Pakistan’s misadventure in Kargil will be remembered not only for the convincing win of the brave Indian army but also for some of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for our dear motherland. Prominent among those heroes was a 25-year young Captain Haneefuddin of 11 Rajputana Rifles who led from the front and made the ultimate sacrifice. Martyr Vir Chakra Captain Haneefuddin had to be from the Dilwalon ki Dilli! Truly, he had a large heart for he volunteered to command an operation to capture a post which would give a vantage position to observe the enemy’s movements.
It was quite early days of Kargil war when there was hardly any information available about the enemy troops. A company of 11 Rajputana Rifles was deployed in Operation Thunderbolt on June 6th, 1999 led by Captain Haneefuddin. It was at an altitude of 18,000 feet in the Turtuk region. The Mission: To capture a position in the region which would facilitate the Indian army to monitor the movements of the enemy troops better. The capture of this position would give the troops a strategic advantage in those early stages of the war. Captain Haneef volunteered for this Operation Thunderbolt as it was his ingrained in his nature to lead from the front. He set off for the vital operation with one junior commissioned officer and three other ranks. They made significant strides on the nights of 4th and 5th June 1999. They captured nearby positions. They captured the adjacent position and set out their advance on 6th June 1999 to capture the position they desired. They were undaunted by an altitude of 18,500 feet and extremely cold temperatures. They were however spotted by the enemy and fired upon. A firefight followed, against an enemy equipped with heavy artillery.
Captain Haneefuddin was concerned about the safety of his team more than himself. He took up a position and fearlessly showered bullets on the enemy. In the exchange of bullets, he was severely injured. But he kept engaging the cunning enemy, until his boys were safe from the enemy fire. Unfortunately, he ran out of ammunition and he was shot from all directions. He succumbed to his injuries, just 200 meters from the position they valiantly set out to capture. He displayed extraordinary valor in the face of the enemy and cared more about his team’s safety than his own. Captain Haneefuddin attained martyrdom at the young age of 25. It was exactly two years after he was commissioned in the army. But his body could not be retrieved due to heavy firing till a brave Colonel Bhatia and his illustrious team set out to retrieve the body. It was on 18th July, 43 days after Haneef’s martyrdom, Captain S K Dhiman, Major Sanjay Vishwas Rao, Lieutenant Ashish Bhalla, Havaldar Surinder and Rifleman Dharam Vir volunteered for the task.
Col. Bhatia and his team carefully negotiated the deadly precipices. The team managed to locate the brave heroes Haneef and Parvesh. They extricated the frozen bodies. Dragging them behind the boulders, the team carried the fallen heroes on their backs. They walk quietly through the night, reaching Zangpal by early morning. A helicopter carried the bodies away as the brave Colonel Bhatia watched the body bags with moist eyes for one last time.
Vir Chakra Captain Haneefuddin’s mother Hema Aziz had paid tribute to her martyr son thus: “As a soldier, Capt Haneef served his country with pride and dedication. “There cannot be a greater statement on his valor than his death which came while fighting the enemy.” Later, a subsector in the battle zone was named as Subsector Captain Haneefuddin.
It is interesting to note that Captain Haneefuddin had gone to fight for 11 Rajputana Rifles whose war cry is ‘Raja Ram Chandra ki Jai’. Twenty years later, in February 2020, in Captain Haneefuddin’s hometown – Delhi, a similar war cry — Jai Sri Ram was used by the rioters who looted, raped, killed innocents, destroyed 11 mosques and burnt down the copies of the Holy Quran, according to the just released report of the Delhi Minorities Commission. Those who carried out this pogram do not have guts to go to the borders and fight the enemies Pakistan and China. Instead, they choose our own citizens!
Where have the Dilwallas disappeared from Dilli? Lest we forget Kargil War Hero Vir Chakra Captain Haneefuddin and other heroes!
source: http://www.beyondheadlines.in / Beyond Headlines / Home> Lead / by Dr Ahmed Mohiuddin Siddiqui / July 27th, 2024
Dr. Majid Ahmed Talikoti, a renowned oncosurgeon, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) during a press conference at Hotel Riverview in Jamia Nagar, New Delhi.
Dr. Talikoti highlighted his diverse interactions with people from various walks of life as a key factor in his decision to engage with IICC. “As a surgeon, I interacted with people from different walks of life, and I know how to deal and serve people. That’s why I decided to engage myself with IICC,” he stated.
Dr. Talikoti, who is well-regarded in the medical community, aims to showcase IICC as a beacon of Islamic heritage and culture. He emphasized the peaceful nature of Islam and the importance of promoting this message through IICC. “Given a chance, I will try to showcase IICC as a prominent center of Islamic heritage and culture. Islam is a religion of peace, and I would try my best to send the message of peace through this Centre. We are supposed to welcome our non-Muslim brothers on Eid and join them on Diwali,” Dr. Talikoti said.
Dr. Talikoti outlined his vision for IICC, focusing on maintaining a non-political, brotherly atmosphere during the election and beyond. He stressed the importance of adhering to IICC’s aims and objectives, which include fostering youth empowerment and initiating interfaith dialogues to bridge community gaps. “We will not fight this election as a political battle, but in a brotherly manner in a very congenial atmosphere and try to keep the center away from politics, following the aims and objectives of IICC. We will develop IICC as a center of empowerment for youths and start interfaith dialogues to bridge the gap between communities,” he asserted.
With the support of former IICC president Sirajuddin Quraishi, Dr. Talikoti’s campaign has garnered significant attention. He is also the convener of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), an RSS-affiliated organization formed in 2002 to facilitate dialogue with the Muslim community.
Established in 1981, IICC is a premier institution in New Delhi dedicated to promoting and preserving Islamic culture and heritage. It aims to foster cultural exchange, interfaith dialogue, and communal harmony through various educational, social, and cultural programs.
The election campaign for the governing body of IICC has officially commenced, with candidates contesting for posts of president, vice president, and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and Executive Committee (EC) promising significant shifts in the center’s functioning. The election is scheduled for August 13th.
Among the other presidential candidates are ex-cabinet minister Salman Khurshid, retired IRS officer Abrar Ahmad, former bureaucrat Afzal Amanullah, businessman and philanthropist Waseem Ghazi, businessman M. Asif Habib, and BJP activist Suhail Hindustani. Each candidate brings unique perspectives and visions, making this election a pivotal moment for IICC’s future.
Interestingly, Dr. Majid Talikoti’s panel includes Kaleemul Hafeez, who is contesting for the post of vice president. Until recently Hafeez has been a sharp critic of Serajuddin Quraishi, the former IICC president, who is also running for membership on the Board of Trustees (BoT)
Md Irshad Ahmad Advocate, Supreme Court of India & Former President, AMUOBA-DELHI is also contesting for BoT from this panel.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Special Correspondent / June 25th, 2024
Mohibbullah Nadvi’s nomination by the SP and his road to victory in the general elections were peppered with confusion and drama. He was not the party’s first choice candidate and filed his papers at the last hour on the final day of nomination on March 27.
Mohibbullah ‘Nadvi’. Photo: Omar Rashid
New Delhi:
Mohibbullah ‘Nadvi’ took 19 years – and a detour through his home town, Rampur in Uttar Pradesh – to traverse the roughly 25-30-metre-wide tarmac separating Indian parliament from the mosque where he leads prayers as an imam. Surprising everyone, the Samajwadi Party nominated the 48 year old as its Lok Sabha candidate in Rampur; and, battling several odds, Nadvi came through, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party by over 87,000 votes.
It is a little past noon and the sun is blazing down on Parliament Street, where the Jama Masjid is located in the capital. Nadvi has been its imam since 2005. With a small group of associates, he is seated in his office, still receiving congratulatory phone calls.
Nadvi was one of the five Muslims who were elected as MPs from UP this time. Six had contested. Nadvi hoped that now that the Opposition had performed better, taking the BJP head-on on issues of livelihood, the question of the worryingly low Muslim representation may be addressed better. But it should not be seen solely through the lens of numbers, he said.
“Our political representation should not be seen in terms of quantity but quality…even if there is one person, who is good, 100% faithful to the community, understands Islamic things and sentiments of Muslims, and raises their questions correctly,” Nadvi told The Wire. Muslims in India were not asking the government for anything beyond the rights the Constitution promises all citizens, he added.
Nadvi’s nomination by the SP and his road to victory in the general elections were peppered with confusion and drama. He was not the party’s first choice candidate and filed his papers at the last hour on the final day of nomination on March 27. Nadvi’s nomination also caught several party leaders by surprise as he did not have a political background. Fielding a Delhi-based maulana from a communally-sensitive constituency marred by internal divisions in the SP did not seem like a clever decision to many.
Though he had met SP president Akhilesh Yadav once when the latter was chief minister in 2012, the breakthrough came when they spoke in Lucknow in January this year. According to a source, Nadvi, who harboured electoral ambitions, had gone to Lucknow to invite Yadav to an event of Muslim leaders in Delhi. In Lucknow, Nadvi came in touch with Uday Pratap Singh, former MP and a close associate of Akhilesh’s and his late father Mulayam Singh Yadav’s, and also met Shafiqur Rehman Barq, former MP, with whom he already shared a good connection. Barq, a Turki Muslim like Nadvi, pitched for the maulana. That would be Barq’s last visit to the SP office as he died a month later, aged 93.
Mohibbullah ‘Nadvi’. Photo: Omar Rashid
Akhilesh did not promise Nadvi the ticket right away, but kept him on stand-by as an alternative, if needed. As nomination day approached, the SP was caught in a mini-crisis as it failed to zero down on candidates in two important and winnable seats, Rampur and Moradabad, both with a record of electing Muslims. Much of this had to do with the stubbornness of senior leader Azam Khan in having his say in candidate selection in his bastion.
On March 22, Akhilesh visited the Sitapur jail to meet Khan, who is incarcerated there, to discuss the candidates in Rampur and adjoining seats. Khan, who has faced the endless wrath of the Yogi Adityanath government, apparently proposed that either Akhilesh contest himself from Rampur or nominate one of his family members. This did not sound feasible to the party.
According to sources, the party asked several leaders to contest from Rampur but Saleem Shervani (ex-MP from Budaun), Kamal Akhtar (former minister) and S.T. Hasan (elected Moradabad MP in 2019) all rejected the proposal. Nobody wanted to encroach on Khan’s territory.
The SP’s top leadership wondered if it would be feasible to field Tez Pratap Singh Yadav, Akhilesh’s nephew and former MP, from Rampur but apparently the idea was turned down by Akhilesh’s uncle Ramgopal Yadav, the party’s national general secretary.
Only a day was left for the nomination and the SP was without an official candidate. A disaster was on the cards.
A similar situation prevailed in neighbouring Moradabad, where two candidates of the SP, sitting MP Hasan and former MLA Ruchi Veera, a close associate of Khan’s, both filed nominations, confusing the rank and file of the party. To Hasan’s dismay, Veera even received the party’s authorisation letter as its official candidate. He was obviously not happy.
In Rampur, too, the matter got out of hand after Asim Raja, an aide of Khan’s, filed his nomination while claiming to be the SP’s candidate. Raja, who had lost the Rampur seat in a by-poll in 2022, even led the Khan camp to declare a boycott of the 2024 election as Akhilesh had not paid heed to their request of contesting himself.
It was around 5 pm on March 26 that Nadvi received a call from the SP informing him that he would be the official candidate in Rampur. Along with his aides, he left for Rampur overnight. With the clock ticking, SP state president (and now MP) Naresh Uttam Patel along with a trusted lawyer boarded a chartered flight to deliver the Form AB to Nadvi, and in a change of tack, nominate the disgruntled Hasan as the official candidate in Moradabad by handing him the party’s authorisation letter. The flight landed on an airstrip in Mundha Pande, midway between Rampur and Moradabad, at around 11 am, sources said. Nadvi managed to file his nomination on time but Hasan could not receive the authorisation letter within the stipulated period. Their first priority was Rampur.
“It was a difficult time. We didn’t even have a back-up candidate. Time was running out,” Nadvi told The Wire, recalling the tense moments before his first-ever nomination. Later, Hasan in an interview to PTI alleged that some leaders had “conspired” to ensure that the party’s authorisation letter did not reach him on time.
After his nomination, Nadvi battled the ‘outsider’ tag, the internal opposition of the Khan camp, BJP’s communally-driven campaign and hostility from the administration. He brushed aside the outsider tag, underlining that he was born in a village, Razanagar, in Suar tehsil of Rampur. His uncle was a former pradhan. Nadvi, who owns 7.44 acres of inherited land in his village, completed his Quranic education or Hifz from Rampur city before spending time in a madrasa in Sambhal.
Following that, he went to Lucknow to pursue his higher education in Islamic studies from the renowned seminary Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, from where he got his title. Nadvi then went to Aligarh for further education but as he did not appreciate the heated political climate on campus, he instead enrolled in Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi and graduated from there in Arabic Honours. He went on to complete his MA in Islamic Studies and got a BEd from Al-Falah University. In 2005, he was appointed as an imam at the Parliament Street Mosque after clearing an interview. “I didn’t have much inclination towards politics earlier. But I did develop some interest as the people who offered namaz behind me included some very important political people,” said Nadvi, on being asked why he suddenly jumped from the pulpit to politics.
Given the mosque’s location, top Muslim politicians and officials come there to pray. Even the likes of Liaquat Ali Khan, Maulana Azad and Zakir Hussain, former president of India, prayed at the mosque or used to visit it, said Nadvi. Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi too have visited the mosque, whose compound houses an elegant white tomb of former president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. Nadvi, who took over prayers at the mosque at 29 years of age, was delighted to share that even former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had prayed behind him.
The maulana feels that Akhilesh took a “strong decision” by nominating him in Rampur, where he initially faced opposition from a section of party workers loyal to Khan.
“I faced some problems from our party friends who were unhappy. But I managed to tackle them beautifully. Credit to them, they also did not hype it so much, maybe due to public pressure or my acceptance in public,” said Nadvi. He feels his identity as an Islamic scholar and imam may have helped him win acceptance in his native land. “I have roots in Rampur. I want to take everyone forward and work on education and health,” he said.
While his nomination process was controversial, following his victory, too, Nadvi has garnered the headlines. He was trolled by supporters of Khan after he met the divisional commissioner of Moradabad, Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, who while serving as the district magistrate of Rampur had initiated a wave of action against Khan and his family members. Nadvi downplays the meeting. “I am a mazhabi alim. I don’t have negativity towards anyone,” he said, adding that he had met the official to discuss plans for the betterment of his constituency.
He also landed in a soup for his comments on the jailed Khan. When asked by reporters if he would visit the leader in jail, Nadvi said, “People are sent to jail for correction. Jail is a correctional facility and I can only pray for Azam Khan.”
Azam’s wife and former MP Tazeen Fatima lashed out at Nadvi for the comments. “He said that jail is a correction home. It seems like he had a deep experience of going to jail and he has been to jail,” she said.
Nadvi said his comments were misrepresented and exaggerated by the media. “I said that the jail is not heaven, that we would like to go there. We have our empathy for Azam sahab. What else can we do for him? The media gave it unnecessary hype,” said Nadvi. When I asked him if his relationship with Khan was fine, he took a long pause and before he could answer, an aide of his cried from the other end of the small room, “Abhi tak toh theek hai (So far, it’s fine)!”
Ruchi Veera, the newly elected Moradabad MP, visited Khan’s family following her win. She criticised Nadvi for his comments on Khan. “He should not forget that he won because of the party and Azam Khan sahab has made a lot of sacrifices for the party,” Veera said. She called him out for his “political immaturity”. “He’s not a political person. I don’t know how he got the ticket for the election and won.”
In Rampur, Nadvi not only saw off the challenge from the BJP but also ensured that the Muslim candidate of the Bahujan Samaj Party did not spoil his chances. The BSP candidate received 79,000-odd votes while he beat the BJP by over 87,000 votes. Had the election been conducted in a “fairer” manner, the margin would have been over one lakh to 1.5 lakh, said Nadvi, alleging that voting had been disturbed on 12 to 15 booths where the SP had a strong voter base.
Despite the BJP’s shrill anti-Muslim campaign, Nadvi says even Hindus voted for him, as he went to people with a “positive message”. “I spoke about education, health and employment. Who would the people choose? Someone who is abusing others or one who is asking them about their needs?” he asked. In an election where the BJP lost the election in the land of the Ram Mandir, a maulana scripted a successful political debut in a district bearing the name of the Hindu deity.
source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Reportage> Politics / by Omar Rashid / June 15th, 2024
In a significant development aimed at revitalizing the activities of a prominent Muslim organization, the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (Registered) convened a General Body Meeting on June 9, 2024, at New Horizon School in the Hazrat Nizamuddin area. The primary agenda was to elect a new president and establish a new administrative framework.
The meeting was chaired by the former president, Dr. Zafrul Islam Khan, and attended by 33 members from across India, alongside three additional invitees. Five members participated online via Zoom. The assembly unanimously elected Dr. Zafrul Islam Khan as the president for a two-year term.
In his inaugural address, Dr. Khan underscored the organization’s goal to rejuvenate the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) and reaffirm its role as a premier forum for Muslim organizations and institutions. He addressed the challenges that arose from previous leadership under Mr. Navaid Hamid, which led to internal discord and inactivity.
Dr. Khan recalled the resignation of the late Syed Shahabuddin from the executive committee due to the organization’s adverse direction under the new leadership. He criticized the expulsion of 70 key members and unconstitutional amendments to the organization’s constitution, which marginalized significant voices within the Majlis-e-Mushawarat.
He also mentioned that efforts to merge the Majlis-e-Mushawarat (registered) with the Navaid Hamid group would continue.
Resolutions Passed
Election Satisfaction: The assembly expressed satisfaction with recent general election results, noting a majority of secular votes and urging secular parties to unite for national progress.
Condemnation of Hate Politics: The organization condemned the rise in hate politics over the past decade and advocated for unity and resilience among Muslims against divisive tactics.
Condemnation of Gaza Attacks: The Majlis-e-Mushawarat condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023, calling for global condemnation and support for Palestinian autonomy.
Addressing Muslim Marginalization: The body highlighted increased efforts to marginalize Muslims since 2014, urging the community to focus on education, trade, and legal recourse against injustices.
Notable attendees included Ms. Uzma Naheed from Mumbai, Muhammad Wazir Ansari (Rtd. IPS), Khawaja Muhammad Shahid (Rtd. IAS), and many other distinguished members and former officials from various parts of India. Some members participated online, including Munir Ahmad Khan from Indore and Dr. Obaid Iqbal Asim.
The meeting signifies a renewed effort to strengthen the organization’s influence and address key issues affecting the Muslim community in India.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News / by Radiance News Bureau / June 15th, 2024
Through its dedication, sensitivity, and comprehensive approach, CTAG empowers individuals from socio-economically weaker backgrounds to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
In the pursuit of a brighter future for all, particularly those from socio-economically weaker backgrounds, initiatives like the Centre for Training and Academic Guidance (CTAG) play a pivotal role. CTAG, a non-profit organization under the auspices of the Human Welfare Foundation, is dedicated to providing career counseling and guidance to students hailing from such backgrounds.
In this exclusive interview, Ayesha Sultana, Assistant Editor of Radiance and an educator and academician by profession, engages in a conversation with Faizy Rahman, a dynamic individual with a diverse educational background, holding a BTECH in Mechanical Engineering from DTU and an MA in Psychology from DU. Currently serving as the Centre In-Charge of CTAG, Mr. Rahman brings a unique blend of technical expertise and psychological insight to his role. With her keen interest in initiatives aimed at empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds, Ayesha delves into CTAG’s mission and impact through her insightful questions.
Q: Could you provide an overview of CTAG’s mission and objectives?
A: CTAG’s mission is to provide career counseling and guidance to students from socio-economically weaker sections of society. We aim to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools to make informed career decisions, thereby opening doors to brighter futures.
Q: What inspired the establishment of CTAG, and how does it aim to make a difference in the lives of its beneficiaries?
A: CTAG was established to address the barriers faced by students from disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing career guidance. By providing personalized guidance and support, we strive to empower our beneficiaries to pursue fulfilling career paths aligned with their interests and aptitudes.
Q: Can you elaborate on the services and programs offered by CTAG to achieve its objectives?
A: Certainly. CTAG offers a range of services including psychometric assessments, individual counseling sessions, group workshops, career awareness workshops, and scholarship support. Additionally, we provide training programs for teachers and counseling professionals to enhance their skills in guiding students effectively.
Q: How does CTAG ensure its guidance and assessments are culturally sensitive, particularly in states across North India?
A: Cultural sensitivity is integral to our approach at CTAG. We tailor our assessments and guidance to suit the cultural backgrounds of our students, ensuring that our services are relevant and effective. By understanding and respecting cultural nuances, we aim to build trust and rapport with our beneficiaries.
Q: What initiatives does CTAG undertake to engage with the community and raise awareness about career guidance?
A: CTAG actively engages with communities through outreach programs, workshops, and seminars to raise awareness about the importance of career guidance. We collaborate with local organizations, schools, and colleges to reach a wider audience and provide valuable insights into career options and opportunities.
Q: As CTAG expands its reach, what are some future goals and aspirations for the organization?
A: Our future goals include expanding our reach to underserved communities across India and enhancing the quality and accessibility of our services. We aim to leverage technology and innovation to reach more individuals and provide them with the guidance and support they need to pursue their aspirations.
Q: How does CTAG measure its impact and success in empowering individuals from socio-economically weaker backgrounds?
A: CTAG evaluates its impact through various metrics including the number of beneficiaries served, feedback from beneficiaries and their success stories, partnerships formed with educational institutions and community organizations, and post-counselling tracking of students. We continuously assess and refine our programs to ensure they effectively meet the needs of our beneficiaries.
Q: What kind of help do you provide after career guidance for placements?
A: We offer an Employability Enhancement Program which includes assistance on how to face an interview and writing CVs.
Q: What else does CTAG offer besides career guidance?
A: CTAG also provides training for teachers and mentors, as well as one-day career guidance counselor workshops. Additionally, we offer a Career Guide Training Program for individuals interested in becoming professional career counselors. We also conduct a 5-day program for comprehensive guidance, annually.
Q: How can individuals access all the information provided by CTAG?
A: We have a career library and an updated website which provide information on various courses, admissions, university notifications, etc.
Individuals can access information through our website, www.ctag.in and/or contact us via WhatsApp at 72919 20374.
In a world where opportunities are often scarce, organizations like CTAG serve as beacons of hope, guiding individuals towards brighter futures. Through its dedication, sensitivity, and comprehensive approach, CTAG empowers individuals from socio-economically weaker backgrounds to pursue their dreams and aspirations. As it continues to expand its reach and impact, CTAG remains committed to shaping careers and transforming lives for the better.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Face to Face / by Ayesha Sultana, Radiance News Bureau / May 05th, 2024
Nusrat Jahan, the headmistress of Jamia Middle School at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), has been honored with the Best District Principal Award for the academic session 2023-24 by the Academic Council of the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF).
This prestigious award recognizes her exemplary leadership, commitment to academic excellence, and innovative initiatives that have significantly enhanced scientific and mathematical aptitude among her students.
Under Jahan’s leadership, Jamia Middle School saw remarkable achievements, with 72 students earning Gold medals in the Olympiad during the 2023-2024 academic year.
The Science Olympiad Foundation, known for its dedication to promoting STEM education globally, acknowledged Jahan’s transformative initiatives and their positive impact on both students and faculty.
The award comes after a rigorous selection process, considering 79,400 schools from over 1,400 cities across 70 countries that participated in this year’s Olympiad examination. Jahan attributed this success to the collaborative efforts of the school’s dedicated teaching staff and the hard work of the students.
Prof Mohammad Shakeel, the officiating vice-chancellor of JMI, congratulated Jahan on her outstanding achievement and praised her relentless dedication to student success and school improvement. Jahan’s deep knowledge, leadership skills, and pleasant personality have been pivotal in driving the school’s achievements and earning this distinguished award.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation / by Radiance News Bureau (headline edited) / June 08th, 2024
Sana Khan, founder Rahat Foundation receiving an award in Dubai
Sana Khan set up the Rahat Foundation on 26 February 2010 and during the 14 years of its existence in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra it helps women school dropouts.
Sitting in her modest office in Jasola village in south east Delhi, Sana Khan, 47, told Awaz-the Voice that presently her most important project is about getting the school dropouts to complete their education. She gets such women admitted to the Jamia’s openm school of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
Sana Khan says belueves that the right to education is universal and with this thought she has so far rehablitated 2,000 dropout children back into the educational mainstream.
Sana Khan not only sends the dropouts back to school but also takes the responsibility of imparting them skills and ensuring their job placements.
Her NGO teaches courses like digital marketing, fashion designing, etc. Interestingly, Rahat Foundation also managed to train 256 women drivers and helped them get licenses to drive.
Sana Khan says so far her NGO has employed about 10 thousand young men and women. They had acquired different skills at the classes of the Rahat Foundation.
Of these, 6000 did learn digital marketing, and 4000 fashion designing . Sana Khan says she contacted the fashion designing industry located in Okhla Phase 2 in Delhi, while the digital marketing trainees gots jobs in the IT sector, call centers, Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, etc
Some beneficieries of Rahat Foundation
She also remains in touch with the companies where she enrolls the skilled young men and women of the Rahat Foundation for jobs.
Sana Khan said, “My father died when I was in my 8th class. I was 13 years old. I had two elder brothers and a mother in my house. I can’t even describe the financial difficulties we faced at that time. One day a person from an NGO touched our lives and everything started changing.”
“Back then I got support and today I am at the stage where I have created a successful world of my own. I always try to help others, ” she says.
Rahat Foundation takes utmost care of all their beneficiaries. It arranges their exam fees, books, etc. The NGO does occasional fundraising to meet its expenses.
Sana Khan receiving an award
Sana Khan says she is careful in checking the genuineness of the beneficiery. She says there is a strict system of checking and whetting of a potential beneficiery. Rahat Foundation takens both boys and girls under its wings, she said.
Sana Khan has 70 people in her team who are divided into groups to form sub-units and working at the grass root in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra.
Sana Khan said that soon Rahat Foundation will set up its centers in Bangalore, Karnataka.
Sana Khan says that from time to time she organizes camps in which awareness about education is spread in society. So far, she has set up 500 to 600 campuses under the banner of Rahat Foundation.
Sana Khan receiving an award
Going down memory lane, Sana Khan said that when she did a mass communication course from South Delhi Polytechnic, New delhi in 2010, she also worked with the Sahara group of publications.
“However, while working with the newspaper, my wish to help the needy kept over powering my mind and ultimately, I had laid the foundation of Rahat Foundation.”
Sana Khan says that today her NGO is well-known for its work and people do recognise her work. She said she received immense support from society during the Covid-19 pandemic when Rahat Foundation distributed blankets and dry rations to the people. It also ditributed school bags for children to keep their hopes alibe and essential medicines during that difficult phase.
Recently Sana Khan was honoured in Dubai, the UAE. She had already received several awards and honours from companies and forums in Bengaluru, and Delhi.
Sana Khan is willing to help people who contact her on her website and Facebook page. .
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Onika Maheshwari, New Delhi / May 04th, 2024
Budhana Town (Muzzaffarnagar) / Meerut, UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI:
Poet Azhar Iqbal has gained prominence due to his use of simple Urdu language mixed with Hindi and his reach on social media.
QUICK RISE:
Azhar Iqbal has suddenly risen to fame in the last two years
Saying Urdu/Hindi couplets (shayri) in the language of the common man and usage of social media has raised Delhi’s Azhar Iqbal to a level he had never imagined.
The famous saying bhagwaan jab deta to chhappad phaad ke deta hai (when God decides to bestow His bounty, He showers it all) seems to have come true for Delhi’s Urdu poet (shayar), Azhar Iqbal.
He suddenly rose to fame in the last two years. He is seen in almost all domestic as well as prestigious mushairas (poetry sessions) in Europe, Middle East and Dubai. The limelight-hungry, from literary to television world, have suddenly started showing a sense of belonging to him and their pictures together adorn several social media accounts.
Those who had not even known him remotely, have started commenting on his posts, expecting few seconds of a shared fame! His recent claim to fame is his presence at the famous Kapil Sharma Show on Sony LIV television.
The shayar has to thank two factors that worked wonders for him, social media and couplets he wrote in simple Urdu projecting relatable truths of peoples’ life.
For instance, Ghutan si hone lagi uske paas jaate hue, main khud se rooth gaya hoon usey manate hue or Parindo ko shajar acchha laga hai, Bohot din baad ghar acchha lagta hai, Gale main hai teri bahon ka ghera, Ye bike ka safar acchha laga hai.
Iqbal is not new to shayri but to the fame. The 45-year-old is yet to sink it in.
He admits, “Social media’s wide reach is a magical reality. My seniors and buzurg shayars (experienced poets) would not have imagined reaching that far globally with their genius. I don’t think I do shayri as well as them. But I wouldn’t mind taking credit for the fact that I do shayri that common man understands. From students to youth, females to those battling crises of various kinds in their daily grind.”
Substance too
It not just the miracle of social media but a life of hard work, interest in shayri, taleem-o-tehzeeb and patience that Azhar’s poetry is made of. He isn’t a product of an aristocratic school or family either. Azhar, one among 11 siblings, is a father of two, and homemaker wife. His father, a literary person and an avid Urdu reader, had a tea shop in Meerut where he would go to help him in his holidays as a child and in his youth.
A fertile background plays the most significant role in the making of a poet. Azhar is no exception. Remarkably, in western UP, educated people in small towns like Budhana, Kairana, Gango, Jhinjhana, Nakod among others had immense affinity with literature and religion – adab and deen. Women would always find time to read good novels during the day and even narrate them to their children and siblings. Menfolk would find catharsis in nashist or baithak (poetic gatherings) almost every evening.
Azhar comes from Budhana town in Muzaffarnagar where such novel narrations and nashisht were regular.
“We were surrounded by these adab-loving people, qawwals and their mehfils (gatherings). The zauq (interest) for shayri was getting into the system automatically.”
Here, senior shayars would say a couplet and ask young boys to write the next on that analogy. The teenagers would spend much of their time in reading good poets and evolve themselves to do the task.
Azhar recalls famous shayar Dushyant Kumar’s sher (couplet) which was given to him for an analogy to create his own.
Vo mutmayeen hai ke paththar pighal nahi sakta, Main intezar main hoon awaz main asar ke liye.
(They are certain that the stone cannot melt away, Restless yet I am, for a voice to hold sway.)
Azhar could create one in bahar (rhythm). And it went like this
Vo phool banke mere pass hi mehakta raha,
Main sochta hi raha apne humsafar ke liye.
(It lingered like the scent of a flower beside me, Yet, I longed for my companion to be.)
This was his first couplet that showed his poetic pen at 13.
Alongside writing ghazals and studying, Azhar would help his father run his tea shop. In late 90s, to help the family financially, he joined as lab assistant at Noida, on a salary of Rs 3,000. He would go to the mushairas by spending from his own pocket.
“The mushairas wouldn’t pay young poets like me during those days.”
By 2013, he met famous dastango Mehmood Farooqui and soon wrote the poetic part of his classic dastans.
“I also used to host some of his dastan shows and mushairas at Delhi’s India Habitat Centre — a favourite haunt for arts and literary luminaries.
“The visits helped me expand my circle and meet geniuses in the creative arts.”
FAME:
Iqbal also featured in the Kapil Sharma show and often gets thronged at airports
The Almighty answered
Around the first Covid lockdown, Azhar got an invitation to go to Bahrain. “That was my first foreign trip. But the lockdown spoiled it. In pain, I complained to Allah that this was my first such prestigious trip and l can’t even go. As if Allah was free then. He heard me so well that I never looked back after that. It happened like that.
“Someone picked up a sher from one of my old videos and posted it on his Youtube channel. Within no time, it received 50 million views. Soon, people started finding my other ashaar (couplets), and did the same. Some 10 to 12 such couplets got so popular that billions of people watched them and I became famous instantly.”
The fame helped the poet not only with offers of mushairas at domestic but also international levels, and to preside over them too. Prestigious spaces like Sahitya Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi also started inviting him to host programmes.
The icing on the cake was an invitation from Kapil Sharma show which is viewed by crores of people. It changed his life completely. The mushaira venues have often got him standing ovation for long.
“Now at times it takes me over an hour to reach the venue as people gather for autographs at the airports. I often get shockingly surprised and think, ‘they have come for me?’”
Shared language
A creative person is known for diversifying, without which he risks his pen to boredom.
Azhar also decided to be a bit more creative and mix Urdu-Hindi to say couplets that would emanate fragrance of a shared co-existence.
Though use of Hindi words in Urdu shayri and Urdu words in Hindi kavita is not new but his initiative of a different kind was lapped up by “both Left and Right ideologists”. One of these goes as:
Maroosthal se jaise jungle ho gaye hain,
Tera sanidhya pa kar, hum mukammal ho gaye hain.
(With your proximity, I am metamorphosed from a desert to green) or
Nadi ke shaant tut par baith kar mann,
Teri yadain visarjan kar raha hai;
Bohot din ho gaye hain tumse bichhde,
Tumhe milne ko ab mann kar raha hai.
(On the silent banks of a river, immersing your memories; long alienated, my heart is aching to meet you).
The poet credits it to the gap that came after Dushyant Kumar’s demise in 1975 at a young age of 42.
“There was a gap in the Hindi poetic arena after Dushyantji. Most were doing lateefebazi (frivolity). Geet and nazm had suffered in the hands of mediocre writers. So, I decided to experiment the mix and it worked out, again, thanks to the social media.”
Breaking monopoly of seniors
Most creative domains have some authoritative forces who wouldn’t let their juniors grow, unless they belonged to their coterie. The world of shayri isn’t an exception. Some senior poets and known lyricists who are also a part of the film world, often started dominating the biggest mushairas.
“If you see the mushairas before 2000, you will notice that same 20-odd shayars would be seen in all mushairas in the country or even abroad. Aik poora giroh thaa jo kisi ko aage aane hi nahi deta thaa. (There was a gang of senior shayars who wouldn’t let any newcomer break their monopoly).”
The social media boom, however, did the needful, especially during Covid and subsequent lockdowns.
Those who were not in any reckoning, started making small videos of their own couplets, or other Youtubers would select couplets of any shayar and upload them for hits. This slowly opened vistas for several hidden talents. Azhar is one of them.
“If you scroll through social media, every second video is about a new shayar or his shayri uploaded by someone to get hits on his Youtube channel. The seniors who once ruled the game, have no role to play in promoting them.”
However, like any pros and cons of a boom, excessive use of social media also popularised mediocrity and exposed the difference between the great poets and weak writers, the originals and copy cats.
The “husn-parast” (esthete) Azhar is a new age craze for the generation which is turning towards simple shayri to understand the heavier later. “I think I have done my job if any youth has started taking interest in reading and creating couplets in simple Urdu.”
And one couldn’t agree more.
(The writer is Delhi-based senior journalist, co-author of ‘Muslims in Media’, poet, an art and music curator.)
source: http://www.thepatriot.in / The Patriot / Home> Profile / by Rana Siddiqui Zaman / August 12th, 2024
WNI Media Group organized a conference on Role of Media in Ensuring Social Unity in the memory of great freedom fighters Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan and Ram Prasad Bismil at the Press Club of India here. A large number of dignitaries as well as renowned journalists, social workers and lawyers participated in the conference.
Senior journalists Rahul Dev, Qamar Agha, TV9 Bharatvarsh anchor Sumera Khan, India Today journalist Milan Sharma jointly honored Delhi Minority Commission Advisory Committee former member and Advocate Raees Ahmed with the ‘Watan Ke Ratan’ Award for 2024 for his social and legal services.
Qamar Agha said Ashfaq and Bismil wanted a non-partisan and democratic country. Journalist Rahul Dev said given the current situation that the disease will have to be talked about only then treatment will be possible.
Milan Sharma said hatred spread in the society will be cured through joint efforts. While, Sumera Khan termed the efforts of the Forum as a commendable step.
Advocate Raees Ahmed said that it is important to maintain our mutual brotherhood and unity strongly. We should try to remove misunderstandings and dispute, for which we need to take the help of mutual dialogue, only then society will be free from hatred.
Senior journalist Mohammad Ahmed convened the program.
Professor Farhat Basir, Dr. Zubaidur Rahman alias Babban Mian, Jamal Ahmed Alig, Firoz Ghazi, Neha Garg, Muhammad Akbar, Syed Muhammad Mujahid Hussain, Muhammad Ramish, Asad Sabri, Advocate Anwar Hussain Saifi, Mirza Anwarulhaq Baig, Hunaiza Khan, Jyoti Yadav, Dr. Syed Muhammad Asdar Ali, Shahid Ansari, Vipul, Muhammad Ali, Arshita, Asrar Ahmed, Iqrar Ahmed, Bhavana Yadav, Vakil Aslam (Supreme Court), Haji Zahoor Ataichi Wale, Nisar Ahmed, Nawab Akhtar, Shahnawaz Badar Qasmi, Dawood Bhai Shaikh, Shadab Ahmed Patrika, Aqeel Salmani, Archana Gaod and others were also honored with the Watan Ke Ratna Award- 2024.
Aslam Ahmed Advocate of Supreme Court on record extended vote of thanks.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation> Awards / by Radiance News Bureau / by Shakilur Rahman / January 15th, 2024
Historians and enthusiasts are taking public education into their own hands to tell the story of the country’s Muslim communities.
The Chronicles of Mehrauli heritage walk. Sonia Sarkar for The NationalThe walk takes visitors through Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Sonia Sarkar for The Nationalit is led by Purani Dilli Walo Ki Baatein. Sonia Sarkar for The NationalIt is one of the oldest inhabited places in the subcontinent. Sonia Sarkar for The NationalMehrauli is rich in historical ruins, tombs and monuments from many eras of Delhi’s past. Sonia Sarkar for The NationalThe Qutb Minar heritage tour. Sonia Sarkar for The NationalPigeon-watching on a tour. Photo: Purani Dilli Walon Ki BaateinA kotha, now a private property, in old Delhi taken during the walk titled ‘Tawaifs and Kothas: Exploring Chawri Bazaar’ by Enroute Indian History. Sonia Sarkar for The NationalThe road leading to Jama Masjid in old Delhi, with guide Anoushka Jain showing an old picture of the same road in the 19th century. Sonia Sarkar for The NationalA tour group on the steps of Jama Masjid. Photo: Enroute Indian History
Chaotic narrow lanes lined with opulent old mansions, shops selling spices, dried fruits and kebabs, all overhung by dangling power cables – any trip to Old Delhi, a bustling Muslim hub built by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan, is a full sensory experience.
Abu Sufyan weaves through the crowd with about 20 people in tow, making his way through streets smelling of flatbread soaked in ghee, the call to prayer at a nearby mosque mingling with the bells of a Hindu temple.
He is on a mission to change negative perceptions of Muslims by showing visitors more of their history in the capital.
“People in old Delhi were labelled as ‘terrorists’ and ‘pickpockets’ because they were predominantly Muslims from the lower economic background, and Mughal rulers were vilified as cruel invaders, as they were considered the ancestors to Indian Muslims,” Abu Sufyan, 29, says.
“My walks involve the local community members including calligraphers, pigeon racers, cooks and weavers with ancestral links in the Mughal era to showcase old Delhi’s heritage beyond these stereotypes.”
Abu Sufyan is one of a growing crop of enterprising men and women using the medium of heritage walks to educate the Indian public and tourists on the nation’s lesser-known history.
He started his walks in 2016, when hatred against Muslim communities was on the rise after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party introduced several anti-Muslim policies.
People walk on a road earlier named Aurangzeb Road, after the Mughal emperor, now renamed to Dr. A. P. J Abdul Kalam, India’s former president, in New Delhi, Thursday, June 2, 2022. / AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
In 2015, a BJP politician urged the local civic body in Delhi to change the name of Aurangzeb Road to APJ Abdul Kalam Road. The civic body immediately obliged, removing the reference to the Mughal ruler from the road by naming it after the former president of India, who was always considered a “patriotic” Muslim.
Later, the 2019 Citizenship (Amendment) Act caused further division, as critics said it could be weaponised against Muslims, who are designated as “foreigners” under the National Register of Citizens.
Occasionally, divisions lead to violence: Thirty-six Muslims were killed in Hindu mob attacks for allegedly trading cattle or consuming beef between May 2015 and December 2018, according to Human Rights Watch.
‘A sense of belonging and togetherness’
Chennai city is also a major cultural site, offering many things to do and sights to see. Frederic Soltan / Corbis
Over 2,000 kilometres away in Chennai, documentary filmmaker Kombai S Anwar hosts walks in Triplicane to tell stories of Tamil Muslim history, Tamil Nadu’s pre-Islamic maritime trade links with West Asia, the arrival of Arab traders, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s rule, the appointment of a Mughal minister’s son Zulfikhar Ali Khan as the first Nawab of Arcot, and the lives of the subsequent nawab’s descendants.
“Predominantly, non-Muslims participate in these walks because they are ‘curious’ about local Muslims and their heritage. During [Ramadan], they are invited to the historic Nawab Walaja mosque, where they experience the breaking of fast and partake in the iftar meal,” Mr Anwar says.
Tickets for heritage walks across India range between 200 and 5,000 Indian rupees ($2-60).
Historian Narayani Gupta, who conducted heritage walks in Delhi between 1984-1997, said any controversy related to history generates more interest.
“Whether history is right or wrong or good or bad, it has to be backed by research findings,” she says.
17th-century Jami Masjid, India’s largest mosque. Unsplash
Saima Jafari, 28, a project manager at an IT firm, who has attended more than 30 heritage walks in the past five years, says it is hard to ignore the historical monuments in the city since they are almost everywhere.
Delhi-based Ms Jafari recalled one of her best experiences was a walk, in 2021, trailing the path of “Phool Waalon Ki Sair”, an annual procession of Delhi florists, who provide sheets of flowers and floral fans at the shrine of Sufi saint Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki and floral fans and a canopy at the ancient Hindu temple of Devi Yogmaya in Mehrauli.
“When I walked along with others in that heritage walk, I realised that heritage enthusiasts across religion walk together in harmony,” Ms Jafari says.
“One of the best parts of heritage walks is the storytelling that connects places with lives of people of a certain period. Plus, it always gives a sense of belonging and togetherness.”
Anoushka Jain, 28, a postgraduate in history and founder of heritage and research organisation Enroute Indian History, which holds walks to explore the erstwhile “kothas (brothels),” and “attariyas (terraces)” of old Delhi, said during pandemic lockdowns, posts on Instagram helped sparked interest.
“Before the pandemic, barely 40 people participated in two weekly walks as opposed to 50 in each of the four weekly walks which we conduct now,” she says.
But it is not all smooth sailing.
Ms Jain says some people feel uncomfortable when they are given historical facts and research that show Hindu and Jain temples constructed by Rajput rulers were repurposed during the rule of Delhi Sultanate, Qutb ud-Din Aibak.
Iftekhar Ahsan, 41, chief executive of Calcutta Walks and Calcutta Bungalow, adds that sometimes, participants come with preconceived notions that Muslims “destroyed” India for more 1,000 years – but walk leaders hold open conversations to “cut through the clutter” with authentic information.
For some, heritage walks often change perceptions.
“Until I visited mosques in old Delhi during a walk, I didn’t know that women were allowed inside mosques,” law student Sandhya Jain told The National.
But history enthusiast Sohail Hashmi, who started leading heritage walks in Delhi 16 years ago, cautions that some walk leaders present popular tales as historical fact.
A mansion called Khazanchi ki Haveli in old Delhi’s Dariba Kalan is presented as the Palace of the Treasurer of the Mughals by some walk leaders, Mr Hashmi says. The Mughals, however, were virtual pensioners of the Marathas – Marathi-speaking warrior group mostly from what is now the western state of Maharashtra – and later the British and had no treasures left by the time the mansion was built in the late 18th or early 19th century.
Another walk leader had photo-copied an 1850 map of Shahjahanabad, now old Delhi, passing it off as his own research, he adds.
“The walk leaders must be well-read and responsible enough to ensure that the myths are debunked,” Mr Hashmi says.
source: http://www.thenationalnews.com / The National / Home> World> Asia / by Sonia Sarkar / June 01st, 2023
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