituality.

A recent event celebrated his legacy with the launch of a dedicated website, attended by art enthusiasts, former professors, and colleagues.

During this event, Hamid Bin Sayeed highlighted the distinctiveness of Naqsh’s self-portraits, noting how his method of expression captivated viewers.

In recognition of his talent, Naqsh received the Chattari Gold Medal in 1945 for his remarkable contributions to art, particularly for his ability to intertwine themes of creation and life in his works.

Jameela Nishat, daughter of Sayeed Bin Mohammed Naqsh, noted that her father, like any other artist, was deeply observant of his surroundings and absorbed the essence of life into his art.

She highlighted how he was particularly influenced by the allure of the Deccani marbled miniature paintings housed in the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by News Desk / August 22nd, 2024

Tanzeem-Backed candidates Afsha Qazia, Advocate Imran Lanka & Mohiddin Altaf Kharuri secure key positions unopposed in Bhatkal local bodies elections

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Bhatkal (Uttara Kannada District), KARNATAKA :

Bhatkal : 

In the much-anticipated elections held today, Wednesday, at the Jali Pattan Panchayat, Afsha Qaziya was elected as President, while Advocate Imran Lanka was elected as Vice President. Both candidates, backed by the prominent social organization Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, were elected unopposed.

In a related development, Tanzeem-backed councilor Mohiddin Altaf Kharuri was also elected as Vice President of the Town Municipal Council (TMC) Bhatkal on Tuesday.

The election processes for both the TMC and Jali Pattan Panchayat were supervised by Bhatkal Tehsildar Nagaraj.

The President’s position at Jali Pattan Panchayat was reserved for a General Woman, and the Vice President’s position was reserved for Backward Class A (BCA). In the TMC election, the President’s seat was reserved for an SC woman, and the Vice President’s seat was reserved for BCA. However, since there was no SC woman councilor in the TMC, no nominations were filed for the President’s position. As a result, all three key positions across both bodies were filled unopposed.

The new President of Jali Pattan Panchayat, Afsha Qaziya, is a highly qualified woman with degrees in B.Com, B.Ed, and M.Ed. She has been actively involved in social and community work and has served as a councilor in the Jali Pattan Panchayat for the past 28 months. Advocate Imran Lanka, elected as Vice President, is also highly educated and an active member of the Tanzeem’s political panel. He has been serving as a councilor in the Jali Pattan Panchayat since 2015-16.

The newly elected Vice President of TMC, Mohiuddin Altaf Kharuri, has been serving as a municipal councilor for the past 24 years and has previously held the position of Standing Committee Chairman twice. He also has significant experience serving as the General Secretary of Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, a century-old social organization in Bhatkal.

Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem continues to have a strong influence in local bodies, with their backed candidates consistently securing key positions in the TMC and panchayats.

source: http://www.sahilonline.org / Sahil Online / Home> Coastal News> Featured News / by IG Bhatkali – (Headline edited) / August 22nd, 2024

Muzaffar Hussain Baig: one of the top 9 India legal geniuses in politics has a tough beginning in life

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Wahdina Village / Sringar, KASHMIR / JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Muzaffar Hussain Baig at his home

Muzaffar Hussain Baig is among nine top Indian legal luminaries who also took to politics. He figures in the book Courting Politics by Shweta Bansal, along with other well-known legal bigwigs like Ram Jethmalani, Shanti Bhushan, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Arun Jaitley, Salman Khurshid, Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Baig, a recipient of Padma Bhushan (2020), who held several top positions in the government – Advocate General of J&K, Deputy Chief Minister, Law Minister, a member of Lok sabha – has risen in life wading through extremely difficult circumstances and yet never allowed anything do diminish his thirst for knowledge and limit his genius.

Having studied Law at the Harvard in the USA after graduating from the Delhi University’s School of Law, he also practiced in the US and Supreme Court of India before shifting to Kashmir. He was keen to make a difference to society and contested Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate. However, with the onset of the Pakistan-backed insurgency in Kashmir in the summer of 1989, Baig jettisoned his dream of pursuing a political career.

Muzaffar Hussain Baig

Baig is credited with drafting the anti-defection law of the J&K and his legal genius is reflected through the important cases he won in the Supreme Court of India and the J&K High Court.

Baig, 78, was born as the second of eight siblings in Wahdina village near Baramulla in North Kashmir. Though the family had a rich and royal legacy, he lived a life of penury. Baig speaks of he footing two km distance to school barefoot.

At the school, he was seen as a determined and hard-working student. One of his teachers Mohammad Maqbool Shah encouraged him to participate in activities like drama and speech making. Baig also taught to younger students in the school.

He learned the English alphabet in his 6th standard as was the norm those days. Soon, he started speaking in the English language with a “thick Kashmiri accent”. He topped the Board examination of the State in the 8th standard (Middle).

He shifted to Baramulla town,15 km away from home, to study further.

There was no stopping for this genius from then onwards till he joined Delhi University for his LLB and topped the examination. He then joined Harvard, USA, for higher studies and again topped the examination.

“You will find all over the world that there is an inbuilt desire in the minds of people to join politics, not to become Government functionaries but to secure some change for the society”, Muzaffar Hussain Baig told Awaz-The Voice at his residence, overlooking Dal Lake in Srinagar.

The Cover of the Book Courting Politics

He said, “I wanted to see the welfare of people…. had this desire to represent society. I did not even charge anything from my clients for whom it was unaffordable”, he said. “Politics, for me, was not just a profession but a mission to represent my society”.

Baig’s maiden attempt in politics, and as a distinguished lawyer having practiced in the US and Supreme Court of India, brought him to the notice of several political leaders including the then Congress leader and a former Minister, Abdul Ghani Lone, and the National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and also former union Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Lone had later constituted the Peoples Conference in the 1970’s, after quitting Congress. “Abdul Ghani Lone, with the idea of some change in Jammu and Kashmir, had become important as a political leader”, with mass support in Kupwara. North Kashmir. Lone extended his support to Baig in a couple of subsequent Lok Sabha elections. Baramulla constituency, then comprising Baramulla district of the entire North Kashmir, now comprises three districts, Kupwara carved out in 1979 and Bandipore carved out in 2007.

Describing Abdul Ghani Lone a rebel, who was among several others after having been educated at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Baig said that he (Lone) enquired “about my interest in politics. I was already contesting as an independent candidate, he assured me of his support in Kupwara”, he said.

Muzaffar Hussain Baig as a student in Harvard

Baig added that both of them almost belonged to a similar “deprived background”, and had to suffer together for many years. Abdul Ghani Lone represented his home constituency of Handwara in 1967, 1971 (Cong), 1977 (JP), and Karnah, 1983 (Peoples Conference) both constituencies in the Kupwara district. Things changed with the eruption of militancy late in 1989, leading to a political vacuum. 

Having been at the forefront of political activities in Jammu and Kashmir since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was launched by the former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 1999, Baig had “good relations” with top political figures including former PMs, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh. He opines that Vajpayee was “extraordinarily intelligent” and Dr. Manmohan Singh was the most “humble and efficient person”.

Baig equally holds the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in high esteem for his sincerity and clarity of approach. “A Statesman thinks about the next generation and a politician thinks for next elections.’ he said.

On his experiences in the Lok Sabha as a PDP MP from Baramulla between 2014 and 2019, Baig lays importance on the “substance and sincerity in speech” adding that one has to say “things openly for the (welfare of) people”. He hailed the high political qualities of former union Ministers, Ms Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.

Muzaffar Hussain Baig in his younger days

Given his distinguished legal background, Baig’s association was sought by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to frame the Constitution of a new political party, which later took the shape of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999. There was a need to float a new party while the Congress and National Conference were the only two national and regional level active political parties in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. Mehbooba Mufti, elected from the home constituency of Beijbehara in Anantnag district in 1996, was the CLP leader in the State Assembly.

Apart from practicing in the US after his post-graduation in the Law, Baig, being a senior counsel practiced extensively in J&K High Court, Delhi High Court, and Supreme Court of India Some of the important cases he had dealt with include the case of Reliance Petrochemicals in the SC, while he was associated with Shardul and Pallavi Shroff & Co in Bombay.

The case about Compulsory Convertible Debentures was being opposed by the senior Advocate, Ram Jethmalani. Quoting a ruling from the House of Lords, London, Baig, appearing for Ambanis asserted on the plea that no person should appear in public in any case while it is sub-juidice.  The verdict was in favor of his plea, while the senior lawyer, Ram Jethmalani withdrew from the case. The legal luminaries present included N A Palkivala, Fali S Nariman, and Soli Sorabji.

He soon returned to Kashmir and decided to contest the elections as an independent to “work for the welfare” of the people. In J&K he is known for the Anti-Defection Law, following the new government formation by G M Shah in July 1984. A close associate of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and his son-in-law, G M Shah formed the Government after some of the NC MLAs defected to him from the Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah. Shah was the J&K Chief Minister from 1984 to November 1986, before Farooq Abdullah again took over after the Rajiv-Farooq Accord.

On the personal front, Baig got married to Safina in 2007, who is the first elected woman Chairperson of the J&K Haj Committee and also the DDC Chairperson of Baramulla.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Ehsan Fazili, Srinagar / August 23rd, 2024

Three siblings studying in Mangaluru win big at State-Level Karate Championship

Karnataka (under research project), Sports, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bhatkal / Mangaluru, KARNATAKA :

Moodbidri: 

Three siblings from Bhatkal, who study in Mangaluru, achieved remarkable success at the state-level Karate Championship organized by the Shorin-Ryu Karate Association in collaboration with Swami’s Strength Training and MK Ananthraj College of Physical Education, held in Moodbidri on August 17, 2024.

Ismail Nameer, a 14-year-old student of Huda Islamia School, Mangaluru, secured first place in the Kumite category and also earned a place in Kata. His outstanding performance led to him being crowned the Grand Champion in the under-17 category.

Hamdan, Nameer’s younger brother and a student at Presidency School, Mangaluru, followed in his brother’s footsteps by winning first place in Kumite and securing a place in Kata.

Their sister, Umme Kulsum, also a student at Presidency School, claimed first place in the Fighting category, adding to the family’s impressive list of achievements.

Nameer, Hamdan, and Umme Kulsum are children of Nisar Ahmed Ruknuddin and Nada who reside in Mangaluru.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / August 20th, 2024

Muslim Mirror’s founding editor among the Prominent Changemakers of 2024

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA / Chennai, TAMIL NADU / INDIA :

Syed Zubair Ahmad, the founding editor of Muslim Mirror, has added another feather to his cap by being declared one of the prominent Changemakers of 2024 by the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP). The prestigious recognition was announced during a grand event held at the B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology, a deemed university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The event was graced by honorable guests and attended by a large gathering of participants from across India.

Ahmad, a distinguished journalist, is known for his powerful advocacy for the rights and representation of marginalized communities, particularly Muslims, in India. Over the course of his career, spanning more than two decades, he has built a reputation for his unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and journalistic integrity.

The Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) is Mumbai based pan India  non-profit organization dedicated to the socio-economic empowerment of the Muslim community in India. Through initiatives in education, employment, and community development, AMP works to foster leadership, skill-building, and social welfare, connecting professionals and organizations nationwide for collective progress.

“In a memorable ceremony, 100 inspiring individuals were honored with Changemaker Awards, and 100 state-level NGOs were recognized in the Best and Jury categories. Additionally, 10 organizations were celebrated in prestigious national categories,” said a press statement issued by AMP.

Notable national NGO awardees include;

  • ALTNEWS
  • APCR (Association for Protection of Civil Rights)
  • IMRC (Indian Muslim Relief & Charities??)
  • Institute of Objective Studies (IOS),
  • Allana CSR
  • Pataka CSR and
  • Seethakathi Trust

Some of the prominent Changemaker awardees included;

  • Syed Zubair Ahmad (Muslim Mirror)
  • Mohammed Wajihuddin (Times of India)
  • Aslayah Kallakath (Maktoob Media)
  • Abdur Rahman IPS (Retd.)
  • Akramul Jabbar IRS (Retd.)
  • Hammad Rahman
  • Adil Meraj and
  • Syeda Ruksheda.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was posthumously bestowed upon the Late Moosa Raza, IAS (Retd.), which was received by his family.

The Omar Khatani Memorial Award was presented to the Tarraqi I Foundation, while BSA Crescent Institute of Science & Technology received the Partner of the Year Award.

Mrs. Mariam Habib, Trustee of B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology, served as the Chief Guest and commended AMP’s efforts in education, employment, and empowerment. She emphasized the role of NGOs in bringing about significant societal change in collaboration with policymakers, and she noted that the legacy of the late B.S. Abdur Rahman is being continued with great dedication by the current leadership.

Dr. N. Raja Hussain, Registrar of B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology and Guest of Honour, praised AMP’s work in recognizing and motivating various organizations and individuals. He highlighted the ongoing collaboration between the university and AMP in developing students and faculty through guest programs. The event was presided over by University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. T. Murugesan.

Motahar Hosain, Chief Executive and Guest of Honour, congratulated AMP for instituting these much-needed awards to acknowledge the contributions of individuals in the development sector. He remarked that despite the sacrifices made by these individuals in service to others, they seldom receive the appreciation they deserve, making these awards a significant recognition of their efforts.

 Mr. Farooq Siddiqui, Head of the AMP National Coordination Team and the driving force behind these awards, stated, “AMP believes in collaboration and has been working alongside multiple organizations since its inception. Through the AMP NGO Connect project, we are connected with over 7,000 social organizations across nearly all districts of India, helping them with capacity building and implementing AMP’s social welfare projects in their regions. These awards are our way of appreciating their efforts and motivating them to continue their impactful work.” He also thanked the AMP Chapter and state teams for mobilizing massive nominations and captivated the audience at the packed Crescent Convention Center Hall with his superb and engaging awards announcement.

 Ms. Shereen Sultana, State Head – AMP Tamil Nadu, in her address, shared details about AMP’s initiatives and invited everyone to join hands for the betterment of society and nation-building. She expressed her gratitude to the management and staff of B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science & Technology for their cooperation in hosting the event and mentioned how she took up the challenge of organizing the awards ceremony in Chennai.

AMP Tamil Nadu State Executive Team member Mr. Yahya Rasheed welcomed the guests and successfully hosted the event with the support of Prof. Ansar.

The awards process for the NASE was multi-layered, with state, central, and a 9-member distinguished jury led by A.R. Khan, IAS (Retd.), President of A.R. Welfare Foundation, Dr. Syed Zafar Mahmood, Founder & President of Zakat Foundation of India, Dr. Farah Usmani, Founder & Chairperson of Rising Beyond The Ceiling, Prof. Zubair Meenai, Professor & Former Head of the Dept. of Social Work, JMI, Prof. Naseem Ahmed Khan, Chairman of the Dept. of Social Work, AMU, Dr. Shazia Manzoor, Head of DSW, University of Kashmir, Sherin Ali, Global Lead – Corporate Social Responsibility, WNS, Sajid Ali, COO of Tech Mahindra Foundation, and Gulzar Hussain, Head of Government Partnerships, UN World Food Program (India).

The success of the 4th edition of the awards was attributed to the collaborative efforts of key AMP team members, including Sajjad Parvez, AMP Zonal Head – South India; Dr. B. Raja Hussain, State Secretary; Syed Faheem, Chennai Chapter Head; and Syed Deen, Chennai Chapter Secretary. Their contributions, along with the support from the back-office teams at the Central Offices in Mumbai and Vaniyambadi, were instrumental in making the event a success.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Media> Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror Desk / August 22nd, 2024

Dr Mateen ul Jabbar Skill Centre: A blessing for flood-hit Osman Nagar residents

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Education- Excellence, Coaching, Training, Tutorials (wef. Feb 09th, 2024), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

The center was established in February 2021 by Faiz Aam Trust and Siasat Millat Fund with the aim to provide assistance to the residents of Osman Nagar.

Dr Mateen ul Jabbar Skill Centre

Hyderabad:

The convocation ceremony of Dr. Mateen ul Jabbar Computer and Skill Development Center located in Osman Nagar held at the office of Faiz-e-Aam Trust.

The center was established in February 2021 by Faiz Aam Trust and Siasat Millat Fund with the aim to provide assistance to the residents of Osman Nagar in Shaheen Nagar locality, which were severely affected by floods. In response to the devastating situation, the Faiz-e-Aam and Siasat Millat Fund initiated relief efforts, and under the guidance of Editor Siasat Mr. Zahid Ali Khan, Secretary, Faiz-e-Aam Mr. Iftikhar Hussain, and Managing Editor Siasat Mr. Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, various courses were taught to boys and girls to help rehabilitate and empower them.

Through this initiative, kits containing essential items such as masonry, bedding, medicines, and food were distributed to flood victims. Later, the Dr. Mateen Al Jabbar Computer and Skill Development Center was established, providing training opportunities for local students and individuals. Seven batches have already completed their training at the center and are now employed in Amazon, schools, colleges, supermarkets, and shopping centers, contributing to their families and society.

source: youtube.com

Mr. Iftikhar Hussain, Secretary of Faiz Aam Trust, praised the efforts of Zahid Ali Khan and Zaheeruddin Ali Khan in their vision to empower the youth and residents of Osman Nagar. The Skill Development Center has been instrumental in providing training and employment opportunities to numerous girls, a majority of the center’s beneficiaries.

During his address, News Editor, The Siasat Daily, Mr. Amer Ali Khan emphasized the importance of discipline, time management, for a bright future. He said “in the pursuit of success and development, discipline, time management, and hard work play crucial roles in shaping the younger generation of any community. Time management is a concept that has been emphasized in various organizations. However, this concept is not new; Islam introduced it 1445 years ago through the five daily prayers, serving as a prime example of time management and discipline.

He stated that Indians and Muslims in particular possess inherent abilities, and what they need is proper guidance. He compared children to diamonds that need shaping and polishing to shine. Khan highlighted the success stories of thousands of Muslim boys and girls who now serve in multinational companies.

He encouraged the youth to develop artistic skills and acquire practical knowledge, inspiring them to collaborate and establish start-ups.

Certificates were awarded to 66 students during the ceremony, and the efforts of Ms. Ayesha Samad, who provides diligent training to the students, were highly commended. Syed Abdul Sattar, Manager of Faiz Aam Trust, expressed gratitude to everyone involved and extended a vote of thanks to conclude the event. The Dr. Mateen ul Jabbar Computer and Skill Development Center stands as a testament to the power of education and empowerment in uplifting communities.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Zahed Farooqui / July 30th, 2023