COMMUNITY ROUND UP

At a time when the issue of temple and mosque have become a major cause of discord and disharmony among the various communities in the country, the people of Moga in Punjab have shown a ray of hope to those who are aspiring for the brotherhood and harmony. The Hindus and Sikhs of the Ajitwal village in Moga, situated on the National-Highway-95, some 300 km from here have not only handed over a mosque which was abandoned for more than six decade to Muslims but also renovated it with spiritual fervor.

The mosque was in a bad shape for decades until youths of the village took up the task to renovate it.

The mosque was also a halt for commuters and traders, who passed through the National Highway-95 in the pre-Independence era.

Shahi Imam of Punjab Moulana Habib Ur Rehman Saani Ludhianvi, who visited the mosque to offer namaz, praised the youths, particularly those belonging to Hindu and Sikh sects, for restoring the structure and setting up an example of religious harmony.

The act holds significance, as Muslim leader Ajit Khan founded the village about three centuries ago. It was known as 'Jittwal' at the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Interestingly while news of discord between communities have become part our media, this news hardly get place in our national media.

mPower, an IT company with presence in India, USA and Malaysia has invited nominations of innovators and developers of products of use belonging to Muslim community and other minorities for conferring awards. The individuals could be thought leaders, researchers, or scholars, with or without academic qualification, with proven track record of innovation duly certified by a recognized and reputed Government or non-Government organization in India.

In a press release, mPower CEO Abdullah said they were looking for innovators who would have developed a product or idea during the last three years. Moreover, it should be backed by a prototype and should offer entrepreneurial opportunities and should be capable of being turned into a commercial product or service. The products or ideas that have been recognized for their potential application in human life and society would stand the best chance of selection for honours or awards. Individuals thus being felicitated will be given an opportunity to enter collaboration or tie-up with successful entrepreneurs who could enter key markets with the objective of profit-sharing between the innovator-entrepreneur duo and wealth-creation for the society in general and the country at large, the press release added.

Mr. Abdullah said the programme is in collaboration with Entrepreneur Development Program (EDP) of the BIFT and the Dinar Standard, USA. Mr. Ahmed Hasan, innovator, MD and CTO of mPower will felicitate the innovators. He said Muslims being the largest community carry an obligation to contribute to the nation’s progress through innovation and entrepreneurship.

Individuals fulfilling the above criteria are requested to send in their applications with a single page write-up, their CV and copy of a certificate (mandatory) to email: innovation@ mpowerglobal.com by Feb 10, 2010.

Only four Muslim candidates could make it to the winning post in the election to the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly held during early December. Two of these belong to the Indian National Congress while one has been elected on Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ticket. The fourth candidate could manage to win from Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik). Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mannan Mallick have won on Congress ticket from Gandey and Dhanbad seats. Akhil Akhtar will be representing the JMM in the Assembly from Pakhur constituency. Nizamuddin Ansari was elected from Dhanwar Assembly constituency on Jharkhand Vikas Morcha. A notable loss was Alamgir Aalam who was defeated by Akhil Akhtar. Aalam was speaker in the last Assembly.

The Foundation for Economic and Educational Development (FEED) has distributed 3,663 flood relief kits among the flood affected villagers in 25 villages and 14 town areas of Kurnool district. Each kit contained blankets, tarpaulin, new clothes, bucket, utensils and bedsheets. The FEED volunteers also took up distribution of food items like bread, biscuits, water packets, and other food items in Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts. The total expenditure on these items was to the tune of Rs. 42 lakh.

The FEED also gave special scholarships to 1,030 students in the flood-hit areas by reducing the eligibility criteria from the prevailing 65 per cent to 55 per cent marks with a view to cover maximum number of students. An amount of Rs 40 lakh was earmarked for the purpose. Textbooks and other stationery items worth Rs. 2.50 lakh were also distributed among the flood-hit family students. The Trust has allocated Rs. 50 lakh to extend interest-free loans through micro-credit schemes among 200 petty businessmen in order to restore their livelihood. The FEED performed zabiha of 83 goats during Eidul Azha in the villages and meat was distributed among 1,000 famiies, said a press release from Managing Trustee Ghiasuddin Babukhan, FEED.

FEED is based at: 1-8-353 to 355, Begumpet, Beside US Consulate, Secunderabad - 500 003, A.P., India, Ph: 040-27907680 / 27901426, Website:www.feed-hyd.org, email: support@feed-hyd.org.

The Directorate of Minorities of the Government of Karnataka has invited applications from students from minority communities i.e, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists for a 6-month course in Infrastructure Management Services (Networking) conducted by the NIIT Imperia, Bangalore. The Directorate will pay the fee on behalf of the minority candidates who have done their B.Sc, BE and BCA and are keen to acquire high end skills. The course otherwise available at a fee of Rs. 80,000, carries high placement potential, said a press release from the Directorate. Candidates should be aged between 20 and 35 and should be a resident of Karnataka. Training will be provided at either NIIT at Gandhinagar or NIIT at R. T. Nagar. The form could be downloaded from :

http://gokdom.com/images/KEONICS%20-%20SDP%20Application.pdf . Or it can be had from Directorate of Minorities, 20th Floor, V.V.Towers, Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi, Bangalore – 560001. For queries call: 080-22863618, 22865958.

The Stimson Center and Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (IPSCR) is organizing an all-India consultation on the report prepared by the Centre on issues pertaining to the concerns of Indian Muslims. The Consultation will be held in Jamia Millia Islamia university on January 11, 2009, Monday.

It could be recalled that the two organizations had held consultation with a a cross section of Muslim intelligentsia on principal concerns of Muslim Indian in the area of politics, economy, status and welfare, public services, security, religious freedom, popular attitudes and issues within the community, including varieties of opinion and debates. These were held in the cities of Delhi, Aligarh, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bangaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai and Kozhikode during March 2009. For more information contact:

Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, Chairman,

Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, 603, Silver Star, Nr. Railway Bridge, Prabhat Colony,

Santacruz (East), Mumbai 400055, Tel (O) +912226149668; +912226102089, Tel (R) +912226630086

Mob.: 9869462833; 9867027267,e-mail: irfansan@hotmail.com; irfanengi@gmail.com; ipscr1@gmail.com

The Islamic Fiqh Academy will hold a 2-day national seminar on 'Minority rights and islamophobia: Limits on Freedoms' on January 2 and 3, 2010 in collaboration with Islamic Educational, Scientific and cultural Organisation (Isesco). The seminar will be held at Hamdard Convention Centre in Hamdardnagar in south Delhi. The seminar will discuss the situation of Muslim minorities in non-Muslim states as well as the situation of non-Muslim minorities during various periods of Muslim rules. It will also assess the impact of Islamophobia on the Muslim minorities. More details could be had from: ifa@vsnl.net or Ph: 011-26983728.

A group of students of the HKBK Engineering College here has prepared the prototype of an electric-solar powered car which was put on display at the Expo on the Renewable Energy in the second week of December. The group of BE students who have just completed their engineering degree from this Muslim managed college comprised Muzzammil Ulla Shariff, Syed Nadeem, Md. Azhar Ali, Yaseer Pasha and Md. Muneeruddin Inamdar.

The car has solar panels on its hood and on the dashboard and can run for 40 kilometres after getting charged under the sun for five hours. It carries an electric battery back-up for further use.
The prototype was prepared at the shoestring budget of Rs. 85,000. Speaking to this writer, Muzzammil said the car can is not highway-worthy as it is currently can be used for domestic purpose such as within campuses, airports, parks, hospitals, hotels etc. He said it can even carry fridges for keeping medicine, fruits, vegetables and ice cream etc. he said its structure was simple and involves fewer moving parts, hence easy and inexpensive maintenance. It can take a passenger load of 200 kgs, he added. Muzzammil can be contacted at 0-97382-59592.

The researchers at the Aligarh Muslim University's Museology Department have discovered a technique to keep flowers fresh and beautiful with their colour and shape intact for over 20 years. The innovative and cutting edge technological research finding of researchers at the AMU has ensured the preservation of bouquets and flowers for over 20 years with their original colour and shape. The innovative technique was appreciated during the recently concluded Fifth International Flora Expo held at Bangalore.

The five-year long research on preservation of botanical specimen retaining the natural colour pigments was carried out by Dr. Parveen Kumar, research scholar under the supervision of Dr. Abdur Raheem K., Reader in Department of Museology, AMU. The innovation shall not only promote floral industry but will also benefit customers, natural history museums, agricultural museums, forest museums and museums of educational institutions that are the custodian of our natural heritage. The technique involves the use of treatment of flowers with copper sulphate, priopionic acid at a specific temperature that checks the de-oxidation of flower cells and also drastically retards the degradation.

The researchers after having preserved flower for the last five years, recently approached the Botanical Survey of India for recognition of the process. The Survey appreciated the technique which would help maintain the herbariums (dried plants) which tend to deteriorate after some time.
According to a press release from the AMU, the research finding has already received recognition from Prof. Cheng Sen Li, Director, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing and Dr. A. A. Ansari, Joint Director of Botanical Survey of India, Gangtok. The researchers have used the technique on rose, dahlia and sunflower.

A Broadband Seismological Observatory was inaugurated at the Department of Geology of the Aligarh Muslim University by Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis on December 19. The observatory has been set up by the NGRI, Hyderabad to record and monitor the seismic activity in the region. Apart from Aligarh, this kind of observatories have also been set up at Narora, Moradabad, Agra, Dholpur and Gwalior. The project aims at monitoring the seismic activity in the region covering Indo-Gangetic Plains. The study aims at monitoring the seismicity from Gwalior to Moradabad by setting up Broadband Seismic Stations at approximately 50 km apart at Gwalior, Dholpur, Agra, Aligarh, Narora and Moradabad. The objective of this project is to assess the seismic hazard due to larger earthquakes. The set up of seismic station consists of a Broadband Seismometer, Recorder and GPS. It is powered up by a 12V Battery in order to run continuously and the battery is charged by both solar modules as well as regulated power supply in order to ensure continuous recording of earthquakes.

Mohammed Suhel Mohiyuddin Tirmizi, a well known lawyer, has been awarded with 'Minorities Rights Award-2009' because of his relentless championing of the cause for justice for minorities and interests of the poor.Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mr. Salman Khurshid handed over the award to Mr. Tirmizi in a function organized by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) to celebrate the 'Minorities Rights Day' on 18th December 2009. Mr. Tirmizi is an Ahmedabad based lawyer and member of the Ajmer Dargah Committee. Chairperson of NCM Mr. Mohamed Shafi Qureshi outlined major initiatives that have been taken by the Commission to fulfill its mandate of safeguarding the rights of minorities and promote their socio-economic and educational development.

Mr. Qureshi has urged the Central Government to consider the recommendations made by commission for affirmative action for minorities especially the Dalit Muslims and Christians and also to grant constitutional status along with enhanced and independent investigating powers to the Commission so that it can work effectively.(twocircles.net)

Foundation stone was laid here for the orphanage cum rehabilitation centre under the aegis of the Tarifa Memorial Trust at Choan village, 18 kms from here on December 13 by Prof. Salaam Musheer, Secretary, Ashiyana in Bangalore and Apna ghar in Kolar. The Orphanage will be patterned after SOS village with 10 kids being looked after by a teacher and an ayah. Trust Secretary Aijuddin Mondal has donated Rs. 20 lakh for the construction of the building which will come up on 1.5 acre of plot.

Bus donated: Meanwhile, Al-Falah Mission School, Berhampore has been donated with a school bus by Ms. Mariam Habeeb, trustee of the BSA Abdur Rahman Zakath Foundation, Chennai. Mission runs a residential school on the outskirts of the town in Murshidabad district.

The Jamaat e Islami Hind will organise its Tamil Nadu State conference at Trichy on January 30-31, 2010 together with an exhibition highlighting the concepts of Islam. Those wishing to particpate can contact: Jamaat e Islami Hind, 138-Perambur High Road, Chennai-600012, jihtn.conf@gmail.com or ph: 044-26621101, 65178391.

Yenepoya University here is organising an international conference on Genetic and Molecular Diagnosis in Modern Medicine and Biology (GMDMMB) -2010. The event will be held at the university Campus from February 27 to March 1, 2010. For details contact: Organising Secretary, Dr. Manjula Shantaram, Dept of Biochemistry, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Mangalore-575018, Karnataka, India. Tel: +91 824 2204668 ext 312 Fax: +91 824 220664. Email gmdmmb2010@yahoo.co.in

Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad has been invited to be a member on the newly constituted Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (SAC-PM). This will be his second term. He was on the panel during 2004-09 too. He is also a Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Union Cabinet and Chairman, Biotechnology Advisory Council, Government of Andhra Pradesh.

The SAC-PM is the highest body comprising of select Scientists and Secretaries of Science Departments of the Government of India with a mandate to advise the Prime Minister on all matters relating to Science and Technology in the country. The Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India serves as the Member-Secretary of SAC-PM. Mathematician Sujatha Ramadorai, geneticist B.K. Thelma, physicists Mustansir Barma and A. K. Sood are among the new entrants to the re-constituted Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (SAC-PM). Eminent scientist C.N. R. Rao continues to head the panel.


H. T. Sangliana, a former IPS officer and Commissioner of Police, Bangalore has been appointed the vice chairman of the National Commission of Minorities. Sangliana, a Mizo represented the Bangalore North constituency in Lok Sabha during 2004-09. He criticized the BJP for its anti minority policies and earned the wrath of its activists leading to attack on his office in Bangalore. He voted in favour of trust vote for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the crucial 2008 no-confidence motion following withdrawal of support by the Left. He contested for Lok Sabha seat from Bangalore again during May 2009 election but lost to a BJP candidate. His rank in the Minorities Commission will be on par with a Union Minister of State.