If you’re a history buff, World History Encyclopedia has all the lore from the past—conquests, stories, and maps that take you back to the battleground
Syeda Bilgrami Imam
Don’t we all enjoy a good love story? Award-winning writer and editor Syeda Bilgrami Imam’s new book Like Fine Wine: Nine Real Love Stories (Roli Books; R695) is that rare keepsake for those who truly believe in matters of the heart, serving as a gentle reminder that love truly wins.
pix: amazon.in
The book, Iman writes in her introduction, was born out of a request from a publisher friend for a monograph on her relatives ,“Sir Syed Ali Imam [former Prime Minister of the state of Hyderabad] and Lady Imam [Anise Karim] and their fateful discovery of each other in the year 1918”.
From one story, it turned into a collection, where she makes sensitive forays into the real love stories of nine unusual couples. From cricketing legend Tiger Pataudi and superstar Sharmila Tagore, to director David Lean and Leila Matkar, chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand and Aruna, the book takes us through stories that are replete with serendipitous beginnings, chance encounters and love-at-first-sight tropes.
The one story that will remain a personal favourite is that of Sir Ali, a 48-year-old widower, who falls instantly in love with Anise, an 18-year-old high school graduate whose “willowy, erect, curiously collected presence” made him say “without fuss or plea or preamble” if she would marry him.
Available at all leading bookstores
source: http://www.mid-day.com / Mid-Day / Home> Sunday Mid-Day News / by Team SMD (Edited) / Mumbai, May 14th, 2023
Three years older than Hakim Ajmal Khan, one was reminded of him when Ajmal Khan’s great-granddaughter came for admission to Hamdard University last week, accompanied by her father.
While Ajmal Khan’s name lives on beyond his ancestral haveli, Sharif Manzil in Ballimaran, Hakim Nabina had no fixed abode and believed to have been born in the Walled City too, got most of his fame in South Delhi where he was brought by some dealers in Unani medicine.
Born in the same year as Rabindranath Tagore, he was 105 when Dr. S. A. Ali of Hamdard met him in 1965 to seek medication for a digestive problem. The hakim, who had probably been born blind or had lost his vision in childhood, felt the patient’s pulse and diagnosed that his heart and liver were in good trim but not his digestive system. “Did you by any chance eat arbi (yams)?” he enquired. Dr Ali confessed that he had in fact had a piece of the vegetable though he was not fond of it. The hakim told him to have light food in future and prescribed some medicine which cured his ailment.’
Syed Ausaf Ali, himself an octogenarian now, says Nabina lived at Hazrat Pattey Shah’s dargah, behind Humayun’s Tomb. What he prescribed was dispensed by dealers in Unani drugs. When someone complained that the charges were very high, he advised them not to go to the dispensers but take medicine from him directly.
Pattey Shah or the saint amid tree leaves was actually named Shamsuddin Ataullah and died in AD 1300 during the reign of Alauddin Khilji. He got the nickname because whenever Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya visited his khanqah or hospice, he would hide behind bushes and tree leaves, saying he was not worthy of coming face-to-face with the Auliya. This is what has been affirmed in Sadia Dehlvi’s book on the Dargahs of Delhi. It is said that the Shah belonged to the Chishti silsila or order of saints. “During the day he would light a fire and cover himself with its ashes, while at night he slept in a grave-like hollow (something emulated by the eccentric Spanish painter Salvador Dali, who spent his nights in a coffin). When he died Hazrat Nizamuddin led the funeral prayers as per the Shah’s last wish. Hakim Nabina seems to have developed a spiritual rapport with Pattey Shah and lived most of his long life at the latter’s shrine. When he died is not known but it was probably during Indira Gandhi’s first prime ministership, which would mean that he was nearly 110 years old at that time.
The hakim is not to be confused with Hafiz Nabina Doliwale, the blind mendicant who lived under a tree near the southern gate of the Jama Masjid. Nobody knew his real name also, except that he was one who could recite the Quran by heart (Hafiz), was blind (Nabina), wore no clothes and loved to travel free in a doli or palanquin. He and Hakim Nabina were both born in the same year (1860), when Bahadur Shah Zafar was passing his last days in Rangoon. But Hafiz Nabina died at the age of 87 much before the hakim sahib. Everybody in the city knew him and he also finds mention in Ahmed Ali’s “Twilight in Delhi” as he often visited the hero of the book, Mir Nihal. He was regarded as a majzoob (a man possessed), lost in himself and supposed to be in contact with the jinns, without much care for hygiene.
However Hakim Nabina, despite his mystical leanings, never gave the impression that he was a majzoob. His direct communion was with Pattey Shah and he passed his life in the service of those who came to him to be healed. That he could tell a patient what his illness was merely by touching him and pointing out, “Thou ailest here and here,” was a sign of his deep knowledge of human nature and anatomy and the Unani system of medication. Like Hafiz Nabina, he was a recluse but of a different sort who did not discard the ways of the world in matters of dress, behaviour and etiquette. Old-timers remember him as a worthy contemporary of Hakim Ajmal Khan, who had acquired the halo of Massiha (messiah) of the ailing populace!
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> /Down Memory Lane / June 22nd, 2014
In a small suburb in the Islam-dominated Jamia in Delhi, Mohammed Ameen manages to live a life which breaks norms and is still happy. . .
Football, as a game, has broken a lot of barrier in terms of religion and war. It is a well-documented fact that the Nigerian Civil War was stopped to watch Pele and his team play in the 1960s. If the game could stop a war, one can imagine its power over the other earthly, trivial matters.
Khel Now Football caught up with Mohammed Ameen, who originates from Patna but is currently staying in Delhi. Ameen is a Maulana, a person associated with formal qualification following study at a madrassa or darul uloom. Ameen comes across as a noble Muslim, who would go about his work and would lead a sedentary life in a city job.
Astonishingly, Ameen breaks the cliché. The middle-aged man is a sports coordinator for CEQUIN, an NGO which works on a variety of issues affecting women and girls such as violence, leadership, economic empowerment and other social benefits. You must be wondering that why are we writing these stories; but there’s a common link: FOOTBALL.
Football Is My Religion I Jamia I Mohammed-The Maulana Coach
Ameen trains girls in and around his area and said, “I train both the junior and senior girls equally hard. I want to see the senior girls mature in a way that they can train the next line of girls in the years to come,” says Ameen, who earns meagerly.
“Football is a team game, and the girls forget their stress while playing,” adds the gaffer. “There energy on the pitch brings a change in the community and shows a new door to the girls in the area. I’m working in the Jamia area and there are various challenges in the work I’m trying to do.”
One of them, he says, is the fact that he’s a Maulana. “People in general and parents in particular usually say that I’m a Maulana and I teach girls to play football, which adds a poor connotation to the notion. I usually stay silent, and they get my answer.”
Talking on our special segment called ‘Football is my Religion’, Ameen concludes with a brilliant message. “Football is played all around the world by white, black, men and women equally. There is no religious division in the game, and it should be that way forever. It connects people like nothing else.”
source: http:www.khelnow.com / Khel Now / Home / by Punit Tripathi / April 17th, 2017
Jamia alumnus and Okhla resident Umar shines at Shanghai event
Jamia Millia Islamia alumnus and Okhla resident, Mohd Umar, shines at the BS2023 competition at Shanghai.
Son of Professor Asif Zameer and Gauhar Asif, he is a resident of Nazir Apartment in Okhla.
Four students from India – Arjita Gupta, Debanjana Das, Mohammed Umar, and Mohi Saxena – participated in the event.
Of the 19 entries received from the USA, Australia, China, Africa, and other European countries, the CEPT team from Ahmedabad, conducted an in-depth performance analysis of the Students’ Activity Centre (SAC) at Tongji University, Shanghai, China and brought home the trophy.
This year’s competition programme aims to design and optimise a nearly net zero carbon emission building by computer simulation, it said.
source: http://www.theokhlatimes.com / The Okhla Times / Home> JMI/EDU / by the okhla times (headline edited)/ September 15th, 2023
The promising startup VTEC, operating under the wings of Jamia Millia Islamia, has reached a significant milestone by securing ₹4 Crore in seed funding from an angel investor.
New Delhi:
In a momentous achievement for Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) one of its talented MBA students and an ambitious entrepreneur, Mohammad Uwais, has successfully secured 4 crore in seed funding for his Startup VTEC.
This remarkable accomplishment has garnered attention and admiration not only within the university but also in the wider entrepreneurial community. The startup, initially bootstrapped, has now taken a significant step forward with this infusion of capital.
The promising startup VTEC, operating under the wings of Jamia Millia Islamia, has reached a significant milestone by securing ₹4 Crore in seed funding from an angel investor. This accomplishment marks a pivotal moment in the journey of the innovative venture, setting the stage for its rapid expansion and continued success.
The startup, VTEC, has thus far been a self-funded endeavour, demonstrating the dedication and perseverance of its entrepreneurial team. However, the recent infusion of ₹4 Crore in seed capital represents a major turning point. In exchange for this funding, the investor will acquire a 10% equity stake in VTEC, valuing the company at ₹40 Crores. This investment, which represents the pre-seed round for the company, will fuel VTEC’s ambitious growth plans.
VTEC is a multifaceted consulting firm that operates across various sub-domains, including political consulting, business consulting, finance consulting, and healthcare consulting. With a dedicated and dynamic team at its helm, VTEC has gained recognition for its expertise, innovative solutions, and commitment to delivering value to its clients.
This substantial injection of capital will allow VTEC to accelerate its expansion efforts, enhance its service offerings, and bolster its market presence. The funding will be utilized to develop cutting-edge solutions, expand the company’s client base, and invest in talent acquisition and development.
JMI takes immense pride in its association with VTEC and acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit displayed by its students. The university’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting its students’ entrepreneurial endeavours is evident through this collaboration.
The successful seed funding round reflects the confidence that investors have in VTEC’s potential to make a meaningful impact in the consulting industry. The company’s dedication to excellence, coupled with its commitment to serving diverse sectors, positions it as a valuable player in the consulting landscape.
As VTEC embarks on this exciting new phase of growth, the university extends its best wishes and unwavering support to the young entrepreneurs behind this venture. This accomplishment serves as a testament to the entrepreneurial ecosystem at JMI and underscores the institution’s commitment to nurturing talent and fostering innovation.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Business & Economy / by ummid.com news network / September 19th, 2023
Professor Shehzad Anjum, Department of Urdu, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) is a renowned critic, researcher and the senior most Professor of the department.
Parvez Shahidi Award:
Professor Shehzad Anjum, Department of Urdu, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has been conferred the prestigious ‘Parvez Shahidi Award’ of the West Bengal Urdu Academy for his great work in Urdu language. He is a renowned critic, researcher and the senior most Professor of the department.
JMI Vice Chancellor Professor Najma Akhtar, faculty members and students congratulated Professor Anjum for their great achievement.
Professor Anjum is one of the few prominent writers of the present era whose writings are thought-provoking.
Some of his published books are Urdu Ke Ghair Muslim Shaura-o-Udaba, Ahad Saz Shaksiyat: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Deedawar Naqqad: Gopi Chand Narang, Azadi Ke Baad Urdu Shairi, Azhar Inayati: Ek Sukhanwar Shayar, Ehtisham Hussain Ki Takhliqi Nigarishat, Tanqeedi Jehaat, Urdu Aur Hindustan Ki Mushtarka Tahzeebi Virasat, Rabindranath Tagore: Fikr-o-Fan, have been published.
He successfully completed the “Tagore Research and Translation Scheme” started by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India as the Coordinator, Department of Urdu, JMI. It is a historic, exemplary and proud achievement in the field of Urdu literature.
Professor Anjum also authored several monographs including Muhammad Ali Johar, Syed Ehtisham Hussain and Syed Muhammad Hasnain for Sahitya Academy, Delhi, Altaf Hussain Hali for Urdu Academy, Delhi, West Bengal Urdu Academy, Mirza Ghalib for Kolkata and Urdu Directorate. The Kalam Hydari monograph for Patna is particularly noteworthy. Several books translated by him have also been published. He also wrote a literary column on non-Muslim Urdu poets and writers for the daily ‘Inqlab’, Delhi, for about two and a half years.
source: http://www.shiksha.com / Shiksha / Home> News> College / by Anum Ansari, Asst Mgr Content, New Delhi / September 09th, 2022
Nida Ansari, is a Delhi based development practitioner and consultant with over 12 years of experience in working with national and international non-profit foundations, grassroots organisations and funding agencies in the field of youth centric development, organisational development, agency and ending violence, community development and social entrepreneurship. She describes herself as a community campaigner, and an ‘Arctivist’ with a decade of experience of designing, facilitating and leading large scale national programs and campaigns.
She is also the co-founder of Mazdoor Kitchen, and has been closely involved with many grassroots initiatives, public campaigns associated with food security, public health, education and rights-based movements with workers, farmers, women and marginalised communities.
Q. How did the idea of the Kitchen come to be?
ND: Mazdoor Kitchen is a citizen run voluntary initiative, working to provide meals and subsistence to daily wage workers in North Delhi. Run by a dedicated team of volunteers comprising professors, students, artists and people from the community itself, it has been providing meals and ration kits to hundreds of people across north Delhi, ever since the beginning of the lockdown since May 2020.
In March, my parents – Delhi University professor Nandita Narain and her husband Rashid Ansari, a martial arts instructor and performing arts practitioner-director, joined a collective of teachers in North Delhi to start ‘Mazdoor Dhaba’ (workers’ café). It had 3 community kitchens running under its banner in North Delhi, from the garage of the Principal’s house in St. Stephens College. I remember my mother, Nandita saying , “I’d heard from many of my colleagues that this isn’t something we, at the age of 60+ years, should be doing. But we felt that even if there is risk involved, we want to take that risk; after all, when there are wars, people who volunteer, go to the frontiers to support wounded and war-affected people. And if they can do that, then the risk is surely not greater for us.”
By July, the lockdown in Delhi had ended and many in the group felt the need to shift operations away from cooking to other relief work. But my parents decided to venture out independently and started ‘Mazdoor Kitchen’ (a citizen-run voluntary workers’ kitchen) in Jawahar Nagar, Malka Ganj- as they felt there was still a need to support people with food and rations. I recalled what my father said to me in 2020 – when hoards of migrant workers walked back to their homes, on feet – “how can I be comfortable sitting in the confines of my home, eating a hot meal, when there are people on the road who have to travel thousands of kilometres just to be safe and alive?’,”
Q. In what capacity are you associated with MK? Pls describe the team and their responsibilities.
ND: I have been associated with MK right from the beginning supporting my parents, raising funds, running the crowdfunding campaigns and building collaborations with many grassroots groups, CSRs, partners, voluntary groups.
Q. What are the pros and cons of running an independent, voluntary citizen run initiative?
ND: The 500 meals, ration kits and monthly rations that we’re able to support people with, is the pros. These meals are distributed to individuals and marginalised communities, who do not have the socio-economic means to feed themselves. Cooked meals are given in North Delhi across- Nigambodh Ghat – Monastery market road, behind geeta mandir, north delhi. These areas have a growing population of displaced vulnerable people, living on the streets – homeless, beggars, daily wage workers, migrants, rickshaw drivers, rag pickers etc. For some of these folks, the cooked meal packet that they get from Mazdoor kitchen, is their only source of food in the day.
For many migrant families, these cooked meals allow them to save some of their meagre daily earnings, which they can then put to use for other purposes of everyday living like medicines, rations , education of their children and deal with inflation. We have also been able to generate livelihood, medical and education support through direct reliefs/ cash transfers to different families, individuals from marginalised socio-economic communities. We’ve also been able to support disaster responses to support groups during floods, and extreme hunger through kits, ration, blankets, clothes, medicines and other relief material across the country.
We’ve been able to demonstrate how a community owned – and run kitchen can benefit countless people and bring people together. But there have been a host of challenges – running a community kitchen is not easy! From being a small team, to managing with small budgets and the constant challenge of raising more funds, persuading people to donate – in face of the widespread belief that ‘since the pandemic is now over, people in the community are alright. ‘ This is a complete mismatch with reality, because poverty, unemployment, rising expenses and cost of basic living all remain a stark reality and crisis for those on the margins.
The country has been witnessing unending cycles of migration and now, reverse migration of workers who found no support in the cities and now, find no sources of income in the villages too. Most who have lost employment as industries stand devastated by the economic repercussions of the virus and the safety concerns brought about by physical proximity, will not see opportunities open up for months to come. The need to continue the work of the kitchen remains urgent. Several beneficiaries of the initiative have no other source of income or subsistence.
Q. Apart from cooking daily meals, what are the other issues MK deals with?
ND: While the initiative was born in the middle of the pandemic, as a response to the urgent need of the hour, over the last few years it has developed deeper relationships with the local communities it serves in slum colonies of Kingsway Camp, Pul Bangash, Bahadurgarh Road, Azad Market, Roop Nagar, and Patel Chest, Nigambodh Ghat. Many working-class people and migrants who had travelled back to the cities hunting for jobs depend on that one meal a day that the kitchen provides. In the heightened phases of Covid till 2021 they fed up to 800+ people daily in different communities and supplied dry ration kits, blankets, and gas cylinders, even relief material and clothes in the areas. Currently the kitchen runs daily and feeds people with up to 500 meals in a day, and supports 20-70 families with ration kits in a month.
Through a sustained effort, the initiative has also developed a keen relationship with members of the community. We also give monthly ration kits to families, medical relief and gas subsidies, Aside from food and ration, we’ve has also started a ‘livelihoods initiative’ , under which local community members (women) have been making and distributing thousands of masks and other small vendors like balloon sellers and food carts have been able to restart their businesses with small funds, Our relief efforts have included helping those struck by natural disasters with material or monetary support, supporting students from underprivileged communities pay their college fees, rickshaw pullers procure a new rickshaw if needed and medical fees.
Q. Would you like to share an incident that personally left a deep impact on you?
ND: In 2020-21, a migrant worker, who received daily meals from MK, from bada hindu rao- Bulla, a daily wage labourer from Bihar, had an accident and his spine was dislocated. He was admitted into Safdarjung hospital and had an operation on his spine. Bulla was living alone in Delhi, in shanties on the streets, and after hearing about his accident his family had just come to Delhi. His time in the hospital was dismal and scary to say the least, as none of the family members were literate and struggled to engage with a chaotic hospital system. Our team, including my parents, visited the hospital- and talked to the floor doc, name of the unit head etc. Bulla has had one surgery, doesn’t require another, but was paralysed from the waist down, with physiotherapy after the stitches are opened, might regain mobility in maybe six months, maybe longer, maybe never! Our team, along with the help of good folks like Ankit Jhamb of Aao Khilayein, were able to facilitate Bulla’s discharge from the hospital to a rented accommodation that we managed to procure and furnish in time for him to get there, including a much-needed air mattress.We tried to provide all the necessary things required for day to day living, and what is needed for his medical care too. We have engaged a day nurse, Raj Rani, to come and do his dressing etc. every alternate day. His recovery is going to be long, arduous and difficult. We and more importantly, Bulla and his family, needed all the help that they could get. While initial surgery costs have been taken off by the hospital, we knew that supporting a family who has no source of income ( as bulla was the main bread earner), rented accommodation for 6 months, food, medical expenses, nurse for day care, physiotherapy- will cost anything from 2.5-3 lacs in total. We were able to raise the funds to pay off Rajrani who was a compounder in a hospital and would go and do his physiotherapy every day. But eventually the trauma from his accidents were too grave – and he passed away. For me – this was a mirror image of the shattered socio-economic structure of our society – it felt futile and overwhelming, just how deep this structural inequality goes. I had the same feeling in 2022 when I started hearing about more and more migrant suicides. It made me more resolute to keep trying to do whatever bit we can, no matter how small the impact.
Q. Have you come across issues of caste purity and untouchability with respect to the menu?
ND: While distributing food we have by and large not come across caste purity and untouchability with respect to our food. All the 400+ people we feed, love our meals, they wait for us graciously. In the middle when we were shut for a week, while shifting to a new place – when we went back the 1st day so many of them came howling to us – ‘ where were you? had you forgotten about us ? ‘ Many people distribute food near nigambodh ghat, but often it is baasa, waste food. My father had told me, “The other day I had people take 2-3 meals from me; they sat on the pavement and ate those meals, telling me how hungry they were. We give the food packets to them in their hands and we ask them to take care. We give them as many meals as they ask for, as long as we have it. We try to ensure that everyone who’s standing in the line gets food. I don’t differentiate between a rag picker or a drunkard or someone who’s dressed well. I don’t question anyone; I just give them food.”
Q. Do you see MK as a long term venture especially when the State is refusing to perform its basic duties of providing food and shelter?
ND: While it is constantly challenging to raise enough funds to sustain the kitchen – we are always trying. In a country like ours, if communities were to go an extra mile, support their own local vulnerable populations just around their homes – the 80% of this country on the margins would not be as vulnerable as they are right now. Why can;t we have a community owned, run, funded and employed community kitchen in every mohalla ? Despite everything, we are trying to continue this initiative as long as we can. My father says, “This might be just a drop in the ocean, but it is a regular consistent drop,”. My mother said to me once – ” ” There was this idea amongst friends that this sort of work doesn’t really bring about any social transformation. You are just doing charity. You are just filling in where the government should be doing it. But I don’t even see it as charity. I see myself as a beneficiary of this inequality. The fact that I have got a public funded education, there is a debt of gratitude. There is a debt. On my soul, or psyche or whatever you call it. And that is a debt that I cannot repay in one lifetime. ”
Q. Anything else you’d like to share?
ND: I would like to thank the supporters and funders of this initiative and would appeal to more people for funding. Because of them MK has been running for almost 3 years, supporting people from marginalised communities with cooked food, ration and financial assistance. I have never been prouder of our small team of 10 community members which keeps the kitchen going. With 1 in 4 suicides in India being of a migrant worker, the need for food, rations and financial assistance for marginalised communities is still very dire.
We are currently running out of funds and may only be able to sustain till the end of the year. To keep the kitchen running till 2025 and beyond, we need support to raise funds.
Dr Rakhshanda Roohi Mehdi, prominent fiction writer and a teacher of Syed Abid Hussain Senior Secondary School, Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi has bagged the prestigious Hamid Saeed Khan Award of Madhya Pradesh Urdu Academy for her Urdu short story collection titled “Monsoon Store” and will receive Rs.51,000/- as award money.
This award recognizes the efforts of progressive women and the exceptional achievements of women who have broken barriers and demonstrated outstanding skills in their respective fields.
JMI Vice Chancellor Prof. Najma Akhtar congratulated Dr Rakshanda Roohi for her great achievements and wished her good luck for her future endeavours.
Dr. Rakhshanda said, “I am deeply honored and grateful to have been selected for this award. I am passionate about my writing and this award truly reflects what I believe in – a woman’s courage and her strong role in improving lives. I am committed to continue my efforts and empower women in the society”.
Apart from “Monsoon Store”, Rakhshanda has also penned another Urdu short story collection “Magar aik shaakh e nihaal e gham”. She has also written “Aik khwab jaagti ankhon ka”, a Hindi short story collection and one Book on Sufism named “Alakhdas.”
She has also translated two novels namely “Aakhri Swariyan” and a Pakistani novel titled “Naulakhi Kothi” in Hindi from Urdu.
Earlier, DD Urdu has broadcasted a tele film “Chilman k paar” which was based on her story named “Bahut sambhala wafa ka paiman magar…”.
A play “Kahan hai Manzil e Raah e tamanna” on her story has been staged in Ram Lal Bhawan New Delhi.
In addition to this, she has authored many articles which have been published in renowned magazines and newspapers. She is a regular participant of talk shows and story narrations of All India Radio and DD Urdu.
She has been honored with many other awards for her literary work.
source: http://www.ismatimes.com / Isma Times / Home> Country> National / by Afzal Shah Madudi (headline edited) /May 03rd, 2023
Dozens of alumni of Jamiatul Falah, one of the South Asia’s finest institutions of Islamic studies, were felicitated in New Delhi on Sunday for obtaining PhD from prestigious universities in different streams, smashing the perception and prejudices built around the institution of madrasa.
The speakers enlightened the general public about the contributions made by the institution in inculcating religious teachings and moral regeneration among the students.
The distinguishing feature of the graduates of the Jamia is that they maintain good relations with each other, keep in touch in a systematic manner and always strive for the welfare of the Jamia, said Maulana Muhammad Tahir Madani, the renowned Islamic scholar and Nazim of Jamiatul Falah while addressing the gathering on the occasion.
He said that Jamiat al-Falah is not just the name of an educational institution or a center or an educational institution but it is an educational movement from which many generations have benefited and this process continues.
Jamia alumni are our brand ambassadors and the university has paid special attention to women’s education so that they can play an important role in the formation of a righteous society, he added.
The secretary of the Delhi unit Old Boys Association Mohammad Ershad Alam Falahi said that Jamiatul Falah was established by a group of dedicated scholars to promote knowledge and achieve greater goals for the common good. He compared the effort to the process of creating new clothes by using old fabric, letter by letter.
Rafat Kamal Fallahi, the President of the unit, thanked the audience and appreciated the Association for presenting the accomplishments of the Delhi Unit and discussing future plans. He assured everyone that the Old Boys Association would continue to extend its support in the progress and development of the community.
Asim Akram (Abbu Adeem) Falahi’s book, ‘Quran, Saransh Hindi Ek Taarak,’ was also released during the event.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Education> Indian Muslim > Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror Special Correspondent / May 07th, 2023
Discussions and debates, critiques and readings, held at haunts of Urdu books and writing around the country have been interrupted rudely.
(From left) Shadab Rashid, Urdu drama writer Aslam Parvez, and Shakeel Rasheed at Kitabdaar | Mahtab Alam
In Malegaon
On the first Saturday of every month, the textile city of Malegaon in northern Maharashtra used to become home for lovers of Urdu literature, who meet to discuss, debate and critique new writings in the language, mostly by local writers. Organised under the aegis of Anjuman Muhibban e Adab (Association of Literature Lovers), the gathering began at around 9 pm, and went on till midnight.
Between 30 and 50 people – both writers and readers – would come together, a number that would at times go up to as many as 100 or even 150. Asif Iqbal Mirza, the secretary of the Anjuman, said the practice began 25 years ago on the suggestion of local journalist and editor Samiullah Ansari, who published new Urdu fiction in his weekly, Hashmi Awaz.
Over the years, the publication had emerged as a popular local magazine for young and budding writers to publish their works. The weekly, now in its 35th year of publication, had a considerable fan following and readership at the time. Ansari then suggested that admirers of the magazine form a group comprising readers as well as writers.
The group was initially named Anjuman Muhibban e Hashmi Awaz (Association of Admirers of Hashmi Awaz), but within a few years, its following grew to encompass more than just the readers of the magazine, and in 1998 it was rechristened Anjuman Muhibban e Adab, Malegaon. “Ansari sahib formed the Anjuman so that writers could get their new works critiqued by readers before getting them published in the weekly,” Mirza ssid.
Back then, Mirza himself wrote for a local children’s newspaper called Khair Andesh. But his association with the Anjuman helped him grow into a prolific Afsana Nigar, a short story writer. He was 17 when the group was formed; in the past 25 years, he has written and published more than 200 short stories in different publications.
Apart from Anjuman Muhibban e Adab, there are two more literary groups in Malegaon that held regular meetings until the lockdown was declared in March. No such meetings have been held since then. “Unlike earlier, we now have enough time to read and write. But the irony is we don’t have the opportunity to discuss and publish them,” said Mirza, who also runs a printing business. Several local publications had to halt their issues, including Hashmi Awaz, owing to the lockdown.
According to Mirza, although social media outlets such as WhatsApp and Facebook have, to some extent, helped to keep in touch with fellow writers and readers, the literary life of Malegaon has come to a standstill, since a large number of local writers and readers came from the working class and worked in local looms. “The year 2020 is the silver jubilee of my literary career. I had plans to publish a collection of my short stories, but thanks to the pandemic, that will not happen this year,” Mirza said with a great sense of despair.
In Mumbai
Both readers and writers have felt a deep loss during the pandemic. His love of books took Shakeel Rasheed, editor of the Urdu daily Mumbai Urdu News, to various bookshops in and around the Mohammad Ali Road area of Bombay. “Visiting bookshops was a part and parcel of my life. I feel a deep loss when I don’t visit them,” he said. For him, bookstores are not just spaces to buy books, but they also served as addas for readers and writers. As soon as some relaxations were in place, he rushed to the stores. “Par ab pahle wali baat nahi rahi,” said Rasheed. “Things are not as they were before.” The pandemic has made it more difficult to meet new people.
Shadab Rashid’s Kitabdaar publications and bookstore in Temkar Street of Nagpada was one such adda for Urdu writers in Mumbai, as was Maktaba Jamia on Sandhurst Road West. Today, Kitabdaar and a few other bookshops have opened their stores for a few hours every few days, while Maktaba Jamia remains closed. “Due to lack of public transport and fear of the pandemic, people cannot come to Kitabdaar,” Shadab said. He also edits the quarterly literary magazine Naya Waraq, founded by his late father and noted journalist and writer Sajid Rasheed.
Shadab Rashid said the lockdown brought significant hardships and losses to Urdu publishers and distributors. “It is not that people don’t want to read Urdu books anymore – the problem is they cannot buy them,” he said. “I have received lots of online orders, but I cannot fulfill them because I rely on postal services as they are the cheapest means of delivery, but the services are not fully functional yet.” His online Urdu bookshop kitabdaar.com is one of the few digital distribution platforms for Urdu books exclusively in India. Another such platform, urdubazaar.in, was recently launched from Delhi.
Owing to the discontinuation of physical interactions between readers and writers, people have lost touch with each other, since not all Urdu writers are active on social media, Shakeel Rasheed told me. “We have lost many good writers during this period and found out about their demise several days later,” he added. “Moreover, we could not participate in their last journeys.”
In Hyderabad
Another writer recounted similar thoughts after the death of noted Urdu satirist Mujtaba Hussain in Hyderabad on May 27. Hussain was awarded the Padma Shri in 2007 for his contributions to Urdu literature, but in December 2019, he announced he was returning the award to protest the enactment of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act. “[T]he democracy for which I fought is under attack now and the government is doing that,” he had said, “that’s why I don’t want to associate the government with me.”
In Hyderabad, another centre of Urdu writing, literary activities have come to a similar halt due to the pandemic. Publications like Shagoofa, a monthly magazine of satirical writing, have been temporarily discontinued since the lockdown.
In Delhi
In Delhi, too, the pandemic has left an adverse impact on Urdu writing. Khan Rizwan, a poet and a known “addebaaz” from Delhi, loved participating in and organizing adabi addas (literary gatherings). He misses visiting the Nai Kitab book store, located in one of the many bylanes of Jamia Nagar, which is one of the famous addas for Urdu lovers in the city. Run by veteran writer and publisher Shahid Ali Khan, Nai Kitab is a haven for young and old writers alike, Rizwan said, as Shahid sahib treated them alike. “It is not just a bookshop but an institution where one got to meet noted writers and lovers of Urdu literature,” he said.
Rizwan would visit the shop at least twice a week, and meet a new literature enthusiast or writer, or find out about a new book or risala /parcha (journal/magazine). “I miss the black tea and chips that Shahid sahib served us with love and affection,” he recalled. “He is a storehouse of information, and several veteran writers were his friends, so he would tell us stories all the time.”
I couldn’t agree more with Rizwan. I have been visiting Nai Kitab once every few months for more than a decade now, and on each of my visits, after asking khabar-khairyat, Shahid sahib would say, “Achcha aap bahut dino baad aayen hain, ye nayi kitaabein aayi hai dekh lein (Since you’ve come after a long time, here are some new books).” Last year, when I visited the bookshop around this time, he directed me towards dozens of books written by noted Urdu satirist Fikr Taunsvi and Shaukat Thanvi. I immediately bought all of them, as they were usually out of print and seldom available.
As the person in charge of the Maktaba Jamia, the publication division of Jamia Millia Islamia in Bombay, Shahid Sahib befriended writers and poets like Jan Nisar Akhtar, Meena Kumari, Sahir Ludhianvi and Jagan Nath Azad. Some of them were regular visitors to the Maktaba Jamia. Though he moved to Delhi after serving the Maktaba for several decades, he did not stop hosting literature lovers. He then founded Nai Kitab publishers and a quarterly journal by the same name.
It was in 2007 at his bookshop that I first chanced upon Shamsur Rahman Faruqi’s celebrated novel Kai Chand The Sare Aasman, later translated into English as The Mirror of Beauty by the author himself. The novel went on to become a major critical and commercial success.
Faruqi was also associated with the Nai Kitab journal as chairperson of its advisory council and would visit the shop once in a while. The journal eventually stopped publication owing to Shahid sahib’s failing health, but he continued with the bookstore as it was like “oxygen for him”, he had once told me.
Waiting for freedom
Some writers have managed to turn the lockdown into a creatively productive period. “Personally, the pandemic has proved as a blessing in disguise as I read books I wanted to for years and finish other important work, such as recording videos of Urdu literature lectures,” says Khalid Mubashir, a poet and assistant professor of Urdu literature at Jamia. He quickly added, however, this was not common, as most writers and poets were stuck at home, either because of their age or in fear of the pandemic. “Moreover, not all writers have access to technology and books like I do. I am fortunate enough to have friends who helped me with technology to do something substantial during this period.”
Mubashir’s videos, as many as 60 of them, are each about 30 minutes long, and cover the history, evolution and development of Urdu and its literature in the subcontinent. Though the lectures are prepared keeping in mind the need and syllabus of Urdu literature students, ordinary Urdu lovers can also benefit from them. All lectures are available on the YouTube channel Safeer e Adab.
Similarly, although younger poets like Mohammed Anas Faizi from old Delhi have been trying to keep Urdu literature gatherings going by using social media, online addas do not have the feel and impact of offline and in-person gatherings. “Technology and social media can only help to a certain extent. Online gatherings, mushairas and addas cannot substitute for the real ones, no matter how well they are done,” he said.
With apologies to Faiz Ahmad Faiz, what the Urdu writers, poets and addebaaz seem to be telling the pandemic is:
Gulon Mein Rang Bhare Baad e Nau Bahar Chale Chale Bhi Jao Ki Gulshan Ka Karobar Chale
Mahtab Alam is a multilingual journalist and until recently was the executive editor of The Wire Urdu. His Twitter handle is @MahtabNama.
This series of articles on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on publishing is curated by Kanishka Gupta.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Publishing and the Pandemic / by Mahtab Alam / July 14th, 2020
