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AMU mourns death of its former VC

Education, Leaders

Aligarh :

Noted educationist and leading Muslim figure Saiyid Hamid, a Sachar Committee member and former VC of Aligarh Muslim University, died on Monday at the age of 94 in New Delhi.

Hamid, who was also chancellor of Jamia Hamdard (1999), succumbed to a cardiac arrest. Born in Faizabad in 1920, he is remembered for his crusading spirit to work for the upliftment and educational development of Indian Muslims.

AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar, who worked closely with Hamid when he was chairman of the UP Rabita Committee, said, “His life was devoted to the cause of Muslim education. He led to spread awareness and address the educational backwardness among Muslims. In fact, he edited a journal called ‘Nation and the World’, and wrote every word for the community’s development in the social sphere.”

Abrar added, “A visionary, and an institution builder, that is how I would like to remember him (Hamid). Before he joined AMU, the departments would have a chairman for more than 10-15 years. He introduced the rotation system and now there is term to serve. As a staunch believer of education as a tool for change he inspired Muslim youth to pursue higher studies, dissuaded AMU teachers from leaving the country for petro dollar opportunities outside.”

Since Hamid wanted Muslims to take up civil services, he worked hard to establish Hamdard Public School and the University. It was due to Hamid’s purposefulness and vision that UGC agreed to confer deemed university status on Jamia Hamdard.

At the time when Hamid was chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, Zillur Rehman of Ibn Sina Academy in Aligarh was in the academic council. Rehman reminisced: “Hamid sahib had been a bureaucrat and head of AMU. He took decisions keeping in mind political realities of the country, and guided us in difficult times. His way of working was above sectarian, communal and regional considerations. That, along with his speeches and writings, kept us all inspired.”

Syed Zafar Mahmood, AMU alumnus and founder of non-profit organization Zakat Foundation of India, said, “Saiyid Hamid worked for the educational uplift of the deprived. He led educational caravans across north India. Consequently, dozens of new schools were privately established. As AMU VC he chose to side with merit and justice, even taking cudgels with vested interests. In the Sachar Committee, he was a silent contributor of substantial inputs.”

AMU will remain closed on Tuesday to mourn Hamid’s passing.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Eram Agha, TNN / December 29th, 2014

Institute of Science fetes botanist who found coal in Andhra

Education, Leaders, Science & Technology

Nagpur :

The finding of 3000 million tonnes of good quality coal reserve in Andhra Pradesh a few months back by Omprakash Sarate, a scientist from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in Lucknow, continues to bring appreciation and laurels for this botanist who originally hails from Nagpur.

Since Sarate did his doctoral research in the Institute of Science in palaeopalynology and coal petrology, the Institute felicitated him on Monday for his finding that has brought not just the Chintalapudi district in Godavari valley on the coal map of the entire country. He was honoured by the Institute director R G Atram on behalf of Alumni Association of the Institute and the Botany Society. He had been working in all the lower Gondwana formations of Wardha Valley and Godavari valley coalfields.

Sarate later told TOI that the AP government picked up the finding of coal reserve from his publication in the Journal of Palaeontological Society of India in December 2013. The government noticed the finding in September this year after which it got an independent survey done and was delighted to realize the size and quality of the reserve. “For AP, it is a jackpot as most of the coal reserves of undivided Andhra Pradesh were in Telangana region that is now a separate state,” he said.

Sarate’s study found good quality coal within 500m depth from Somavaram in Krishna District to Rajamundry in east Godavari district. The quality of Chintalapudi coal as compared to the Ramagundam and Talcher was better, especially its calorific value was much higher. Most of the coal is located between Aswaraopet, Chinthalapudi and Jangareddy Gudem fall in West Godavari district. The reserves are good for thermal generation as well as for steel plants.

Explaining palaeopalynology, Sarate said 10m of grass trough in a region generally got converted into 1m of coal got converted into carbon only due to bacterial and fungal activity. This initially must have resulted in brown coal and on compaction got converted into lignite that metamorphosed to coal. All this coal is about 260-270 million years old and was formed due to cold and humid conditions prevailing in the area.

Since these are deep seated deposits there could be even coal belt methane at the bottom. It will be possible to extract them only through underground mining.

Dr Surekha Kalkar, head of botany department, gave introductory remarks and introduced the guest. Atram explained how a particular kind of pollen grain can form the basis of presence of coal. Former Institute director M T Bharambe, M R Thosar, president of Alumni Association and Prof P S Jakhi, Incharge and secretary of the association also spoke . Roshani Singh, secretary of Botanical Society, conducted the programme.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Nagpur / by Snehalata Shrivastav, TNN / December 30th, 2014

CAT result puts Lucknow topper on cloud 99.99

Education, Records, All

Lucknow :

It is said that children who do not have parents lack guidance and are unable to excel in their academic career. But 22-year-old Shashwat Mishra who just completed his engineering from Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur has proved this wrong. He is among few in the country who have scored 99.99 percentile in the Common Aptitude Test (CAT) 2014, results of which were declared by Indian Institute of Management Indore on Saturday. While Shashwat’s father died of an illness two years back, his mother met with an accident when he was four years of age.

A Lucknow boy, Shashwat is a chemical engineer who is presently working in an analytics firm in Noida. On his success, he said, “Since past two decades, I have Iived with my uncle in Lucknow and my aunt has been like mother to me. They have guided me everywhere. I am indebted to them for bringing out the talent in me.”

When TOI called him around 7.30pm, he was bubbling with happiness. “I was shocked when my teacher called me to inform. I was expecting a good percentile, but not 99.99. I am on cloud nine today,” said Shashwat speaking on phone from Delhi. He was heading towards a cousin’s place for a bigger celebration.

He said, “It was very difficult to get to a webpage as the CAT website was crashing every minute.”

Though he is not sure of the specialization, Shashwat is inclined towards marketing and operations from IIM-Ahmedabad. When asked why Ahmedabad, he said, “IIM Ahmedabad is the best.”

Shashwat did his schooling from City Montessori School, Rajendra Nagar and then St Anjani’s Public School, Lucknow. He scored 94.3% in class X and 91.6% in class XII.

He started prepare for CAT when he was in final year engineering. “It was tough to balance the two. But it was not impossible. Final year, there was not much pressure from college,” he said. After graduating from IIT in April, he joined a management coaching for test series. “Students serious for CAT should identify their own weaknesses and strengths. Mock tests help in analysing the grey area which you can improve on,” said Shashwat.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / December 28th, 2014

Varanasi weavers now come online

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

E-commerce portal Snapdeal.com has tied up with the India Post to launch a pilot project to set up facilitation desks at Varanasi post offices to enable weavers to sell on its platform, a company statement said here Thursday.

This is an endeavour by Snapdeal and India Post to empower local artisans, small and medium entrepreneurs to sustain their livelihood by providing a platform to popularise their indigenous products, the statement said.

“India has a number of unique and highly specialised art forms and weaves; however, with the fast changing fashion trends and readily available products we are losing out on this rich heritage…We believe it is our responsibility to save these dying art forms by providing a platform to artisans and traditional weavers,” Kunal Bahl, chief executive officer and co-founder, Snapdeal.com, said.

“Through this partnership we will take the Banarasi weaves to customers in all corners of the country and extend this platform to include more weavers and artisans of our country,” he added.

India Post has 154,866 post offices across the country with 466,903 employees. The department with its huge network has taken up the role to serve as an agency for delivering products and also playing a vital role in the cash on delivery segment, the company stated.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-IANS> Business-Economy / IANS / New Delhi – December 25th, 2014

Mahila Vidyalaya may become India’s 1st women’s univ

Education, Records, All

Lucknow :

State government on Wednesday promised to extend full cooperation in turning Mahila Vidyalaya PG College into the first women’s university of north India, said chief secretary Alok Ranjan after inaugurating the platinum jubilee programme of the college on Wednesday.

Ranjan also said the government is implementing several schemes to make cent-per-cent and employment-oriented education for girls. “Providing technical education to women, more progress could be brought in the society and the state,” said Ranjan.

On the occasion, college students danced to film numbers. Another group of students performed to Indian classical music. The performances were enjoyed by the audience.

Mahila College began platinum jubilee celebrations of their degree college by holding an inter-collegiate festival ‘Tarangini’ on December 22 and 23. Students of various degree colleges, including Lucknow University participated in dance, elocution, JAM, quiz, flower decoration, poster making, debate, performing arts, essay and mehndi competition.

In the series of celebrations, the college has organised a fete on December 25. Also, an in-house rock band headed by Karishma Agrahari, a second-year BA student along five others will perform. This will be followed by a panel discussion on ‘Linking Education with Employability’ on December 26. Union home minister Rajnath Singh will attend the valedictory session on December 27.

Former V-C of LU Roop Rekha Verma, a 1961 alumnus, said “In my time, there was more open space. I remember when I visited my college years after graduation and saw many new buildings on the campus. I was a bit saddened then.”

Recalling the good old days, Verma said, “My principal late Kanchan Lata Sabbarwal was a strict disciplinarian. She had a notion that if any student argued with any teacher or principal, it was an act of disobedience. Since I was a hosteller, once, I gathered courage to argue with her on extremely restricted timing for us to go out for shopping. She got very angry with my behaviour.”

INFO

Humble Beginnings

Mahila Vidyalaya started in a rented house in Aminabad, Lucknow in 1895

Initially, it began as a small school named ‘The Hindu Girls School’

The school’s own building at the present site was inaugurated on March 9, 1921 by then education minister in United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, C Y Chintamani

Mame of Hindu Girls School was changed to Mahila Vidyalaya on February 26, 1922

In 1928, Mahila Vidyalaya was recognised for High School, in 1932 for Intermediate

In June 1939, degree section began here

In 1952, college started B Ed and in 1962, science faculty started. In 1983, B Com classes began and in 1985 BA & BSc in home-science was started

In 2004, Mahila Vidyalaya came up to PG level with MA in home-science

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / home> City> Lucknow / TNN / December 25th, 2014

Pearl Academy hosts discussion on the future of design education in Lucknow

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
(L-R) Jyoti Manral, Mark Warner, Nidhip Mehta and Lei Cox
(L-R) Jyoti Manral, Mark Warner, Nidhip Mehta and Lei Cox

Well-known design institute Pearl Academy hosted a discussion with design academicians from around the world on the ‘Future of Design Education.’ The two-day confluence was aimed at stimulating and inspiring participants to foster innovation and creativity in their learning environments.

Global thought leaders and design educators like John Thackara, founder/director of Doors of Perception, MP Ranjan, design thinker, Aditya Dev Sood, founder and CEO of Center for Knowledge Societies and Colin Renfrew, pro-VC and Dean, Manchester Metropolitan University (UK), along with budding professionals from the design world, participated to deliberate on four key themes:

micro and macro trends in the design education and professional landscape
pedagogy of the future
curriculum of the future
learners of the future.

Appreciating the academy’s initiative ‘What’s Next’, Claudio Moderini, director, design, Domus Academy, Milan, said, “This is a great initiative as the creative economy needs design thinkers. A discourse around the future of the learner and the pedagogy of tomorrow is truly the need of the hour.”

Sharad Mehra, CEO, Pearl Academy, said, “Design education in India has matured to a point where it can imagine and contribute within a wider scope and take on complex problems. Design faculty needs to be introduced to a variety of backgrounds and exposure to innovate and new-age tools and methods to provide effective solutions to issues of the society.

Through this two-day World Cafe Style Confluence, we are investing our efforts into sensitizing and informing the design educators about these sweeping changes. With four keynote speakers, eight mentors, 96 participants and eight conversation tables, the confluence concluded with powerful and game-changing ideas with the potential to transform design education going forward.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / December 22nd, 2014

Seeking Malihabad’s Jewish connect

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Straight aquiline noses, fair skin colour, chiselled features and a probable connection with the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel could be an addition to the identity of Afridi Pathans who have been dwelling in various parts of the erstwhile Awadh since centuries. In a quest to trace the lineage of exiled Israeli tribes, Jewish scholars from the far-off land of Israel have been guests to Malihabad over the years. Attracting world attention yet again, Malihabad will host Dr Ari Greenspan and Rabbi Dr. Ari Zivotofsky from Israel’s Bar Ilan University on Sunday, to assist their quest to understand more about Afridi Pathans’ historical connection to Judaism based on their hypothesis.

According to legend, ten of the 12 Israeli tribes had been exiled by Assyrian invaders in 721 BC, some of whom settled in India. Afridi Pathans, the supposed descendants of one such lost tribe came to India between 1202 and 1761 AD, making Uttar Pradesh their home amongst various other regions.

Barely an hour away from Lucknow, Malihabad has been home to as many as 650 families of Afridi Pathans, who take pride in their warrior genetics, but are in fact averse to the idea of bearing Jewish roots, if there be any.

The idea of Afridi Pathans tracing a Jewish ancestry grabbed attention when the Indo-Judaic studies scholar, Navras Jaat Aafreedi started working on the subject in 2002. Emphasising his thesis and claiming the lineage of Afridi Pathans to Ephraim, Navras himself an Afridi Pathan, managed to irate his kindred back then while proposing the idea of bearing Jewish roots to them.

In an email communication with Navras, the two scholars have explained how they “would like to understand the history and meet any elders who might hold or remember traditions linking the Pathans to the Jews.” It is believed some of the Jewish traditions bear resemblance to the ones followed by the Afridi Pathans.

In 2002, Professor Tudor Parfitt along with his team from the Centre of Jewish Studies, London University had collected DNA samples from the Malihabadi Afridi Pathans. In 2008, Shahnaz Ali, researching on the subject, blood samples collected from the clan, followed by gathering DNA samples in 2009. Result of the research carried out so far has not been made public, but most of the earlier studies worldwide have refuted such claims of heredity.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / December 21st, 2014

NRI trio brings hope of good health to UP

Business & Economy, Nri's / Pio's, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav will sign an MoU with a US-based group to set up a healthcare infrastructure in the state under SVADESH (Silicon Valley and Avadh’s Development for Entrepreneurial Services for Humanity) an investment initiative by NRIs and also a way to bring East and West together.

SVADESH is the brainchild of three non-resident Indians, including sisters Dr Nandini and Priya Tandon from UP, and Dr B R Shetty, based in Abu Dhabi.

Investing in UP is like a “homecoming” for the sister duo. The hospital they own and run in Silicon Valley has made its standing among the best healthcare institutes. “Our mother wanted us to make a similar hospital in UP,” said Dr Nandini Tandon.

The Tandon sisters are set to invest more than a billion dollar in UP to develop a “teaching hospital”, an integrated healthcare system. “The eye hospital in Sitapur was set up by our great grandfather. My father is from Agra and we have relatives and friends across UP,” said Dr Nandini.

The Tandon family has been living in US since early 80s. “I did my schooling, my undergraduate and PhD from there,” said Dr Nandini. The two said they also wanted to invest in UP.

SVADESH aims at skill development and job creation, as also to bring Silicon Valley entrepreneurship to UP. “People would not need job when they set up their enterprise,” said Dr Nandini. The three NRIs wish to set up a multi-facility hospital and institute in UP patient care and research.

“We shared the aims of SVADESH with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav,” said Dr Nandini, adding that the group wants a big chunk of land at one place and expects UP government to help find it.

NRIs of UP origin can invest in their home state as the state government is eager to attract investment from them. NRI department created for the purpose has got its first investors in the Tandon sisters.

UP government will help the group obtain necessary permisisons/registrations/approvals/clearances as per existing facilities and rules and regulations of the Government of Uttar Pradesh (GoUP) and would also help them avail incentives under various schemes announced by state/Central government, wherever applicable.

GoUP has also thought of appointing a brand ambassador of UP to attract investment from US, especially from California, from US companies and NRI at large. The MoU is valid for 3 years.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Neha Shukla, TNN / December 21st, 2014

Queen of thumri and much more

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Kolkata :

She is Appaji to even those in this music loving city who don’t know how she got the name. To Ravi Shankar, she was a little sister, “chhoto bon”. Kishori Amonkor calls her Didi but thinks of her “like mother”. Kabir Chowk at Banaras adorned her with the sobriquet of thumri samragyi while the government showered on her the Padma Bhushan. To the world at large, she’s Dr Girija Devi.

However, more important than the many epithets is the fact that ‘Girija — a Lifetime in Music’ — distills her as both, a vocalist and a guru. For, it’s a tribute by her disciples Debapriya, Samanwaya and Sankalp to the Purab Ang maestro as she turns 86. The film, produced by daughter Sudha Datta and Madhuchandra, was launched at ICCR on Saturday in the presence of Governor KN Tripathi, Pt Vijay Kichlu, Krishna Neotia and Sanjay Budhia while H P Budhia presented her a purse of Rs 1 lakh.

To give one example: Girija Devi asks a disciple to stretch out her arm in the drizzle. “This is rim-jhim puhar, a few notes on your skin. If you sing two-three taans, it will become a shower or downpour. The words of the bandish don’t warrant that,” she imprints the experience on her student’s mind. On another occasion, she sings of a separated lover. “She’s like fish out of water, tarap tarap ke jee rahi. You must imagine the fish gasping for her life breath. Only when you see, feel, experience can you express emotions through your notes.” Clearly the memories of catching fish on the sandy banks of the now polluted Ganga inspires her to date.

Girija Devi, born to a Bhumihar Zamindar in Banaras of 1929, claims kinship with the traditions of Siddheswari Devi, Bismillah Khan, Ravi Shankar, Birju Maharaj, Rajan Saajan Mishra. Making her public debut at AIR Allahabad in 1949, she is an agraj (elder) showing the way to flautist Hari Prasad Chaurasia. As an upper class woman who promised her mother and grandmother she’d never perform mujra (private concerts), she became a faculty member of ITC Sangeet Research Academy – and made Kolkata her second home. Music, as Girija Devi has taught Anjana Nath, Manasi Majumdar, Sunanda Sharma, Malini Awasthi, Dalia Rahut — among so many others — “is more than a weaving together of notes. It is breathing lived life into the words.” Sometimes she does this with sparkling taans, unique embellishments, exquisite artistry.

Sometimes she displays her grasp of tappa and dadra, at other times bhajan and khayal gayaki. But, and always, people flock to listen to her thumri. If Omkarnath Thakur was synonymous with bhajan, Siddheswari was the empress of thumri, she believes. But not once will she disappoint even those who’re alien to the regional characteristics of Kajri, Chaiti, Hori…

Once they sit through her recital, they go home with a profound sense of happiness. As they do after watching Girija – despite its 140-minute duration. Isn’t that ‘ananda’ – aesthetic as much as spiritual – the lakshya of every high art?

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Ratnottama Sengupta, TNN / December 21st, 2014

Azad’s papers to be kept at archives

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All

Allahabad :

Finally after 84-years, the original documents related to the martyrdom of freedom fighter Chandrasekhar Azad would be brought before the world.

The regional archives office here has sought possession of the Village Crime Notebook (VCN) which carries the details of the case lodged against Azad under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) so as to scientifically preserve it.

Researchers and general public would be allowed access to the records after they reach the archives. At present the records are stacked at Colonelganj police station along with other files.

The Village Crime Notebook was maintained by the British between 1910 and 1947. It mentions the case registered against martyr Chandra Shekhar Azad with Colonelganj police station under section 307 of IPC on February 27, 1931.

The sheet has all details including serial number as given in the first information book, date of occurrence, offence, value of properties stolen, recovered, name of the accused, suspected with parentage, caste and residence and result of the case.The case was registered by British against martyr Azad and one of his companions regarding Alfred Park firing incident, in which sub-inspector Rai Sahib Chaudhary Rishal Singh was the investigation officer.

The case was written in Urdu against Chandra Shekhar Azad and one another under section 307 of IPC, with crime number 20/1931. The British had not made any remark on the result of the case but noted down the result of every date on the sheets.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Vinod Khanal, TNN / December 18th, 2014