Hassan Ali B. Parpia, noted food scientist and former Director of the Central Food Technology and Research Institute (CFTRI) died at his residence in Hinkal village in the outskirts of Mysore. He was 91. A humanist at heart and Gandhian, Parpia held various positions related to food and agriculture in India as well as abroad. He was born in a Bohra family in Bhopal and had early education in Bhopal and Burhanpur and later took a Masters degree in Microbiology from Bombay University. Later did his MS at California University and later Ph.D. from Oregon State University. He also served as Assistant Director General of the CSIR in 1959. He was appointed as Director of CFTRI, Mysore in 1963. He contributed almost 250 research papers. An ardent secularist, he associated himself with all kinds of NGOs working for the welfare of the underprivileged. He founded Mysore Teachers Resource Centre to especially train Government Urdu School teachers in 2003 in the opremises of the Ahmadia Govt Urdu School with funds raised from members of his extended family. The centre is The Centre provided all kinds of intellectual resources, computers, books and coaching for teachers to upgrade themselves. He had spent a year during his student days at Sevagram University at Wardha established by Mahatma Gandhi.
He is survived by his wife Carolyn Wilkes, two daughters and two sons. He willed that his body be donated for medical research to Mysore Medical College and Research Institute.
Azam Shahid, Urdu writer and singer Fayyaz Khand were among the more than one hundred noted personalities of Bangalore who were presented with the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Award by the Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (Bangalore Metropolitan Municipal Council) on June 29 at a function in Bangalore. Azam has been writing a column in Daily Salar for nearly a year. He teaches economic in a Government College. The Award is named after Kempegowda, the chieftain two conceived Bangalore over 400 years ago by building four watchtowers in four corners of the city.
Fouad Ahmed, the leg spinner of Pakistani origin was conferred citizenship of Australia and was also selected for Australian Cricket squad to represent the challenge for Ashes on July 2. The Ashes series between England and Australia began in Nottingham on July 10. Thirty one-year old Fouad has spent four years in a refugee camp in Australia waiting for citizenship.
Ed Husik, the first Muslim to be sworn in a minister in the Australian Federal Government has received flak from hundreds of Australians on the social media for taking the oath of ministership while placing his on the copy of the Holy Quran. Xenophobic twitter-users flooded the website with hostile reactions dubbing the act “un-Australian” . Ed Husik is of Bosnian origin. Defending his right to be sworn in while placing his hands on the Quran, Husik said, I am what I am, I could not have thought of anything other than this book to place my hands on while taking oath. Australian Governor General Quinton Brice described the swearing in as a Great Day for multicultural Australia. Robb Michelle, another MP, also defended Husik and resented reactions against him on the social sites. He however defended the right of users to vent their opinion. He will hold the portfolio of Parliamentary Affairs and Broadband in the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s cabinet who took over the mantle of leadership a day earlier.
Delhi Governor: Najeeb Jung, a 1973 batch IAS officer was sworn in 19th Lt. Governor of Delhi on July 13. He was earlier vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, a central university. Mr. Tajendra Khanna who demitted the office on completion of his tenure did not attend the swearing ceremony. He had received flak after the infamous Dec. 16 rape of a physiotherapist. Delhi’s Lt. Governor is incharge of the Delhi Police and Delhi Development Authority.
Jamia under Officiating VC: Prof. S. M. Sajid will discharge the duties of the Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia as the office fell vacant consequent to assumption of office of the Lt. Governor Mr. Najeeb Jung on July 13. Sajid has been designated as Officiating Vice Chancellor
UN Malala Award for Razia Sultan
Meerut: Razia Sultan, 15 from this UP town, who has been fighting against the problem of child labour, has been conferred with the first United Nations Malala Award for spreading education among child labourers. She will be felicitated as United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education’s Youth Courage Award for Education.
July 12 has been heralded as Malala Day, to remember the contributions of Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai, who was shot at by the Taliban for voicing her opinions against the latter’s ban on girls attending schools in the Swat Valley. Razia is a resident of Nanglakhumba village in Meerut District. Since the age of four, she used to stitch footballs in her village like several other girls. After being rescued by Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an NGO, she joined a school and eventually became a youth leader in her native place. In her new role, she encouraged other children in her village to join schools.
Razia said she has transformed the lives of 48 children trapped in child labour. “Being a leader of the children in my village, I tried to solve the problems of the schools and the children. I admitted 48 students, who were earlier working as labourers, to schools,” said Razia Sultan.
Though ignorant about the importance of the award, Razia’s father Ferman was overwhelmed with the honour bestowed on his daughter.
More than 12 million children in India below the age of 14 are working as domestic servants or in other jobs such as in stone quarries, embroidery units, mining, carpet-weaving, tea stalls, restaurants and hotels, according to government data.
Razia’s struggle against child labour and illiteracy was not just confined to her own place.
She went to different regions as a youth leader of a NGO and carried out door-to-door campaigns on child education.
Commenting on this occasion, the district co-ordinator of the NGO, Sher Khan, recalled how she fought against illiteracy with great zeal.
Mohammad Saleem has been appointed the managing director of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation (KMDC). This is his third tenure in the Corporation. He took charge on July 5.
Bangalore realtor Ayub Khan has been elected the Hony Secretary of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) which has 25,000 members in 25 cities across the country. He will hold the position for one year.
Major Syed Faridullah Passes Away: Noted educational activist Major Syed Faridullah, a key figure in promoting activities of Al-Ameen Educational Society in Channapatna died on July 11 coinciding with the first day of Ramazan. Faridullah had started Al-Ameen Al-Hudad School in the town which led to spread of education among Muslims, particularly girls. Later he started technical training school which enabled hundreds of boy to get technical certificates. He headed the Madani Educational Trust and president of the Al-Ameen Kambalposh Kannada School in Bangalore Cantonment. He began export business after retirement from the Armed forces. He was buried the same evening after Asr in the local graveyard.
Parveez Rasool has emerged the first Kashmiri to be selected for the Indian Cricket team. The 24-year old has been named for the 15-man squad to tour Zimbabwe for one-day tour starting from July 24. He earlier played for Pune Wariors in IPL’s sixth edition earlier this year. The all-rounder scored 594 runs and took 33 wickets.
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