Students from War-torn Countries Flock to Hyderabad

Foreign students see the city as an island of peace that lets them pursue their higher studies 

After arriving in Hyderabad from Gaza Strip, the first thing that Mohammed Ahmed Alsaiqali wanted to see was the Golconda Fort. The rugged old rock castle reminded him of his war-torn country's landscape. He has left that behind and arrived here with a hope for a better future. The next most enticing place for him is his place of study — Osmania University. 

Like him, many other students from war—torn countries are increasingly turning to Hyderabad for their higher studies. 

Another student, Masood Zalmai, who has come to study linguistics in Hyderabad from Kabul, shares, "There's nothing left in my country. Peace and safety do not exist. Our family did not move to Pakistan like other families. During the Soviet occupation, the civil war started, and I lost many family members in one of the attacks. I took up small jobs and somehow kept on studying. Now, here I am in Hyderabad, studying with nationals from other countries. I feel safe here." 

Post—Taliban era life is still very difficult in Afghanistan. It is slowly recuperating from the troubled times of militancy and civil war. "You can see girls studying in the makeshift refugee classrooms. But the teachers are not that really qualified," Zalmai adds. 

Many foreign students from Middle East, Central Asia and Africa find India an economical destination for higher studies, and at the same time, it is peaceful and calm.Ahmed Fuad Musawa from Yemen, who is studying Masters in English Literature, says, "The situation in Yemen is not stable. There's a crisis and it has affected everyone big time. I don't know how the situation will be when I go back to my country. The teachers in my country have studied here. I heard a lot about Hyderabad and India from my teachers in Yemen, and that's why I am here." 

Each year, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) gives over 3,000 scholarships to foreign students, especially from countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Iran, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Syria and African countries. G Laxmi, the regional er of ICCR at Hyderabad, says, "For the current academic year, we have received 1,500 confirmed admission applications based on scholarships. Moreover, the education ministries of these countries choose universities in Hyderabad as the preferred study destination. The scholarships take care of the students' travel, rent, tuition fees and everything else as well as their stipend." Mir Ahmad Zabih from Afghanistan, who is pursuing MA in political science from Osmania University says, "I received a stipend of Rs 11,000 after I received the scholarship. I can relate to the culture very well. Many students from my country are here and we share a rented flat in Habsiguda which is easy for our budget." 

Hyderabad is an island of peace for Alsaiqali in contrast to Gaza. He still shivers while narrating the bombardment of Gaza. "Education was out of question. 'Life' was the first priority. When I came to India in 1989, getting a permission to study wasn't easy. I landed here and experienced what peace is. Our cultures are so similar, so I didn't feel out of place here. I eventually got married to an Indian woman here and have children too.However, I am still worried about my family in Gaza Strip and tribe who have to live in fear," he says, adding, "After Pune, Hyderabad is the second most favoured city for us." At present, he is completing his PhD in Microbiology from OU. One can see a huge crowd of students from different nations flocking the University Foreign Relations Office (UFRO), Osmania University. C Venugopal Rao, the director informs, "Students from Iraq and African countries like Sudan face a lot of visa problems. We extend the duration for them so that they can continue their studies. This year, we have received 450 scholarship applications for OU." 

Many such students choose to study Masters and then enroll for a doctorate. Some of them are in their mid or late 30s. Thanks to the volatile political situation in their country, they do not get a chance to study further. 

Ali Hashim Muhammadi from Iraq informs, "This is my only chance to study. Because of the crisis in Iraq, I had to wait for a long time. Most of the instructors and teachers have fled from my country." He sighs, "We hope for the best, but the reality appears to be different."

Hyderabad Times Impact — Child Rights panel takes action after reading Hyderabad Times report

The story of young boys made to beg during Ganesh puja, carried in Hyderabad Times on Sept 5, titled 'The agony of boys painted like toys', has moved the authorities to take action. The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) has called for a meeting with the Police Commisionerate and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to issue guidelines to curb child begging and trafficking in Hyderabad. 

"We are issuing guidelines to the Police Commisionerate and GHMC to come together and curb this menace. A task force will be formed to rescue child beggars from the clutches of their fake parents," said Achutya Rao, member SCPCR. "After we read the story in Hyderabad Times, we saw the need for immediate rescue of children painted in silver near the puja pandals. We have sent squads to different parts of the city to nab these fake parents. No parent, by rule, is allowed to force hisher child into begging. If she does that, she is liable to imprisonment," he said "The children will be taken to hospital and given treatment as the paint applied on them is toxic. The first action has to be taken by the traffic cops," Rao explained. "These beggars keep roaming around traffic islands, so traf fic cops have to swing into action first. If a traffic cop sees a person holding a child and begging or little children begging, he needs to inform the SHO of the nearest law and order Police station. There's a mafia that's working behind it. We need to sensitise public so that they stop supporting the cruel exploitation of children in the name of giving alms."

Agony of Beggar Children Painted Like Toys

Ganesh Puja is a time for festivities, but for some kids near the Khairatabad Puja pandal, it is a cruel trick of fate. 

On a sunny afternoon, near the tall idol of Ganesh at Khairatabad, is a child painted in silver with spectacles and dhoti sitting on a torn blanket. The boy may not be more than eight and could barely speak as passersby threw coins on the cloth on which he was sitting. Around him, is an air of carnival as worshippers push and shove, some gape at him, some don't even give him a second glance and move on. The boy painted in silver varnish is not the only one on the road leading to the Khairatabad idol - there are more waiting at other spots. 

Thirst above all The serpentine queues push and jostle towards the enormous towering idol at the pandal. And quite naturally, after crossing the rail track of Khairatabad, the first thing that catches people's eye is the child in silver paint. These small children, aged between seven and 10, are made to sit for hours in the sun. And in the evening, as the footfalls rise, they even 'perform' for the 'demanding' crowd. 

When we speak, the boy barely manages to mumble, "I sit from 8.30 in the morning till 6 in the evening. The paint tastes bitter when it enters my mouth." 

He is not supposed to move as his job is to sit still and catch the attention of the festival revelers. Some people sit near him, some poke him, touch him, to see if he's real and treat him like a festival toy. 

He does not go to school and comes to the pandal every morning with his grandmother. He says, "My body burns all the time. I get to eat only after it is dark." When we hand him a drink, the thirsty child immediately grabs it and gulps it down till the last drop. Ironically, there are several traffic cops posted there to manage the crowd, but they appear to have more pressing things at hand. When questioned, they shrug and move away. 

An amusement toy? 

A troupe of 15-16 such children is forced into begging and performing when the puja time comes. Reason? More people, more money! The little boy's grandmother in a South Bihar accent says, "We do it once a year. We have to earn our living. We are poor labourers." She confesses that she herself paints the child. "It takes almost an hour. But I wipe the paint off with the pallu of my sari," she adds. 

Malati, a hawker selling cheap plastic flowers, says, "You should see them early in the morning when they come with all their children. Some of them are then sent to Necklace Road and others to Lower Tank Bund." Many such children can be seen begging and performing at different places all the year round. Ratheesh, who is a tea vendor, informs, "The paint that these people procure is mostly from factories. Of course, they are not going to buy dabbawalla paint!" 

Dr Subha Dharamana, a cosmetic dermatologist, warns, "Harmful substances present in such paints can be toxic. There can be mercury, zinc and lead present that can cause severe damage in a small child. The child can even get cancer or tumour if the paint goes inside his body." 

Sudarshan, one of the organisers of the Khairatabad Ganesh Puja Utsav Committee says, "These people come on their own. We have nothing to do with it." There is little hope of the plight getting better. Amal Raja, team member of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) says, "When we get to hear about these children we send our team and rescue them. The persons involved are liable to be punished." 

Anxious Wait for a Word from Kashmir

It has been two days since Hina Kaul heard her brother's voice. As the news of flood spread, her brother Ishfaque Kaul, tried to get in touch with his parents in Kashmir Valley for two days, and then caught a flight to Srinagar armed with medicines, blankets and packed food. Her parents are cut off from civilisation in their Naseem Bagh house, Srinagar. "He was searching frantically for them, but now, there's no contact with him also," Hina, a PG student at Osmania University sobs. Her friends have gathered at her Narayanguda home to comfort her. Hina and her brother came to Hyderabad for studies, and their parents, who stayed back in Srinagar, were happy to see their children their pursuing higher education. 

But Hina's story is not an isolated one. There are many other Kashmiris who are in Hyderabad praying for the safety of their dear ones back home. Samia Farheen has not heard from her brother Mohammed Zahid, who lives in Anantnag. "I have been trying to get in touch desperately. There are some social media groups that are active, and people are trying to help me reach out to my brother through phone." The only relief that she had was about hearing from her friend Huzaifa Pandit who lives in Chaanpura, Srinagar. "All he could say in a few seconds was that he's well and safe, but there is no water to drink. Then the phone went dead," she says teary-eyed, recalling her visits to the banks of serene Jhelum River. "We never thought the river will vent its fury on us like this. The bowl shaped Valley has now become a trap for Kashmiris," she says. 

Samar Banerjee, who lives in Madhapur, had bought a pearl necklace for the bride-to-be of his friend Rahman Malik in Sopore. He was all set to go to Kashmir and enjoy the grand wedding.But now, all his plans have been dashed; he has been able to locate his friend, and some of his relatives, thanks to the hyper-active social media. "I got hold of a Bangalore number. The person in Bangalore connected me to another guy in Delhi and finally, I managed to speak with Rahman, who said he's been rescued along with his mother and sister.They could save nothing from their twostoried house. Everything is destroyed.Because of the chill, his father now has fever, and at present, all they need is water-purifying tablets and medicines," says a worried Samar. "My friend and other people in the area need to be evacuated as Wular Lake is nearby and the Dal Lake is already rising," adds Samar. 

What they need 

We have been inundated with calls after our story -`City reaches out to Kashmir flood victims' - published we did on September 11, 2014. The calls have been from people who want to donate and reach out to people in the Valley. So, here's a list of things you can donate for the flood victims. 

Medicines 

Disinfectants, hand sanitizers, first aid bandages, betadine, syringes, needles, ORS masks, anti-allergic, medicines (for cough, cold, fever, malaria, asthma, skin irritation, pain killers and more) etc. 

Others 

Bleach powder, ropes, rubber boots, undergarments, chlorine tablets, water proof bags, toothpaste, tents, mats, delivery kits, torch, candles with matchboxes, mosquito repellents, old working mobile phones with chargers etc. 

Food 

Ready to eat food items, milk powder, dry food,juice,biscuits etc.Here are the numbers you can call to make contributions: 9866916734 or 7675043509.

Women Commuters Cheer for Segregation in the Buses

Most Hyderabadi to women have an experience or two to share when they commute in city buses. Some carry Swiss knives, some pepper sprays and some use umbrellas to keep pesky men at bay. This sense of insecurity may become a thing of past, if the pilot run of TSRTC succeeds. On the first day of the trial run with the partial partitions installed on a bus plying between Secunderabad and Afzal gunj, women reclaimed their space. The fourth seat from the front has a sheet of fiberglass behind it, the aisle is not blocked. But this demarcation seems to be more than enough as men did not cross the line as they usually do. The women appeared happy with the arrangement on bus no 8A. 

All about mental comfort 

Lavanya, a girl in her 20s was travelling to her office in Afzalgunj and seemed happy that now she can sit comfortably without men crowding the women's area. "I am a regular commuter. A couple of days ago it was over-crowded," she said. Pointing to the crowded men's section she added, "Complete partition may create problems for the conductor to move. But it's a real relief. Some men actually stand so close that you feel uncomfortable and if you ask them to move aside they throw a fit. It's so irritating at times." 

In the offing 

At present, only one bus with partition is plying via route 8A. RTC officials say more number of buses will be introduced with the partition. Aparna Kalyani, an RTC official at Ranigunj shares that because of the long festive season there's slight delay in bringing all the buses on the road. "By October 8, seven more buses will be plying this route. For other routes, talks are going on." 

The bus has seats for handicapped and senior citizens as usual near the main entrance. We spoke to the conductor Surya who also felt different. He shared, "Many times women would call me to complain about certain male passengers who would stand too close to them. Am glad it will not happen now." Saying this, he went over to the male section, asking the standing men not to come inside the women's section. 

Mixed reactions 

But here also there is a difference of opinion. Garima Rao, a student at Koti Women's College, travelling in the bus told us, "It's good to see such initiatives but when the bus gets overcrowded will these people not come to this section? Why can't there be a rule that a certain number of passengers can only board the bus! And if anything of that sort is there why it's not implemented?" Men argued that making women feel uncomfortable by getting closer to their seats is sometimes not their choice. Ahmed Fazal, who boarded the bus from Moazzam Jahi Market said, "What if the bus halts all of a sudden? Do we not kind of fall forward? Does it not happen to women? I agree that some men do it deliberately. Good this partition thing has come up." 

The 30-minute journey from Secunderabad to Afzalgunj came to an end with many women walking away with a smile.

Pakistani Serials Create a Buzz in the City

It's been years since Zarin Aman saw her cousins in Karachi. At the most, she has vague memories of them visiting her at their Chirag Ali Lane home in Hyderabad. 

But now, she gets a glimpse of a life her cousins might be leading on the other side of the border, thanks to Pakistani serials that are being aired on TV , being downloaded and shared on video sites. "The characters in the serial look, act and talk like us," she says.

Zarin is not the only one hooked to Pakistani soaps."Sometime back, when my friends started talking about Fawad Khan and what an eye-candy he was, I watched an episode, just for the heck of it. As I watched it, I found the stories very intriguing. The best part was that the other characters were fleshed out in a much fuller way . I was hooked! The acting was brilliant, and sans the melodrama, the characters looked more believable," says Rashima Sharma, a young bank professional. Now, she either switches on the TV or watches it on her laptop. 

FEISTY WOMEN 

Serials from the other side of the border are different from the episodes churned out in the Indian scenarios.Their shows deal with corporate issues, problems of daily life and have welletched, strong, independent female characters, which evolve as the story progresses. They are not shown in extreme black or white. Characters like Kashaf in Zindagi Gulzar Hai have become darlings amongst many. "I like Sanam Saeed as Kashaf.She is so real and speaks strongly for herself. Her life isn't centred around a man.She has other issues to deal with, like her father's second marriage. On the other hand, the way characters are portrayed in our serials -with so much melodrama -makes me laugh," says Sadaf Mujib, a student. 

Mahira Khan as Khirad in Humsafar is another character that has found admirers.Ruchika Aggarwal, a young IT professional says, "Khirad remains a silent character in the beginning, but as the story progresses, she too evolves. She makes her mark and emerges as a strong character, even though her marriage is on the rocks. I like her individuality ." 

A PEEK INTO ASPIRATIONS 

Mohabbat Subah Ka Sitara Hai, based on Umera Ahmed's Yeh Jo Subah ka Ik Sitara Hai, won hearts with the way its protagonists, Romaisa and Zeeshan, deal with life. "I like the simple plots and how the story evolves without getting too complicated. It's wonderful to see the way the characters are dressed up -no heavy make-up or embroidered Benarasi saris when they get up from bed.The roles stay with you and take you along with the plot," shares Mahek Chaudhry, a 24-year-old college student, who has just finished downloading a couple of episodes. 

"I love the sense of style and the clothes worn by the actresses in Pakistani serials.I am fascinated by the long Pakistani kurtas worn with straight pants and wide dupattas or scarves. They are a break from the regular jeans and T-shirt," she says.ground the next. Another variant of the game was a contest of how far one could through the disc.

Lipstick Revolution

Girls kissed girls. Guys kissed guys. Girls and guys kissed each other.Students at University of Hyderabad were kissing for a cause - the right to express themselves, without the fear of moral police. It was one dramatic Sunday evening, as hundreds of young men and women turned up to kiss in public! On one side, you had representives of various student political outfits shouting slogans against 'Western influence' and 'moral decay'. On the other side, there were cops trying hard to keep the mob under control. But no amount of booing, catcalling or sloganeering by the self-appointed guardians of "Bharatiya Sanskriti" could deter the 'kissers'. And while the angry mob brandished their flags, banners and moral danda, the young protestors had just one weapon to fight the moral police -lipstick! There were lipstick marks everywhere -on their faces, mouths, posters - as they kissed each other in protest. 

The protesters were a microcosm of India -there were students from Delhi, North East India, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Telangana... And a heated debate ensued. 

"Who defines culture and how?" asks Agaja, a 21-year-old MA student, adding, "Who assigned the moral police the 'job' that they are doing?" Shailendra Sahu an M.Tech student and ABVP activist fumed, "How can they kiss like this publicly? If their parents walk in or a senior professor passes by , will they not be ashamed? Will any of these guys allow their sisters to come up in public and kiss other guys in public?" To this, pat came the reply from Bilal Majid, a doctoral student of HCU, "My sister has turned 18, and as an adult, she has every right to go ahead and kiss if she chooses to. As her brother, I respect and support her right of freedom." 

Saying this, Bilal went to apply another coat of lipstick before kissing and hugging fellow students.

Another student, Raman S said, "People can take off their pants and piss in public. But if someone wants to kiss, it is labelled 'obscene'! How? I say , if pissing is allowed in public why not kissing?" "Kissing is not about sex. It can happen between two friends, class mates, relatives, a father can kiss his daughter," said Arundhathi B, a student, as she kissed her classmates. "A kiss is an expression of affection. How come no one protests so strongly against eve teasing and rape?" she fumed, adding, "It is my right to do what I want to do. I am not doing anything obscene by kissing or hugging." 

Talk about using 'kiss and tell' to drive home a point!

The New Scent of Attar

Your dressing table and powder room might flaunt the best of perfumes — Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera 212, Davidoff Coolwater or even Chanel. It's a sign of affluence, a mark of vanity. And ladies don't mind spending a bomb on these scents. But if you thought spending big bucks on perfumes invariably lands you in the 'it' league, you are wrong. For the poorer cousin of perfumes, the age-old attar, is finding favour with ladies who want to go easy on their purses, yet smell like a million bucks. For now, the attar is bottled with the goodness of the best international brands (read: replicated)! You've heard it right — the Moazzam Jahi Market and lanes of Charminar are filled with tiny bottles containing scents with a modern twist that smell almost like the original! And the clincher? Well, they're priced very modestly and are skin friendly. 

Message in a bottle 

In a city like Hyderabad filled with myriad smells, the humble attar is undergoing a reinvention of sorts. Gone are the days of loud smells like jasmine and rose. Now, the same tiny bottles contain fragrances with modern and contemporary smells like lime blossoms, mint, and even musk. The notes are toned down, and when applied, gives off a mild pleasant scent. And that's how city youngsters are re-discovering the attar's new avatars. The attar version of Burberry, 212, Davidoff and Gucci come packed in tiny glass bottles that can fit in your palms and leaves its fragrance for six to eight hours. Sameerah Ajani, head of marketing and communication at a luxury car company swears by the attar version of international perfume brands. "I often get my perfumes from abroad. Once I'd gone to the Old City and chanced upon this tiny bottle of attar that had a mild aquatic smell. I bought it out of curiosity and there it was — a complete knock-off of Davidoff Coolwater! The small label pasted on the bottle said so too. That's when I got hooked to these 'modern' attars. No one will know I'm spending just Rs 150 for a bottle of fragrance," she says. 

Fragrances as cultural choice 

According to legend, Empress Noorjahan was the first lady in India to discover the Rooh-E-Gulaab — the attar made of rose petals. The empress who bathed in water filled with freshly plucked rose petals, once chanced up tiny droplets of oil floating on the water. It was nothing but the essence of rose. And upon her demand, the plant was sourced from central Asia to producer more attar. As history is witness, women are the biggest consumers of perfumes and Indian notes like khas, kewra, rose, jasmime etc., are a big hit with them. And now that the attar is re-inventing itself, the consumer base too has seen an increase. With its all-natural extract, the attar today is preferred by many who want to shun the chemical formulae. 

Manisha Chanda, an executive with an MNC admits to using different types of attar. "I have half of a dozen attars in my make-up kit. They last for a long time. I can carry them in my purse and since I have sensitive skin, these don't cause any allergy as they are made of natural essence. My favourite attar is the replica of the popular perfumes, Poison and 212," she says. 

The merchants of fragrance 

At the Moazzam Jahi market there are rows of attar merchants. Many of them are in this business for three or four generations, and have adopted the changing times. SN Arif Ali, one such merchant near MJ Market clock tower, says, "Three generations of our family has been in this business. Earlier, people used to prefer smells like khas, gulab and jasmine. But now times have changed. Young women are our main customers. They prefer light perfumes. We have our own lab where we match the scent of an international brand with the attar that we are making. It's a long process. We make attars that smell exactly like these perfumes. The only difference is that they are making perfumes and we are bottling attars." 

And these attars come for a price as low as Rs 200 and depending on the concentration of the oil, the price can go up to Rs 500. Amjad Ali another attar merchant from Charminar area informs, "These attars last up to five hours. The ones with high concentration can last even for three days! Some of us make the attars if we have the resources. Otherwise our main supplies come from Kannauj." 

The culture in Telangana dictates every bridal trousseau must have a bottle of attar in it, as it signifies the 'spreading' of happiness. And for the modern Telangana bride, no smell can be more appealing than the age-old attar, bottled with the fragrance of contemporary smells.

[ Published in TOI Hyderabad.]

City's Festivity of Literature

Impression

The fourth edition of Hyderabad Literary Festival made some brows frown and voices heard. Giving a sweet taste to bibliophiles, it left a void that was both un-accommodated and yet accommodated with writers in 'demand'. Cityplus brings you its snapshots.

If books bring you closer to different literatures of the world, then literary fests bring those to you who actually create them. Under the giant umbrella of lit fests 'literally' important and oh-so-serious-discussions brew up on the dais ending with a cup of frothy tea in the open lounge areas - the flavour depending on which side of the globe you are from. From the hip hop Jaipur Lit Fest to the lesser-known Taj Lit Fest, India's presence on literary map is making its stamp.

This year's Hyderabad Literary Festival saw a flock of writers who flew from countries as far as Czechoslovakia, Germany, Scotland and United States to Ireland, which was the guest nation of the lit fest.

Literary Street

At the five venues on Road No. 8, Banjara Hills Ashiana was abuzz with hubbub of literary activities. Amidst the small book stalls set up in the lawn established writers, wannabes, transgender writers, gay poets, Dalit writers to teeny boppers and I-also-read flash mob jostled for space bumping into occasional Oh-I-know-you figures.

Slight pecks, little shrieks, hands trying to balance 'Amish' atop 'The Chomsky Effect' saw discussions on Wilde and Whitman to Ireland and Israel to lambasts on fading Spring Revolution. Other than the jostling jamboree Hyderabad Lit Fest turned out to be heated cubicle for imperialistic English.

The Panel

In the panel discussion 'Literature of Ireland' chaired by Declan Meade, Kashmiri US poet and photographer RafiqKathwari, who is also an honorary citizen of Ireland, called the English speakers in once-British-colonies 'the children of Macaulay', "Our English pronunciations tell how costly our education has been! Eight hundred years before the British colonized India they had practiced Imperialism in Ireland. That's how G. B. Shaw's writings are glorious as well as abusive. Writing should find its way in tradition and still belong to the world of literature." Irish writer Gabriel Rosenstock took over saying, "Apart from Latin and Greek Irish is the oldest language and literature of the world. The heritage we have is very rich."

From the discussions on 'World Englishes' to 'The Magical Journey of Indian Cinema' the topics were as diverse as 'Speaking in Many Voices' by noted writer Githa Hariharan. She launched a book of essays edited by her named 'From India to Palestine: Essays in Solidarity'. She said, "When it comes to Palestine, it is a product of movement against colonization. Palestine is the last bastion of colonization. Within Israel it is doing injustice not only to Palestinians but also to Israelis. There are different strategies of attack over there. If you want to attack religion the target is Jerusalem; commerce the target is Hebron, the commercial centre."

On Translations

Spivak, arguably the most difficult cultural theorist of our times emphasized that translations can be dangerously deceptive. But US poet and translator Bill Wolak's translation of Persian poet Hafez's verses from Persian into English was a breather. Many other Indian language poets like DileepJhaveri conducted poetry readings with fluidity. The lying-low activists were woken up with a jolt by the panel discussion 'Translating a Movement' comprising the strong voices of flaring Telugu Dalit poet Gogu Shyamala and others like Gita Ramaswamy and Purushotham K.

The Mix

Crunched between the readings were workshops, theatre performances, new book releases for those on literary overdose. From the popcorn munching hip students to old lit-lovers in crisp saris the five venues of Hyderabad literary Festival, 2014 saw gossips on emerging writers, South Asian voices, US residency programs to high profile publishing pimps on the three days of the festival that began on January 24th and came to an end on 26th. Academics and literature watch dogs are already speculating what HLF 2015 will bring.

[This article had originally appeared in Jagran CityPlus (Feb 1-7, 2014) Issue.

Lest We Forget

Jagran Cityplus remembers Lance Naik Mohammed Firoz Khan a martyr who sacrificed his life fighting against Pakistani troops at LoC in Jammu & Kashmir October last year.

A soldier, miles away posted at LoC was packing up to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with his family at Hyderabad. There was a smile on his face that he packed in his luggage with the toys for his little children. The luggage did reach his home, but the smile was smothered. Toys were shattered. Lance Naik Mohammad Firoz Khan was killed as Pakistani troops opened fire in Poonch district at Mendhar sub-sector. His last words, “Jai, Hind!” seemed to resonate again and again in the Nawab Sahab Kunta graveyard, old city Hyderabad, where he was buried with full military honours.  

Country roads

The 35 year old soldier, Firoz was a resident of Hyderabad old city, Nawab Sahab Kunta. His father Mohammad Jafar Khan, too, was in Indian Army and wanted his son to serve the country. “Even when we would play in the ground, my brother would always mention his dreams of joining the army. He would be our leader in any game,” reminisces his younger brother Mohammad Alauddin Khan with teary eyes. And a leader indeed he was. He was with 18 Madras Regiment for twelve years serving in the battalion 38 Rashtriya Rifles. His first posting was in Ooty. He was posted at Kargil from 2005-2007. “From the army posts he would call us regularly and talk to each member of the family,” adds Alauddin in a low voice.

His mother Razia Begum fondly touches the memento that her son received while he was sent on UN Mission of Congo from 2010-2011. She gives a crushed smile, “My son has made all of us proud. He would always say that he will make it big one day while serving the army.” Labour Minister Danam Nagender, Mayor Majid Hussain, YSR Congress party president Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, BJP leaders G. Kishan Reddy and Bandaru Dattatreya and other political party leaders had come to pay their respects to the martyred soldier when his body was brought to Hyderabad on October 17, 2013 for the funeral.

The last moments

Firoz had visited his family on Eid-ul-Fitr the last year in August. He had been given leave for Eid-ul-Azha but as soon as he heard of the firings on Indian Army posts in Poonch, where he was posted, he did not care about his leaves and went ahead to join his compatriots saying, “I can celebrate Eid later, but have to teach the enemy a lesson!” He went to the firing spot and fired back gallantly at the Pakistani troops. He was hit by a mortar splinter. Before dying, the last words that he uttered were, “Jai, Hind!” His three children Afsheen aged 5, Ashraf aged 3 and 10 month old Naaz were waiting for him come and celebrate the festival with them. Little did they know that their father was a shaheed now. They looked on innocently as hundreds of people took part in the funeral procession of the martyr and gathered at the graveyard for the burial rites. His wife Nasreen Fatima is still in a state of shock, her hands still bearing very faint traces of henna. 

Highest honour for Firoz

The soldier’s house wears a sad gloomy look with his mementos kept amidst blue paper flowers. Soon they will be humbled to have Param Vir Chakra to be kept on the highest shelf of the showcase in the living room. “We have been informed by Army officials that Firoz bhai will be awarded Param Vir Chakra,” informs his brother Alauddin. The family will go to New Delhi on Independence Day to receive the highest military award for gallantry. Firoz is dead, but his deeds of martyrdom will live for an eternity.

Hyderabad Urban Lab

How well do we know our city? Anant Maringanti, one of the founders of Hyderabad Urban Lab(HUL) speaks to Cityplus to let us know how we can find the answer to that question.

You must have come across chemistry labs, but have you ever heard of an urban lab? Meet Anant Maringanti, one of the founders of Hyderabad Urban Lab (HUL). A lab with the aim to help urbanites understand their own world and bring a change to it. Anant is an economics geographer who, after his stay abroad, came back to his roots, his city and is letting others see it from a different perspective.

Right to know one’s own city

It was in the year 1956 that a French philosopher brought the concept of the right to know one’s own city. United Nations has also been closely involved with it over the years. The fundamental idea is to produce knowledge about the city in a local text and to understand how urbanization is shaping up internal and external lives of urbanites. Anant elaborates, “Cities are topographies that do not belong to a particular person. They are developed over ages undergoing many changes that eventually shape them up. They are entities. We are yet to find out how cities function as entities. Ours is an idea to explore this more.”

Bholakpur, for instance

Much like factories, cities too produce their own waste. And every city has its own places filtering the waste of a city much like kidneys do for a body. For Hyderabad, Bholakpur works as its kidneys. The 150 year old area is known as the leather tannery of the city amidst verdant crop fields. “People came from villages to settle down there and then around it, a city transformed. Now, at Bholakpur people live who deal with the scrap that the city produces – these people actually have made the city livable and clean. Areas like Bholakpur do not feature much in town planning. In 2009 when drinking water was mixed up with sewerage water, the area was labeled as the hub of maladies. Nobody bothered to find out whose fault it was and why it happened. It is an important area that puts commodities back to life post consumption; this is what needs to be recognized when cities are planned,” says Anant. Hyderabad Urban Lab began its research work on Bholakpur the last year to locate Bholakpur and places of the same sort on the global and political economy by giving its people a platform to tell their tales.

Meta Data

The data related to a city is rarely transparent. There is always a mismatch between two government bodies thanks to their own ‘risk and benefit’ factors. The accurate data can help save many a denizen during natural calamities or man-made disasters. Not only this, it will help people understand their city in a much better way. They can connect with one another as and when required. Anant signs off saying, “We are trying to accumulate accurate government public data. This will be very useful in the communication between public and government. We have begun to collect data and data samples from various sources. We teach students GIS and ask them to collect data for us.”