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DPS-Modern Indian School (DPS-MIS) recently organised a virtual award ceremony to honour the toppers of Grade-X and XII (2019-20).  The occasion was virtually graced by Yasir Nainar, vice-president of DPS-MIS, as the chief guest. The ceremony was attended by members of DPS-MIS executive committee, Asna Nafees, principal; vice principals, headmistress, key functionaries, parents and the high achievers. The programme commenced with a prayer by Saumya Murgai, a student of Grade XI. The highlights of Grade X and XII results were presented by Rakhi Mishra, academic co-ordinator Grade XI and XII, and Vijayshree Nair, academic co-ordinator Grade IX and X. DPS-MIS once again achieved 100% pass ratio for both the batches of 2019-2020. Najah Ismail, school topper in Grade XII, also secured the position of the Gulf topper in the science stream with an aggregate of 98.6%. In Grade X, DPS-MIS school toppers grabbed the first three positions in Qatar. Sriram Malarvizhi Kumaran and Sudharsan Podhala Gopikrishna achieved top position in Qatar with 98.2%. Speaking on the occasion, Yasir Nainar praised the high achievers and advised them to remain tenacious, committed and resolute in their future endeavours, carrying forward the legacy of their alma mater. Asna Nafees congratulated the star performers and expressed her pride in receiving the award of ‘excellence in academics’ in the Gulf region on behalf of the students for eight consecutive years. “In 2019-20, the healthy school average between 85-90 percent is a clear indication of the fact that the last student is not left out,” said the principal. She also lauded the efforts of the teachers. Around 235 students from Grade X and XII (2019-2020) were awarded trophies, blue blazers, blue ties, gold and silver medals and merit certificates as a hallmark of  their accomplishment. The programme was aired live on Facebook and was anchored by Priti Ketanbhai Modi, activity co-ordinator Senior Wing.

MES Alumni Association (MESAA) is organising a football tournament – MESF Football Tournament 2020, powered by Spirit Events, for the former students to reconnect and bring back the memories. As many as 16 teams are taking part in the tournament that kicked off on October 22 at the MES ground. It will continue for five weeks with matches played every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Last year, 12 teams took part in the tournament and Zero Gravity FC lifted the trophy. The tournament committee, led by Mahroof al-Haq in 2019, consisted of Muksith Thangal, Abdulla Mohamed, Faheem al-Haq, Niaz Mohamed, Mohamed Nabeel, Sunil K Suresh, Suhail M Sheriff, Abdul Rauf, Waseem Ansar and Ashfaq Nassir. The title sponsors of the tournament are Azym Technologies. The gold sponsors are: Al Muftah RAC, Family Food Centre, Black Olive Restaurant, Speed Line Printing Press & Total. The silver sponsors are: Parker Russell, Berries N More, MP Traders, G-MAX Hypermarket, Al Ansari Transport & Enterprises, Aster Medical Center, Rayyan Water & Talabat. The support sponsors are Roadway Express, Al Raza Photography, Juego Football, Jazp.com and Apple Red Advertising. MESAA was first started in 2006 with like-minded alumni coming together under the aegis of the MES Youth Association (MESYA). MESAA management committee comprises of Ziad Usman, president; Akbar Ali, vice president; Nihad Ali, general secretary; Mahroof Al Haq, joint secretary (sports); Sajid Ettol, joint secretary (events); Narayani S Kumar, joint secretary (corporate relations); Amanat Solanki, joint secretary (marketing); Nermim Ummerkoya, joint secretary (member relations); and other co-ordinators.

Seasonal migration of birds from one region to another is an age-old natural phenomenon. The times have changed but migratory birds still travel without passports and visas. World Migratory Bird Day, observed worldwide recently, is an awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of the migratory birds and their habitats. The day aims to draw attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international co-operation to conserve them. Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), has also marked the day. Qatar in particular pays great attention to preserving the environment and considers this as part of the goals of environment development within its National Vision 2030. The country is also considered an important stop for migratory birds flying thousands of kilometres to find the best conditions to breed and raise their chicks. In addition, Qatar is considered a permanent habitat of around 300 different types of birds.  Simon Tull, a British expatriate in Doha, has long been a birdwatcher and photographer. He is well-known for his keen interest and deep knowledge about the migratory birds in Qatar.  To highlight the phenomenon of birds’ migration in and through Qatar, Gulf Times spoke to the birdwatcher recently. Tull, who is a geologist by profession, said: “I live in Doha with my wife. We just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary this year. We have two sons, both working in London. I have a PhD in geology and work here for an oil company. “My main interests other than birdwatching are landscape photography, cooking, current affairs and politics. I am also a huge cricket fan.” Tull, who started birdwatching as hobby when he was a young boy, gets fascinated by the fact that the birds travel thousands of miles in very few days. “I began birdwatching when I was just 13. I was fortunate that there were a lot of very good birdwatching locations close to where I grew up on the south coast of England. “Many of the species I saw were migratory and I was fascinated by the fact that I was watching birds that might have arrived there from as far away as Siberia, a journey of thousands of kilometres that they were able to complete in just a few days. You never quite know what you will see when you head out on a birdwatching trip. “One day there could be nothing much to see and the next day there could be huge numbers of birds. There is always some excitement and a great sense of anticipation. “In recent years, I have been taking a lot of photographs of the birds that I find. This has added a whole new dimension to my hobby. I love the creative and technical aspects of photography.”  The Brit is very excited about watching birds in Qatar and shared his experience of finding some rare birds here.“Qatar is on a migration route or flyway between Europe, Asia and Africa. Birds migrate through Qatar heading north in the springtime and south in the autumn. “Many different types of birds can be seen at these times. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in Qatar over the years and the vast majority is migratory. “I can highlight a few recent experiences which I have greatly enjoyed. Last month, I was birdwatching on the north coast when I found and photographed a wryneck – a type of woodpecker – and a bird I have only seen three times in all the years I have been birdwatching. “The name of this bird refers to the way in which it twists its neck into all sorts of contortions. “Earlier this summer I was fortunate to find some Caspian plovers, a rare wading bird which is seen only very occasionally in Qatar. Wading birds are my favourite group so this was a very special find for me. I also discovered a yellow-browed warbler this time last year. “This is a tiny bird which breeds in the forests of northern Asia and yet it turned up in a public park in Al Ruwais, illustrating the fact you never quite know what you might find, or where.” For Tull, education and awareness about the migratory birds is essential in keeping them safe and healthy during their long journey.“Migratory birds face all sorts of hazards during their travels. The more that governments can do to create and maintain safe green spaces where the birds can rest and feed the better it will be for them. “Education is important too and governments have a part to play here too. I feel it is crucial that we understand our proper place in the natural world and that we impart this understanding in our children. Migrating birds can turn up in our gardens and parks, on farms, along the coast and so on. Do look out for them but remember that their interests should come first, so please try not to disturb them or harm them.” The birdwatcher recently built a website – qatarbirds.org – which is a good starting point.

As part of Mental Health Day, the Department of Guidance & Counselling at MES Indian School recently organised a webinar on the topic of ‘Importance of Mental Wellbeing’ for students and parents. Dr Bindu Salim, psychologist from HMC, was the guest speaker for the programme. Importance of mental wellbeing, digital addiction and impact of digital addiction, types of addiction (physical, social and psychological), digital detox or digital wellness, manifestations, WHO and APA (American Psychological Association) recommendations and strategies (disconnect to reconnect) were the topics covered during the session.

DPS-Modern Indian School (DPS-MIS) recently observed World Mental Health day with an informative webinar covering overall objectives of raising awareness about mental health issues and mobilising efforts to ingrain the best practices among the students especially during the Covid-19 crisis. The session, conducted by the counselling department of DPS-MIS, was live streamed on Facebook and was attended by the parents and the students. Asna Nafees, DPS-MIS principal, in her address, said the ongoing pandemic crisis had created a situation of uncertainty and anxiety and heightened the need for paying attention to issues of mental and emotional wellbeing. “DPS-MIS prioritises the wellbeing of its students and leaves no stone unturned to provide them a favourable atmosphere for their development.” Saying where there is a will, there is a way, the principal encouraged the attendees to overcome negativity of mind and urged the parents to strengthen the students spiritually and emotionally. Asima Iqbal Bakshi and Melbin Siji, DPS-MIS counsellors, discussed about stress and impact of the current pandemic on the mental health of the students. They shared different techniques and gave practical tips to cope up with stress and to overcome all barriers. They advised the students to follow a routine, have time management, prioritise nutrition, exercise, meditate, practice and promote hygiene, and develop attitude of forgiveness. The programme was compered by Priti Ketanbhai Modi, activity co-ordinator for class-IX to XII, and Chinmayee Pathak, activity co-ordinator for class-VI to VIII.

Seasonal migration of birds from one region to another is an age-old natural phenomenon. The times have changed but migratory birds still travel without passports and visas. World Migratory Bird Day, observed worldwide recently, is an awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of the migratory birds and their habitats. The day aims to draw attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), has also observed the day. Qatar in particular pays great attention to preserving the environment and considers this as part of the goals of environment development within its National Vision 2030. The country is also considered an important stop for migratory birds flying thousands of kilometres to find the best conditions to breed and raise their chicks. In addition, Qatar is considered a permanent habitat of around 300 different types of birds. Simon Tull, a British expatriate in Doha, has long been a birdwatcher and photographer. He is well-known for his keen interest and deep knowledge about the migratory birds in Qatar. To highlight the phenomenon of birds’ migration in and through Qatar, Gulf Times spoke to the birdwatcher recently. Tull, who is a geologist by profession, said: “I live in Doha with my wife. We just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary this year. We have two sons, both working in London. I have a PhD in geology and work here for an oil company. My main interests other than birdwatching are landscape photography, cooking, current affairs and politics. I am also a huge cricket fan.” Tull, who started birdwatching as hobby when he was a young boy, gets fascinated by the fact that the birds travel thousands of miles in very few days. “I began birdwatching when I was just 13. I was fortunate that there were a lot of very good birdwatching locations close to where I grew up on the south coast of England. Many of the species I saw were migratory and I was fascinated by the fact that I was watching birds that might have arrived there from as far away as Siberia, a journey of thousands of kilometers that they were able to complete in just a few days. You never quite know what you will see when you head out on a birdwatching trip. One day there could be nothing much to see and the next day there could be huge numbers of birds. There is always some excitement and a great sense of anticipation. In recent years, I have been taking a lot of photographs of the birds that I find. This has added a whole new dimension to my hobby. I love the creative and technical aspects of photography.” The Brit is very excited about watching birds in Qatar and shared his experience of finding some rare birds here. “Qatar is on a migration route or flyway between Europe, Asia and Africa. Birds migrate through Qatar heading north in the springtime and south in the autumn. Many different types of birds can be seen at these times. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in Qatar over the years and the vast majority is migratory. “I can highlight a few recent experiences which I have greatly enjoyed. Last month, I was birdwatching on the north coast when I found and photographed a wryneck – a type of woodpecker – and a bird I have only seen three times in all the years I have been birdwatching. The name of this bird refers to the way in which it twists its neck into all sorts of contortions. Earlier this summer I was fortunate to find some Caspian plovers, a rare wading bird which is seen only very occasionally in Qatar. Wading birds are my favourite group so this was a very special find for me. I also discovered a yellow-browed warbler this time last year. This is a tiny bird which breeds in the forests of northern Asia and yet it turned up in a public park in Al Ruwais, illustrating the fact you never quite know what you might find, or where.” For Tull, education and awareness about the migratory birds is essential in keeping them safe and healthy during their long journey. “Migratory birds face all sorts of hazards during their travels. The more that governments can do to create and maintain safe green spaces where the birds can rest and feed the better it will be for them. Education is important too and governments have a part to play here too. I feel it is crucial that we understand our proper place in the natural world and that we impart this understanding in our children. Migrating birds can turn up in our gardens and parks, on farms, along the coast and so on. Do look out for them but remember that their interests should come first, so please try not to disturb them or harm them.” The birdwatcher recently built a website – qatarbirds.org – which is a good starting point.

Several Indian community members remembered the late Qatar-based Indian businessman and philanthropist, C K Menon, as they recently marked his first death anniversary. Menon passed away on October 1, 2019. Menon was one of the most prominent Indian businessmen in Qatar with several business initiatives in Qatar, GCC and beyond. He was awarded one of the highest Indian civilian awards – Padma Shri – in 2009 as well as Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2006, the highest award for non-resident Indians, besides dozens of awards from other entities. He also received the Qatar National Award from Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue in 2012 for his humanitarian work. Recollecting his close association with Menon, Girishkumar, former president of Indian Cultural Centre, described him as an “emperor of mercy” and a “leader of humanity, in several fields. “Affectionately called as Menon Sir, C K Menon was an emperor of mercy and is cherished in the hearts and minds of thousands. He overcame all odds in his life to emerge as one of the leading businessmen in the Middle East.  A deeply spiritual man, he humbly dedicated all his achievements to God. He firmly attributed his success to untiring hard work, high degree of honesty and deep dedication,” said Girishkumar. According to Girishkumar, Menon was well known for his philanthropic activities and the scale of his charity activities is unmatchable, cutting across all sections of people.  “C K Menon was a beacon of humanitarian activities, a saviour who till his last breath served humanity. His philanthropic activities in the Middle East and India helped the most deserved segments of the society in a big way. He devoted his life in the service of humanity and stayed closely with people while rising above caste, colour or creed. This is the reason C K Menon is greatly adored and respected by the people,” highlighted Girishkumar. Girishkumar also recounted a personal experience with Menon where he had taken a very generous approach to save the lives of four Indian nationals from a GCC country.  “I was also involved in the whole process. He was willing to pay huge amount of money to save these low-income workers though he did not even know any of them personally. He used to say ‘there is a need for inculcating charity as a culture. Businesses are making money because of the common people and every business person must give back to society a certain proportion of their earnings.’” Meanwhile, John Gilbert, global member of Overseas Indian Cultural Congress of which Menon was the patron for a long time, said that he had lost a guide and mentor and the memories of their association are still very vivid. “His death was a great shock and a huge loss for me personally and for the community. I have had decades of association with him and he was closely associated with many of our activities. He not only inspired us to work for the community and uplifting of the poor but led from the front to assist the needy and the weaker sections of the society,” said Gilbert. According to Gilbert, Menon will eternally be remembered for his humanitarian deeds. “Though a very successful businessman, Menon was a very humble human being with special focus on helping the needy. Irrespective of his political ideologies and beliefs he was always at the forefront of helping out needy people.” Gilbert, who has penned a poem in memory of the late philanthropist, said that Menon also was the true face of secularism.  “Irrespective of his own religious beliefs, which he practised very firmly, he always stood for the entire humanity. Whenever, there was a need for any particular religious group back in his native state, he was always supportive of their genuine causes.

For the first time, the world marked ‘International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste’ (IDAFLW) on September 29 this year.  The day highlights the need to have food security and to reduce food wastage. This cannot come at a better time than during the Covid-19 pandemic. The economic wizards around the globe have been making hue and cry about the lasting impact of the pandemic including the looming increase in poverty and hunger. More and more people will be facing scarcity of food and one way to tackle the issue is by reducing food waste. Reducing food loss and waste, can bring benefits to society as a whole and can result in: increased food availability to the most vulnerable; a reduction in greenhouse gas missions; reduced pressure on land and water resources; and increased productivity and economic growth. There are however people who have already committed to the cause in Qatar, by collecting extra food and distributing it among the less privileged. Wa’hab Food Heroes can be the best example of taking care of the extra food and raising awareness about food loss. The initiative was started by Wardha Mamukoya, an Indian expatriate and mother of three, in 2017. She along with her family moved to Qatar in 2015 after her husband – Shahid Abdusalam – got a job with Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. An electronics and communication engineer by qualification, Wardha’s passion lies in sustainable energy, circular economy and social entrepreneurship. She got the idea of starting Wa’hab after she witnessed food waste during a party.  “There were instances where we had surplus food after a party and were unsure of what to do with it. I would recall the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) which states: ‘He is not a believer, who eats to his fill while his neighbour is hungry’ and wondered how surplus food could be put to a better use.” The food volunteer started thinking of a way to manage extra food and share it with those who need it. “Wa’hab was founded in 2017 to connect the two ends, with an aim to save food and money and contribute to better the circumstances of the people in need and their families in their home countries, which is the primary reason they are here for. By involving the community in the form of volunteers – food heroes – to collect and redistribute surplus food, we expect to help bridge gaps and foster better relationships. Wa’hab in Arabic is derived from one of Allah’s attributed name ‘Al Wahhab’, and it means to do a good deed without expecting anything in return.” The food hero along with her volunteers raises awareness regarding food wastage and how to reduce it. She has some wonderful future plans as well. “The volunteers help in collecting and redistributing the surplus food to the beneficiaries and most importantly, they help put a smile on their faces. We have some great projects in the pipeline like our surplus food sharing app which we are hoping to launch in January 2021 and many innovative ideas to reduce food wastage and reuse the surplus food through which we hope to widen our impact in society.” She added: “By composting unusable food like vegetable peels, coffee grinds and plate scrapings, we add essential nutrients back into the soil, thereby replenishing the soil. It is also known to help sandy soil retain water and nutrients which is a key to grow the next generation of crops, and ties in directly with Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Wa’hab aims to make composting easy and accessible to all by providing an array of composting solutions: ranging from machines intended for large scale commercial institutions to small compost bins for urban homes.” When asked what she thinks makes her work worthwhile, Wardha said: “One moment that stands out is a conversation we had with the manager of a food bank that we have been working with for the last few years. He had then just returned from a charity trip to Somalia, after a severe famine there. He told us that he met with some local tribesmen there, and what they told him also choked us. They told him: “We were once affluent people, having enough to eat and we used to throw away plenty of our surplus food, with no second thoughts. Today, our situation has reversed, where our people would even fight for the scraps of leftover food”. Speaking about the IDAFLW, the food hero said: “Qatar-based sustainability advocacy group EcoMENA estimates that half of the waste sitting in Qatar’s landfills is made up of organic items including leftover food. In addition to this, food waste rots and releases potent greenhouse gases that are responsible for rise in temperatures and contribute to global warming. “According to researchers, food waste is the single greatest solution to reverse climate change, way ahead of a global plant-based diet, electric cars, regenerative agriculture or even utility-scale solar panels. So we need to ask ourselves, why isn’t food waste a cause of alarm? Why aren’t we doing more to reduce, reuse and recycle food waste, in that order?” She added: “It is high time that we have a fundamental shift in our food norms and this requires changing our attitudes towards food. Sustainability is not just about the bigger changes in society, it’s just as much about the small choices we make in our everyday lives – choosing to redistribute that surplus meal after an event can go a long way to reduce food waste and warm the hearts of those who receive it.”

The inauguration ceremony of Pak Shamaa kindergarten (KG), a new branch of Pak Shamaa School (PSS) was recently held at Al Mashaf area branch of the school. MA Shahid, PSS president; Nabila Kaukab, PSS principal; co-ordinators and head of wings from all branches were present on the occasion.  The ribbon was cut by MA Shahid. PSS always puts best efforts to facilitate students in accessing quality education. For this purpose, the school opened its fourth branch that has started functioning from September 2020. This means more than 150 students will have access to an early childhood education which will set the foundation for the  life long process of learning, by equipping the children with  basic literacy and social skills. The school was designed using an inclusive approach so that the students can engage not only in curricular activities but also co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.  For this purpose, the school has a playground where children can engage in physical activities, equipped with latest technologies such as smart boards, projectors etc to enhance student’s learning and to encourage them in the learning process. The aim of PSS is to contribute to Qatar’s efforts to achieve access to education for every child, so that every person is able to achieve his or her full potential.  The school management believes that early childhood education is the base on which future success is built, so they are happy to be part of any action that supports improved access to education.

Art is a never-ending reel of ideas and thoughts. Everyone is an artist in his or her own way. Only the courageous express their imaginative self and ideas for the world to view. Sarfan Nazar is a Sri Lankan expatriate and artist in Qatar. Hailing from a village, he has always enjoyed intimacy with nature and its beauty. The nature and motivation from his parents have helped him pursue his love for art besides his regular job.  “I hail from a village called Irakkamam. It is a sprawling green haven, lush with trees and a beautiful lake. My proximity to nature in its true essence is among the prime reasons that explain my penchant towards art,” said Sarfan in a recent interview with Gulf Times. Born and brought up in a middle class family, Sarfan realised very soon that he could not pursue art as his career.  “I always felt that taking art as a career full-time was not viable and that it had no future. Hence, I took up engineering and design with the intent of getting a good job to support my family. I am now working as a landscape designer for a reputed company in Qatar. I never regret taking this decision as I enjoy my job, because it helps me hone my creative skills.” The artist is a nature-lover and grew up appreciating it in its various forms.  “Be it the flora and fauna around or the sheer brilliance of a sunrise, I am always entranced by the beauty of nature and its offerings. So much so that I sometimes just stand awestruck and wonder how beautiful the world around us is. At the age of five, I started using my imagination and tried replicating my thoughts on paper. And my love for art only grew from there.” Sarfan usually uses oil paints with special focus on realism. All his artworks are oil on canvas. “Before final piece execution, I do my initial sketches and comparisons. I take my artwork from various stages. I also work with charcoal on paper to produce life-like detailed sketches. During my teenage, I was inspired by the renowned Sri Lankan artist Solies Mendis and was greatly inspired by his usage of colours which was unique only to him. Later in life, I was intrigued by the works of Leonardo Da Vinci. His work made me understand realism in detail. I am also an ardent follower of Salvador Dali. His level of creativity and surrealist masterpieces amazes me every time I see it.” The artist has been part of various exhibitions in Sri Lanka and Qatar.  “I have attended exhibitions in Fire Station, Katara and other major venues. I find these venues as a source of inspiration and I also take it as an opportunity to network with fellow artists. “I have been a part of more than 40 competitions back home with a couple of them on the national level. I have won several accolades. I take pride in mentioning that I was recognised by the Sri Lankan government to be one of the ‘Young National Artist’ of Sri Lanka in 2017.”  For the young artist, art is a journey of a million years. It evolves and breathes continuously.  “I believe it to be a never-ending reel of ideas and thoughts. I believe everyone is an artist in his/her own way. Only the courageous express their imaginative self and ideas for the world to view. You give anybody a blank sheet of paper to express themselves and every person can do wonders. All it takes is courage.” Sarfan finds the pandemic lockdown time to be a positive healing for his soul.  “First of all, my heart goes out to all those who have been fighting day and night to get the world rid of this pandemic. Their efforts are commendable and will not go unnoticed. The lockdown seems to have proven frustrating to a lot of people because they feel they have been forced into confinement. On the contrary, I find this time to be a positive healing to my soul. I have had much more time to reflect on my ideas and present them better. That’s what an artist needs in my opinion. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the daily life behind, and being closer to what you want to present effectively.” The artist believes Qatar is doing an excellent job to promote local residents and foreigners in many aspects.  “There are a lot more venues and options for senior artists and upcoming artists. There are lots of places to showcase your artwork and boost a new artistic career. The Qatar scene has developed significantly in the past few years. Opening of Qatar National Museum and various private art platforms combine together to give many options for young talent to come up.”

Utkalika, an association of Indian Odia expatriates, is affiliated with Indian Cultural Centre under the aegis of embassy of India, Qatar.  As a vibrant and active community of 200 registered families, Utkalika continues to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Odisha in Qatar. Utkalika community members like Susmita Pattnaik and Debasish Sahu are associated with toastmasters in Qatar and they spearheaded the idea of forming a new club for the Odia community in Qatar along with Bidya Bhushan Mohanty, Utkalika president.  The idea was supported by Thayalan K, District director; Rajesh V C, District club growth director; and Anil Nair, Division F director.  With the support of the Utkalika management committee members namely; Kajal Biswal, Santosh Dora, Nihar Mohanty and Bibhu Acharya, the required membership for registration was accomplished and Utkalika Toastmasters Club was chartered on August 15, 2020.  The founders of the club chose the date as India got its freedom on the same day in 1947, and hence, they believe that the club will become a symbol of freedom from fear of public speaking. The first meeting of the club was held recently. During the meeting, Mahroof al-Haq, Area 24 director, inducted the founder members and installed Anshuman Mohapatra as president, Abinash Acharya as vice president - education, Sagarika Pati as VP-membership, Ipsita Satpathy as VP-PR, Jayanigam Ray as secretary, Sangita Dash as treasurer and Sidhartha Das as the sergeant at arms. The club has an equal representation of male and female representatives. Debasish Sahu and Bidya Bhushan Mohanty have been appointed as club sponsors. Rajakumari Shivakumar and Shiban Khan will serve as club mentors. Abmak Toastmasters Club and Qatar Toastmasters Club are the sponsoring clubs.

The Heartfulness Team of Qatar participated in the ‘Millions Meditate for Peace,’ a global event that was conducted recently by Heartfulness Institute on the occasion of International Day of Peace that falls each year on September 21. The virtual celebration was held across 25 time zones in 25 languages and brought together millions to meditate for the world peace. The event was attended by Kamlesh Patel, renowned peace ambassador also known as Daaji, and eminent voices of peace from across the world including: Dr Deepak Chopra, BK Shivani, Bruce H Lipton, Amandine Roche, and Sharon Salzberg. In Qatar, the event was graced by corporate leaders, local community leaders from Indian Cultural Centre and Indian Community Benevolent Fund, who also spoke on the occasion. Heartfulness offers a simple and scientific method of relaxation and meditation that can be practised even while commuting. The free meditation techniques help the aspirant bust stress and find inner peace by meditating. Inner peace contributes to world peace, believes Heartfulness. People lead hectic lives, overloading their brain with information all the time. And most of the time, they are surrounded by people and occupied in work, making it impossible for them to sit and find solace within themselves. In 2020, more than ever, people are reminded of their interdependence, common destiny, and the need for global co-operation, especially in the light of major recent challenges. There are still ways to fit meditation into one’s busy schedule, harness the thoughts and find those blissful moments of stillness. One has to keep his or her eyes closed while doing the meditation. People say that once they close their eyes, their mind is flooded with thoughts. Heartfulness teaches how to let thoughts drop off by themselves and regain calmness and stillness. An hour of heartfulness meditation a day can work wonders on one’s body and mind. As a beginner, one may be able to do it for ten to 15 minutes only. That is good enough to start with. One can slowly build it up. Rejuvenation is another unique technique offered by Heartfulness. It helps one to remove the complexities and impurities of mind and one can remove all the unpleasant or disturbing experiences, he or she had during the day and refresh himself. Over 4mn people across 160 countries practice this meditation and it can be learnt in the comfort of one’s home. Training is free of charge and conducted by trained professionals from the Heartfulness Institute.

International organisations have long been pointing out the issue of world’s oceans getting polluted.  The current condition of the ocean pollution is often called an emergency situation. In Qatar, there are different volunteer and community groups that, either independently or in collaboration with the government departments, have been carrying out beach cleanups and awareness campaigns. The world recently observed World Beach Cleanup Day and different activities were held in Qatar to raise awareness and to volunteer for the cleanup drivers. BigBmeetup, a community activity group formed and led by Bosco Menezes, recently organised an online awareness event highlighting significance of overall environment, clean beaches and sustainable eco-friendly lifestyle. There were three speakers, specialising in their areas, who shed light in detail on the issues of beach cleanups, awareness drives, volunteering for cleanups and Qatar’s vision towards sustainable environment. The speakers were namely: Abdulrahman al-Muftah, sustainability specialist with Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy; Shireen Obeidat, events and marketing specialist with Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC); and Jose Saucedo, director of Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP) – beach cleanup volunteers group. Bosco opened up the online discussion that included questions from the audience as well. He said that he along with different experts have regularly been organising online events since the Covid-19 broke out to raise awareness among the people regarding different issues. “We all must pay attention to climate change and make a change in our actions and thinking towards a sustainable environment both at home and at work. I was delighted to have the expert speakers,” said Bosco.  Shireen laid stress on how QGBC started Qatar Sustainability Week five years ago and how successful it has been. She also spoke about programmes of eco-schools and eco-ambassadors. “It was a pleasure to join the event to highlight the efforts of several organisations in advancing the green movement in Qatar. QGBC is proud to kick start the fifth edition of Qatar Sustainability Week that will be held from October 31 to November 7, 2020. We would like people to come together to create a movement for change.” She added: “Individuals and corporates can match power and passion with action to make a difference. Individuals and corporates are urged to register their pledge to make changes in their offices and lifestyle for health, well-being, economy, future, and the planet we live on.” In his talk, Abdulrahman highlighted the strategy of Supreme Committee for Legacy and Delivery dealing with different aspects related to 200 FIFA World Cup with focus on environmental issues. “Environmental pillar of the strategy is covering five different areas before, during and after the World Cup. It covers sustainable buildings, air quality, greenhouse gases emission, water reuse, and waste management.” He further said: “It was a pleasure joining the BigBmeetup in the cleanup and sustainability session on World Beach Cleanup Day to talk about sustainability and waste management in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the efforts that the Supreme Committee had been carrying out to implement them during the tournament time. We hope that this will bring forth positive change and raise awareness to the issues that were brought up.” Jose lauded the insight of the panellists of the event and for their efforts to help advance the green movement in Qatar. “Plastic pollution is a big problem. The whole world is trying to figure out how to fix it and it is not an exception to Qatar.” He further said: “All sectors of society need to do their part so we can win this battle. DEAP is a volunteering organisation, leading the fight against plastic pollution and the beach cleanup movement in Qatar. Formed three years ago, DEAP has so far mobilised over 10, 000 volunteers in 176 organised cleanups and have removed over 108 tonnes of trash from beaches, the sand dunes and the heritage sites in Qatar. We all have a moral responsibility to make the world a better place for our future generations.”

The Indian Women’s Association (IWA) Qatar recently conducted, ‘Art Therapy Journaling’ session for members.  The members also welcomed the new IWA patron, Dr Alpna Mittal, who graced the occasion. Nirmala Shanmuga Pandian, who is an educator, artist and entrepreneur, conducted the session. She taught the ancient Mandala art, the effect of Modpodge and encouraged creative writing and journaling in paintings. All the members enjoyed the session as these programmes amid Covid-19 proved real stress busters.

Talksopedia, a weekly online talk series hosted by Nisha Shivram – transformational coach and speaker – is becoming popular.  The talk series was started with an objective to inspire its audience with the stories of the guest speakers. It also focuses on imparting knowledge on various topics to make lives better especially in these challenging times. Talksopedia has turned out to be a successful show with an array of impressive speakers from different parts of the world. The show was started on June 1, 2020 with an 11-year-old RJ – Aashna Takhtani – who enthralled the audience with her remarkable session, ‘Knowledge is NOT Power.’ Talksopedia which is an initiative by an educational events company, Speaknshine, founded by Nisha Shivram, has finished 14 sessions. Some of the eminent speakers who appeared on Talksopedia were: Helen Tucker, award-winning business owner and career expert; Alexander Thomas, money management expert; Mala Malhotra, laughing therapist; RJ Kabir from Radio Olive 106.3 FM; Pinky Bahroos, motivational speaker from India; Sadika Kebbi, John Maxwell certified coach from Lebanon; Durga Mavuru, educationist; Abhay Potnis, IT expert; Paddy Kennedy, voice and leadership coach from Canada; Edward Hearn, 2006 world champion of public speaking; Ruqya Khan, NLP master practitioner and ICF certified coach; Sujit Sukumaran, Tedx speaker and handwriting analyst; and Brigadier LC Pattnaik, chairman of Odisha Public Service Commission. The cynosure of the talk series was a teacher from Kolkata in India, who lost physical mobility below his shoulders at the age of  nine. He mesmerised the listeners with his positivity that helped him live in lockdown for the last 40 years. “There is no registration fee for the participants and the speakers too agree to come without charging a single penny. That itself proves that people wish to share their stories to empower others and I am glad Talksopedia is providing them the platform. Talksopedia will keep on bringing in many such extraordinary people to make a difference,” said Shivram. The talk show entered its 16th session yesterday with Ashish Gahlawat,  a certified yoga examiner, who was associated with the Indian embassy in Qatar as yoga trainer.

Despite all the trepidation caused by global events, the International School of London (ISL) Qatar’s Class of 2020 showed resilience in pursuing and continuing their learning while transitioning to virtual school.  ISL Qatar has an outstanding reputation for high academic standards, prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes and an impressive record of admissions to the best universities worldwide. This is evident in the IB Diploma results where its students achieved a 96% pass rate which is higher than the world average. The students, who come from 30 countries, received many bilingual diplomas and a continued increase in our school average, which is now firmly well above the world average. Over 60% of the students, achieved 30 points with two students gaining 40 points. Following these outstanding results, all ISL Qatar students have secured places at their first or second choice university. The students will be representing ISL Qatar in various universities and colleges around the world. In Europe, they gained successful admissions at The University of Westminster, The University of Surrey, York St John University, University of Amsterdam, Semmelweis University, University of the Arts London, University of Liverpool, University of Aberdeen, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Nottingham University, Rotterdam University, University of Sheffield, University of Twente, University of Bristol, Trinity College Dublin, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and Nottingham Trent University. Some of its alumni will fly to the Americas to join Memorial University of Newfoundland, DePaul University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of British Columbia, Hult International Business School, L3harris Commercial Aviation Academy, Lynn University, University of Toronto and University of Oklahoma. Others will be part of the Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar, Georgetown University in Qatar, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, University of Sydney and University of Cape Town communities. Their chosen courses include aerospace engineering, architecture, art and design, biomedical science, computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, film production, game design, geology, history and international relations, international business, law, marine biology, mechanical engineering, medicine, music and drama, and politics and economics. The challenging IB Diploma Programme (DP), which focuses not only on academic success, but prepares students to be well-rounded individuals, is highly regarded by top universities worldwide. DP students apply to more than 3,300 higher education institutions each year, in close to 90 countries. The most popular of these institutions are ranked among the top universities in the world.

Moti Marzbani, renowned motivational speaker, enthralled attendees of the second edition of the ICC Advanced Toastmasters Club’s series ‘Ignite Possibilities’ recently.  Marzbani, an entrepreneur and chartered accountant, is managing her own management consulting business Marzbani & Company for 32 years from Toronto, Canada. She spoke on the topic ‘The Sunny Side’ of the life amidst challenges and critical situations during the session. A certified professional in risk and information systems control, fraud examiner and hypnotherapist, Marzbani was able to inspire the audience with her personal anecdotes as well as prolific citations from various authors as she listed the ways people can stay positive while facing any situation in life. The session was appreciated by the attendees during the Q&A session. Christopher Almeida, president of the club, proposed a vote of thanks on behalf of everyone at the end of the session. Under the patronage of ICC Advanced Toastmasters Club, ‘Ignite Possibilities’ series was successfully kicked off on August 1, 2020.  Renowned speakers from around the world are invited to share their experiences, motivations, lessons learnt and tips to unearth the potentials of the attendees during the sessions that are held online. ICC Advanced Toastmasters Club boasts of the maximum number of distinguished toastmasters (18) in the region, and endeavours to get internationally acclaimed speakers every month for the meetings held on the first Saturday of every month. The series is a brain child of M I Farid, a retired administrative director from KEMCO Group an ardent toastmaster for past 17 years. Farid is passionate about cricket, educational and social activities, and pioneer of ‘Qatar Talks’ – the most prestigious platform for aspiring public speakers. He was keen to make the most of online meetings and decided to tap the possibilities in the neighbourhood and share the nuggets of wisdom from the motivational speakers all over the world. Farid was assisted by some of his fellow members who helped him in shaping up his dream.  The team lead by him includes: Thayalan Kailayapillai, District Director 116; Philip Cherian, immediate past president of ICC Advanced Toastmasters Club; Christopher Almeida, President ICC Advanced Toastmasters Club; Alar Mel Mangai, vice president Education; and Nalini Mathur; treasurer.

Aspiring journalists, app developers, creative storytellers and film directors are among the more than 130 new students enrolled in Northwestern Qatar’s freshmen class.  The Class of 2024, the largest to date, includes students from 32 countries, bringing the total number of nationalities represented by the school’s student body to nearly 60.  This year’s class includes students from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Uzbekistan, Hungary, Colombia, Ireland, Ghana and Somalia.  Regardless of where they come from, the students have their own unique story about why they joined Northwestern Qatar and their aspirations for what they want to accomplish range from advocating for societal change to uncovering the truth through journalism, a press statement notes.  Hoping to make changes in society is what motivates Archie B Rogers who graduated at the top of his class and was a Lift-Liberia scholar – a support programme for future leaders in Liberia. Rogers explains that while his mother was committed to making sure that her children received the best possible education, he saw that many of his peers were not as lucky.  “I was born and raised in Liberia, which happens to be one of the poorest countries in Africa … many of my peers did not complete their education, only because their single parents couldn’t afford it.” Northwestern Qatar’s courses in digital media studies and the Media Innovation Lab were especially appealing to Khalifa al-Kuwari, a Qatari national who has already developed a mobile game, ‘Jumbo,’ which debuted during the 2019 Ajyal Film Festival’s Geekdom.  “NU-Q provides the fundamental tools and support to expand upon a student’s interests in a very professional and comfortable academic environment, giving students the ability and knowledge to create powerful and meaningful stories in many shapes and forms,” he said.  “In the future, I hope to continue improving and expanding upon my game development skills and combining it with my storytelling skills to create more immersive and detailed worlds in future projects for players to explore and experience.” A Filipino national who grew up in Qatar, Andre Visperas was enrolled in Northwestern Qatar’s Summer Media Programme when he decided to join the school.  “I just saw that there is this hub of creativity that I felt like I was a part of already even though I was just recently accepted and trying it out,” he said.  Excited to learn about storytelling through film and media, Visperas plans to combine his interests in producing, writing and acting.  “I hope to lead and direct NU-Q’s first musical production. I’m very much into musical theatre,” he said, “so hopefully, during my time as a student, I will get the chance to direct a musical.” Inspired by the work produced by students and alumni of Northwestern Qatar, Hania Shoeb, who is originally from Pakistan, hopes to become an investigative journalist.  “Topics like climate change and racism are causes that are close to my heart and I deeply care about them and I strongly believe that with journalism I can bring attention toward them and help these causes with the right channels,” she said.  For Shoeb, the Northwestern community has been everything she expected and more – “surrounded by intellectual people with similar goals, as well as like-minded students. It’s definitely a proud identity for you, when you’re named a Wildcat it’s something to be proud of.”

CNA-Q Toastmasters Club held its 23rd meeting recently. It was hosted by Addalin Rajan, the Toastmaster of the Day, with the theme – ‘One Simple Idea Can’. Addalin spoke of how the craziest ideas can be successfully executed if enough thought is given. The Toastmaster of the Day was supported by Tuba Mustafa, Ahamed Yaseen, Mohsina Ali, and Hazil Mohamed. The meeting featured prepared speeches by Mahnoor Shahid and Saud Duwaisan. Ameen Abdullah, the Table Topic Master, came up with creative topics to test the member’s ability to articulate their thoughts. The final segment of the meeting was general evaluation where evaluators namely; Zainab and Sidi El Youssy presented the evaluations. The role players gave their reports, and Shana Abdurahiman, vice president Education, provided feedback on the overall conduct of the meeting. CNA-Q Toastmasters is the student exclusive toastmasters’ club at the College of North Atlantic – Qatar (CNA-Q). The club chartered in December last year, and within five months, achieved the distinguished club status. Apart from that, the club has also produced a lot of leaders and excellent communicators who have been taking part in various events organised by toastmasters as well as holding positions in various Division and Area executive committees. Mahnoor Shahid, President of the Club, says, “We are very proud to provide a safe space for students to practice their leadership, public speaking, and communication skills. It’s extremely rewarding to watch students tackle these skills, and slowly gain confidence throughout their toastmasters’ journey. The skills learned from this club aid both in our personal and professional lives. From making new friends, excelling in interviews, acing presentations to mastering public speaking and communication, our club is proud to offer it all to our students.” Shana said: “I have been an on-off member with toastmasters since 2015. I am incredibly happy that I re-instated my membership when I joined CNA-Q. This time, I am staying. I believe I can help my fellow members with their personal development in the areas of communication, public speaking and leadership while developing myself. We grow together and when we graduate we are equipped with some of the skills that are required at work. The only challenge right now is the online club meetings as it is very difficult to get people to join in on the fun.” Currently, 22-member strong, the club has been meeting online ever since schools and colleges shut down in the beginning of March 2020 due to the pandemic. “We still continue to meet even if only 10 members can make it. We only have meetings twice a month, so we look forward to it as we get to meet each other. It helps us feel connected,” she added. The club executive committee also includes; Hazil Mohamed, vice president Membership; Ahamed Yaseen Salim, vice president Public Relations; Zainab Malol, secretary; Abdelrahmane Belhadj, treasurer; Tuba Mustafa, Sergeant-at-Arms.

Qatar District 116 of Toastmasters International was recently declared the No.1 District in the world for the year 2019-2020. District 116 also won the honour of becoming a Smedley Distinguished District. This was announced by Deepak Menon, president of Toastmasters International, during the international convention held online last month. The convention was telecasted all over the world. The event was originally planned to be held in Paris, France but had to be moved online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the second year in a row that Qatar District 116 became the World No1 and Smedley Distinguished District. On behalf of all the clubs and toastmasters of Qatar, the award was accepted virtually by trio of Raghavan Menon, District director;  K Thayalan, District programme quality director; and Manzoor Moideen, District club growth director. On receiving the coveted award, Raghavan Menon said: “We had a dream of making Qatar District 116, No.1 in the World. With the teamwork of all the members and clubs, we believed that we can make it but in March when the pandemic struck, members were a little confused because we stopped all in-person meetings and moved to the online platform.  With the support of members and the committed District team, we achieved our dream. It is the result of the meticulous planning and hard work of the entire team of leaders of District 116. Timely advice of Rajeswar Sundaresan, immediate past District director, was one of the major factors for our success. I always believed in the mantra: dream it, believe it, and achieve it.” In Qatar, Toastmasters has been part of the social fabric for 23 years. The first club, Doha Toastmasters, was chartered in January 1997. This was followed by Qatar Toastmasters Club in November the same year. Currently, there are 87 clubs in Qatar. More than 2,000 members from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds utilise the friendly platform of Toastmasters to enhance communication and leadership skills.  Toastmaster clubs within Qatar operate in multiple languages: Arabic, English, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Oriya and Marathi. Arabic clubs in Qatar are Tamim Toastmasters, Hamad Toastmasters, Maharat Toastmasters and Asdiqa’a Toastmasters.  Toastmasters clubs can be found in universities and schools including Qatar Foundation, Qatar University, College of the North Atlantic-Qatar, Shantiniketan School, Bhavans Public School, Birla Public School and Pearl International School. Clubs have been formed within the public and private business sector, such as Ooredoo, Qatar Airways, Qatargas, Qafco, Aspire Zone, Commercial Bank, Doha Bank, Galfar Al Misnad, Voltas, Larson & Toubro, Landmark Group, Abmak, McDermott, Jaidah Group, KPMG, KEF, EF, SLQS, KBPN, IIEE-SQC, PSME, PQASS, Mirqab Minds, Parsons, Care n Cure and Allwell.  There are many community or open clubs where admission is open to all. Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organisation that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. The activities of Toastmasters perfectly align with the key pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030. The communication and leadership training provided to members promotes human development and the multi-cultural environment within the clubs enhances social development by promoting a spirit of tolerance and openness.  Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, the membership of Toastmasters International exceeds 364,000 in more than 16,200 clubs in 145 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. The Toastmasters’ mission is to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Toastmasters’ core values are: integrity, respect, service and excellence. Joining a Toastmasters club is easy. A listing of clubs by geographic area can be located on the Toastmasters website at www.toastmasters.org Visitors to the website can select the most convenient club, attend a meeting as a guest and apply for membership. For more details, please visit: www.d116.org or call Rajesh VC on mobile no: 31304533.