Tag Archives: Padma Shri Ali Manikfan

Returning to nature only way to escape impact of pollution: Ali Manikfan

LAKSHWADEEP :

Manikfan, who speaks 14 languages, including French, German, and English, once constructed a ship using indigenous technology from Lakshadweep  for Irish voyager Tim Sirven.

Marine researcher and Padma Shri awardee Ali Manikfan. (Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)

Kochi :

Marine researcher and Padma Shri awardee Ali Manikfan emphasised the need to return to nature as the only way to escape the impact of pollution, which has led to rising temperatures and natural disasters due to carbon dioxide released into the air.

Speaking as the chief guest at the National Workshop organised by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in Kochi, Manikfan shared his experiences growing up on Minicoy, the Lakshadweep island, where people used to rely on tubers, coconuts, and fish for their existence. However, the introduction of rice and other products from the mainland in 1956 caused a cultural shift, resulting in people leaving the island and settling on the mainland.

Manikfan, who speaks 14 languages, including French, German, and English, once constructed a ship using indigenous technology from Lakshadweep for Irish voyager Tim Sirven. The 27-metre vessel, named Sohar, was made of timber and coir and was used by Tim for a 9,000 km voyage from the Oman coast to China.

The ship is now kept at the palace of the Sultan of Oman. After dropping out of school after Class VII, Manikfan got a job at the Central Marine Fisheries Research  Institute (CMFRI) as a lab boy due to his keen observation of fish species in Lakshadweep lagoons.S Jones, a former director of the CMFRI, helped him in getting the job. He worked with the CMFRI for 20 years and discovered a rare fish that was named Abudefduf Manikfani after him. Manikfan also developed a lunar Hijri calendar,  which he claims is the most scientific one to accurately calculate months and years.

(Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)

“The burning of petroleum fuel has caused climate change but the concerns over rising sea levels and submergence of Lakshadweep islands are uncalled for.  There is no change in the ecosystem of Lakshadweep. People from the mainland brought diesel generators for power generation in Lakshadweep which has polluted the water and atmosphere.

We should tap renewable energy sources,” said Manikfan. Regarding the intervention of the Lakshadweep administrator in the cultural sphere of the islands, Manikfan is of the view that no one should impose their culture on others.

“He wanted to stop the distribution of meat for mid-day meals in Lakshadweep. The people in the islands have been consuming meat for ages and nobody should interfere with the food culture,” he added. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Kerala / by Manoj Vishwanathan / April 07th, 2023

Muslims witness positive surge in Padma Awards

INDIA:

Shareef Chacha who receivedPadma Shri award from President
Shareef Chacha who received Padma Shri award from President

A few days ago, when President Ram Nath Kovind presented Padma Awards, the Social Media went abuzz with claims that the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has transformed an earlier elite award into a people’s award. Awardees like Tulsi Gowda, Mohammad Sharif, Bhuri Bai, and others represent those who had worked at the grass-root level. Earlier the award was mostly given to a select band of people who had access to corridors of power in Lutyen’s Delhi; many deserving Indians were ignored.

The optics of Padma awards and the chatter around it made me look into the veracity of these claims. As an Indian Muslim, my primary interest was to understand that how Muslims are represented at the Padma Awards over the year and if there was a change in the attitude of the givers of the awards. The first Padma Awards were presented in 1954. So far, 4,827 persons have been conferred the awards. Muslims are under-represented in these awards. With a population share of around 14%, only 7.5% of the awardees were Muslims, including some foreigners. However, the list of awardees for the years 2020 and 2021 that were conferred on recently, Muslims had all the time higher share. The two lists had 24 of the 260 Padma Awardees who are Muslims, 9.23%.

Padma Vibhushan

Coming to Padma Awards, the second-highest civilian honour after Bharat Ratna, that and is awarded for exceptional and distinguished services, I worked with figures of Muslims over the years since 1954. So far 321 people have been bestowed upon Padma Vibhushan. If we look at different regimes, it’s interesting to note that Muslims fared worse during the PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress government and Janata Dal governments of 1997 – 98. During these six years, out of a total of 14 Padma Vibhushan, no Muslim name figured in the list of the prestigious awardees. Interestingly, only 2 Muslims receive the award in 9 years of Jawaharlal Nehru’s premiership. One of them was Zakir Husain, who was later awarded a Bharat Ratna as well. Indira Gandhi oversaw 14 Padma award ceremonies during her two spells as Prime Minister and in this period, 7 Muslims were among a total of 73 honoured. Ten years of Manmohan Singh-led UPA government witnessed 6 Muslims receiving the award, while 5 Muslims received it in seven years of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. Considering a category of PMs who completed a full term, 13.33% of Padma Vibhushan were awarded to Muslims during the Rajiv Gandhi era followed by Narendra Modi, in whose times 10.64% of the awards went to Muslims. 

Padma Bhushan

Padma Bhushan is awarded for distinguished service of higher order. To date, 1281, including 95 Muslims, people have received this award. This is at 7.42%, not commiserating with their population. Like Padma Vidhushan, no Muslim was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1997 and 1998. During Nehru’s time (1954-63) 14 Muslims of the total 156 received the award. The Muslim show was very dismal in the first five years of the present regime with one award for the community. However, in the last two editions, we saw 4 Muslims being awarded Padma Bhushan. Of 26 awardees in the two years, 15.38% were Muslims.

Padma Shri

Padma Shri, awarded for distinguished service has since been conferred on 3,225 Persons. In the first 9 editions, only 9 Muslims were among 187 recipients. A period from 1966 to 1983, saw increased representation when 62 (out of 775), awardees were Muslims (9.29%). In the next five years, 23 more Muslims were awarded and it rose to 10.70%. In the 90s, Muslims representation dipped below 5% as fewer Muslims received Padma Shri. In the last two editions, 8.64% of the recipients were Muslims, a very positive surge that creates optimism.

The figures represent only a larger picture. A closer look reveals that a changed nomination policy for Padma Awards is at work. In 2017, the government opened the nominations for the common Indians as against the system of ministers and members of the government forwarding the names and a committee headed by the PM finalising the list of awardees. The government’s social media campaigns encouraged the people to nominate genuinely deserving and unsung heroes. Earlier, the system encouraged the well-connected people with links to the corridors of power to be nominated and get awarded.

In the new policy, people working at the grassroots are being nominated by the common man. As a result, we see people like Ali Manikfan, Abdul Ghafur Khatri, Mohammad Sharif, and Shahabuddin Rathod receiving the Padma awards. Apart from the fact that there is a positive surge in Muslim representation in these awards, the awards have grown to be more inclusive. Muslims from lower castes, backward regions, and non-elite backgrounds are being honoured. Larger participation of communities and people living at the margins, on social media has ensured that people working among them, and from them, are recognized. 

(Saquib Salim is a Writer and a Historian)

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Saquib Salim / February 2022

Eight Muslims Among 119 Honoured with Padma Awards

INDIA :

Winners at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

Winners receive awards from President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan

New Delhi :

President Ramnath Kovind on Monday presented civilian awards or Padma awards to 119 personalities at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan New Delhi. The list includes foreigners, artists, sportspersons, people from film industry, public servants, activists. The awardees also include eight Muslims from different walks of life.

Eminent Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, who passed away in April 2021 of Covid-19 complications, was awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna. Prominent Shia leader and scholar Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, who passed away last year, got Padhma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award.

The Padma Shri list of 102 includes six Muslims. These are Ali Manikfan, Gulfam Ahmed, Lakha Khan and Ghulam Rasool Khan and two from Bangladesh Sanjida Khatun and Col Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir.

Ali Manikfan has been awarded for hiscontribution at grassroots level innovations in Lakshadweep. He was born in 1938 into an aristocratic family on Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep. Manikfan is multi-talented — marine researcher, ecologist, shipbuilder, agriculturist, and a polyglot.

Gulfam Ahmed hails from Uttar Pradesh and has made contributions in the field of Art. He is a Sarod and Afghani Rabab player and is known for promoting Indo-Afghan cultural relations.

Lakha Khan, 80, who has been conferred with Padma Shri for his contribution in art is a Rajasthan-based musician who plays Sindhi sarangi and sings folk songs. He comes from the Manganiar community among Muslims that is traditionally associated with begging. He was born into the family of musicians and was trained from childhood.

Ghulam Rasool Khan is a handicraft artist from Srinagar, Kashmir. He is working to conserving Jamawar Patchwork, the oldest form of Kashmiri shawl technique. Before getting Padma Shri Khan won the National Award for Textile. Khan has a reputation of creating masterpieces and rare artefacts in the Jamawar craft.

Sanjida Khatun, Col Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir from Bangladesh have been awarded for their contribution in art and public service respectively.

Snajida Khatun, born in 1933, is musicologist and teaches Bengali literature at the University of Dhaka. She was also one of the founders of Mukti Sangrami Shilpi Sangstha that fought Pakistani forces in 1971 Bangladesh war.

Col. Zahir who was a soldier in the Pakistani army rebelled and joined the forces fighting for Bangladesh’s liberation. He defected from the army and moved to India where he became a key person in the rebellion.

source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion / Home> Big Story> India / by Team Clarion / November 08th, 2021

Ali Manikfan: The versatile genius without formal education

Minicoy (Lakshwadeep) / Olavanna (Kozhikode), KERALA :

Another major interest of Manikfan is Lunar calendar and he has built one calendar based on the New moon and on astronomical algorithms

Thiruvananthapuram :

The locals of Olavanna in Kozhikode used to see an upright, lean person wearing Arabian clothing walking towards his home. They only knew that he was a retired official from Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) living here and was from Lakshadweep.

But, when television screens flashed the name of Ali Manikfan among the Padma awardees, the people were lost in words as to who they had ignored albeit unknowingly.

Mohammed Basheer and P.R. Ramachandran, employees of a private firm in Olavanna said, “He is lean and frail but walked straight and with a twinkle in his eyes but we never knew who he was until the news flashed that he was awarded the Padma Shri.”

Manikfan, who is currently living in a rented accommodation along with his wife in Olavanna, was sent to Kannur in Kerala for studies but after fifth standard he did not pursue formal education and returned to Minicoy, his home town in Lakshwadeep Islands.

He was a keen observer, knew almost every fish that inhabited the sea off the Minicoy islands and this observation turned into a passion for fishes. This motivated him to study more about fishes, their origin and everything in and out about them.

The research in fishes got him a job at the CMFRI where he discovered a rare fish which has been named after him – Abudefduf Manikfani.

He can speak, read and write 14 languages including French, German, English, Arabic and other languages and uses seven of them to communicate.

In 1981, he was invited to Oman to make a ship, a replica of the one believed to be used by Sinbad, the Sailor, during his voyages. He was invited by the Irish voyager Tim Sirven who wanted it to be made without metals. Ali and his made a 27-m long ship using timber and coir in an year. Named “Sohar” after the town of Sohar in Oman. Tim and his team travelled 9,000 km from Oman to China on it and it is now kept in a museum in Oman.

Manikfan told IANS, “Those days metal was not used for making ships and hence we had to replicate one using timber. This ship sailed up to China from Oman and is still kept at Oman museum.”

Another major interest of Manikfan is Lunar calendar and he has built one calendar based on the New moon and on astronomical algorithms.

The multifaceted personality had invented a bicycle with roller motor and travelled to New Delhi along with his son Musa.

Another of his interest is agriculture and he has converted a barren 15 acre land at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu into a lush green farm land using indigenous methods of cultivation. He also built a residential premises using traditional materials.

He is now basking in the glory of Padma Shri award but local people vouch that there is no difference in his attitude even after this honour.

Ramachandran said, “He is a great personality and down to earth, we never knew who he was until media reported about him. The local people are planning a grand programme to felicitate him.”

–IANS

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Featured / by Muslim Mirror / February 07th, 2021

Eight Muslims selected for Padma awards this year

NEW DELHI : 

The BJP-led Hindu nationalist government has conferred Padma awards on 119 personalities. The awardees include eight Muslims.

Two renowned Islamic scholars, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan and Maulana Kalbe Sadiq have also been selected for the award.

Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award have been presented to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, while Maulana Kalbe Sadiq have been provided Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award.

Both the scholars had urged Muslims to give away their claim on Babri Masjid. Currently, a Ram Temple is being constructed on the site where Babri Masjid was standing till its demolition by Hindutva mobs, aided by BJP-RSS veterans, on 6 December 1992.

The awardees include, polymath Ali Manikfan, who has been awarded with the Padma Shri for his contribution in grassroots level innovations at Lakshwadeep. Born into an aristocratic family in 1938 in the Minicoy Island of Lakshwadeep, Manikfan is as marine researcher, ecologist, shipbuilder, agriculturist, and a polyglot.

Gulfam Ahmed from Uttar Pradesh for his contribution in the field of Art, Lakha Khan for Literature from Rajasthan, and Ghulam Rasool Khan for Art from Jammu and Kashmir, Sanjida Khatun for Art from Bangladesh and Col Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir for Public Affairs from Bangladesh are among the recipients of the Padma Shri.

These awards cater to various disciplines including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service. While ‘Padma Shri’ is awarded for distinguished service in any field, ‘Padma Bhushan’ is awarded for distinguished service of high order. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com /Muslim Mirror / Home> Featured / by Muslim Mirror Staff / January 28th, 2021