Rising Beyond The Ceiling
2024 RBTC 100 Karnataka
Inviting Nominations
We are inviting nominations for our Rising Beyond The Ceiling 2024 List of Inspiring Muslim Women from the State of Karnataka. For more details you can reach out to our RBTC Karnataka State Coordinator, Ms Ayesha Masood . Nominations can be sent in any of our various professional categories with a brief 250 word profiles and photo to our Coordinator on her email ayeshamasood@oasisintschool.org
The Rising Beyond The Ceiling (RBTC) professional categories include the following -[1] Shattering stereotypes in Uniform, [2] Achieving Academic Excellence [3] Administering Quality Education [4] Inspirations from Politics [5] Leadership in Administration [6] Professionals in Science and Medicine [7] Demonstrating Legal Acumen [8] Creative Contributors to the Arts [9] Taking Entrepreneurship Forward [10] Making an Impact through Media [11] Change Makers in Social Development [12] Impassioned Authors and Poets [13] Shining in Sports [14] Strides in Corporate Sector [15] Under 30 Youth Achievers.
For more information on our 2022 RBTC 100 list of Inspiring Muslim Women from Karnataka check out our link: https://www.inspiringindianmuslimwomen.org/karnataka-rbtc-100
Our publication is also available on Amazon at : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BHV9JCDB
For your free gift copy of the RBTC 100 Karnataka E-book write to risingbeyondtheceiling@gmail.com
AYESHA MASOOD State Coordinator, RBTC Karnataka. Co-founder and Trustee of Oasis International School Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profiles details.
AYESHA MASOOD State Coordinator, RBTC Karnataka. Co-founder and Trustee of Oasis International School Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profiles details.
Ayesha Masood is the co-founder and Trustee of Oasis International School Bengaluru. She is a graduate from Mount Carmel College Bengaluru (Integrated Home Science). In addition to English, Hindi, Kannada, Ayesha is also proficient in Urdu and to some extent in Arabic. One day she took her niece for admission to a school and was told to “take your children to your own institutions. If you don’t have a good enough school, start one!” This was what triggered her to think about starting a path-breaking school, which would be inclusive and needs-blind. Ayesha started with a Montessori for a single digit number of children in the green room of one public building. The IGCSE curriculum was chosen and the school kept growing and moved from one house-turned-school to another, until they were spread across three such buildings and then it was time. Her seed funding for building and campus came from the students giving a returnable loan! Of course, there were other fund raiser activities too. Ayesha initiated the development of an Educational Organization Management System (EOMS] to earn the ISO 21000 certification for the school. Now, about 24 years down the line, the school is a Cambridge accredited co-educational Institution with nearly 1000 students & a cupboard overflowing with Trophies and Prize cups. Ayesha also has more than 25 years experience with NGO’s, helping uplift and develop children through education, vocational training and healthcare.
You can reach out to Ayesha on his email ID at ayeshamasood@oasisintschool.org
References/Sources
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayesha-masood-aba69544/?originalSubdomain=in• http://www.oasisintschool.net/
You can reach out to Ayesha on his email ID at ayeshamasood@oasisintschool.org
References/Sources
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayesha-masood-aba69544/?originalSubdomain=in• http://www.oasisintschool.net/
ZOYA NAYARA FATEHALLY Leadership Team Member, RBTC Karnataka. Former Squad group Leader/Technical Manager with Nokia Systems. Bengaluru.
ZOYA NAYARA FATEHALLY Leadership Team Member, RBTC Karnataka. Former Squad group Leader/Technical Manager with Nokia Systems. Bengaluru.
Zoya Nayara Fatehally has worked since 2008 with Nokia Systems and Networks (formerly Alcatel Lucent India Ltd) at Bengaluru. She served as a Squad group Leader/Technical Manager. Earlier Zoya has worked at the Centre for Development of Telematics starting 1985, contributing to the telecom revolution of India – active member of the engineering team the PBX, RAX, MAX – not only design, test and field support but also taking the equipment to external laboratories for certifications. In 2000, she joined Velankini Information systems as the Quality and Product manager. Took the company from ad-hoc to ISO 9001 certified in record time. Next, Zoya became a part of the Indigenous hand-held computer team at Picopeta Simputers Pvt. Ltd. Successfully productised the Simputer in her role was the technical liaison between the tiny Academics’ led company and the India giant Bharat Electronics Ltd. Following this, was Indian start-up – MobiApps Pvt. Ltd., developing tracking products.
Born in 1960, Zoya completed her schooling and joined Aligarh Muslim University as an Engineering student. Completed Bachelor’s and Masters in Engineering from the Zakir Hussain College of Engineering and Technology of AMU. Zoya is also PMP (Project Management Professional) certified. Zoya developed a deep interest in horse riding. At age 10, she joined the AMU Riding club and continued to be an enthusiastic and able horse rider , winning a National Tent Pegging prize and eventually, after being champion and Runners Up in the open competition at the club, went on to be the first (& perhaps only) woman captain of AMU Riding Club.
Links/References
Born in 1960, Zoya completed her schooling and joined Aligarh Muslim University as an Engineering student. Completed Bachelor’s and Masters in Engineering from the Zakir Hussain College of Engineering and Technology of AMU. Zoya is also PMP (Project Management Professional) certified. Zoya developed a deep interest in horse riding. At age 10, she joined the AMU Riding club and continued to be an enthusiastic and able horse rider , winning a National Tent Pegging prize and eventually, after being champion and Runners Up in the open competition at the club, went on to be the first (& perhaps only) woman captain of AMU Riding Club.
Links/References
AIMAN ANSARI Analyst, RBTC Karnataka [ profile to be added]
AIMAN ANSARI Analyst, RBTC Karnataka [ profile to be added]
Add updated profile
Nominations for 2024 RBTC 100 Karnataka (in alphabetical order)
Nominations for 2024 RBTC 100 Karnataka (in alphabetical order)
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, ASMA BANU. Seven times gold medalist. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, ASMA BANU. Seven times gold medalist. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
Asma Banu is the daughter of late Abdul Waheed retired Head master and mathematics teacher. She was born and bought up in Mulbagal Kolar district where her schooling and PU studies were done. Right from her childhoods he was passionate about science and mathematics subjects, knowing the physical phenomenon occurring in our surroundings and universe made her more curious about the subject. Her parents and teachers have been her strongest support and inspired her in every aspect.
Asma graduated from Government science college (Nrupatunga University) her combination of PME (Physics, mathematics, electronics) in the course led me a strong base for her higher studies. She pursued "Master's in Physics" from the Department of Physics, Jnana Bharathi campus Bangalore University. During the course, she had an opportunity to work in a project entitled "Synthesis and characterization of Aluminium doped tin oxide thin films" based on nano opto-electronics concept, this influenced her to go through the research program.
In addition, working in projects, attending workshops and visiting laboratories motivated her more towards research. Since then, every year has proven to be professionally more rewarding than its precedent. Recently on 17th of October 2023 Bangalore university 58th annual convocation was held and Asma was awarded with 7 gold medals and rank 1 for her performance in M.Sc. Physics. It was an immense honour to receive the award from Honourable Governor of Karnataka "Thawar Chand Gehlot" and in the presence of education minister and all other delegates. As of late 2023 she is a pursuing her PhD from department of physics Bangalore university Jnana Bharathi campus, under the guidance of Dr Basavaraj Angadi sir. Focusing on the subject of "nanotechnology and material science".
Asma graduated from Government science college (Nrupatunga University) her combination of PME (Physics, mathematics, electronics) in the course led me a strong base for her higher studies. She pursued "Master's in Physics" from the Department of Physics, Jnana Bharathi campus Bangalore University. During the course, she had an opportunity to work in a project entitled "Synthesis and characterization of Aluminium doped tin oxide thin films" based on nano opto-electronics concept, this influenced her to go through the research program.
In addition, working in projects, attending workshops and visiting laboratories motivated her more towards research. Since then, every year has proven to be professionally more rewarding than its precedent. Recently on 17th of October 2023 Bangalore university 58th annual convocation was held and Asma was awarded with 7 gold medals and rank 1 for her performance in M.Sc. Physics. It was an immense honour to receive the award from Honourable Governor of Karnataka "Thawar Chand Gehlot" and in the presence of education minister and all other delegates. As of late 2023 she is a pursuing her PhD from department of physics Bangalore university Jnana Bharathi campus, under the guidance of Dr Basavaraj Angadi sir. Focusing on the subject of "nanotechnology and material science".
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, HUDA JAFFER, Director SELCO, Social Work. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, HUDA JAFFER, Director SELCO, Social Work. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
Huda Jaffer is a Designer with a keen interest in user-centric design, specifically in the sustainability and developmental area. She has a Bachelor’s in Design from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore and a Master’s of Science in Engineering and Business (Integrated Design and Management) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge. She is one of the key contributors at the SELCO Foundation, now a pioneer in the field of building Ecosystem for sustainable energy access for the poor.
As part of a project on vegetable cart for street vendors, Huda spent three weeks selling vegetables and fruits with her. This specific project reinforced her conviction in the bottom-up approach and the importance of understanding the users. This also led to one of her designs, in the study lights for children living in climate vulnerable areas and street vending carts with Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in Gujarat. Huda received a full scholarship from Good Energies Foundation for her Masters in 2016. Her thesis entitled “Lifecycle Analysis of Solar Panels in Development Countries” was targeted towards impact investors and philanthropists who invest in rural electrification programs for remote areas, to know more about the social costs and implications beyond the technical, environmental and financial aspects.
Huda has authored and coauthored numerous articles and book chapters. She is on the board of Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF), Sahas (an Indian Not-for-Profit for Circular Economy) and Atal Incubation Center-SELCO (A Centre for North-East Indian climate innovators and entrepreneurs), Co-Chair for the Start-up20 Sustainability Task-force by Niti Aayog, India’s engagement group as the presidency for advising the G 20 agenda on building an inclusive start-up ecosystem.
Currently, Huda anchors a team of 220 individuals primarily working across technology innovation and scaling programs. She hopes to continue to integrate climate resilient technologies within local and regional ecosystems in challenging terrains across India and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sources/References:
As part of a project on vegetable cart for street vendors, Huda spent three weeks selling vegetables and fruits with her. This specific project reinforced her conviction in the bottom-up approach and the importance of understanding the users. This also led to one of her designs, in the study lights for children living in climate vulnerable areas and street vending carts with Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in Gujarat. Huda received a full scholarship from Good Energies Foundation for her Masters in 2016. Her thesis entitled “Lifecycle Analysis of Solar Panels in Development Countries” was targeted towards impact investors and philanthropists who invest in rural electrification programs for remote areas, to know more about the social costs and implications beyond the technical, environmental and financial aspects.
Huda has authored and coauthored numerous articles and book chapters. She is on the board of Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF), Sahas (an Indian Not-for-Profit for Circular Economy) and Atal Incubation Center-SELCO (A Centre for North-East Indian climate innovators and entrepreneurs), Co-Chair for the Start-up20 Sustainability Task-force by Niti Aayog, India’s engagement group as the presidency for advising the G 20 agenda on building an inclusive start-up ecosystem.
Currently, Huda anchors a team of 220 individuals primarily working across technology innovation and scaling programs. She hopes to continue to integrate climate resilient technologies within local and regional ecosystems in challenging terrains across India and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sources/References:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/huda-jaffer-11b002b9?originalSubdomain=in
- https://idm.mit.edu/student/huda-jaffer/
- https://idronline.org/contributor/huda-jaffer/
- https://idronline.org/article/climate-emergency/how-decentralised-solar-energy-can-boost-public-healthcare/
- https://www.architectmagazine.com/awards/r-d-awards/award-re-lamp-lighting-system_o
- https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-80071-845-620231005/full/html?skipTracking=true
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356281734_Sustainable_energy_management_in_the_health_sector
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318091318_Addressing_Developmental_Needs_Through_Energy_Access_in_Informal_Settlements
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blueprint-transforming-rural-health-systems-through-energy-jaffer%3FtrackingId=w2szXJf7RvGweX98GfWtaA%253D%253D/?trackingId=w2szXJf7RvGweX98GfWtaA%3D%3D
- https://theenergytalk.simplecast.com/episodes/distributed-energy-for-people-the-planet-ep-2
- https://www.clasp.ngo/updates/conversations-with-clasp-new-podcast-features-huda-jaffer-of-selco-foundation/
- https://www.doen.nl/nieuws/huda-jaffer-things-can-actually-change-permanently-through-what-we-do
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, NAHEED ATAULLA, Independent Journalist. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, NAHEED ATAULLA, Independent Journalist. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
Naheed Ataulla is a journalist based in Bengaluru. A post-graduate in Mass Communication from Bangalore University, Naheed started her career by interning at the `Southern Speaker', the first English Eveninger, published by the Salar Group. She later worked for a few years the Daily Salar. As English language was her strength, she joined The Times of India, Bengaluru, and rose from the ranks of a Reporter to being the Political Editor of the organisation until she superannuated in 2019. Presently, Naheed is an independent journalist contributing to leading English news portals such as The News Minute, The Quint, the National Herald, Money Control and is also the Editorial Advisor to the Salar Group of Publications.
Reporting on political developments is her forte, which continues till now. Naheed is a recipient of the Karnataka Rajyotsava award in 2011, besides awards from the Karnataka Media Academy in 2001 and the Press Club of Bangalore in 2016Naheed credits her success in the field to her parents who backed her to the hilt. Her father M.A. Ataulla, who was the first industrial Psychologist in South India and mother, a teacher, believed that education gives economic independence and confidence to a woman.
Naheed had not planned to make journalism her career and wanted to follow in her father's footsteps by taking up Psychology after graduation. But when she topped in the entrance test for the Mass Communications course, she opted to continue there. Her interest in keeping up to date with current affairs made her opt for a Reporter's career. Over a period of time, she honed her skills in the field to become a political journalist, which she continues to do till this day.
References:
Reporting on political developments is her forte, which continues till now. Naheed is a recipient of the Karnataka Rajyotsava award in 2011, besides awards from the Karnataka Media Academy in 2001 and the Press Club of Bangalore in 2016Naheed credits her success in the field to her parents who backed her to the hilt. Her father M.A. Ataulla, who was the first industrial Psychologist in South India and mother, a teacher, believed that education gives economic independence and confidence to a woman.
Naheed had not planned to make journalism her career and wanted to follow in her father's footsteps by taking up Psychology after graduation. But when she topped in the entrance test for the Mass Communications course, she opted to continue there. Her interest in keeping up to date with current affairs made her opt for a Reporter's career. Over a period of time, she honed her skills in the field to become a political journalist, which she continues to do till this day.
References:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/naheed-ataulla-0912b0190/
- https://www.thenewsminute.com/author-articles/Naheed--Ataulla
- https://www.thequint.com/author/1542994/naheed-ataulla
- https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/author/1631928/naheed-ataulla
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, NISHA ABDULLAH, Artistic Director of Qabila and Founder Member of OffStream, Creative Contributors to Art. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, NISHA ABDULLAH, Artistic Director of Qabila and Founder Member of OffStream, Creative Contributors to Art. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
Born on the border of Pondicherry and Kerala, Nisha Abdullah was an infant when her family moved to Muscat. She had her early schooling there. Her childhood was comfortable and she had not quite made the connection between hard work and accomplishment. It was when Nisha moved to Kerala for Higher schooling, that she realized the value of efforts and went on to top her class 12 (PUC II) at the MES college Calicut in 2001. During this time in an all-girls convent, Nisha became aware of restrictions, boundaries and her discomfort at having her wings clipped. She also made many strong friendships and lifetime bonds.
After a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from St. Agnes College Manipal, Nisha was campus recruited to a corporate firm in Bangalore. Her early life working in the corporate world showed her how she could be good at her job, make money & yet long for something else. She was interested in Theatre and found the Bangalore Theatre community both welcoming and supportive. After dabbling as a novice, doing workshops, being mentored by masters of the field and trying her hand at various aspects of Theatre, Nisha found her niche as a performance story teller, playwright, and Artistic Director of Qabila, a theatre collective she founded in 2018.
With a very strong community connect, she is often found working to communicate issues of marginalized groups. She typically articulates the lesser-known point of view on matters of socio-political importance. She creates work that is rooted in the interplay of power-gaze-identity-belonging. Her work is both feminist and political. Her recent production “how long is February? a fantasy in three parts” has been showcased in Edinburgh Fringe festival 2023, the largest arts festival in the world. Her 2nd venture “Offstream” created in 2020, supports artists across arts practices who work with an anti-caste imagination. The collective works to build community about anti caste advocacy.Today Nisha is a part of active Theatre as well as Academia – teaching at both schools and universities of repute. She also supports community needs by enabling learning spaces for youth from marginalised communities, and also by fundraising to meet gaps in educational needs.
References
After a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from St. Agnes College Manipal, Nisha was campus recruited to a corporate firm in Bangalore. Her early life working in the corporate world showed her how she could be good at her job, make money & yet long for something else. She was interested in Theatre and found the Bangalore Theatre community both welcoming and supportive. After dabbling as a novice, doing workshops, being mentored by masters of the field and trying her hand at various aspects of Theatre, Nisha found her niche as a performance story teller, playwright, and Artistic Director of Qabila, a theatre collective she founded in 2018.
With a very strong community connect, she is often found working to communicate issues of marginalized groups. She typically articulates the lesser-known point of view on matters of socio-political importance. She creates work that is rooted in the interplay of power-gaze-identity-belonging. Her work is both feminist and political. Her recent production “how long is February? a fantasy in three parts” has been showcased in Edinburgh Fringe festival 2023, the largest arts festival in the world. Her 2nd venture “Offstream” created in 2020, supports artists across arts practices who work with an anti-caste imagination. The collective works to build community about anti caste advocacy.Today Nisha is a part of active Theatre as well as Academia – teaching at both schools and universities of repute. She also supports community needs by enabling learning spaces for youth from marginalised communities, and also by fundraising to meet gaps in educational needs.
References
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nisha-abdulla-782a1b1/?originalSubdomain=in
- https://www.instagram.com/livesinthoughtbubbles/
- https://qabila.in/
- https://www.instagram.com/offstreamfishes/
- https://www.goethe.de/ins/in/en/sta/ban/ueb/rex/exr/nis.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMb0xfDie1c&ab_channel=DramaSchoolMumbai
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, SHAREEFA K., Kannada Poetess. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, SHAREEFA K., Kannada Poetess. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
K. Shareefa was born and brought up in Gulbarga. They were 5 sisters and 2 brothers in an Urdu-speaking and traditional neighborhood. Shareefa was attracted to Kannada mainly because of a childhood Kannada-speaking friend. Early in school life,she was faced with patriarchy that she resented. At class 7, she was told by her father that this was the end of her education because there is neither tradition nor need of educating daughters more than this. Shareefa did not accept this.
She used the home sewing machine to stitch clothes and earn enough to pay her fees for class 8 and went back to school after a year’s break. Soon after High School she enrolled at the typing institute and fast tracked to become a qualified typist. She went on to find herself a job at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee(APMC) office via the Employment exchange. She managed the job while being a student of PUC 1st year. She recalls her routine of early morning typing and then 3 periods of college and back to APMC typing. Finishing her day with some work at the SFI office. She started writing her mind quite early and continually got involved with issues involving injustice and discrimination. One occasion she recalls traveling from Gulbarga to Bijapur to fight for a woman who had been attacked for watching a movie in the Cinema Hall. Shareefa had been deeply influenced by Akka Mahadevi’s writings on breaking the shackles of patriarchy and other set boundaries. This is seen in her life and writings.
She has served on selection committees for books, provided consultancy for the Karnataka Writers Association and been member of both Urdu and Kannada Sahitya Academy at different times in her long association with literature. She has been recognized by the literary communities of Nallur, Tumkur and by the state winning different awards and honors. The awards range from her specific work “Burqua Paradise” to life time achievement awards for her contribution to Kannada Literature. K. Shareefa is an active Kannada Poetess and writer participating in public events and promoting new thought and sensitivity through her works. She lives with her family in Bangalore.
Awards:• Attimbe Literary Award• Mallur Prasad Award – for lifetime Service• Anka Award for Service to Literature• Siddalinga Pattana• Honoree Award for Lifetime Service by Sahitya Academy• Veeche Prasanna Award• Dr. Geeta Desai Award bykarntaka Literary Association
She used the home sewing machine to stitch clothes and earn enough to pay her fees for class 8 and went back to school after a year’s break. Soon after High School she enrolled at the typing institute and fast tracked to become a qualified typist. She went on to find herself a job at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee(APMC) office via the Employment exchange. She managed the job while being a student of PUC 1st year. She recalls her routine of early morning typing and then 3 periods of college and back to APMC typing. Finishing her day with some work at the SFI office. She started writing her mind quite early and continually got involved with issues involving injustice and discrimination. One occasion she recalls traveling from Gulbarga to Bijapur to fight for a woman who had been attacked for watching a movie in the Cinema Hall. Shareefa had been deeply influenced by Akka Mahadevi’s writings on breaking the shackles of patriarchy and other set boundaries. This is seen in her life and writings.
She has served on selection committees for books, provided consultancy for the Karnataka Writers Association and been member of both Urdu and Kannada Sahitya Academy at different times in her long association with literature. She has been recognized by the literary communities of Nallur, Tumkur and by the state winning different awards and honors. The awards range from her specific work “Burqua Paradise” to life time achievement awards for her contribution to Kannada Literature. K. Shareefa is an active Kannada Poetess and writer participating in public events and promoting new thought and sensitivity through her works. She lives with her family in Bangalore.
Awards:• Attimbe Literary Award• Mallur Prasad Award – for lifetime Service• Anka Award for Service to Literature• Siddalinga Pattana• Honoree Award for Lifetime Service by Sahitya Academy• Veeche Prasanna Award• Dr. Geeta Desai Award bykarntaka Literary Association
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, SOHA SADIQ, International Tennis. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, SOHA SADIQ, International Tennis. Bengaluru. Click side arrow for profile details.
Karnataka Tennis player with International rankings
Soha Sadiq is an international level Tennis player from Bangalore. Born in 1998, her family runs a small-scale Business. Soha earned a BCom. from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore in 2021 having started in 2016 – the college allowed Soha to take extra time to complete the course, while still playing Tennis. Her Tennis journey started with her father‘s dream of becoming an athlete. He was not supported by his family ostensibly because he was the oldest son of the family supposed to earn money and take care of the family, but he had had a dream.
Soha still remembers the day her father came to school and took her away early to play Tennis. 9-year-old Soha did not even know what Tennis was. She had never seen anyone play the game before except sometimes on TV. However, her father’s gesture excited Soha. On her very first day, she fell in love with the game. According to Soha “now, it is a part of who I am”. It has taken some discipline and tenacity. Soha would start at 5 & go to train and thereafter directly to school. School let her off early to go for afternoon training. After coming home, she had to complete Arabic lessons and homework before turning in.
Both her parents were strongly supportive and soon she was spotted by the owners of Centre of Sports Excellence Dravid Padukone Academy, Shama & Vivek who sponsered her. Without their support, Soha finds it hard to imagine how things would have gone. She is very grateful to her mentor, Jorge pinilla Hernandez and her coaches - Rituplawan Gogoi and Andrés Ramírez. In December, 2018 Soha won the state team tennis gold medal. She is the winner of Doubles in the $15,000 women’s ITF Tennis Tournament, Nagpur 2022 A 2023 runner up in Doubles $15,000 Woman Tennis tournament, ITF Ahmedabad. Soha has an international ranking in both singles and doubles and is continuing her practice of 6 to 7 hours a day at the Academy, traveling 44 Km for this. Her readiness regime includes half a day of “recovery” that comprises rejuvenation activities like ice bath, sauna, massages and the like. She plays on both clay and Hard courts.
References:
Soha Sadiq is an international level Tennis player from Bangalore. Born in 1998, her family runs a small-scale Business. Soha earned a BCom. from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore in 2021 having started in 2016 – the college allowed Soha to take extra time to complete the course, while still playing Tennis. Her Tennis journey started with her father‘s dream of becoming an athlete. He was not supported by his family ostensibly because he was the oldest son of the family supposed to earn money and take care of the family, but he had had a dream.
Soha still remembers the day her father came to school and took her away early to play Tennis. 9-year-old Soha did not even know what Tennis was. She had never seen anyone play the game before except sometimes on TV. However, her father’s gesture excited Soha. On her very first day, she fell in love with the game. According to Soha “now, it is a part of who I am”. It has taken some discipline and tenacity. Soha would start at 5 & go to train and thereafter directly to school. School let her off early to go for afternoon training. After coming home, she had to complete Arabic lessons and homework before turning in.
Both her parents were strongly supportive and soon she was spotted by the owners of Centre of Sports Excellence Dravid Padukone Academy, Shama & Vivek who sponsered her. Without their support, Soha finds it hard to imagine how things would have gone. She is very grateful to her mentor, Jorge pinilla Hernandez and her coaches - Rituplawan Gogoi and Andrés Ramírez. In December, 2018 Soha won the state team tennis gold medal. She is the winner of Doubles in the $15,000 women’s ITF Tennis Tournament, Nagpur 2022 A 2023 runner up in Doubles $15,000 Woman Tennis tournament, ITF Ahmedabad. Soha has an international ranking in both singles and doubles and is continuing her practice of 6 to 7 hours a day at the Academy, traveling 44 Km for this. Her readiness regime includes half a day of “recovery” that comprises rejuvenation activities like ice bath, sauna, massages and the like. She plays on both clay and Hard courts.
References:
- https://www.itftennis.com/en/players/soha-sadiq/800402261/ind/wt/S/overview/
- https://www.wtatennis.com/players/323672/soha-sadiq
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, THABASSUM, Founder, SnehaDeep- Supporting HIV positive children. Bengaluru [To confirm]. Click side arrow for profile details.
RBTC Karnataka Nominee, THABASSUM, Founder, SnehaDeep- Supporting HIV positive children. Bengaluru [To confirm]. Click side arrow for profile details.
Thabassum was born in a less affluent family of 5 sisters and a brother. She was exceptionally good in studies at the Green View High School and did very well in Class 10 – topping her class. She was not able to continue higher studies and needed to take financial help to complete her PUC at Besant College, Mangalore. Soon there was a proposal for her marriage. Coming from a backward area (Konaje), Thabassum and agreed to be married when she was just short of 18 years old. Her home life was not easy. Some incidents like her son’s arm fracture made her acutely aware of her complete helplessness and she decided to take some steps in order to have at least a minimum financial independence. She started working in an office. While she was going through her share of difficulties, a good friend of hers lost her husband to AIDS. The friend and her daughter had to face a lot of societal exclusion and trauma and soon even the friend passed away leaving her daughter in Thabassum’s care. Even though the daughter was not HIV positive, she was not accepted by society. Thabassum helped her and thus started her work towards HIV positive children.
SnehaDeep was started in 2010-11 in her own home with one child to look after. Since then, in more than a decade, there have been more than 50 children who were cared for, nurtured, married off or buried. The work Thabassum does is filled with tremendous emotional stress. The children are abandoned by their families and she has to take care of their last rites irrespective of varied rituals. Over and above, is the difficulty in getting funding, premises as well as staff for her work. There is still a stigma associated with HIV which she has face frequently in different forms. There were silver linings to the dark clouds looming over her. Generous donors came forward to keep SnehaDeep going. Some regular and some sporadic. There is also some state scheme fund available on a per child basis for the children under 18 years of age. On the personal front, even her family supports her in the best way possible. With all of this, Thabassum is managing a Tailoring shop, SnehaDeep and continually striving for the betterment of the children under her care.
For her service to the children, Ms. Thabassum has been recognized and awarded:
SnehaDeep was started in 2010-11 in her own home with one child to look after. Since then, in more than a decade, there have been more than 50 children who were cared for, nurtured, married off or buried. The work Thabassum does is filled with tremendous emotional stress. The children are abandoned by their families and she has to take care of their last rites irrespective of varied rituals. Over and above, is the difficulty in getting funding, premises as well as staff for her work. There is still a stigma associated with HIV which she has face frequently in different forms. There were silver linings to the dark clouds looming over her. Generous donors came forward to keep SnehaDeep going. Some regular and some sporadic. There is also some state scheme fund available on a per child basis for the children under 18 years of age. On the personal front, even her family supports her in the best way possible. With all of this, Thabassum is managing a Tailoring shop, SnehaDeep and continually striving for the betterment of the children under her care.
For her service to the children, Ms. Thabassum has been recognized and awarded:
- 2011 - District Rajyotsava Award
- 2012 – Aparna Award 2017 - Swabhiman Award
- 2018 - Digvijay women Award
- 2020 - Press Club award
- 2023 - Deccan Herald changes Award
- Coastal Karnataka Mother Theresa Award,
- Super Guru Award, Miland Award
- Sulthan gold &diamonds Nari Shakti award on women's day 2023 and still counting
Rising Beyond The Ceiling is supported by SAFAR Foundation . SAFAR stands for Supporting Action For Advancement & Rights.
RBTC Karnataka Leadership Team
Dr. Farah K. Usmani, Founder & Chairperson, New York
Ms. AYESHA MASOOD, State Coordinator, RBTC Karnataka
Ms. ZOYA FATEHALLY, Leadership Team Member, RBTC Karnataka
Ms. AIMAN ANSARI, Analyst, RBTC Karnataka
The photographs and text on this website has been provided by individual women honorees through interviews, emails, text as well as taken from the references and sources which are provided with the profiles. While the team have made every effort to provide accurate information at the time of publication, neither the editors or the RBTC assume any responsibilities for errors or changes that occur after publication or assume any responsibility for third party websites or their content. For more information contact risingbeyondtheceiling@gmail.com