Two Indian families bag 'Distinguished Family' award in Dubai

March 23, 2016

Dubai: "My father's motto in life has always stuck with me. He used to say: 'only givers get'. By that, he meant if you give back to people, your life will be enriched."

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Speaking to media following the announcement of winners of the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Awards for Distinguished Academic Performance, Dr Sangeeth Ibrahim, winner of the 'Distinguished Family Award' - one of only five families awarded (two Indian and three Arab) - said he accounts for only one quarter of the deserving win. "My wife, Dr Sunayna Iqbal, my 15-year-old son, Amaan Iqbal Ibrahim and my 8-year-old daughter Jehan Ibrahim are behind the winning of this award."

His family was one of the 248 students, teachers and educators awarded for contributions towards education. Co-founder of Dubai-based NGO 'Destination Success UAE', Indian expatriates Ibrahim and Iqbal founded the online support system back in 2013.

Described as a "unique platform that connects students, parents and teachers, to facilitate dialogues, and induce creative tensions," Ibrahim said the key to better learning is collaboration.

"With the right motivation and support, children will be more inclined to do well at school. We need to teach them how to revise, how to listen."

Ibrahim and his wife have been teaching in schools across the UAE for more than 12 years, free of charge. If a student is having difficulties or is struggling in class, a school will schedule a session with the duo, who will then come in and teach the troubled student.

"Looking at the academic scenario here, only about five per cent of students do really well, and a lot do just average. We think with the right support kids can do better. It is a question of will and skill," he said.

Ibrahim and Iqbal were nominated for the award by Our Own English High School, Sharjah (Boys), and supported by Our Own English High Schhol, Sharjah (Girls).

"Both of us are trainers and both of us want to give back to society. I think that's why we were nominated for this award."

Giving up many weekends to work with struggling students, the duo - who both received PhD's last year - said they will continue their efforts towards better education.

"When I found out we won, I shouted out of joy. I even took today off to celebrate with my three winners.

The Ibrahims won a prize money of Dh35,000 and were one of two Indian families to win after a gap of several years. The second winner, Vinodkumar Palayil Bhaskaran Pillai - nominated by The Millennium School Dubai - could not be reached on Tuesday.

Though Ibrahim said he will plan a little family vacation with the winning, the majority will be donated to the UK charity 'Dig A Well'.

"It costs Dh700 to dig a well and each one helps support about 4 to 5 families. That is where a lot of the money will go."

Happy, honoured

Vinod Kumar Pillai, his wife Dr Sreelekha, and children, 17-year old Vimal V. Pillai and 13-year old Namitha Pillai are excited, too, for they too have won the Distinguished Family Award. Speaking to media of their family win, Dr Sreelekha said it was mainly down to the efforts of her children.

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"In 2013 my son won the student award and in 2015 my daughter won the student award, too."

Describing the moment she found out her family were winners, Dr Sreelekha said she felt "happy and honoured".

"We do a lot of social awareness work. We are working parents but we ensure our children know how important community work is."

Regularly volunteering with Dubai Cares, Manzil Centre and Emirates Environment Group, Dr Sreelekha said her children will continue to make her proud.

"With the winning money ... we will put it towards our children's future education fund."

A total of 248 out of 375 students, teachers and educators won prize money in the 18th edition of the awards - an increase of two per cent compared to 2015.

The majority of the winners came from the Sharjah Education Zone, with 67 winners from 97 applicants. Dubai Education Zone and Knowledge and Human Development Authority had 60 winners, Abu Dhabi 40, Ajman eight and Umm Al Quwain two.

The majority of the winners (204) were students who applied for the distinguished student category.

Other categories included distinguished university student, with 17 winners; distinguished teacher with nine winners; distinguished counselor with one winner; best implemented project with three winners; best scientific innovation with two winners; distinguished school with one winner; and institutions that support education with three winners. The winners will be honoured in an award ceremony on April 20.

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Thursday, 24 Mar 2016

Cheddis should learn an act of human being...

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Media Release
June 1,2020

Kuwait: Eid is usually a time of family get-togethers and feasts after weeks of dawn-to-dusk fasting. But this year people celebrated at home, with virus fears dampening the holiday spirit and strict restrictions in place.

Kuwait went under full curfew before the start of Ramadan leaving people to practice fasting and Ramadan rituals at home, Even Eid al-Fitr came under full lock-down period.

As situation demanded, IMA Kuwait celebrated the Eid Get-together online via video conferencing tool, All IMA members participated joyfully in Eid Milan online gathering which was scheduled immediately after Eid prayer. Members participated and congratulated each other on the eve of Eid.

The IMA president Shamvel Parviz addressed the gathering and thanked them for joining online for this unique Eid celebration which will be remembered in history. He also advised members to be aware of conditions of neighbors, friends and family and assist them if they need help in this difficult time.

Eid al-Fitr follows weeks of fasting and marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Thousands of Muslims all over Kuwait followed strict guideline and performed Eid prayer at home along with their family.

As a part of social service activities IMA also distributed ration kits before start of Ramadan and during Ramadan for needy people all over Kuwait.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Doha: Qatar Indian Social Forum (QISF) once again set an example that no caste, creed, language and religion comes as hurdle for their humanitarian services and helped to perform last rites of Ramesh who committed suicide in Doha-Qatar.

45-year-old Ramesh son of K. Nagan hailing from Panikulam, Thrissur district in Kerala, who was working as a tailor committed suicide in his house at Ruwias in Qatar on 30th May 2020.

On hearing this news, some of his friends in Kearla informed Mr. Shihab who is also from Thrissur and a member of QISF and the same was brought to the notice of QISF humanitarian team head Mr. Abdul Latheef Madikeri and Basheer Ahmed of Tamil Nadu.

Immediately, the QISF team intervened and contacted the family members of the deceased in India and discussed the matter and consequences of sending the body back home to India in this pandemic COVID 19 situation.

Considering the prevailing situation, the family members gave the consent to bury the body in Qatar itself.

QISF team collected the required documents from the family of the deceased and managed to clear all the necessary formalities from the police department, Health Department, Embassy of India and Hamad Medical Corporation.

Finally, the body of the deceased was buried in Qatar on 7th June 2020 and the copies of all the relevant documents have been handed over to the family members.

The family members of the deceased thanked and applauded the leaders and all the members of QISF for their effective and on time humanitarian service rendered even in this pandemic crisis and having no bias.

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Media Release
July 6,2020

The Chairman of Intellectual Council Jeddah, Syed Nasir Khurshid, called for a Zoom meeting on 2nd July, 2020 to celebrate the oath taking ceremony of the D K Shiva Kumar who took over as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. Mr Khurshid opened the meeting with a very enthusiastic and sincere note of congratulations to newly appointed president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr. D.K.Shivakumar.

The chief speaker for the evening was Saleem Khaleefa, vice Chairman of the Council, he said, for more than 4 decades, he is monitoring the politics of the Karnataka state very closely and also monitoring the role of crises management DK Shiva Kumar in the last 2 years, whether it is Rajya Sabha election of Mr. Ahmed Patel or managing the MLAs of Madhya Pradesh. He said, he is one of the best leaders of the party and the best leaders use “their brain, their heart, their soul and their guts.” And his leadership is fit in the size of all these characters. Growth is a very powerful word and fundamentally, party growth is the responsibility of the President and he can take a holistic approach to close the gap between and among the party cadres. 

Every effort is to be made to preserve the sense of unity within the party. We need to unite party base while appealing to voters. He should identify on ground challenges and find the mechanism to address them. He further pointed out that a President’s chief responsibility is to bring all the party leaders and office bearers on the same page with a Mission to bring back the congress party into power in the next assembly election. His smart strategies, road map, mechanism, booth management, better connected with the party workers, taking everyone along with him, will be a direction for the presidents of the party in other states to take party into power.

He pronounced his leadership is totally remarkable and has a track record of his very sensible leadership and he also known for his collaborative and crises management leadership style. Engr. Nasir suggested that his first task is to address the formidable challenges faced by the party and bring the Congress members together, on a very single aspect how to win the election. The party backbone and strength is gross-root workers who can play a significant role to take the party in a very strong and popular position in public. He emphasized that unity is the main strategy and ingredient to win the election, because a party divided will hurt, cannot win the election. Planning is everything and a good planning goes a long way, helping to win the election.  

All the members of the Council expressed their views and everyone is very much hopeful that he is the right person to lead the party from top.He has commanded immense respect from party workers, office bearers, all communities, groups, including opposition parties. He is a very experienced, have immense experience and hard-work leader and he is a strategist and knows the art how to motivate the party workers and unite all in a single rope.

Engr. Amjad Ali said, we are very much confident that he will re-structure from bottom to top, panchyat, taluka and district committees will be re-structured and will induct caliber and talented leaders who can understand and realize their responsibilities and accountability as head of the party at their levels with only one point how to win the coming election with thumping majority.

One of key members of the Council, Sajid Shaikh expressed joyfully that every single member of the party have confidence on the leadership of Mr. D.K Shiva Kumar and his appointment to the top position says a lot of nice things about him.  He has shown his great leadership and expert in crises management on many occasion.  The party in Karnataka is in good hands and I am sure he will sort-out all the difference between and among the party leaders and cadres, which has hurt the party in the last election and will bring all on the same page. Congress party and its workers are lucky to have such a passionate and hardworking president who is ready to work day in and day out to bring party in power in 2023 assembly election.

Prominent members of the Council, Engr. Azher Parvaiz, Engr. Abdul Wahid, Hazrat Qadri, Engr. Abdul Ameed, Saleem Khan, and Rafiuddin Kharadi commented, we looking forward his dynamic and result oriented leadership in organizing and re-shaping the party in the state, he will hold all congressmen together with a noble purpose, motivate every party worker to work with dedication so that congress can come back to power with absolute majority and he can count on our absolute support in booth management as well  suggest a few points to be included in the manifestos, running a high  successful voltage campaign highlighting the failure of the BJP government at the Center and at the state, between and among in the NRIs community across the Gulf Countries, including Europe and America. Council will do the value-based politics and will present the image of the Congress party, as the rational political party, with secular and inclusive, where people of all religions, caste, race and gender, feel wanted in the party, as its main ideology.

Syed Nasir Khurshid thanked entire team for attending the meeting he expressed his gratitude towards Vice Chairman of the council Saleem Khaleefa for speaking as chief speaker and giving updates, he said, team members are excited to meet in person with Mr. D.K. Shiva Kumar, when members visit India during their vacation.

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