Rejoins JDS: Former Janata Dal Secular MLC, Abdul Azeem rejoined the party in Bangalore on December 13 after spending nearly six months in political wilderness. Azeem who resigned his job in the Karnataka’s Police Department in 2004 had joined the JDS immediately after that. An officer with an extraordinary investigative record, Azeem had won huge reputation as an ace detector. Though he left the party ostensibly for being ignored by the Party high command while making key decisions, it was presumed that denial of a second term in the Council displeased him enough.
Urdu poet honoured: Noted Urdu poet, Balraj Komal has been selected for conferment of the Gangadhar National Award at the 41st Foundation Day of the Sambalpur University. The award carries Rs. 50,000 and a memento with citation. He was also presented the Ghalib Samman in the past. His poetry collection, Parindon Ka Ashiyana was published in 1985.
Muslim Woman Heads Cricket Board: Zohra Jan Mohammad has been appointed the Chairperson of the Kenya Cricket Board. It is for the first time that any Cricket Board has appointed a woman as its head in the 125 year history of international cricket. Zohra practices law in Nairobi.
Waqf Advisor: Mohammad Atique, general secretary of the Jodhpur based Marwar Muslim Educational and Welfare Society (MMEWS) has been appointed as advisor to the Rajasthan Board of Muslim Waqfs. The Board Chairman is Liyaqat Ali. The appointment came in the wake of the efficient management of the Takia Chand Shah Waqf Properties in Jodhpur. The nearly Rs. 80 lakh annual income from the Takia Chand Shah Waqf Properties is channeled into running 31 educational institutes and colleges for the community in Jodhpur.
Kerala’s Baba- e- Urdu Feted: K. T. C. Beeran, known as Kerala’s Baba”e-Urdu, was felicitated by the Kerala Urdu Teachers Association in the first week of December, 2012 at a public function in Thamarassery. Beeran, now 82, had taught Urdu at a Government school where he was appointed in 1969. Beeran started Urdu classes in several parts of the state. He even brought out the first Urdu newspaper, Malabari Awaz. The honorary award was presented by the Education Officer for Thamarassery.
Felicitated: Ms. Tehseen Shaikh, primary teacher at the Kendriya Vidyalaya Number One, at Devalali Camp in Nasik was presented with ‘Regional Incentive Award’ for her ‘dedicated, sincere, and meritorious services” towards the cause of education. The award was presented by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan on Dec. 15, the Golden Jubilee of the Sangathan at Mumbai. Ms. Shaikh is also associated with the committee for preparation of the Module for teaching of Environmental Studies for Kendriya Vidyalayas.
Former Makkah Imam Dies: Former imam of the Masjid Haram at Makkah, Al-Shaikh Muhammad Bin Abdullah As-Subbaiyyil died on December 18 after a brief illness. He was 87. He had retired from the imamat of the Masjid Haram in 2000. He was member of the Fiqh Research Council of the Muslim World League in Makkah and member of the Supreme Ulema Council. He began his career as a teacher in his native Qassim region and was appointed the Imam of Masjid Haram, Makkah at the age of 40.
Kickboxing Champion: Yassin Jamal, 13-year old junor kick-boxer has been selected for representing Britain at the World Kickboxing Federation’s World Youth Muay Thai Boxing Championship at Istanbul in the second week of March 2013. Yassin is of Eritrean origin and lives in West Kingston area of London. He was coached by Lloyd Heaven, himself a former champion of Kickboxing. He has so far amassed 16 medals in various events, says a report in The Muslim News, London.
Fisheries Scientist from JandK Honored: Dr. Sajid Maqsood, hailing from Srinagar, has been honoured with ‘Best Overseas Indian Fisheries Scientist Award’ and ‘Best Overseas Doctorate Thesis Award’ for 2012 by Professional Fisheries Graduate Forum, Mumbai, a national body representing educational and research institutions imparting courses in Fisheries. Dr. Sajid who earned his graduation degree from Maharashtra and doctorate from Prince Songkla University in Thailand, now teaches at the United Arab Emirates University as assistant professor, reportsRising Kashmir daily from Srinagar.
Sahitya Academy Translation Award for Ather Farouqui
The Sahitya Akademi (Academy of Letters) has conferred its translation award for the year, on Ather Farouqui, a prolific writer-activist and General Secretary of the Anjuman Taraqqi-e Urdu (Hind) for his Urdu and Hindi translations (Babur ki Aulad), ” Sons of Babur,” an English play scripted by Union External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid. Farouqui has not only translated the play, but has also been its producer. Born in Sikandrabad, Ather Farouqui has a Ph.D from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He has written extensively on various aspects of Urdu, Urdu-related politics and Muslims in contemporary India and has six books to his credit, two of these are in English and have been published by Oxford University Press: Redefining Urdu Politics in India(2006), and Muslims and Media Images (2009). The remaining are in Urdu.
Sri Lankan Wins First Prize in Qur’an Competition
Makkah: Sri Lankan teenager, Riski Mohamed Riskhan won the first prize at the 34th King Abdul Aziz International Competition for Memorization of the Holy Qur’an, which concluded at the Haram Mosque in Makkah, last month. The annual event, which promotes the memorization and recitation of the Qur’an was conducted by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Call and Guidance in the Kingdom. There were 25 winners in the competition. Riskhan, the first prize winner, represented Madrasathul Ilm from the Colombo Grand Mosque. The winner of the first prize received a cash award of SR 100,000.
Elected Chief of Jamiatul Quresh: Sirajuddin Qureshi was elected: the President of the All India Jamiatul Quresh at the organisation election held at Mavlankar Hall in New Delhi on Dec. 20. His main rival Abdul Majeed Qureshi withdrew from the contest at the last moment while a third candidate Md. Ateeque Sajid Qureshi stayed in the fray. Of the 418 votes that were cast, Sirajuddin Qureshi polled 408 while remaining ten went to Mr. Ateeque.
Qureshi is Managing Director of Hind Group of Companies, mainly engaged in exporting meat to over 45 countries. He established the most modern Halal meat processing plant at Aligarh in 1989. He played a key role in the construction of India Islamic Cultural Centre, an icon of modern day Muslims in the capital. He is also the President of Noble Education Foundation, engaged in encouraging and uplifting of Muslim youth for the last several years. The Foundation has been extending a helping hand to the students by providing short term Personality and Memory Development Training courses and counseling.He was the lone Muslim to be invited from India at the conference of Muslim entrepreneurs held in Washington DC on April 26-27, 2010 at the behest of President Barack Obama.
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