Community Round-Up

The first residential unit of the ‘Apna Gaon’ project in this small Karnataka town was inaugurated on December 17. Named as ‘Babe Salam Rizvi’, the unit would accommodate 15 orphan or destitute children of ‘Apna Ghar’, an orphanage run by Millat Welfare Trust.


Constructed at a cost of Rs. eight lakh, it is built up on 15 squares. Construction was funded by Mr. Faisal Rizvi, managing director of Canopy Group, Bangalore.


The unit was inaugurated by Mr. Nasir Rizvi, chairman of the Canopy Group in the presence of Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, founder of the Al-Ameen Education Society.


According to Prof. Salam Musheer, Chairman of the Millat Welfare Society, the second unit would be funded by Mr. Naseer Ahmed, MLC and businessman.


A shopping complex with 21 shops was also commissioned on the occasion. Rents from the complex would meet the running and maintenance expenses of the ‘Apna Gaon’ village for children which is patterned after SOS Village. As of now, it is likely to yield Rs. 35,000 by way of rent a month. The complex was built at a cost of Rs. 24 lakh. A Shadi Mahal would soon come up behind the shopping complex at a cost of Rs. 55 lakh.


Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan said there are sufficiently large section of educated among Muslims now. However, the community needs to empower itself through a strong economy, he added.


Mr. Roshan baig, MLA, former union minister Mr. C. M. Ibrahim, Mr. Faisal Rizvi, Mr. Nasir Rizvi, journalist M. A. Siraj, Secretary of the Millat Welfare Trust Mr. Shafi Ahmed, Trust chairman Prof. Salam Musheer also spoke.


The ‘Apna Gaon’ project has been conceived to accommodate a large number of destitute and orphan children and provide them education and modern skills. An orphanage named ‘Apna Ghar’ was set up here in 1981 as a forerunner. It has today nearly 60 inmates. The Trust also runs Millat High School and the Millat Industrial Training Institute in the premises. These institutions are located in a 25-acre complex.


For more details contact: Prof. Salam Musheer, chairman, 93412-20107, Shafi Ahmed, secretary, 99864-29001, Millat Nagar, Kolar-563101, Karnataka.

The Jahangirabad Institute of Technology (JTI) will inaugurate its School of Management and Mass Media Communications on January 5. JTI was established by Jahangirabad Educational Trust (JET) in the year 2001. The main objective of the trust was to establish centres of higher learning in economically and socially backward areas of the country. The trust decided to create an umbrella organisation of education centres christened as Jahangirabad Institute of Technology. JIT, in a phased manner, plans to launch a large number of world class research and training centres.


Jahangirabad fort, a 19th century monument, built across the serene and picturesque environs of more than 30-acre campus in Barabanki district, is situated at about 35 kilometres from Lucknow.


Mr. Manzoor Ghori a social activist, a man who has devoted decades for development of socially disadvantaged groups and victims of natural and manmade disasters, an Indian settled in the USA, first dreamt of converting this neglected fort into a world class centre of education and research.


The institute boasts of a wide range of sophisticated and latest digital technology and equipment such as cameras (video and still), editing software, studio equipments and lights that’ll help the students keep pace with the technology in the market. A posse of experienced and dynamic faculty; the crčme de la crčme of media practitioners, filmmakers, photographers, journalists, etc. as visiting faculty, an extensive media library, hostel facilities etc. are some factors that lend a cutting edge to JMI in the field of media education.

A one-day Science Fair was inaugurated by Dr. Qazi Azher Siraj, Associate Director at the Hurley Medical Center, Flint (Michigan) at the Al-Ameen College on December 13. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Siraj advised the students and teachers to focus at the methodology rather than formulaic science or mathematics. He said all students study (a+b)2 but few comprehend it. He said study of science involves keen observation, hence even a non-Ph.D or post-graduate could be a good scientist. Study of science does not even necessitate instruments or apparatus, though their presence could greatly facilitate it. Newton observed the falling apples and produced the theory of gravitation. He had no apparatus at hand. Speaking about his own experience of holding science fairs in Gulbarga (from where he hails) and Bijapur, Dr. Siraj said some of the new experiments were developed by students in Arabic madrassas.


He said study of science in India does not foster thinking and students do not develop original ideas till very late in their career. He said Indian students approaching American universities come without scientific paper.


Speaking at the occasion, Ms. Vanditha Sharma, Director of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan said education has largely been reduced to one’s capacity to cope with examination. Schools and teachers direct their energies at procuring better results at examinations. It is time the education authorities looked at fostering creativity among children


Syed Sadaqath Peeran, Chairman, Al-Ameen Education Society spoke at the occasion while Dr. Shaheen Taj, Head, Department of Chemistry introduced the guests.

Excerpts from Dr. Qazi Azher Siraj’s Lecture at the Science Teachers’ Workshop


Human brain has unlimited capacity to accommodate knowledge and information. It functions better when it is used more and more. Most people use just about 15 per cent of its capacity. Major portion of the brain gets developed in the childhood stage itself. At birth the brain weighs about one pound and by the time a child is six years old, its brain attains 90 to 95 per cent of its would-be size in the adult age. On average an individual is gifted with about 100 billion neuron or brain cells. 30,000 neurons can fit on the head of a pin. Each neuron has fingers spreading out of its fringes which are called dendrites. These dendrites link up with dendrites of neighbouring neurons and form a web and that is how human brain develops cogent thinking by bringing together pieces of knowledge. More linkages between dendrites make an individual more knowledgeable. A child’s brain during the first two years of birth has the maximum capacity to absorb knowledge as neurons work with enormous capacity and expand their web. It is advisable at this stage to teach by doing things. For example, “A for Apple” by showing a picture is more effective than just uttering the word. But if the apple could be actually shown, the child can preserve its colour, size, etc in several compartments and dendritic connections blossom up when the word apple is referred to him. If he could taste the apple, one more compartment gets opened in his brain and the comprehension of the fruit is still better. Between the age of two and seven, which is known as pre-operation stage, the child can grasp several languages at a time. As many languages he listens or learns, as many language centres get opened in his brain and all of them function independently. He learns more by doing rather than by abstract thinking. Between the age of seven and 11, he/she is able to manipulate thoughts and ideas and can still learn more by doing. It is why activity based education is necessary in all these years of growth. Between the age of 11-15, he/she develops high order of thinking and rationalization begins.


It is necessary that children are taught in simple language. In the United States, children are taught addition and subtraction by putting things on the table and mixing and separating them. Teachers are advised to say ‘put together’ for addition and ‘take away’ for subtraction.


Often certain myths like brain stores images are propagated. Human brain does not store pictures. Those who use the brain less, are more vulnerable to develop Alzheimer disorder in the advanced age.

A science project by the Al- Mubarak Primary and Girls English High School was adjudged for the first prize at the state level Science Fair held at the Al-Ameen College on December 13. The project titled ‘Significance of honey bee in the light of Qur’an’ was prepared by Fathima Tabbasum, Rahila Anjum and Sadia. In another project by the same school, Danya Talath, Ayesha Siddiqua and Sadiya showed the healing effects of black seeds (kalonji) oil on injured cat fish. Yet another project exhibited effect of neem (margosa) oil on lice. It was prepared by Farhaa, Almas, and Naseema.

With elections on horizon, the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra has put its best foot forward to appease minorities by deciding to create a “minority ministry” on the lines of the one at the Centre.


The Maharashtra Cabinet cleared the proposal to set up a separate minority department headed by official of the rank of principal secretary.


Welfare schemes related to religious and linguistic minorities in the state are run by various ministries. The creation of a separate department will bring all the schemes under one department and facilitate better implementation.


This department will handle works like regulation of State Haj Committee, monitoring the work of minority-run educational institutions, implementation of Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for minorities, monitoring and co-ordination of Maulana Azad Minority Welfare Corporation, and the Wakf Board.


While the decision has clearly been taken in view of the Assembly elections in the state two years down the line, it has also set off a contest among the Congress-NCP aspirants for the post of minister for minority affairs.


Mr. Deshmukh had announced formation of a department dedicated to minority affairs as part of the state government’s plan to fully implement the recommendations made by the Rajendra Sachar committee.


The Union government already has an independent Ministry for Minority Affairs and former Maharashtra chief minister AR Antulay is the minister for this portfolio. Looking at the responsibilities that this department would be tasked with, it’s certain that the ministry for minority affairs would be a powerful and much-sought after political posting. It appears that the ministerial position would have more power to extend political patronage than do some real good for the minorities.


The department will also be the competent authority for implementation, control, and co-ordination of the Waqf Act that recently came into picture after a controversy over dubious Waqf land dealings. The ministry would have powers to appoint study groups, take policy decisions for the minorities, and propose new legislations and amendments. Co-ordination and control of the state academies for Urdu, Sindhi, Gujarathi, and Hindi would also be handed over to this department.


Muslim OBC leader Shabbir Ansari said,” Ideally it should have carved a new ministry as has been done in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Also, there is no announcement on when the fund allocations would be made to this department as the next budget is only in March 2008. So the wait is going to be long.’’


If Maharashtra government is serious about the solving minorities issues in general and Muslim issues in particular then it must look at the grass root issues.