In 2004, she completed her PhD from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on “Central Asians in Mughal India: Migration, Settlement and Impact on North Indian Culture”.
Prof Tasneem Suhrawardy (Photo | Twitter)
New Delhi :
Tasneem Suhrawardy, a well-known Indian medieval history academic who was teaching at the Delhi University’s St Stephen’s college , died at the Fortis hospital in Gurugram on Tuesday. She was 58.
Suhrawardy passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest in the morning. She was ailing for some time and was being treated at the hospital for pneumonia.
Suhrawardy graduated with an Honours in History from the St Stephen’s college in 1986.
In 2004, she completed her PhD from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on “Central Asians in Mughal India: Migration, Settlement and Impact on North Indian Culture”.
Besides teaching at the St Stephen’s college, she was also invited as a guest teacher in prestigious American and Indian educational institutions.
Suhrawardy was an associate professor at the St Stephen’s college and was well known academically for her specialisation in Indian medieval history.
She was the daughter of late Syed Saeedul Haq and late Shahida Suhrawardy.
Her brother Anis Suhrawardy was a noted lawyer who died in 2012.
She is survived by her sister Nilofar Suhrawardy, a senior journalist, and other relatives.
Her demise was described as a great loss to the academic world by her students and colleagues.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Delhi / by PTI / December 26th, 2023
The All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has announced a highly anticipated State-level program set to take place on October 1st, 2023, at Gulbarga, Karnataka.
In a recent press conference, Muhammad Raza Manvi, the President of AIITA’s Karnataka Chapter, unveiled the event’s details, highlighting the prestigious State Level Education Award, the Afzal Hussain Shikshan Ratna Award, which will be bestowed upon Dr. Abdul Qadeer the founder of Shaheen group of Institutions, a distinguished figure in the field of education.
Dr. Abdul Qadeer has been selected to receive this distinguished accolade in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the field of education, setting an inspiring example for educators across the state. The award ceremony is expected to draw attention not only to Dr. Qadeer’s accomplishments but also to the importance of education and its transformative power.
The highlight of the event will be the presence of Dr. Fouziya Tarannum, the District Commissioner of Gulbarga, who has graciously accepted the invitation to serve as the chief guest.
The event is anticipated to be a gathering of educational luminaries, as teachers and educators from across Karnataka are expected to participate. This assembly will not only celebrate Dr. Abdul Qadeer’s exceptional achievements but also provide a unique opportunity for educators to come together, exchange experiences, share knowledge, and gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of education in India.
The AIITA State-level program on October 1st, 2023, promises to be a momentous occasion, celebrating excellence in education and the dedication of individuals like Dr. Abdul Qadeer, who continue to shape the future of our nation through their unwavering commitment to learning and teaching. The event is expected to inspire and motivate educators, fostering a spirit of innovation and collaboration in the pursuit of educational excellence across Karnataka.
source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Education / by The Hindustan Gazette / September 30th, 2023
“In today’s world, if something goes wrong in our household, women are held responsible,” said Mubeena Ramzan, an iconic figure for women’s rights and upliftment in Kashmir. Featured in “The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims of 2019” and born in the ‘apple town of Kashmir’, Sopore, she had always been a “sensitive” child who always looked around for people who were not so privileged. She had a strong desire to help the underprivileged but financial constraints made her helpless. Growing up, she aimed to change this and be instrumental in helping the lesser fortunate women around her.
“When I initially started, we were just a few people but the recognition of our Kashmiri people who stood with me and joined our cause made me happier,” she shared about being among the most influential Muslims of 2019. Mubeena completed her studies in her native town and joined a private college run by Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam which was the only college for women at Sopore then. “Whenever things are wrong at home, a woman is asked to do a job and support the family,” she recalled. Speaking about her immediate surroundings, she detailed how women were still suppressed “in the garb of religion as interpreted by the village elders and religious leaders.” Disturbed by such wrong interpretations of the status of women in Islam, she was motivated to get educated and work towards improvisation concerning women rights.
“There is an ayah in the Quran which talks about women to remain inside four walls of their homes but we have forgotten that every ayah had its own context,” Mubeena stated while defining her motivation to pursue Islamic Studies. “Our so-called maulvis used Islam as a tool to suppress women while Islam is the only religion which empowers women in every aspect of her life,” she added. Driven by this zeal, she went to the University of Kashmir for pursuing Masters in Islamic Studies. Her choice of studying the interpretation of Islamic teachings was aimed “to look inside the teaching which catered to women.”
“In Islam, women have been given property rights but whenever a daughter asks for her share she is abandoned and fought off,” says Mubeena. Her harrowing experiences of witnessing abandoned women with limited access to clothes, food or water motivated her to enrol for a B.Ed., M.Phil and PhD in Islamic Law. Her vision remained to challenge the deliberately flawed interpretations of Islamic teaching that caused Muslim women untold misery. After her studies, she initially started working as a research associate, looking for opportunities to educate, help and empower women through Islamic teaching. She feels that when people “want to truly empower a woman they should give her the share from the property.”
“In Islam, women don’t have any economic liabilities, men were created as the protector and guardian of women so it’s his responsibility to look after her,” Mubeena explained. She completed two theses on Islamic Law and Social Evils as well as on Shah-e-Hamdan and Orientalism. Her education has taught her that “there needs to be more resources for women’s empowerment and education.” To contribute to the cause, she continued working in various educational institutions as a contractual lecturer and research associate and went on to open her own institution for women, Jamia Islamia Mahdul Muslimaat.
“The vocational training in activities like cutting, tailoring, and computer skills here empower and helps us to support ourselves financially,” says Nahila Wani, a senior student at Jamia Islamia Mahdul Muslimaat. The school provides shelter, food, clothes, and education free of cost to all needy students. “Many students who have received an education from this institution have gone on to open their own schools, benefiting our society,” shares Nahila who added that the well-balanced curriculum “fosters independence and awareness among women, making them conscious of their duties and rights.”
“There were so-called preachers who said that I can’t run this institution as I am a woman,” she said while recounting the initial three years of starting the institution. She explained that initially the establishment faced many problems but over time they installed networks with professional teams including top doctors in the valley. The emphasis here lies in educating women in Quranic exegesis, science of Hadith, Jurisprudence, and History, while also training them in languages like Arabic, English, Urdu, and computer skills. “Our goal is to equip them with the necessary skills to become self-reliant and competent individuals,” said Mubeena.
In 2014, Mubeena also started Ansar-ul-Nisa, a socio-religious organization that provides special support to needy orphans, would-be-brides, and widows. Through the organization, she came across several cases of suicidal cases of women, especially among married women. According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, there was a 15.62% increase in crimes against women in 2021 compared to the year 2020. Over 7,000 arrests were made in cases of women harassment in the union territory in 2021. In the 2011 Census, among 64 lakh women in the valley, the crime rate per lakh population in stood at 61.6% as of 2021. 315 cases of rape, 1,414 incidents of attempt to rape, and 14 dowry deaths were reported in 2021 wherein 91.4% of cases showed that the accused were known to the victims. Around 1,851 cases of physical assault on women with the intention to outrage their modesty was also caused. The figures clashed with the lockdown in COVID-19 when suicidal tendencies among Kashmiri women grew rapidly, the same time around Mubeena’s team was expanding women counselling activities.
The counseling cell works 24×7 hours to help Kashmiri women in such events wherein one of the cases she dealt with was involving a girl who was abandoned by both her parents who had separated and remarried and registered her as an orphan. Her organization fought on the social front against her father ultimately convincing the local elders to rightly grant some portion of the property in her name. The girl was married off soon after and is currently living happily with her husband and a daughter. Two more orphan sisters studying in Jamia Islamia Mahdul Muslimat received legal help to secure property share from their grandfather and are now living with their mother in their own house. Stories like this abound in Mubeena’s organizations.
“We believe in providing a safe space where newly married women, divorcees, and those suffering from mental health disorders can come to share their stories and find relief,” shares Mubeena. Through her institution’s counseling team of highly qualified professionals including top doctors and professors, they divert efforts to support them financially and emotionally. “As we look to the future, we aim to establish a helpline number to further expand our reach and continue to provide crucial support for those in need,” she said. At present, 600 girls are studying in the institutions and about 500 widows also receive financial assistance. Due to lack of funds, her plans of opening a college for skills-oriented courses are delayed.
Speaking about her future plans, she detailed that she aims to build an institution where all modern subjects are taught at par with Islamic education, alongside martial arts and vocational skills like cutting, designing, oratory, etc. “Our whole motive is to make women empowered through education,” Mubeena iterated her future plans.
Sadaf Shabir is an independent journalist. She tweets @sadafreports
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> India News /by Sadaf Shabir / May 24th, 2023
Manzoor Wangnoo leading school Children during an environmental campaign in Srinagar
About two and a half years ago when Manzoor Ahmad Wangnoo, a prominent businessman of Kashmir was asked by the anchor during a television show that he must say in 20 seconds what inspired him to work for saving and restoring Kashmir’s water bodies, he replied “Ehsaas”.
His reply explained how realization and concern on seeing the water bodies of the Valley shrink and gets degraded due to human greed and official negligence became the key to his massive efforts to awaken the public and undertaking the work to restore the Lakes to health.
He remembers visiting the 1.6 km by 0.6 km Khushal Sar Lake located on Srinagar outskirts in February 2021 for the first time. “It was in bad shape, choked with solid waste and smelling foul”, he told Awaz-the Voice at his office in Kashmir Mahal Resorts in the Nishat area overlooking the Dal lake.
“When I told the residents that it needs efforts to clean up the lake, they laughed”, he said, as he was accompanied by his team of volunteers of the Nigeen Lake Conservation Organisation (NLCO), established in 2000. He remember his three counsins – Latief, Riyaz and Muzaffar also joining him from the beginning of his campaign.
NLCO started with cleaning up the Nigeen Lake, and is currently focused on Khushal Sar, Manzoor Wangnoo recalled the oft-quoted couplet from India’s 20th century famous Urdu poet, Majrooh Sultanpuri (Asrar-ul-Hassan Khan): Meein akela hi chalaa thaa janibe manzil magar’; Loag Saath aatey gaye aur karwaan banta gaya”.“That actually happened”, he said. The target of cleaning Khushal Sar was completed in 100 days under the “Mission Ehsaas” (phase 1), which began on February 21, 2021. With the help of SMC (Srinagar Municipal Corporation) and other agencies, NLCO removed “3000 truckloads of muck from the Lake till date”, Wangnoo said.
Wangnoo with local resident at Gilsur bridge
“Now this (Khushal Sar) is not a dustbin”, he said and appealed to the Government to provide a drainage system and demarcation on the lake peripheries. The traditional navigational route, Zadibal-Sazgaripora in the lake was restored in phase 2 of “Mission Ehsaas” last year. Wangnoo said that the lake was orphaned and had been neglected for the past 30 years.
Without the efforts of the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), which keeps Nallah Amir Khan clean, the restoration work of Khushal Sar and Gilsar would not have been possible, Manzoor Wangnoo said. The authorities have prevented solid waste from flowing into the twin water bodies. He also praised successive Divisional Commissioners for supporting his work.
He called for a “competent authority” to take responsibility of the lake’s conservation, though J&K Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) looks after Dal Lake. “It (Khushal Sar) needs complete attention”, Manzoor Wangnoo told Awaz-the Voice, as phase 3 of clearing the muck began earlier this year.
“The mission received an encouraging response”, Wangnoo said and referred to its mention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat last year. Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha also expressed his “gratitude” to Wangnoo at least on three occasions in the last two years. “The idea of cleaning the Khushal Sar was of a prominent businessman of Srinagar city, Manzoor Ahmad, and the cleaning process was started with the help of the administration coupled with the efforts of the locals. It is a great example of public participation,” Sinha commented on one occasion.
“People in the vicinity (of Khushal Sar) have started to realize the importance of the conservation of the water body. Administration lent its support for the cause, especially SMC has been there to collect the waste from day one”, he commented.
The restoration of choked Khushal Sar to its pristine glory is not the first venture undertaken by Manzoor Ahmad Wangnoo, who has established his business in carpet and Kashmir handicrafts over the last nearly five decades. The 70 years old businessman, who was educated at Tyndale Biscoe School and S P College, Srinagar, learned the trade from his father in his early childhood.
Wangnoo in his office
As a businessman over the decades, what concerned him was the need “to create awareness regarding environment and saving water bodies of Kashmir, endangered by pollution”. Thus, he constituted a local NGO, Nigeen Lake’s Conservation (NLCO) in 2000 for the restoration of water bodies. “I took the challenge to restore the glory of the lake with the active participation of peoples… it aims to save the (Nigeen) lake from becoming a cesspool”, he said.
“This is our (team’s) identity wherever we go with efforts of saving the environment”, the devout Muslim pointing towards his white round cap, commented. “NLCO has taken on the role of a watchdog organization, to check vandalism, create awareness about the importance of conservation of water bodies in particular and the environment in general”.
Speaking of challenges, Manzoor Wangnoo said “land mafia and encroachers tried their best to stop us. But when three people, administration and NGOs – join hands everything becomes possible.”
After several years there was a sea change in the Nigeen Lake as “the people became aware of the importance of the pollution-free lake”, he said. Wangnoo has also contributed to helping the 2005 quake-hit people of Uri and Tangdhar by constituting Kashmir Welfare Trust and in the education sector by setting up Bilaliya Educational Institute.
Educational Institute, Srinagar
Nigeen Lake is connected via a narrow strait flowing beneath the Ashai Bagh bridge on the Lal Chowk-Rainawari-Hazratbal road. It is further connected to Khushal Sar and Gilsar through Nallah Amir Khan.
While he was continuing with his mission “to help enrich the quality of life of the community and preserve ecological balance and heritage through a strong environment conscience”, the October 2005 earthquake posed another challenge to him.
With the support of the concerned persons to deliver, he initiated the relief measures in the quake-hit areas of North Kashmir, which led to the formation of Kashmir Welfare Trust (KWT), an NGO to undertake the relief operations. The KWT, which initiated with the adoption of 69 earthquake victims from Tangdhar in 2005 has set up the Bilaliya Educational Institute in Srinagar where 1900 boys and girls are today enrolled. Also, it’s one of the leading schools in Srinagar.
He proudly says that some of the students of the school have shown excellent results with scoring distinction in the board examinations.
It Trust has also contributed to the relief and rehabilitation of the 2014 floods in Kashmir.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz The Voice / Home> Stories / by Ehsan Fazili, Srinagar / June 26th, 2023
Irfan, who aspires to be a Sanskrit teacher, is the only Muslim among the top 20 scores in the classes 10 and 12.
Mohammed Irfan, the UP Sanskrit board exam topper.
Mohammad Irfan, the 17-year-old son of a farm daily wage labourer Salauddin in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district, has scored 82.71% in the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Sanskrit Shiksha Parishad Board’s Uttar Madhyama-II (class 12) examinations.
The board requires Sanskrit language and literature as two compulsory subjects, along with other subjects.
Irfan, who aspires to be a Sanskrit teacher, is the only Muslim among the top 20 scores in classes 10 and 12.
The boy reportedly got admitted to the Sampurnanand Sanskrit Government School because that is the only school his father could afford to send him to. Salauddin earns a mere Rs 300 per day and the school charged Rs 400-500 as an annual fee.
Irfan comes from a devout Muslim family and his father said that they have never stopped the kid from achieving his dreams.
“In junior classes ‘Sanskrit’ was a compulsory subject and it was from there that he developed a liking for the language. He now plans to do Shastri (equivalent to BA) and Acharya (equivalent to MA) and will then look for a job as a Sanskrit teacher,” he said, speaking to The New Indian Express.
Irfan on language- religion connection
“I’m not sure why people associate a language with a religion. A Hindu can be extremely good at learning Urdu, while a Muslim can be very good at studying Sanskrit. I am a graduate who understands the value of education,” Irfan said, addressing media on the question of people connecting certain languages with some religions.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> India / by News Desk / May 06th, 2023
Nargis is the first student in Chhattisgarh to pass the Class 10 board exam at her age and achieve a remarkable feat.
Nargis Khan, a student of Class VII with Chhattisgarh CM Bhupendra Baghel | express
Raipur:
Nargis Khan, a 12-year-old Class 7 student appeared for the Class 10 Board exam and passed with 90.5 per cent marks. The daughter of a small farmer and resident of Ghumka village in Balod district, Nargis is an exceptional student and has been a topper in her class.
A student of the Chhattisgarh government Atmanand English medium school, Nargis has excellent mathematical skills and a strong command of the English language, said her father Firoz Khan.
Khan had, last year visited several offices, including of the Governor, chief minister and the district collector seeking approval to allow her to appear for Class 10 exams this year. Impressed with her confidence and potential, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had asked the Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) to take an expedient decision for Nargis’ education prospects.
The CGBSE allowed her to appear in the Class 10 board exam on the basis of her outstanding academic performance, medical reports and high intelligence quotient (IQ) level test score, which was conducted by the district government hospital and the clinical psychology department of the composite regional centre of social justice and empowerment ministry, said Prof V K Goyal, secretary CGBSE.
A student needs to be of 15 years age to appear in class 10 board exams, according to the rule. Nargis is the first student in Chhattisgarh to pass the Class 10 board exam at her age and achieve a remarkable feat. Meanwhile, Nargis is not satisfied with the result and has applied for a re-evaluation.
“Till class 6, she always topped securing 99 per cent. With her zeal and high diligence towards study, we even had to sometimes ask her to take a break”, her father told this newspaper.
Along with Class 10, she also appeared for the Class 7 exam this year and secured 91 per cent marks. “My dream is to clear the UPSC exam and serve the country”, she said.
The Chhattisgarh CM, appreciating her extraordinary talent and accomplishment, assured her of facilitating free coaching for the competitive exams in the future.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by Ejaz Kaiser, Express News Service / May 22nd, 2023
Mohd Aryaan Tariq jointly shares the first rank with four others in ISC. ( Photo courtesy HT )
In the results announced yesterday, a total of 98,505 students participated in the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations 2023.
Of them, five students shared the top most rank with all scoring 99.75% marks.
Mohd Aryaan Tariq, Montessori Inter College, Rajajipuram, Lucknow is one of the top most scorers in the examination.
Riyya Aggarwal (Guwahati), Ipsita Bhattacharya (Thane), Shubham Kumar Aggarwal (Bhaktinagar) and Manya Gupta (Kolkata) are the other ones.
Tariq informed media that he regularly spent four hours daily for his studies. He remained cut off from social media to focus on his academic preparation.
He scored perfect 100 in chemistry, physical education and biology and hauled 99 out of 100 each in English and biotechnology.
Congratulations to all the successful students and good luck to those who couldn’t do better this time.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror / May 15th, 2023
A Mangaluru student, Shaikh Uzayr Mohammed, studying in Qatar has won Bronze Medal at the International Mathematics Championship 2022.
Uzayr is a grade 3 student of MES School, studying in Qatar. He hails from Kankanady in Mangaluru.
The championship was held in December 2022 and the results were announced on Monday, February 20, 2023.
A total of 2288 students from over 20 countries had participated in the championship organised by Champ Yellow, wherein Uzayr secured a place in top 40%, thereby securing a rank in Bronze Medal category.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / February 20th, 2023
Gujarat Rashid and Ashrafi brothers on wheelchair crack JEE (Social Media)
It is often said that adversity brings out the best in man and these brothers from Borsad town of Anand are an example.
On Sunday, Mohammad Rashid Pathan qualified in JEE (Advanced) in the persons with disabilities (PWD) category despite being on wheelchair.
This has come as double joy to his family as Rashid succeeded the triumph of his wheelchair bound elder brother Ashrafi who qualified in JEE (Mains) in 2019.
source: http://www.thehindustangazette.in / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Education / by The Hindustan Gazette / September 13th, 2022
Shabnam Khatoon has been felicitated as best athlete of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) on Friday. Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan, Vice-Chancellor, presented a cash award in recognition of her all round performance in sports events held recently during Jashn-e-Baharan, an annual event.
Shabnam, a student of B.Tech III Year, emerged as the fastest running girl of MANUU winning both 100 and 200 meter sprints. She also bagged first place in 50 kgs weight lifting event and led the Department of Computer Science & Information Technology girls’ Kabbadi team to the title.
Prof. Ainul Hasan lauded her performance and announced special coaching facility particularly for girl students at MANUU. He also felicitated Dr. A Kaleemulla, Deputy Director, Directorate of Physical Education & Sports for efficiently organizing the sports competitions.
Prof. Mohammed Abdul Azeem, Proctor, and Chairman Sports Committee informed that MANUU has availed the services of well known badminton coach Mr. Ziaur Rahman for the students. Mr. Muzaffar Ali is the football coach.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by News Desk / July 22nd, 2022
