Making of a Qasba: The Story of Amroha

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:- Inam Abidi Amrohvi, is an internet entrepreneur, author, and editor. He writes on a range of topical subjects and has contributed articles to various publications including Hindustan Times, Times of India, Gulf News and News Laundry. Inam has also edited publications like ‘IT Magazine’ and ‘InfoStore’.
Originally from Amroha, his family migrated to Lucknow in the late 1970s.

Inam holds a masters in computer applications, and manages a software consultancy dealing in cloud-based solutions.

MT: Please introduce yourself?
AUTHOR: I’m an internet entrepreneur who loves to write.

MT: What made you come into writing? AUTHOR: My father was very fond of reading and even set up a reading club with his friends. Every week they assembled at one house and books were distributed to each family for reading. This early family environment inspired me to start reading and as I delved more into novels, I realised that creative writing came naturally to me.

MT: Why did you select to write on Amroha?AUTHOR: Amroha is my ancestral town. The idea of first writing a book on Amroha crossed my mind in 2015 while researching for an article on the city. It was supposed to be a travelogue of sorts to introduce my kids to the city. The realisation soon came that there was no comprehensive English account of the city for the mainstream audience. I started working on it several years later.

MT: Tell us briefly about the book?
AUTHOR: The book is broadly divided into three parts viz., the political and social history of the city, a few prominent personalities of the city, and some cultural aspects.

MT: What do you feel is your best and most interesting chapter in the book? One that readers should not miss.
AUTHOR: I’ve tried to write a concise account so that every chapter is short and contains interesting information. Writing about Amroha’s connection to Gandhi’s civil disobedience and the city’s luminaries was the most fulfilling part.

MT: What challenges did you face while writing and publishing the book and how did you overcome them?
AUTHOR: The biggest challenge was reading the Urdu and Persian text and extracting relevant bits of information. Thankfully I found help at home (especially my wife) and from friends. For first-time authors, publishing is a tough task. In the end it all bottles down to how well connected you are.

MT: Are you planning to write any book in the future? If yes, what will be the topic?
AUTHOR: Currently only enjoying the positive reception to my book. If I do write another book, it’ll be a historical account.

MT: What future do you see for reading, especially books, in the era of virtual reality and mobile phones?
AUTHOR: I see a short format of books coexisting with the digital media.

MT: Any suggestions for budding authors?
AUTHOR: Write for others. People pick up a book only when there’s something of interest to them. An original idea rarely fails.

AAINBALL Federation India announces Indian team participation in international university championship in Jordan

New Delhi- AAINBALL Federation India is thrilled to announce the participation of the Indian team in the prestigious International University Championship organized by Hashmite University in Amman, Jordan. The championship will take place from July 22nd to 25th, 2023, and will showcase the incredible talent and passion of university athletes from around the world.

The Indian team, proudly sponsored by USTM University, is ready to demonstrate their skills and compete against top universities from various nations. USTM Chancellor Habibul Hoque’s unwavering support for sports and education has been instrumental in providing opportunities for talented athletes like Dipankar Kalita, who previously won the silver trophy for the nation during the Morocco tournament. USTM’s commitment to nurturing sporting talent is commendable.

Led by the dynamic and talented Miss Assam Kavita Narzary, the Indian team is set to make a mark in AAINBALL, a unique sport that allows both boys and girls to compete together. With her exceptional leadership skills, Kavita Narzary will inspire the team to give their best performance and make the nation proud.
The Vice-Chancellor of USTM, Shri G.D Sharma, who also serves as the President of All India University Association, has been a great advocate for promoting sports culture across universities in India. His vision of fostering a fit India aligns perfectly with AAINBALL Federation India’s goal of encouraging sports and fitness among the youth.

The Indian team is honored to have renowned coaches, Syed Haroon and Sunil Kumar, who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Under their guidance, the team has undergone rigorous training sessions to sharpen their skills and strategies, ensuring they are well-prepared for the championship.

Mr. Pratap Singh, Founder President of AAINBALL Federation, expressed his excitement for the future of AAINBALL in India. He announced plans for the upcoming Chakravarti Championship, which will be hosted in picturesque tourist destinations such as Kutch, Kashmir, Meghalaya, and Udaipur. This championship aims to bring together 55 international clubs, further promoting the growth and popularity of AAINBALL.

Syed Waseem, the General Secretary of AAINBALL Federation India, expressed his enthusiasm for the Indian team’s participation in the International University Championship. He emphasized the uniqueness of AAINBALL as a sport that promotes inclusivity and equal participation for both male and female athletes. Mr. Waseem highlighted the significance of Miss Assam Kavita Narzary leading the Indian team, symbolizing the progressive spirit of Indian sports.
In addition to the Indian contingent, the championship will welcome university teams from around the world, fostering a spirit of global camaraderie and healthy competition. AAINBALL, with its thrilling and adventurous nature, has gained recognition not only in India but also internationally. It is a sport that transcends borders and unites athletes from diverse backgrounds.
The AAINBALL Federation India extends its gratitude to YOTI Foundation for their relentless efforts in promoting the sport and organizing successful events, including the Snow International Championship in Jammu and Kashmir. Their commitment to sports tourism and creating opportunities for athletes is commendable.
As the Indian team embarks on this thrilling journey to Jordan, AAINBALL Federation India is confident in their abilities and believes they will represent the nation with utmost pride and determination. We wish the team the very best and look forward to witnessing their remarkable performance in the International University Championship.

Shyam Benegal ready with his biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Mujib – The Making of a Nation, a biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation of Bangladesh is a co-production agreement between India and Bangladesh

India and Bangladesh had announced a biopic directed by Shyam Benegal who earlier helmed a biopic on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, during the commemoration of the birth centenary of Rahman on March 17, 2020.

Speaking about the film, Benegal said that it has been a tough task for him to bring Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s towering life on the screen. “Mujib – The Making of a Nation remains a very emotional film for me; to bring Bangabandhu’s towering life on the reel is a tough task; we have portrayed his character in an uncompromising way. Mujib remained a great friend of India.”

Speaking about collaborating with National Film Development Corporation, India and Bangladesh Film Development Corporation, Benegal said: “I am glad to be working on this feature film. It has always been a fruitful association working with NFDC since its inception and now collaborating with BFDC was a joyful experience.”

Bangladeshi Actor Arifin Shuvoo, who plays the role of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said: “Fascinated to be playing the role of Mujib. This is a dream come true. I am honoured to be a part of this iconic project and to be directed by the legend himself, Shyam Benegal Ji. No words to express how big this feature film is for me and for my nation. I felt the warmth and great hospitality during the production of the film in India. Hopeful that I have justified the role and the audiences will connect with me and love the film, the way they love Bangabandhu.

Courtesy: NH | Subhash K Jha

Ladakh Taekwondo Association under the aegis of India Taekwondo organized first UT Ladakh Taekwondo Championship at indoor stadium Kargil today.

The chief guest on the occasion was Executive Councillor for work LAHDC Kargil Syed Abbas Rezvi while as Councillor Shargole Mohd Ali Chandan was the guest of honour and Special guest was Mohd Ramzan Khan President Leh Taekwondo Association.
EC Syed Abbas Razvi thanked and congratulated Ladakh Taekwondo Association  for their handwork and efforts to promote Taekwondo in Ladakh and making the Game the first and only olympic game which has brought laurels to Ladakh even at International Level..
EC said that one of the main aim of council is to promote our youths talent and give them exposure. He appealed the players to focus on one goal and put more and more efforts on the particular talent they have.
He further ensured that his whole support will be with the spokespersons of Ladakh always.
Councillor Shargole Ali Chandan thanked Ladakh Taekwondo association for their immense contribution to the game.  Expressing happiness over the establishment of Taekwondo Association in Shargole recently, he said that the association is doing very well. He urged the association to bring more youths in the field of Taekwondo.
He expressed surprise over the Administration of  UT Ladakh  for not recognizing and recommending  Nono Tashi Tundup for State Award as he has represented our country at international level in Taekwondo at World University Games at Italy, which is an Olympic games.
Gulzar Hussain Munshi President Ladakh Taekwondo Association said that after the establishment of UT Ladakh, this is for the first time  LTA is organizing State championship and preparing players for National and other tournaments.
He further added that so far 6 players from Ladakh participated at international level  and 100s at national  level.
Pertinently, a number of 232 players of different associations from all parts of Ladakh participated in the 1st State championship and it will last upto 11th November 2021.
on this occasion others present include, General Secretary LTA Anayat Ali Shotopa, General Secretary District Kargil Olympic Association Syed Mehraj Uddin Shah, Incharge Sports Authority of India Ghulam Mustafa, Executive Body of LTA and Parents.

Mosques in Srinagar ask Muslims to protect Pandits

Killing of Kashmiri Pandit a conspiracy to target Hindu Muslim Unity

Srinagar: The brutal killing of three Kashmiri Pandits in Srinagar last week has once again put a question mark over the existence of non-Muslim Kashmiris in the valley who in spite of all the danger to their lives have not left their homes so far.

After the brutal killing of famous Chemist Makhanlal last Wednesday, the extremists have killed school principal Supender Kaur and a teacher Deepak Chand.

It was said that the Supender Kaur was a kind-hearted woman who had devoted half her salary to the education of poor and destitute children. She had also adopted a Muslim girl.

The Chairman of all Parties Sikh Coordination Committee Jagmohan Singh Raina said, “This attack on minorities is part of a conspiracy to create a gulf between majority and minority communities in the valley. There is no denying that the Hindu Muslim brotherhood is the biggest casualty of the Kashmiri separatist movement.”

Muslims serves Hindu devotees during Amarnath Yatra

The Hindus and Muslims have been living in the valley for hundreds of years with Peace and Amity. They have a common language, culture and traditions. In spite of all the efforts to vitiate the communal harmony in the valley Muslims are still serving the Hindu devotees during their Amarnath Yatra.

Similarly, all tourists take the help of local Muslims during their sightseeing of Gulmarg, Dal Lake and other tourist places in the valley. In fact tourism is the biggest source of income for the local Muslims.

But unfortunately, due to the deteriorating law and order situation in the valley, not only the Hindu Muslim Brotherhood but the tourism has also been severely impacted.

Muslims do not want Kashmiri Pandits to migrate from valley

The local Muslim regard Kashmiri Pandits as an integral part of their society and they do not want them to migrate from the valley.

The recent Muslim protest against the non-Muslim’s killing in the valley is an indication of the Hindu Muslim harmony and co-existence. Everywhere in the valley, Muslims are coming forward to assure their Hindus neighbours of safety and protection and appealing them not to leave their homes.

Muslims are reaching out to the grieving non-Muslim families to condole their departed souls and share their grief.

Mosques appeal Muslims to protect Hindu neighbours

It is pertinent to note that the mosques in the valley are appealing to the Muslims to protect their Hindu neighbours.  The Imams of these mosques, in their Friday sermons, are exhorting the non-Muslims not to migrate from the valley.

The biggest protest march was held against the killings of the non-Muslims at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk in which Many prominent citizens of the valley, Government employees, sportspersons and others participated. All of them strongly condemn the killings of innocent persons.

A delegation of Kashmir government servants’ organization committee visited the Kashmiri Pandits’ homes in solidarity to express their support.

The committee’s President Rafiq Rathore said “The killing incidents are an attack on our social fabric. Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims have been living together in harmony for hundreds of years. We will not allow the extremists to destroy our mutual cultural values. All the Kashmiri Muslims are with the Kashmiri Pandits in this critical hour.”

Courtesy: Siasat

Meet Haris Sumair who cracked UPSC CSE 2020

He has taken coaching from MS IAS Academy.

Hyderabad: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday declared the final results of the civil services examination 2020. A total of 761 candidates have cleared the examination.

Mohd Haris Sumair of Karnataka’s Bidar district is one among them. He has secured All India Rank 270.

During the preparation, Sumair has received guidance from his brother, Nadeem who is an IPS officer of the 2019 batch, Kerala-cadre, Hindustan Gazette reported.

Sumair who is an engineering graduate was offered a job by Intel company during the campus interviews. However, he has decided not to accept the offer as he wanted to crack the civil service examination.

He started preparing for the examination immediately after the completion of engineering. He used to dedicate 15 hours every day for the preparation. He has taken coaching from MS IAS Academy.

Sumair’s father Nayeemuddin has been quoted saying that preliminary education plays important role in the foundation of the children.

He further said that he is thankful to the Almighty for giving good children.

Number of students appeared in the exam

Every year, the UPSC conducts the civil services examination to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and others.

In 2020, over 10.4 lakh candidates applied for the civil services preliminary examination. Out of them, 10,564 candidates qualified for appearance in the main examination which was held in January 2021.

After the declaration of the results of the main examination, 2053 candidates were invited for the personality test. Finally, 761 candidates were able to find their names in the selection list.

Out of 761 candidates, 263 are of general category, 86 from economic weaker section (EWS), 220 of Other Backward Class (OBC), 122 Scheduled Castes (SC) and 61 belong to Scheduled Tribes (ST).

‘Abba jaan’ Taliban take centre stage in UP politics

Taliban was added to the narrative after Samajwadi MP Shafiqur-Rehman Barq termed Taliban as ‘freedom fighters’.

Lucknow: As the countdown to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due early next year begins, issues like governance and development are expectedly taking a back seat and it is ‘Abba Jaan’ and Taliban that are emerging as the latest poll narrative in Uttar Pradesh.

State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that prior to 2017, “those who say ‘Abba Jaan’ used to devour the free ration sent for the poor and cornered government jobs meant for the poor by indulging in corruption.”

The speech had the desired impact and non-BJP political parties promptly objected to the use of ‘Abba Jaan’ — an endearment for father — for political gains.

Though the chief minister did not name any particular party, it was clear that he was referring to the Samajwadi Party since he had earlier referred to Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav as ‘Abba Jaan’ in a TV programme.

The chief minister also said that leaders like Akhilesh Yadav earlier did not visit temples for the fear of offending their Muslim vote-bank

Taliban was added to the narrative after Samajwadi MP Shafiqur-Rehman Barq termed Taliban as ‘freedom fighters’.

The BJP leaders have been referring to his remarks to consolidate its Hindu vote bank and are using Taliban to underline the SP’s affinity for ‘Abba Jaan’ (read Muslim).

The result of this developing situation is that key issues like development have been put on the backburner and almost all political leaders are now bending backwards to establish their Hindu credentials-much to the glee of the BJP leaders.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Satish Mishra was the first one to visit Ayodhya and claim that the grand temple would be completed in the Mayawati regime.

When Mayawati addressed her party meeting in Lucknow recently, she was greeted with chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ — something unheard of in BSP till now. She was even presented with a ‘trishul’ on stage.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, on Monday, offered prayers at various temples in Ayodhya while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited a Hanuman temple in Rae Bareli during her recent visit.

“We have forced these leaders to rush to temples. It was the Congress that had rejected the existence of Lord Ram. The SP had fired at Ram Sewaks. Why are they now trying to project a Hindu-friendly image?” said state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh.

The BJP is clearly setting the tone for the next elections using the issue of national security on the Taliban issue and putting non-BJP parties in the dock over the Muslim appeasement.

The content being shared on on party-run social media handles and groups on WhatsApp, show that around one-fourth of the posts in the last two weeks were Taliban related referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “strong personality” and projecting Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as a strong Hindutva brand against these forces.

“It is unfortunate that the BJP is trying to veer the election narrative on communal lines. We have to stand up against it or else they will succeed in their designs. The BJP does not want people to talk about unemployment, inflation and Covid mismanagement,” said Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam.

On the other hand, SP spokesperson Juhie Singh said that the BJP had always diverted the attention of the people from the core issues of the state. The situation during Covid-19, inflation, unemployment, and social injustice have never been the party’s priority, she said.

Courtesy: Siasat

After locks Aligarh will now secure Indian borders PM Modi

Aligarh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that Aligarh, which was known to manufacture locks for securing houses, will now play an important role in securing the country’s borders.

Inaugurating the defence node here, the Prime Minister said the foundation of the defence node of Aligarh was being laid on the auspicious occasion of Radha Ashtami which made the occasion all the more pious.

He said that till now importing defence equipment was a rule but with the establishment of the defence corridor, India would soon be in a position to export defence equipment.

“India will not only become self-reliant in defence matters but will also become a major exporter in this sector,” he said.

The Prime Minister who also laid the foundation stone for the Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh state university, said that the university will focus on modern education and emerge as a hub for defence studies and defence research.

Talking about Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, the Prime Minister said that he was a freedom fighter who had been forgotten by the previous governments.

“Every youth who has dreams, should know about Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh and can learn from his life. Today, we are trying to acquaint the new generation with these icons even as the country celebrates Amrit Mahotsav,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that the defence node in Aligarh and the Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh university would transform western Uttar Pradesh soon.

Lauding the Yogi Adityanath government for creating a new work culture and acting as a catalyst for development, the Prime Minister said that the chief minister had given a new face to Uttar Pradesh which was earlier known only for corruption and scams.

Recalling an anecdote from his childhood, the Prime Minister said that a Muslim man would visit his village every three months to sell locks from Aligarh.

“As a child, I knew about Aligarh because of the locks and about Sitapur because everyone used to go to Sitapur for eye treatment. Today Aligarh is poised to make a name in a much larger field,” he said.

The Prime Minister also remembered former chief minister late Kalyan Singh and said that his absence was being deeply felt.

Earlier, the Prime Minister viewed the models of the proposed defence node and the state university.

The university is being established by the state government in the memory and honour of the great freedom fighter, educationist and social reformer, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh.

The university will be set up in a total area of over 92 acres in the Lodha village and Musepur Kareem Jarouli village of Aligarh’s Kol tehsil.

The university will provide affiliation to 395 colleges of the Aligarh Division.

Courtesy: Siasat

Cabinet meeting to take decision on renaming Aligarh airport after Kalyan Singh: Adityanath

Aligarh: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid his last respects to the mortal remains of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh here on Sunday and said people were paying tributes to him from the airport to the city.

Speaking to reporters in Aligarh, Adityanath said, “Today, we have brought the mortal remains of Kalyan Singh ji to Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar Stadium in his hometown Aligarh. We decided to bring the mortal remains here so that Singh ji’s followers can see him for the last time. He has been associated with the people of Aligarh for years.”

“He is known as the Ram Bhakt of the nation. From the airport to Aligarh, the people of Uttar Pradesh have huge respect for Kalyan ji. I pray to God Ram to provide us strength to fulfill his dreams,” said Adityanath.

Upon being questioned by reporters whether Aligarh airport will be named after Kalyan Singh, Adityanath said, “We will hold a meeting with the Cabinet soon and discuss it.” Recently, according to reports, after the demise of Kalyan Singh, BJP leaders in Aligarh reiterated their demand to name the newly-constructed mini airport in Aligarh after Kalyan Singh.

Applauding the developmental works under Singh’s tenure, Yogi said, “Prior to Kalyan ji’s resignation in 1992, he undertook developmental works for the poor and downtrodden. He was not just a leader promoting a particular caste or community but worked for the welfare of all people. He believed in Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya ji’s teachings. He was a RSS leader in its truest form.”

“Unlike his opposition parties who, in the name of occupying the Chief Minister’s post, slammed the Ram Mandir movement, he was a leader of the masses,” he added.

The defining moment in Kalyan Singh’s life was the fall of Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. Just hours after mobs of kar sevaks demolished it, Singh quit as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh owning moral responsibility.

Senior BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh passed away on Saturday at a hospital here following illness. Kalyan Singh was admitted to Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences on July 4 following deterioration in his health condition.

“Former Chief Minister of UP and and ex-Governor of Rajasthan Kalyan Singh Ji breathed his last today. He was admitted in SGPGI on July 4 in Intensive Care Unit in critical condition. He died due to sepsis and multi-organ failure,” said a statement by the hospital.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had met Kalyan Singh earlier yesterday and had prayed for his speedy recovery. Kalyan Singh had been put on dialysis and was on the ventilator. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had enquired about Kalyan Singh’s health and several BJP leaders had visited him in the hospital.

Courtesy: Siasat

Now proposal to rename Aligarh as Harigarh

Earlier this month, the Firozabad district panchayat had passed a resolution demanding that Firozabad be renamed as Chandra Nagar.

Aligarh (UP):  After Firozabad, it is now the zila panchayat of Aligarh that has passed a resolution seeking to rename Aligarh as Harigarh.

The resolution was passed on Monday and the members claimed that it was a long pending demand.

The proposal was passed in the first meeting of the panchayat without any opposition with 50 out of 72 members in attendance.

Vijay Singh, zila panchayat chairman for Aligarh, said, “It was a long pending demand to rename Aligarh as Harigarh.

The zila panchayat approved the proposal unopposed. It would now be forwarded to the state government for approval.”

Earlier, the local BJP leaders had passed a proposal to name the Aligarh airport after BJP leader Kalyan Singh.

Kalyan Singh is a resident of Aligarh and was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh during the Ram Janambhoomi movement.

In Mainpuri on Monday, the zila panchayat passed a resolution, seeking to rename Mainpuri as Mayan Nagar after sage Mayan who founded the present day Mainpuri.

“One of the zila panchayat members had moved the proposal for renaming Mainpuri as Mayan Nagar and the proposal was passed on Monday with 23 members supporting the motion and two opposing it,” said Archana Bhadoria, zila panchayat chairperson of Mainpuri.

Mainpuri is the stronghold of Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, who won five elections from the constituency.

Earlier this month, the Firozabad district panchayat had passed a resolution demanding that Firozabad be renamed as Chandra Nagar.

Locals believed that King Chandrasen lived in Firozabad and because of this it was earlier known as Chandravar Nagar till about 1560 AD.

“Later, a representative of emperor Akbar, Firoz Shah, visited the area and the place was named after him as Firozabad. The demand to rename Firozabad as Chandra Nagar has been raised time and again,” said a local BJP leader.

The Yogi Adityanath government has already changed the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj, Faizabad to Ayodhya and Mughalsarai to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar.

Courtesy: Siasat