CRPF DIG Sunanda Kumar with the family of late Nasiruddin Sarkar
As Muslims around the world prepare for the joyous culmination of Ramzan into Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, for many families, especially those of national martyrs, it’s a painful experience to celebrate the day without their loved ones.
Uneasy calm prevails in a household in Assam’s Barpeta district in the last days of Ramzan. The house, located in the remote Banbaria village under the Bhella police station area, is throbbing with grief and painful silence.
The house belongs to the Late Nasiruddin Sarkar, a brave CRPF jawan who laid down his life in the line of duty on April 27, 2024.
Sarkar was deployed along with his other colleagues in Manipur during the elections when suspected Kuki militants attacked a CRPF convoy in the Bishnupur district of Manipur on April 27. Sarkar was among the two CRPF personnel who laid down their lives fighting extremists.
CRPF DIG Sunanda Kumar arriving at the house of Martyr Nasiruddin Sarkar
However, a team of CRPF officials recently visited Sarkar’s house in Banbariya village and wished his family Eid-ul-Fitr.
The CRPF team included CRPF’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Lower Assam range Sunanda Kumar, Area Commander of the CRPF’s 10th Battalion Deepak Kumar Singh, and others, who met the family members of Sarkar including his wife, son and daughter.
“Our colleague Nasiruddin Sarkar had attained martyrdom last year while working in Manipur. In CRPF we have a rule that we never leave the family of our soldiers alone. Every year, our senior officers visit such families in March and note down their problems and try to help them,” CRPF DIG Sunanda Kumar told this journalist.
“Similarly, in the case of Late Sarkar also we came here to take care of the family. Sarkar was the breadwinner of the family. So definitely there are issues faced by the family. We came here to talk to them and ensure that they never feel lonely particularly when the grand festival like Eid-Ul-Fitr is coming. We hope that the family of Nasiruddin will enjoy this Eid,” said Kumar.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Karabi Sharma, Barpeta / March 28th, 2025
On March 19, Ekhlaq Sarwer, a B.Tech. (Mining) student, received his Eid gift a little earlier this year. He secured an impressive All India Rank of 4 in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2025.
GATE is widely regarded as the key to securing admission to postgraduate courses in India’s top engineering colleges and opens doors to jobs in Navratna Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
Ekhlaq’s score in GATE was 904 out of 1000, with a remarkable mark of 69 out of 100.
Hailing from Pathardih, the semi-urban town of Mohan Bazar (around 16 kilometers from Dhanbad), in Dhanbad district, Ekhlaq is presently pursuing his B.Tech. from BIT, Sindri (Jharkhand) in the Mining Engineering branch in 2021-25 batch. His hometown, which has gained notoriety for its association with violence, served as the backdrop for the Bollywood movie ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ that highlighted the region’s troubled history.
Ekhlaq’s father, Eqbal Sarwer, works as an informal medical practitioner (RMP), and his mother, Khurshida Parween, is a homemaker.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Eqbal expressed immense joy and gratitude. Noting the timing of his son’s achievement during the holy month of Ramadan, he said, “I feel elated as a father when I recall my childhood, which lacked proper resources. My father passed away early, and we had to struggle. But I ensured that my sons received a proper education. Although it was beyond my means to afford an English-medium CBSE school, I made sure Ekhlaq was enrolled there, cutting down on other expenses to make it happen.”
He continued, “Ekhlaq has always been good at studies, and we encouraged him every step of the way. He has consistently ranked at the top since grade 7. He secured 97% marks in 10th grade and 95% in 12th grade board exams under the CBSE system.”
The Sarwer family celebrated their son’s success by distributing sweets, with plans for a grand celebration after the fasting month of Ramadan ends, marking a “double Eid”.
Ekhlaq’s father proudly said, “We are thrilled that a place once infamous for ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ is now in the news for such achievements. The area is improving, and it fills me with pride.”
EkhlaqSarwer
BIT Sindri, where Ekhlaq is currently studying, is an engineering college under the Jharkhand government. Admission to the prestigious institution is based on the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), which also opens doors to top institutions like the IITs.
Ekhlaq had scored around 90 percentiles in his first attempt at JEE Main, securing his place at BIT Sindri. Initially uncertain about his choice of Mining Engineering, he now expresses a deep fascination for the field.
Despite being busy with his academic projects, Ekhlaq shared his preparation strategy for GATE. He began preparing for the examination in September 2024, all while also preparing for his final B.Tech. exams.
“My parents were my inspiration for GATE. My professors at college were immensely helpful, and my friends always encouraged me. I used PYQs (Previous Years’ Questions) and relied on textbooks. I also took test series to keep myself on track,” he shared, expressing his hope to join a PSU of his choice when the opportunity arises.
Ekhlaq also emphasised the importance of having a structured routine. “I made a schedule for my preparation, designating specific hours for watching preparatory videos and solving test papers,” he explained.
He added that focus and time management are essential for anyone hoping to clear GATE. “One needs to be clear about what he/she wants to study. Time management is crucial, as is practice,” he advises. “Shedding nervousness is also important.”
The BIT Sindri community celebrated Ekhlaq’s success. Dr. Pankaj Pal, the director of the institution, and Dr. PK Singh, head of the Mining Engineering Department, along with other faculty members, congratulated Ekhlaq and the other students for their academic achievements. “Ekhlaq has made the institution proud with such a stellar rank,” they said, underscoring the significance of his success.
Ekhlaq Sarwer’s journey from a troubled region to an outstanding academic achievement is not only reflective of his dedication but also to the unwavering support of his family and the transformative power of education.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> India News> India Politics> Indian Muslim> Lead Story> TCN Positive / by Sami Ahmad, TwoCircles.net / March 25th, 2025
The students of Citizen Convent, Udayagiri, Mysuru, have made remarkable achievements in State-level Sports and Games Competitions 2024-25 and in the Karnataka State Arm Wrestling Championship 2024-25.
The winners who brought laurels to the school are as follows: Mohammed Maweeya Qureshi — Gold Medal in State-level Wrestling held at Kanakapura and qualifying for the National Championship in New Delhi.
Arzan Khan — Bronze Medal in State-level Weightlifting Competition, held at VJEMHS, Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada.
Mohammed Umar — Bronze Medal in 55-60 kg category at the Karnataka State Arm Wrestling Championship 2024-25, held in Mysuru.
Mohammed Huzaifa, Bronze Medal in 75-kg category at State-level Sports & Games contests for School Children 2024-25, conducted by Department of School Education, Karnataka.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / March 06th, 2025
In a historic moment, Hamza Hussain and Altaf Hussain, two brothers serving in Karnataka’s law enforcement, have been honored with the President’s Award for Meritorious Service on India’s 76th Republic Day.
Hamza Hussain, Superintendent of Police (S.P.) Commandant, 12th Battalion, KSRP, Tumkur, has been recognized for his leadership in critical police operations and public safety. His brother, Altaf Hussain, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) at Wilson Garden Police Station, Bangalore, has played a vital role in crime prevention and community policing.
The award, one of the highest honors in Indian law enforcement, acknowledges their dedication, integrity, and commitment to justice. Their achievement is a proud moment for Karnataka and the nation, inspiring future generations of police officers.
The brothers expressed their gratitude, stating, “This award is a tribute to all officers who tirelessly serve the nation. We dedicate it to our department, colleagues, and family for their unwavering support.”
Their recognition on Republic Day underscores their exceptional service in upholding law and order, marking a milestone in Karnataka’s police history.
source: http://www.islamicvoice.com / Islamic Voice / Home> Cover Story / Vol. 37-03, No. 448 March 2025
Former member of the Legislative Council and editor of the Hindi newspaper Bidar Ki Awaaz and the Urdu newspaper Surkh Zameen, Qazi Arshad Ali
Bidar:
Former member of the Legislative Council and editor of the Hindi newspaper Bidar Ki Awaaz and the Urdu newspaper Surkh Zameen, Qazi Arshad Ali (75), passed away on Monday, March 3, due to a heart attack.
He is survived by his wife, son, and three daughters.
Qazi Arshad Ali had served two terms as a Legislative Council member and had also held positions as Chairman of the Bidar Urban Development Authority and President of the Congress district unit.
Political leaders, journalists, and residents of Bidar have expressed their deep condolences on his demise.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karnataka / by Vartha Bharati / March 03rd, 2025
Developed by KMC Mangalore team led by Dr. Haroon, Dr. Sameena, Dr. Chiranjith
Mangalore:
A patent application for a groundbreaking medical device, Device for Monitoring Gynaecological Disorders, has been officially published, marking a significant achievement for the team of doctors and student inventors from Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Mangalore.
The device is designed to enhance early detection and diagnosis of gynaecological disorders. It incorporates a flexible probe, a rotational brush for effective sampling, and an enzyme-coated detection system, improving precision and efficiency in clinical examinations.
The innovation is credited to Dr. Haroon H, Dr. Sameena H, and Dr. Chiranjit Ghosh from MIT, along with student inventors Krisha Janaswamy, Shashank Sanjay, Adithya Harikrishnan Namboothiri, and Shubham Bhusari.
The official Twitter handle of KMC Mangalore also recognized the accomplishment, congratulating the team for their work in medical innovation.
Dr. Haroon is son of M. Hussain and late Akhila Begum from Arehalli village in Hassan while Dr. Sameena Haroon is daughter of KA Sadiq and Maimoona.
Chandanpatti Village (Darbhanga District) BIHAR / Hyderabad, TELANGANA :
Hyderabad:
Here is an amazing story of a single mother and her only child who brought tears of joy to her eyes by securing the first rank in the UGC-NET JRF examination.
Anam Zafar, 25, secured the 100 percentile in the examination. Her mother, Rehana Khatoon, lives in Chandanpatti village, Darbhanga district in Bihar. When Rehana Khatoon heard about the feat achieved by her daughter she could not stop tears flowing down her cheeks.
Anam Zafar is in the last leg of her M Ed fourth semester at Maulana Azad National Urdu University.
The Department of Education and Training felicitated Anam Zafar at a special event organised on Wednesday, two days after the news broke out. Faculty members, students, and university officials gathered to celebrate her exceptional accomplishment.
During the ceremony, the faculty members praised Anam Zafar’s dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence. Her achievement was highlighted as a role model for aspiring researchers.
Prof Shaheen A Shaik, Head of the Department, commended her hard work and stated, “Anam Zafar’s achievement is a testament to the high academic standards and research culture at MANUU. Her success will inspire many students to aim for excellence.”
Alongside Zafar, the department also felicitated other students who successfully qualified for UGC-NET and JRF. Their accomplishments were celebrated as a collective success of the university’s academic environment and the faculty’s dedicated mentorship.
Anam’s mother was divorced by her husband when the girl was only eight years old. Working as a teacher at a private school for Rs 800 a month, Rehana Khatoon enrolled her child in a school that worked under the Central Board of Education.
According to sources at MANUU, except for Anam’s uncle (her father’s brother), no one checked on her condition during her difficult years. Treading a difficult social and economic path her mother enrolled her in B Ed at the Centre for Teachers’ Education of MANUU in Darbhanga. Her obvious next step was joining M Ed of the University at Hyderabad.
In the meantime, she was married to Johar Ali, a technocrat working with a private firm in Hyderabad. The couple lives in the Lingampally area, close to the MANUU campus.
Anam says she could not have trodden the difficult road so far if her mother had not encouraged her at every step. “Now my husband has joined my mother and wishes me to complete PhD,” she said.
Anam, as a research fellow is expected to get about Rs 45,000 per month.
She expressed gratitude to her mother, mentors, faculty members, and family for their continuous support and encouragement and credited the university’s academic environment and guidance from her professors as key factors behind her success.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Mir Ayoob Ali Khan / February 26th, 2025
Darul Musannefin, an institute established to propagate the rich cultural heritage of Urdu, Arabic and Persian texts through the institute’s publications and magazine, was established in 1914 by Maulana Shibli Nomani
Darul Musannefin, an institute established to propagate the rich cultural heritage of Urdu, Arabic and Persian texts through the institute’s publications and magazine, was established in 1914 by Maulana Shibli Nomani.
However, over the years like many other institutes associated with the Muslim community in India, this institute has fallen on bad days courtesy the apathy of the governments and the community’s disinterest with anything associated with its cultural and academic heritage.
When we talk about the rich heritage of Urdu books, then every Urdu lover bemoans that the government is not doing enough for saving and promoting the Urdu language – a language which binds at least 70% of Indians, socially and literally.
Yet, few of us ponders that what the Urdu lovers themselves are doing for saving and promoting the language. Their concern becomes abundantly clear by the everyday decreasing sales of Urdu books and newspapers. Further, what they are doing to save institutions which have been the flagbearers in propagating and saving the language by publishing books on different topics in Urdu. The answer is pretty obvious: nothing concrete except bemoaning and using hollow words.
One such institution is Darul Musannefin or Shibli Academy, just like the Rampur raza library of Rampur or the Khuda Baksh Library of Patna, in addition to a vast repertoire of books in private collections of individuals and organisations throughout India.
Darul Musannefin or Shibli Academy is a research academy based in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Its aim was to add authentic historical literature in Urdu so that people could have easy access to history. It was started as Darul Musannefin but later it was named after its founder Shibli Nomani.
Maulana Shibli Nomani, a Sunni Muslim scholar established it in Azamgarh in February 1914; after failing to establish the Academy in Lucknow, it was established in Azamgarh at Nomani’s mango orchard. It started working on 21 November 1914, 3 days after Maulana Nomani’s death under the guidance of Maulana Hamiduddin Farahi. Other founders included Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, Maulana Abdus Salam Nadvi and Maulana Masood Ali Nadvi.
Established just three days after Shibli’s death in 1914, the Academy is a leading institution of Oriental, Islamic and Mediaeval Indian Studies, and Azamgarh’s pride. It occupies nine acres donated by Shibli and his relatives. The centrepiece is a beautiful whitewashed building housing a massive library of over 1.5 lakh books and around 700 manuscripts, some of them rare, and an office.
Staff residences, the mosque and a conference hall stand apart.
Shibli Academy: A Treasure Trove
The Academy’s library is a treasure trove. Its spacious central hall is furnished with sofas and chairs, which have been graced by personalities ranging from Mahatma Gandhi, to Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandi or in other words virtually every Indian Prime Minister and President, except the present dispensation, and scores of other Indian and foreign dignitaries. “Here have sat dozens of famous dignitaries,” Academy’s senior fellow Mohammed Umair Siddique Nadvi, told me on my recent visit to the acclaimed institute.
Mohammed Umair showed me rare books and manuscripts, including Persian translations of Ramayan and Mahabharata, and Sirr-e-Akbar, Persian translation of the Upanishads by Mughal prince Dara Shikoh, a great scholar. The excellent condition in which most of these rare books have been preserved over the years shows the dedication of the institution’s staff despite meagre resources. The gold embossed titles and pages decorated with gold border still retain their sheen.
[Akbar Nama (L) and Monsiual Arwah]
Another gem is Monisul Arwah, a book on Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti by Dara’s sister Jahanara. “This is our most prized possession which Maulana Shibli found at an old bookshop in Lucknow and bought for Rs 100 in 1906. It was very dear to him and travelled to an international exhibition of rare manuscripts in Paris,” says Nadvi.
There’s a section where testimonies of some famous visitors, including Mahatma Gandhi, Madan Mohan Malaviya and Maulana Azad, are kept. Motilal Nehru and Jawaharlal Nehru, stayed at the Academy several times during their visits to Azamgarh. When Gandhi first visited it in the 1920s, the Academy’s founding secretary, Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, showed him the library by lantern light since electricity supply was erratic.
Another famous visitor was Bi Amma, mother of Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Shaukat Ali, freedom fighters and Khilafat Movement leaders better known as the Ali brothers. But while the Academy is Azamgarh’s pride, it faces a severe financial crunch. It has only one librarian, 48-year-old Saleem Javed, son of the Academy’s former director Maulana Ziauddin Islahi, to look after the vast collection.
“I do whatever I can, but it is not possible for one person to look after so many books. I opened my eyes on this campus and have been working here for around 25 years, and will continue to do so.” says Javed, apparently resigned to his and the institute’s fate.
The funding crunch prevents the management from hiring more staff and expediting translation and digitisation of titles from Arabic, Persian and Urdu into other Indian languages and English.
Future of Darul Musannefin
The Academy’s primary purpose is to protect and propagate the scientific, authentic history and rational interpretations of Islam. It also upholds Hindu-Muslim harmony, or the much talked about Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb, and sheds light on the life and times of Maulana Shibli, yet so far no one has come forward to help the institute and its committed staff to restore the institute to its former glory. Before Independence, it received grants from Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab of Bhopal, and others. But now that those streams have dried up, many say the cash-starved institution should look beyond its four walls.
Maulana Shibli had donated his own land with a mango orchard and persuaded close relatives to donate parcels of their land for Darul Musannefin, the library, printing press and publication of Maarif, the monthly journal founded in July 1916.
Since Urdu is shrinking, the library’s patrons have dwindled over the years.Today, it would help if more people started subscribing to Maarif for Rs 10,000 as a life member or even if subscribing to the same for Rs 400 or Rs 1800 towards annual or five years subscription, as a corpus of Rs 10 crore can bail out the institution and help implement its future development plans. In this regard any of the big business houses can also help, as part of their CSR responsibility.
(The writer, Asad Mirza, is a New Delhi-based senior commentator on national, international, defence and strategic affairs, environmental issues, an interfaith practitioner, and a media consultant.)
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Special Report / by Asad Mirza / February 25th, 2025
Heart Lamp is one among the 13 books chosen by the 2025 International Booker Prize judging panel, headed by Max Porter.
Banu Mushtaq. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu
“It is an honour for Kannada that a work written in our language is getting this recognition,” said Hassan-based Kannada writer, advocate and activist Banu Mushtaq, whose collection of stories Heart Lamp, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, has found a place in the long list for the International Booker Prize 2025.
Heart Lamp is one among the 13 books chosen by the 2025 judging panel, headed by Max Porter. The judges made their selection from 154 books submitted by publishers. The shortlist of books will be announced on April 8 and the winner will be announced on May 20.
Heart Lamp, is a collection of 11 short stories written by Banu Mushtaq between 1990 and 2023. “So far I have brought out six collections of short stories in Kannada. Among them, 11 were chosen for the collection Heart Lamp,” said Ms. Mushtaq.
What judges said
The judge panel, in its comment on the collection, stated, “Written in a style at once witty, vivid, colloquial, moving and excoriating, it’s in her characters – the sparky children, the audacious grandmothers, the buffoonish maulvis and thug brothers, the off-hapless husbands, and the mothers above all, surviving their feelings at great cost – that Musthaq emerges as an astonishing writer and observer of human nature, building disconcerting emotional heights out of a rich spoken style.”
Earlier, an English translation of a collection of her short stories Haseena and Other Stories won English PEN translation award for the year 2024. That was also translated by Deepa Bhasthi.
Early years
Ms. Mushtaq began writing in the progressive literary movement in Karnataka in the 1970s and 1980s, which gave voice to several people from dalit and minority communities, including strong women’s voices in Ms. Mushtaq.
Some of her early writings were published in Lankesh Patrike, for whom she also worked as a correspondent for some years. The writer remains a committed voice in the progressive circles, and remained critical of forces that divide people among lines of caste, class, gender and religion.
Among her important works are Hejje Moodida Haadi, Benki-Male, Edeya Hanate, Badavara Magalu Hennalla (short stories), Kubra (novel) Odde Kannina Baagina (poetry), Ibbaniya Kaavu (essays) and Kautumbika Daurjanya Kayide (on Domestic Violence Act). Haseena has also been made into a film, directed by Girish Kasaravalli.
The late Kannada writer and Jnanpith awardee U.R. Ananthamurthy was also nominated for Man Booker International Prize in 2013, but did not win it.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books> Author / by The Hindu Bureau / February 26th, 2025
