Inviting Nominations
Inspiring Muslim Women from India In Middle East Countries
Rising Beyond The Ceiling is a global initiative to shine a spotlight on achievements and contributions of Muslim Women in and of India. This RBTC 100 Women Global inspirations Compendium seeks to recognize Muslim women from India who have made their mark across the globe in many countries around the world. All these women have done their initial studies in India but later moved to other countries and received accolades and successes in many fields.
While they may have nationalities of other countries today and live in countries and cities across the globe, they are a source of pride to India and their Alma Mater institutions in India. This global compendium is also to serve as inspiration and roles models for the next generation of Indian women who aspire to make careers globally.
Nominations are invited for the RBTC 100 Global Inspirations Middle East. Please send a brief 250 word profile with links of inspiring Indian Muslim diaspora women who are achievers in any of the professional categories as below. Send nominations for the 2024 Middle East 100 to RisingBeyondTheCeiling@gmail.com
Meanwhile check out our inspiring nominees in the list below based in Middle East countries !
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR MIDDLE EAST 100 at RisingBeyondTheCeiling@gmail.com
Nominations of inspiring Indian Muslim women who migrated from India and are now living and making a contribution to development and progress in the Middle East and Asia are invited. The women can be professionals in any of the categories - academicians, doctors, lawyers, authors, poets, painters, scientists, researchers, corporate and international development professionals, entrepreneurs, economists, journalists or any innovative field. The nominees would be alumni of any educational institution in India (school, college, university).
Criteria for RBTC 100 Global Inspirations (1) Women professionals who have immigrated to the middle east and countries in Asia from India; (2) They have a degree from an Indian educational institution prior to migration ; (3) They are currently living in any state/city of Middle east or Asia (can be citizens of any country); (4) They can be from any profession or field of work- STEM, Media, Entrepreneurship, Arts, Sports others as in categories below; (5) They have made their mark in their chosen field in the country of residence; (6) They identify themselves as Muslim (7) Contemporary /Any age above 21 years.
Mail your nominations with brief 250 word summary profile, links/references, name of your hometown in India and alumni institution (school/college) and photo to risingbeyondtheceiling@gmail.com or to our Middle East Coordinator Ms. Bushra Masood at bushramasood80@gmail.com . Thank you!
RBTC Global Coordinator For Middle East BUSHRA MASOOD , Content Writer & Author, Dubai. Hometown: Lucknow, India. Alumna: Click side arrow for profiles details. Contact: bushramasood80@gmail.com
What sets Bushra apart is her commitment to in-depth research, allowing her to consistently produce high-quality content in an efficient manner. Beyond her writing prowess, she is also a dedicated educationist with a proven track record in education management. Her skills encompass project coordination, writing, art therapy, and student counseling, all of which she has honed over the years.
Bushra's educational background includes schooling from esteemed institutions such as Lamartiniere Girls School and Loreto Convent, Lucknow, and a Masters in Business Administration. With a decade of experience, she has excelled in teaching, administration, and championing inclusion efforts. Her passion for art therapy has led her to conduct impactful workshops and curate inspiring art exhibitions.
Her time spent in educational settings has equipped her with a deep understanding of educational policies, effective staff and student management, and the cultivation of essential leadership, communication, and organizational skills. Furthermore, her certification by KHDA, Dubai, in digital marketing adds another dimension to her professional profile.
In addition to her accomplishments, Bushra has had the privilege of hosting the Literary Latte show for Nurture Life, a prestigious online digital platform boasting a wide and diverse audience. This opportunity has further enriched her experience and expanded her reach as a content creator and storyteller. With this diverse skill set and extensive experience, Bushra Masood is well-equipped for a variety of career opportunities, making her an invaluable asset across different industries.
For more information and nominations reach out to bushramasood80@gmail.com
RBTC Global Middle East Leadership Team Member. SABA HUSAIN SAID. Senior Trade Advisor, Department for Business and Trade, British Embassy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Contact: saba_said@yahoo.com
Links/References:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saba-husain-said-303a4751/
NOMINATIONS OPEN: Inspiring Muslim Women from India Based in the Middle East - Last Date 31 January 2024
Professionals in Medicine and Science ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. FARAH MAQSOOD. Assistant Professor, Department of Optometry King Saud University, Saudi Arabia [Profile details to be added]
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. NAZIMA CHAUDHARY. Pediatrician, Yas Clinic Khalifa City Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Alumna: Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh, India. Hometown: Add India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Links/References:
Add
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. PARVEEN RASHEED. ex-Associate Professor, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Damman, Saudi Arabia. Alumna: Gajra Raja Medical College, Gwalior India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Dr. Rasheed has been a well acclaimed teacher and active researcher at AMU as well as Dammam University. Having published several papers in reputed medical journals of Saudi Arabia, India, WHO, UK and USA, her main focus in research has been in the areas of Maternal & Child Heath, Nutrition and Public Health. Presently she is a peer reviewer of research articles, and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Family & Community Medicine, Saudi Arabia. She significantly contributed in laying the foundation of the postgraduate programs in Family Medicine as well as Community Medicine at Dammam University. Apart from teaching activities and guidance of students in their research projects and theses writing, she also worked as a Family physician in the urban and rural health centers of the College.
Dr. Parveen Rasheed’s career in Saudi Arabia initiated at a time when promotive and preventive health care was negligible. With the acceptance of the Alma Ata declaration of WHO by Saudi Arabia in 1981 and consequent set up of primary health centers, she along with other members of her department established a model health center in a rural area of Saudi Arabia for training of students and health care delivery of the local population. Being a coordinator for outreach health programs for many years, she organized field visits for students to deliver Health education and preventive care activities in the homes of people, in schools, at health exhibitions in Malls and Primary health centers as well as other sites.
Dr. Rasheed is nowretired and spends her time at her home in Aligarh, India or with her children in the USA.
Links/References:
https://wwhttps://www.arabnews.com/noted-educationist-bids-farewell-kingdom-after-35-years
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SAKINA IMTIAZ POONAWALA, OBGYN at Ultra Care Medical Group, Dubai. India Home Town: Mumbai. Profile details to be added
Links/References:
https://www.doctorsinuae.com/doctors/profile/883/Mr-Sakina-Poonawala
Strides in Corporate/Private Sector ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. AMNA ABBASI. AI/ML Product Manager, Liquidity Group. Abu Dhabi. Alumna: Aligarh Muslim University . Hometown: Gorakhpur, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Amna Abbasi is currently stationed at Liquidity Group in Abu Dhabi, Amna serves as an AI/ML Product Manager in the Fintech sector. Crafting business requirement documents and steering product development, Amna is at the forefront of driving innovation. Her role extends to nurturing partnerships, polishing team processes, and staying abreast of AI/ML trends to integrate cutting-edge advancements into the company's technology vision. Beyond the technical proficiency, Amna brings a unique blend of empathy and understanding to her roles. Her focus on user needs, crafting seamless user experiences, and her dedication to improving products post-launch showcase the human angle in her tech-driven world.
From the heartlands of Aligarh and Gorakhpur to the thriving tech hubs of Abu Dhabi, Amna Abbasi's journey is a symphony of innovation and determination. With a Master's in Computer Application from Aligarh Muslim University, where she earned the distinction of being a Medallist, and a Bachelor's in Mathematics, Statistics & Physics, Amna laid the groundwork for her analytical prowess. Amna's remarkable journey took her to IBM India Pvt Ltd, where she served as a Program Manager in IT Automation, Data & AI. Her role went beyond technicalities, involving collaboration on pricing strategies, designing and delivering automated solutions, and providing key operational benefits through data-driven insights. Notably, her contributions improved app performance by 75%, showcasing her transformative impact. During her tenure at Etisalat, Amna brought about a paradigm shift as a Product Manager in IT Robotics. Her leadership resulted in the automation of 80% of procedures, achieving a 90% faster resolution of incidents and promoting higher client business uptime. Her focus on creating reusable automation frameworks and understanding client needs reflected her commitment to efficiency and client satisfaction.
Amna Abbasi boasts a comprehensive array of certifications, including Certified Scrum Product Owner, Six Sigma Green Belt and White Belt, ITIL V3, Oracle and PL/SQL, ITC Red Hat Ansible, Python PACP, Elastic Search and Kibana, and Science Logic. Each certification underscores her proficiency in diverse areas, from Agile methodologies and process improvement to IT service management, database handling, automation, and data analysis. Amna's commitment to continuous learning is evident in this rich tapestry of certifications, showcasing her versatility in the ever-evolving landscape of technology. Amna Abbasi's story is a narrative of a visionary leader shaping the future of fintech and AI across industry giants. From IBM to Etisalat and now at Liquidity Group, her journey encapsulates a relentless pursuit of excellence and a commitment to transforming the technological landscape.
Links and References: To be added
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. ERUM ANSARI. Architect at DP Architect Pvt. Ltd, Dubai, UAE. Alumna: Rizvi College of Architecture Mumbai. Hometown: Add Click side arrow for profile details.
Her contribution in projects has ranged from designing to execution, she has seen through the entire life cycle of projects from inception to completion and has guided a team of professionals to the end.
She subscribe to the view that Architecture is an Art medium which expresses individualistic, social, economic and political values. Thus she believes that design should retain identity to these values and deliver functionality at micro level while address micro level concerns. Her design approach is direct and functional & an amalgamation of abstracted elements and evaluated resources. The common denominator of all her professional & academic pursuits has been a fervent attempt to objectify design, considering its various subjective contexts. Her strengths , in addition to design aptitude , lie in analytical problem solving , working effectively in a collaborative team environment , organising and coordinating design efforts and willingness to assume project wide and office related responsibilities.
Links and References: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eram-ansari-08311929/?originalSubdomain=ae
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. FARAH NAAZ. Senior Manager at SP Jain School of Global Management. Dubai. Alumni: Anna University, India. Add profile details.
I worked on receiving TEQSA accreditation and renewal for 7 years from Australia. And was instrumental in ensuring that the BBA program was ACCA accredited.
Links/References
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. FARHAT SHAMSHI. Branding and Marketing Professional. ex-Manager for ANOC World Beach Games Qatar, Qatar 2019 LOC. India Hometown: Aligarh. Alumna: Andhra University, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
She earned her undergraduate degree of Bachelors in Science from Aligarh Muslim University and Master in Science from Andhra University, India . She is also an Alumnus of Symbiosis School of Management Studies from where she earned her MBA in Marketing .
She worked with Qatar Olympic Committee , Qatar Football Association, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy on various high profile events like 2015 IPC Paralympic, 2015 World Men's Handball Championship, Asian Football Cup, School Olympic Program.
Over 11 years of experience in Client Servicing and Account Management with the aspiration to make the client's experience a delightful one by keeping a tight control over the Brand implementation processes.
Farhat started her professional career in programming and management by working as an Oracle Senior Programmer in the Retail Pricing subsystem of the Central Product Marketing Systems Department. Managed, Designed and Developed several complex systems and online reports using Actuate reporting tool.
Links/References:https://www.linkedin.com/in/farhatshamsi/?originalSubdomain=qa
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. NASREEN AHMAD, Senior Executive, Sales and Operations. Dubai, UAE. Home Town: Lucknow, India. Alumna: Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Click side arrow for profile details.
Nasreen has also worked earlier as Senior Executive, Sales and Operations Department at NIIT Technologies Limited, Dubai. Nasreen Ahmad also has experience of working as Projects Associates at ThinkDirect Consulting (2017-2019) in Jeddah Governorate, Saudi Arabia. While working here, she was involved in Managing the end-to-end delivery of complex client projects for this boutique business consulting firm and Worked as part of a team to help support project management initiatives at the direction of the Team. She has also worked as Market Executive at Alshifa Healthcare Services Private Limited (2016-2017) in New Delhi, India.
Nasreen has been awarded Best Oral Presentation Award, RIO+20 India Program, Excellence Grade A, Young Biotech Writers Awardand Award of Social Service. Her work and skills have been highly appreciated and endorsed.
Nasreen Ahmad, a resident of India, completed her studies, MBA from Faculty of Management Studies and Research and Advanced PG Diploma in Nanotechnology, Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University, India. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Technology (BTech) in Biotechnology from Integral University, Lucknow, India.
Born in a family with conventional mindset, Nasreen was always facing challenges. From being the first girl in the whole family, to drive a motorcycle, to be the first one to go to a foreign nation for building career, she overcame many obstacles.
Links/Referenceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nasreen-ahmad/?originalSubdomain=ae
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. NASREEN BINTH AHMAD BAVA. Managing Director Infoskills. Dubai. UAE. Home Town: Add in India. Alumna: Click side arrow for profile details.
One of Nasreen's most notable achievements is the development of EMOVENTOR, a semi-automated emotion ventilator tool designed specifically for children. This pioneering invention, which has received special recognition from AICRA and support from the Indian Ministry of Education and Skill Development, represents a significant advancement in child mental health support. The EMOVENTOR is not just a tool but a symbol of Nasreen's vision to integrate technology with emotional care, thereby enriching the lives of children globally.
Under Nasreen's leadership, InfoSkills has initiated career awareness campaigns and created a distinctive psychometric assessment. This assessment, based on the theories of multiple and emotional intelligences, offers a comprehensive approach to career and personal development. It's a testament to Nasreen's commitment to providing innovative and effective solutions in the field of education and training. These initiatives have significantly contributed to InfoSkills' impressive growth, amassing over 5,000 clients and solidifying the company's position as a leader in its industry. InfoSkills' flagship services, the Multiple Intelligences Assessment and Emotional Intelligences Assessment, are reflective of the company's ethos. These services highlight Nasreen's dedication to delivering practical and interactive training sessions. Her approach, which emphasizes the well-being and career guidance of students, has not only proven successful but has also set a new standard in educational training. Nasreen's innovative methods have been instrumental in guiding thousands of students, thereby creating a lasting impact in the field of education and mental health.
Nasreen Farooq Ahmed's innovative contributions to education and mental health, exemplified by the development of EMOVENTOR and her unique approach to career and personal development, make her a deserving recipient of a 2023 Global Recognition Award. Her visionary leadership and commitment to practical, interactive training have not only transformed InfoSkills into a leading organization but have also positively influenced the lives of numerous students. It is these significant achievements and her dedication to making a tangible difference in the lives of the younger generation that underscore the reason for this prestigious recognition
Links/References:
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. RAZIA KHATOON, Executive Career and Life Coach, UAE. Alumna: IT College Lucknow, Aligarh Muslim University. India. Hometown: Uttar Pradesh, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Razia is an HR professional with over 18+ years of successful corporate experience (India and UAE) focused on People Development, HR, Consulting, Coaching, Mentoring, and Training. A SHRM – SCP certified HR professional, she is a certified Executive and Associate Leadership Coach, a certified NLP Practitioner, and a Wellness Coach by the American Board of Neurolinguistic Programming (ABNLP).
Raised up in a middle-class family with four brothers and a sister, her parents taught her women empowerment early in her life. She received her convent education from St. Xavier’s school and completed her graduation in Economics from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow, India. In 2004, she proudly completed her Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics and Business Management (MAEBM) as a Gold Medalist from Aligarh Muslim University. Her outstanding work during her 2-month internship program gave her a full-time employment opportunity in the same organization and she started her career as a Management Trainee with Air Sahara, Sahara India group, and later was promoted to the position of Sr. Executive, QCS. She moved to Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2007 with her husband and her 9-month-old daughter. She continued her HR journey in prestigious organizations in UAE such as Saint Gobain Gyproc, Emirates National Group, and ADNOC. Her unwavering support and dedication toward employees gave her the title of “HR Mom”. Her mission is “BeYourBest@Work” for her clients. She is the founder of "RK Lifestyle Development Consultancy."
Through her global HR experience gained over the years, she now provides consultation services to individuals and organizations in order to accelerate their corporate success stories, enhance their performance, and be their "best versions" by working on their Career, Communication, Public Speaking, Personal Branding, and Mindset Transformation. She believes in giving back to society and therefore, she is associated with four non-profit organizations: As a VP-Membership in Abu Dhabi Toastmasters Club, as a Polling Officer in the Indian Ladies Association, as a Coach in the ‘Because We Care’ initiative, UAE and as Global Brand Ambassador in HR Success Talks.
She has won various Awards and Recognition in her Institutions, Corporate and Toastmasters journey including the prestigious #BeTheNext – Impact Award, AMU Women Global Summit Feb 2022 by Beauties of AMU. She has donated her hair twice to Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP), Sharjah. Raising and empowering her two beautiful daughters, she indulges in photography, cooking, and, food styling!
References/Sources
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. TALEYA FATIMA BILGRAMI, Business Development Manager, Arabic Computer Systems Ltd, Saudi Arabia. Home Town: Aligarh, India. Alumna: Aligarh Muslim University. Aligarh. Click side arrow for profile details.
Taliya was raised in the Sultanate of Oman where she was awarded for academic excellence by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (former president of India). In 2011, she moved back to India to pursue her higher education. She is an Electronics and Communication Engineer with an MBA from AMU. All through her school and college she has been a passionate debater and orator, along with being the Editor of the magazine of the Department of Business Administration, and the Student Placement Coordinator.
Taleya currently lives in Copenhagen, Denmark. She recently had a stint being a Team leader at TechBBQ’21, which is deemed as THE start-up event of the Nordics.
Links/References
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taleyafatmabilgrami/
Achieving Academic Excellence ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Middle-East Nominee. FATIMA BEENA . Senior Lecturer & Program Head De Montfort University Dubai. Alumna: Amity University, Noida. India. Hometown: Lucknow, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
She has presented various research work at the prestigious national and international conferences.As a passionate trainer and speaker, Dr. Fatima addresses at several seminars, conducts trainingworkshops for middle level and top-level managers and delivers talk on contemporary topics inmarketing, branding and consumer psychology. She also sits in the editorial board of InternationalJournal of Management and Advisory Board Member of Emerging Business and Economic Trends(EBET) Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Pakistan
She also is the Founder Director of a Section 25 Company (Not for Profit Organization), SocialResearch & Human Development Foundation. Dr Fatima is also engaged with a lot of socialwelfare organizations actively working for female foeticide, beat diabetes, breast cancerawareness, child education and homeless old age and elderly people. She is an active volunteer ofRobinhood Army. She spearheaded the CSR campaign of Amity University Lucknow campus inadoption of five villages.
Dr. Fatima has operational experience in incubators, research labs, government research projects,private-sector startups, program creation and management at various industrial and academiclevels. She has also registered her new venture UPken Educations in 2021. This focuses onupskilling of students and professionals at various levels.
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. RESNA NISHAD . Qatar University. Researcher. Doha, Qatar. Alumna: Calicut Institute of Technology, Calicut, Kerala, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Earlier Junior Research Fellow National Institute of Technology CalicutNational Institute of Technology Calicut-- Worked in a project entitled “Molecular and functional characterization of putative ZzRI resistant gene from Zingiber zerumbet, a wild relative of ginger” in School of Biotechnology at National Institute of Technology Calicut, India,under the direction of Dr. Aswati Nair.My research work was not only involves in characterization of ZzRI gene but also include determination of secondary metabolite and terpenoid gene characterization. Also performed a work on pythium myriotylum an oomycetous necrotrophic fungi, work comprises isolation of hydrolytic enzymes, molecular characterization of enzymes, effect of enzymes on zingiber, and effect of paromomycin on pythium myriotylum. Paromomycin effect was studied through molecular docking method.
In addition to my expertise in molecular biology techniques like gene sequencing, molecular cloning and antisense construct, also have experience in statistical analysis of data using various software like SPSS and origin. During this period I expertised in Bioiformatics based research like molecular modelling, docking, phylogenic analysis etc. I believe my great achievement is I succeeded in protein modelling using Modeller sofware (Pythium myriyotylum tublin was modelled) and docking experiment.
References Linkshttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Resna-Nishadhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/resna-nishad-6a31b25a/?originalSubdomain=qahttps://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-KM20DwAAAAJ&hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/resna.nishad
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. RUBY KHAN, Professor of Business Administration at Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia [ profile details missing]
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SADIA ANWAR, Assistant Professor Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
profile awaited
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SAMINA KHAN, Head of Advertising and Management Department at University of Business and Tech, Saudi Arabia. Home town: Aligarh, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Dr. Samina khan completed her studies, PhD in Luxury Fashion Apparel Brands from Aligarh Muslim University, India, MBA in Marketing from the Department of Business Administration from Aligarh Muslim University, India and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Women’s College, Aligarh Muslim University, India.
Links/References:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-saima-khan-77861b52/?originalSubdomain=sa
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SHEEBA KHAN MAZNOON, Assistant Professor of Economics, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Alumni: Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. Profile details missing
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SHEEBA KHAN MAZNOON, Associate Professor of Business at Mazoon College, Mazoon, Oman. Home Town: Aligarh, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Sheeba pursued Master's in Psychology from Aligarh Muslim University and Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from Institute of Management Technology (IMT) , Ghaziabad, India. She also earned PhD degree in Psychology from Aligarh Muslim University, India.
Her research publications include The Impact of Demographic Factors and Big Five Factor of Personality and Job Satisfaction ,Impact of Teamwork on Employees Performance. One of her research papers is about the Relationship of Job Burnout and Type A Behaviour on Psychological Health among Secretaries that examines the relationship of Job burnout and Type A behaviour with Psychological health.
Links/References:
Administering Quality Education ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. ARMEENA TABASSUM. Principal Primary School at Raffles World Academy, Dubai, UAE. Alumni: University of Calcutta. Kolkata, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
As a Head of Primary she is responsible for providing vision, leadership and strategic direction , Effective management of teaching and learning and promoting excellence, equality and high expectations of all pupils and staff and she does it all with dedication and passion.
Prior to this , she was the Dean of Studies at raffle Academy , Dubai . She is Certified IB Educator, with 21 years of teaching, leadership and management experience at primary, middle years and higher secondary level. In addition to this, have experience teaching the International Primary Years Curriculum, British National Curriculum and the American Curriculum. Tabassum earned her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Education from Rani Birla Girls College and University of Calcutta, India respectively. She also holds PhD in Education from National University Bangladesh where her dissertation thesis titled " Emergent Literacy in a Violent World"
She started her professional career in Education being the honorary Vice principal and guest teachers trainer at Bangladesh Army Cantonment School in 2005. In initial years of delivering service in Education field, she also worked as PYP teacher and Curriculum Coordinator at International School, Dhaka. Her areas of expertise include Quality Assurance, Leading the CIS Accreditation, and KHDA Self- Evaluation and DSIB inspections. Special Needs, Trainer for teaching EAL in the Mainstream, Curriculum design and development, Performance Management, and Data Analysis. In addition to this, have experience teaching the International Primary Years Curriculum, British National Curriculum and the American Curriculum.
Links/References:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-armeena-tabassum-a8397a30/?originalSubdomain=ae
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. FAUZIA HASAN. Vice Principal of British International School, Ajman, UAE. India Hometown: Aligarh. Click side arrow for profile details.
As the Vice Principal , her vision is creating and developing a natural, holistic, student centered learning environment that empowers and inspires the students of her school to be creative and innovative.
She is skilled in Staff Development, Educational Leadership, Teaching and Curriculum Development and is a Strong education professional with over 10 years of experience is an expert in the field of Education. Fauzia has a Bachelor's degree focused in Sciences from Aligarh Muslim University. She earned Master's in Biochemistry from Aligarh Muslim University as well.
Links/References:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fauzia-hasan-b433b0160/?originalSubdomain=ae
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. HUMA ATHER, Vice Principal at Habitat School, UAE. Home Town: Moradabad, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
With an aim to be an Educationist Huma is a PhD holder in Linguistics from Aligarh Muslim University. She started her professional career in Education working as a teacher at Wilsonia College, Moradabad, India. With over 12 years of working as a Supervisor at the Central School, Dubai She Huma proved herself as a dynamic visionary leader and team player with a proven track record in increasing student academics and maintaining excellence in education through innovation.
Links/References: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huma-ather-831b115b/?originalSubdomain=ae
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. RANA KHAN Educator, President, TEFL Kuwait Hometown: Aligarh. Click side arrow for profile details.
Rana is Indian educator and professional living and working in Kuwait. I received my entire education from Indian educational system. Rana is currently enrolled at School of Education, University of Bath for a doctoral program in Education. She is working as Academic Coordinator to the Intensive English Program at a Canadian branch campus in Kuwait called Algonquin College. We are a diploma granting college delivering programs in Business and technology where I teach English language and core Business since I have a dual major.
I am a dedicated educator trying to drive communities of English language educators not only in Kuwait but regionally and globally towards professional development through an English language teachers’ organization founded by me in Kuwait. I am currently its President.
We can proudly call ourselves the first IATEFL Associate (International Association for Teaching of English as a Foreign Language) a British charity based in UK, in Kuwait. You can find us at www.teflkuwait.com. We also have a Facebook presence through a group founded by me for the same cause: https://www.facebook.com/groups/451564262891765/
We are providing free service to educational communities, as we work incessantly to provide academic and professional growth to hundreds of educators from across the globe. I am organizing the first interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary conference in February 2023, one of its own kind and maybe the first ever conference of its kind in Kuwait.
I am also associated with world’s largest language teachers association TESOL International Association based in US having headed its Conferences Professional Council in 2020 and 2021 as Conference Chair. I can humbly claim to be the only Indian from Middle East to have headed that council of North American teachers and led a conference of 9000 attendees from across the globe once in Denver (2020 ) and next year in Houston in (2021).
References/Sourceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-khan-88933516/
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SABINA MOHAMED SAJID. Headmistress of International Indian School Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Alumna: Vimala College Trichur, Kerala. Click side arrow for profile details.
References/Sources:
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SHAGUFA KIDWAI Principal, Pristine Private School Pristine Private School Middlesex University Dubai United Arab Emirates. Alumna: Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh. Click side arrow for profile details.
Shagufa has more than 28years of experience in education internationally which spreads across India, Africa, and the UAE. Her expertise lies in Educational Leadership, driving School Improvement, Teacher Mentoring and Strategic Planning. She is highly experienced in the role of an Academic and Administrative Head of School. A teacher at heart, she strives to create a conducive learning environment that can impact all stakeholders positively.
Ms. Kidwai currently champions eco-literacy and continues deepening the sustainability commitment at Pristine Private School. Driving the school to achieve the Climate Action Award, Microsoft Showcase Status, and many prestigious accomplishments she relentlessly strives to inspire teachers and support students whose needs are continuously evolving. She strongly believes that more than the acquisition of knowledge, a 21st-century learner must be equipped with an inquisitive mind, the ability to think critically, solve problems, communicate articulately, and make informed decisions. Her commitment and passion to bring about a difference in the life of each student and equip them with a broad repertoire of skills to be successful in the future never ceases to motivate her. Education is beyond a career for Shagufa, it is what drives her to create an environment of collective growth, success and prosperity
References/Sources:
Impassioned Authors, Poets, Dramatists ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. DEEBA SALIM IRFAN. Author, Poet, Founder of The Write Scene. Dubai. Alumna: Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Deeba is the curator of Retreats - Kangra Valley Writers Retreats, Back to You Wellness Retreat and more. Deeba is the Founder of ‘TheWriteScene.com,’ a portal for aspiring writers. She was on the jury of iWrite’19 at Jaipur Lit. Fest and also moderated panel at Abu Dhabi Book Fair. As a Brand Expert, Deeba has extensive experience in advertising and events with agencies like Percept and Communiqué heading them for Middle East. She has launched multinational brands and has handled mega scale international events and awards. In 2019, she got ‘Global Star of the Year’ award at the AMU Women of Influence in Dubai. Currently, she holds the post of Director – Cultural Events of the prestigious India Club, Dubai, UAE.
Deeba calls Dubai her home, and has been living here for the last 22 years. She's one of the very few female authors from India to have received the Golden Visa. Deeba was an advertising professional before she turned into a full-time author.
Links/References:
- https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/uae-two-indian-authors-granted-10-year-golden-visas
- Instagram: deebzirfan
- Facebook: Authordeeba
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. FARAH NAQVI. Author, Corporate Trainer and HRD Consultant with MNCs. Kuwait. Home Town: Delhi, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
I was born in a simple and loving family in the city of Allahabad as the youngest of four siblings. My father worked with the Ministry of Food, Govt. of India and my mother was a homemaker. I was always left in awe at the sincere and hardworking attitude of my father and my mother’s selfless, responsible and caring nature.
I have worked primarily in the education sector and based on my experience I personally felt that there was no one stopping the meritorious women from occupying leadership roles. My research work in gender studies in India indicated that the main cause of lack of women in executive positions was not the glass ceiling but the challenges associated with work-life balance. With the patriarchal mindset that responsibilities of home are the primary domain of women, working women of childbearing and rearing age, loaded with responsibilities are many a times forced to compromise on their career goals especially those with no support system. The glass ceiling is mostly seen in the echelon of a company’s top management, but nothing can stop a woman who is passionate and excellent in her work.
Links/References
https://www.thedispatch.in/for-farah-naqvi-writing-fiction-means-reflecting-on-life-and-love/https://farahnaqvi.com/https://codhyd.academia.edu/DrFarahNaqvi
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. GULNASH FATIMA. Author and Writer. ESL Instructor at Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Home Town: Meerut, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Her area of Research ranges from English Literature, Applied Linguistics, English Language Teaching (ELT), modern and contemporary British literature, multicultural American writers, and feminist studies. Dr. Gulnash also has experience of working as Assistant Professor and head of department at TechWords Wali Gram Udyog Group of Institutions, Roorkee, India. She has also Assisted Professor of English Language in teaching. Dr. Gulnash has also worked as Assistant Professor of English Language teaching at Roorkee Institute of Management Science.
Dr. Gulnash’s special work includes, Stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination and racialism in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eyes, Ruskin Bond's World: Thematic Influences of Nature, Children, and Love in His Major Works, Book Review of the book ‘A Short History of the Short Story: Western and Asian Traditions by Gulnaz Fatma, MA, MBA’, Why Do We Still Love the Short Story?, Ruskin Bond: A Pioneer of Children Literature in India, Identity, Homelessness and Isolation in “The Room on the Roof”, Critical Review of "Mr.Know All" by Gulnaz Fatima, Ruskin Bond’s Biographical Sketch Gulnaz Fatima Aligarh Muslim University, India, Thematic Concerns in the Short-stories Ruskin Bond - Ms. Gulnaz Fatma 310-316, Book Review of the Fictional World of Ruskin Bond Gulnaz Fatma. She has also written two books - Ruskin Bond’s World and A Short History of the Short Story: Western and Asian Traditions.
Dr. Gulnaz has skills and expertise in Literature Studies, Literary Criticism, Modern Literature, Comparative Literature, Fiction, Critical theory, Arts and Humanities, Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism and Ethnicity. She is also skilled in English as a Second Language (ESL), Research Design, Lecturing, Hospitality Industry, and Editing.
Gulnash has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in English Language and Literature, General from Aligarh Muslim University. She completed her Master of Arts in English from Choudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, India, and PhD in English Language and Literature from Aligarh Muslim University, India. She has Certificate Courses in Linguistics from Aligarh Muslim University, India.
Links/Referenceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drgulnazfatma/?originalSubdomain=sa
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. ROXANA JAFFER . Writer, Poet, Not- for-profit NGO Founder (myabcfoundation.org), CEO – Sovereign Hotels. Dubai. UAE. Home Town: Check India connection Alumna: University of Liverpool, UK. Click side arrow for profile details.
Roxana is a proud partner with the United Nations, World Food Programme. Under her tutelage, with her staff, to date, efforts have impacted 546,060 under-nourished children globally. Personally, Roxana has been accoladed several times, notable of which are – “Most Influential Women Leader Award” (2019); Global Female Leadership Impact Award (2017) recognised by HH Sheikh Him Juma bin Maktoum Juma al Maktoum; "Global inspirational Leadership Award “ (2015) Given to "Outstanding Women Professional / Leaders who have the vision, flair, acumen and professionalism to demonstrate excellent leadership and achieving results”; amongst several others.
Multi-talented and passionate in several fields, Roxana has written and staged two plays in the UK and has performed in several acts. She is currently an author and a poet, having published two books: A Parallel World and WHY I DID NOT DIE. Adding to her diverse interests, Roxana is a collector of Fatimid coins and artifacts as well antique scriptures and diverse art.
Links/References
- https://gulfnews.com/uae/meet-roxana-jaffer-from-donut-maker-in- uk-to-a-successful-hotelier-in-dubai-1.1564564048324
- https://roxanajaffer.com/about-roxana/
International Diplomacy /Relations ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SABA HUSAIN SAID. Senior Trade Advisor, Department for Business and Trade, British Embassy, Saudi Arabia, Home Town: Bhopal India. Alumna: London School of Economics and Political Science. Profile details to be added
Links/References:
Creative Contributors to the Arts ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. HAFIZA SAYED. Artist, Dubai, UAE. Home Town: Mumbai, Maharashtra. Click arrow for profile details.
Hafiza is also a Muslima Ambassador, one of the young women artists that have been working with International Museum of Women that had partnered with three museums around the world to work with Muslima Ambassadors in creating and planning Muslima. Muslima is a global online exhibition from the International Museum of Women (IMOW), now Global Fund for Women.
She had also been part of many group works and exhibitions including her work with the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation on a year-long exhibition that people well received. She builds her substantial following with her unique signature style inspired from surrealism. Hafiza’s recent solo art exhibition, “Towards Abstraction,” displayed at Studio Seven, Business Bay, Dubai, in 2019. The exhibition reveals close to 30 paintings that represent the journey of an artist in different phases.
One of her masterpieces is “The Invisible Muslima”, a depiction of a Muslim woman among millions unsung and often ignored Muslim women in globalised societies. The woman in the painting is strong, liberated, awakened enough to voice opinions in demand and exercise of her rights.
While sharing her journey, she said, “I took up art very late in my life. I was pursuing an interior designing job because that was my family business. My father was also an artist but he had stopped painting and started the business of interior designing. So I did the same for a very long time until I landed in Dubai. “Despite being away from serious painting for a very long period of time, the art in me and training which I had from JJ School of Art stayed with me like a shadow and never went away from me, though I would paint and sketch at home in my free time.”
Links/References:https://www.gulftoday.ae/culture/2019/04/11/indian-artist-haafiza-sayed-towards-abstraction-is-a-visual-treat-for-art-lovers
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SHAZIA KIDWAI, Director at Andaaz EBayaan Aur Events. Sharjah UAE. Home Town: Barabanki Uttar Pradesh, India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Shazia's educational journey began with pre-schooling at Holy Angel’s Convent in Bharuch, Gujarat, followed by my schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Sibsagar, Assam. Eventually, my academic path led me to achieve an MSc degree from Bombay University. Over the span of 22 years, I immersed myself in the world of finance, collaborating with renowned institutions in Dubai, including Zurich Financial Services, Citibank, and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. This experience allowed me to hone my expertise in financial management.
Presently, she serves as a Director at Andaaz EBayaan Aur Events in Dubai. Here, my passion converges with purpose as we are dedicated to preserving our cultural heritage through grand events like Mushaira and KaviSammelan. These events emphasize the richness of Urdu-Hindi languages and have earned recognition as one of the largest poetry gatherings globally. Our platform not only nurtures budding poets but also honors the experts in this field.Shazia became really passionate about art, culture, and language when she was growing up. She initiated my journey into Indian classical vocal singing at the tender age of 8 and remained an active participant in school and college cultural events. Over time, her cultural endeavors have reached millions worldwide through the power of social media. Shazia's journey is fueled by a profound commitment to safeguarding our cultural heritage, particularly the Urdu-Hindi legacy. Equally imperative is her dedication to empowering underprivileged girls by ensuring their access to quality education.
Shazia has fulfilled her vision through 'Appi (elder sister) Ka Centre', an institute she founded in 2010 that teaches school dropouts how to write, read and do math calculations. While working on the project, she realised that her home state of Uttar Pradesh ranks among the least literate. "I found it is the Indian Muslim women in the north of India who are mostly making up these low numbers. Since I hail from here, I took it up as a challenge. If not me, who else would do it?" Soon, on her visits to India, Kidwai started calling the parents of dropout students and looked at factors contributing to illiteracy. One of the main reasons for dropping out of school was having to help with the household work, thus cutting into the girls' regular classes, and financial reasons, among other factors. During the process, she met a number of 15-year-old girls who had received basic education, and that is where the concept of Appi Ka Centre took off from.
References/Sources
- https://instagram.com/shaziakidwai212?igshid=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA==
- https://www.facebook.com/kidwaishazia?mibextid=2JQ9oc
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shazia-kidwai-1b2864199
- https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai/sharjah-expat-spreads-literacy-in-india
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/shazia-kidwai-1b2864199/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeQJW4ozW38
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. SHIBA KHAN. Artist, Fashion Designer, art activist, curator and Founder of Funun Arts Group, Holder of UAE most prestigious cultural Golden visa, Brand Ambassador of India for the Qatar International Art Festival, UAE. Alumna: Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. Hometown: Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. Click arrow for profile details.
Shiba Khan has fostered a greater platform that serves for the betterment of society in this present era. She is born and brought up in India with a dream to go into medical science. But her creative passion directed her towards Fashion designing and Apparel Merchandising, in which she pursued her carrier with many renowned fashion designers in the capital city of India, Delhi. After doing a job as a fashion designer for 3 years, she decided to start her own brand “Dreams" in 1999. Her fashion house became one of the reputed fashion houses and a big production company. Circumstances separated her from he business and brought her to Dubai in 2008, but the vacuum of being away from creativity developed. And when you want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.
Driven by her passion, Shiba painted relentlessly and found a strong belief in experimenting continuously with textures and colors. This pushed her to expand horizons and tap into new areas of art that she had not yet explored. Art comes to Shiba from her mother and inspiration from renowned artists, S.H.Raza, Wassily Kandinski & Hans Hofmann. She has crossed the border between their generations to her creating a world that is continuously evolving. Her work is a bold mix of styles and colors and each work tells a unique story. As the founder of Funun Arts Group, Shiba Khan has established a thriving art community in the UAE. This community has grown to include over 1500 multinational artists. Being a curator, she contributes to the art community by organizing and showcasing exhibitions, potentially providing a platform for emerging artists to display their work. Her commitment to sharing knowledge through workshops and masterclasses not only emphasizes her dedication to arts but also suggests a passion for nurturing the next generation of artists. Her exemplary curatorial skills and event management have resulted in the successful execution of numerous art events that have gained appreciation from the art world. Despite challenges like the pandemic, Shiba Khan and Funun Arts Group have continued their activities, adapting to virtual platforms to host art events, workshops, and cultural shows. The expansion of Funun Arts Group into different branches, including Funun Arts Consultants, Youth Creative Mind Hub, and Funun Art of Gifting, highlights her commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive art ecosystem. Overall, Shiba Khan exemplifies the power of creativity, hard work, and dedication in making a mark in the art world, especially as she navigates her artistic journey from India to the UAE. Her multi-faceted roles as an artist, curator, art activist, designer, and the founder-director of Funun Arts Group showcase a holistic and impactful approach to the world of art.
References/Sources
- https://www.gulftoday.ae/culture/2020/11/03/for-shiba-khan-art-and-artpromotion-are-bud-and-blossom
- http://www.creatopia.ae/shibakhan
- http://www.artnessystem.com/2017/12/26/shiba-khan/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef7bG51v6zI
- https://www.indexexhibition.com/features/funun-arts-creativity-hub
- https://www.gulftoday.ae/culture/2021/06/05/funun-arts-presents-aspectacular-bouquet-of-artists-at-dubai-show
- https://beattractive.in/art/funun-arts-group-gears-up-to-wow-audiences-withan-artistic-spectacle-at-index-dubai
- https://beattractive.in/women/dubai-based-funun-arts-group-showcased-anart-exhibition-on-the-occasion-of-international-womens-day-2021
- https://universalarabian.com/Funun%20Arts%20Exhibition%20in%20Dubai
- https://www.iltelevisionario2.net/l/a-signature-event-by-funun-art-expressesthe-real-you-expressionism
Taking Entrepreneurship Forward ( in alphabetical order)
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. AYESHA KHAN. Founder & Managing Director of Food-ATM, UAE. Alumna: TBD. Hometown: India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Achievements
- Guinness World Record 2021 for feeding maximum number of meals to the lower-income workers within 8 hours
- United Nations Global Compact included Food-ATM 2022
- Award for Social Responsibility from Ajman Chamber of Commerce
- Appreciation from Ajman Government CSR Department
- Food-ATM is HACCP Certified in 2022
- Microsoft endorsement for Best Social Impact project Middle East
- Finalist Gitex Future Stars 2019, Best Social Impact Startup
- Partner with Rotary Club of Dubai for all lower-income workers meals project
- Exclusive Feature in Gulf News, Manorama Online, Madhyamam newspaper,
- Dubai Varta, Gulf Varta, Khaleej Times, Interviews on Youtube, Facebook, IG
- Several more recognitions & mementos received from various regional social &
- business organizations such as Kerela Pravasi, Indira Gandhi Form,
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. FEHMIDA ALI. Life Coach and Founder of Aspire2Inspire, Doha Qatar. India Hometown: Kerala. Click side arrow to see profile details.
Dr. Femida Ali is a mother of two children and is currently in Qatar coordinating all the activities online. She believes that she is blessed to bring change in many young women’s lives and says that “Its only when one goes through the similar anguish we become grateful and aware to spread as much hope as one can”
References:
- https://www.instagram.com/femslens/
- https://www.facebook.com/femida.ali/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-femida-ali-07759517b/
- https://www.eoindia.com/femida-indiaicon/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVgS9YRDsIA
- https://instagram.com/aspire2inspireclt?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. MARIAM SHAIKH, Founder, CEO, MS Education Consultants, United Arab Emirates. Click side arrow for profile details.
She has held key leadership positions at reputed and prominent Universities basedin UAE and has worked actively with aspiring students looking to pursue HigherEducation from all over the World.
Her professional endeavors in Education started in the early 80’s when she owned aNursery School inspired by her own children and then went on to Head a well-knownSchool group as Principal. Dr. Mariam was the integral driving force to the exponentialgrowth of the School, making it one of the largest Asian schools at the time in UAE withover 7000 students.
Following this, Dr. Mariam entered the Higher Education Sector to pursue newopportunities and assist students to fulfill their academic and career aspirations. She hasplayed a key role in establishing some of the most reputed foreign Universitybranch campuses in UAE such as the University of New Brunswick in DubaiKnowledge Village, which was her first pioneering effort to encourage foreignUniversities to set up their campuses in Dubai.
She has been Senior Leader as Vice President for Student Recruitment at theCanadian University of Dubai, Heriot-Watt University Dubai and Amity Universityin Dubai and has substantially contributed towards the start-up, exponentialgrowth and develop ment of the student population in these institutions’ branchcampuses.
Dr. Mariam has been a keynote speaker at several Education Conferences and aspokesperson on various digital platforms, overseas and locally, promoting the worldclass education offered by Institutions based in UAE. She has travelled extensively as aBrand Ambassador and has been part of foreign delegations to promote HigherEducation. She strongly promotes Dubai as an Education Hub and a destination ofchoice for students seeking Higher Education.
References/Sources
- https://ae.linkedin.com/in/mariamshaikh
- https://instagram.com/drmariamshaikh?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg== Personal Instagram
- https://instagram.com/mseduconsultants?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg== - official Instagram link
- https://www.facebook.com/mariam.shaikh1?mibextid=eBUYbo - personal Facebook
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064280524986&mibextid=V3Yony – Official Facebook
- https://x.com/currim?s=21&t=b9TG4QrLs3VL0oc3mL4nJA – Twitter link
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. NIDA KHAN, Fintech Expert, Dubai, UAE . Home Town in India? Add. Click side arrow for profile details.
She has worked on research projects in social finance, decentralized finance, micropayments and blockchain governance. She is a pioneer in giving the economic impact of blockchain-based micropayments, proposing a mathematical framework for blockchain governance and using smart contracts to preserve privacy in blockchains to ensure adherence to GDPR. She had a brief stint as the Chief Technology Officer in an e-commerce platform, where she developed their tech stack, gave a concrete architecture to their business model and proposed a novel mechanism using blockchain-based tokens to record the impact of their initiative. Her past achievements also include the development of two pioneering smartphone apps for the Islamic Finance industry. Her work appears in diverse publications and she speaks regularly on emerging technologies.
Nida Khan is the developer of two pioneering technological tools for the Islamic finance industry. She is credited with the development of a new blockchain consensus mechanism, FAST, for high performance blockchains. Her other achievements include developing a decentralized app for crowdfunding of projects by donation in Ethereum, programming a chaincode in Hyperledger for the same, discovery of an anomaly and proposition of a novel mechanism for throughput enhancement in Ethereum. She has also developed a dashboard providing real time values of data changes in smart contract functions and has worked on developing a basic management plane for data-filtering and monitoring of Ethereum smart contracts. She has dealt with blockchain-based micropayments and is contributing as a team member of Masdin, an associate team between the University of Luxembourg and Inria, France for management of software-defined infrastructure.
Nida has pioneered the Islamic finance industry through her research and technological breakthroughs. Her coming into this field was not planned but a gradual transition of her passion into work. She was ranked as the 12th most influential women in Islamic business and finance in 2019 under the Woman in Islamic Business and Finance (WOMANi) Awards by Cambridge IFA, a UK-based financial intelligence house.
Born in India, Nida holds an honours graduate degree in Computer Science and Engineering from India and a Master Diploma in Islamic Banking and finance from UK. Nida had also worked as Global Head of Operations at Amanah International School of Islamic Economics, Bangalore, India, as International Client Relationship Manager at Dananeer Sarl, Luxemburg. She had also served as Faculty member at Miftah institute of Islamic Finance, India.
Links and References
- https://wwwen.uni.lu/recherche/fstm/dcs/membres/nida_khan
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-nida-khan-7206b15b/?originalSubdomain=lu
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. ZULEKHA DAUD, Founder and Chairperson of Zulekha Healthcare Group, Dubai, UAE. Hometown: Nagpur. Click side arrow for profile details.
Zulekha Daud was born into the family of a construction worker. She graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur, India. She specialised in gynaecology. Zulekha Daud started working in Sharjah in 1964. Prior to this, she worked at the American Mission Hospital in Kuwait.
She has stormed the weather and come out a winner. When In 1992 she set up the first private hospital in Sharjah – the Zulekha Hospital, just a few days after the inauguration of her hospital, Dr. Zulekha met with a terrible road accident.but she fought it hard to bounce back and six months later and some intensive physiotherapy, Dr. Zulekha was back on her feet. There has been no turning back since. Dr. Daud, hailing from Nagpur, Maharashtra in India, a renowned physician-turned-entrepreneur based in UAE received India's top most honors for overseas Indians – the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2019.Her another special achievement was when Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation honoured Dr. Zulekha in New Delhi and presented her with a letter of thanks and appreciation of her five decades of valuable contributions to the healthcare sector in the UAE. Forbes Middle East also recognised her contributions to the field of healthcare by including her in the list of 100 Indian Leaders in the UAE. Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai also awarded her with the Dubai Quality Award.
She was listed as one of the 20 most influential global Indian women in 2015. Dr. Zulekha Daud was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Republic TV Gulf Indian Leadership Summit and Awards 2018 for her immense humanitarian work. She is also the receiver of Dubai Quality Award at the 21st Business Excellence Awards Ceremony. Dr. Daud was placed 20th in the Economic Times' 2013 list of Most powerful Indian in the Gulf.
Links/References:
Change Makers in Social Development
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. JUHI YASMEEN KHAN, CSR & Charity Initiative Expert & Consultant - Dar Al Ber Society. Founder & Managing Director: ECO WALK Climate Action Hospitality Services Home Town: TBD/India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Juhi is the first Indian woman CSR & Charity Initiative Expert & Consultant at government organizations in United Arab Emirates. Due to her knowledge & experience in her field, Juhi has been requested to become advisory board member and judge of various awards related to Business, CSR, Sustainability & Climate Change. Also, she is invited to multiple national & International programs, seminars, corporate events, businesses and universities, etc. to speak about Humanitarian aids, Sustainability, CSR, Charity & Welfare of Women & underprivileged sections in the society.
Juhi’s work has been recognised and lauded in the form of many awards and titles, she has received multiple awards for her business leadership, humanitarian & charitable activities. Juhi is an Indian national. The United Arab Emirates has been her home for the last 27 years, and this great nation has played a major role in shaping the person she is today. Juhi is on a mission to create more Future Philanthropists, Humanitarian leaders & Climate Action Heroes!
References/Sources
- https://www.instagram.com/juhiyasmeenkhan/?hl=en
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/juhi-yasmeen-khan-467b7116/
Youth Inspirations
RBTC Global Middle East Nominee. JISHA KUTTIANI ALI Post doctoral Researcher, Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, UAE Alumna: U.C College, Kerala Hometown: Ernakulam Kerala/India. Click side arrow for profile details.
Jisha's mother, who is 10th standard failed from a financially sound family and her father was a company employee from an average family. Due to her father’s casual approach to life, our family had to face huge financial crisis and as a result, our mother had shouldered all the responsibility for her three daughters and the whole family. But it was not an easy path for her as she did not have enough education or a job. Her mother also lost her father and her mother was suffering from dementia for 20 years. With her own life experience after her father’s death and the struggles she faced in life, she realized the importance of education in a girl’s life and was determined to give her three daughters the best possible education, no matter how hard it was for her.
As mentioned, my father shirked from familial responsibilities. So, to meet our living expenses, my mother borrowed money from usurers. As days passed, the situation became very grave as she was unable to repay the money. Then she took a loan from the bank, and started selling her father’s inherited properties. Eventually, we lost all her properties and had to move to a single room accommodation with five people. We did not have electricity or even our own washroom and had to depend on our relative’s house for everything. But despite experiencing such great financial difficulty, my mother was not ready to give up and was willing to endure any hardships to give her kids the best education. Fortunately, we received great big support from our teachers during our high school studies as they bought books, uniforms, food, etc. So, I passed the 10th class with distinction but I had no money for further studies. My mother begged to many people including our family members for further education of her kids but no one considered or listened to us. They said, “If you do not have money, send your kids to a job instead of studying”. These words hurt us very deeply but fortunately, with the help of one of our cousins, one good person from Qatar came forward to help us (we did not know his name as he did not want to reveal his name). He sent Rs. 500 every month which helped for me to study the plus two Higher Secondary. It was a huge relief and I completed my plus two with distinction. Then I joined B.Sc chemistry at U. C College, Aluva. During this time, I started giving tuitions to high schools and plus two students as a small support to my mother.
During my 1st and 2nd year of degree, I could attend the classes on alternate days only, due to the lack of bus charges and managed studies by collecting notes from the library. But this could not work in the 3rd year degree, because I had lab practicals for three days in a week. When the College faculty came to know about our financial problems, they came forward to bear all expenses for my further education throughout the 3rd year. With the great support of my teachers, I finished my B.Sc in Chemistry with 91.5%. I had a great desire to join for M.Sc in CUSAT but even the application fee was not affordable. So, I decided to give up all my goals and go to a job but again my teachers came forward and encouraged me to continue studying at U. C College and to achieve my goal. Finally, with all their encouragement, I completed my Master's degree with 82.6%.
My teachers encouraged me to write the CSIR JRF exam as it was the Govt. of India exam to get scholarship for doing Ph.D. If I qualified then the scholarship would not only support my doctoral studies but also to support my family. So, I put in my maximum effort and cleared the exam with an All-India Rank of 216. At the same time, I was also teaching at Sree Sankara College, Kalady as a guest lecturer. Later, I joined for M.Phil in CUSAT and continued my Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry Dept under the supervision of Dr. K. Sreekumar, and Dr. S. Prathapan with a CSIR, JRF scholarship. I was able to support my family financially and we built a home of 800 sqft with the help of a bank loan. My elder sister did her M.Sc, and B.ED in mathematics, got married with the help of locals and relatives; and my younger sister finished M.B.A with the help of education loan and got placed in ICICI bank.
But the gigantic problem awaiting us was the dowry system in the Muslim community which affected our lives a lot. As a general perception, we are already old for marriage (25 years old) and not good-looking or attractive and the prospective groom family had a huge demand for dowry. This was very exhausting for us especially my mother mentally. We felt that society and relatives laughed at us as we did not get married even at 25 years old despite, having good educational qualifications. My mother searched a lot to find a family who did not demand dowry but unfortunately could not find it. Anyway, she needed to conduct the marriage of her daughters as this is the compulsory responsibility of parents in Islam. At last, with the help of a bank loan, and relatives, my mother conducted the marriage of mine and my younger sister. This resulted again to a big financial problem, because my scholarship and my sister’s salary were not enough for repaying the bank loan monthly.
My scholarship ended after five years and I started to work as a guest lecturer in CUSAT, and KUFOS, during my Ph.D. Finally, I have achieved my aim and my mother’s dream. I defended my Ph.D. on 18th June 2018. It was a great and proud moment for me and my family. But very soon I realized that even with Ph.D. it was not easy to get the job of an Assistant Professor in Kerala. I have attended the interview for the Assistant Professor post in a reputed Muslim management. But it was one of the most depressing moments of my life, because the interviewer did not ask about my qualification, or check my knowledge of the subject; but was only concerned about the donation I would give to the management to get this job. They said, “They are expecting more than Rs. 20 lakhs”. I was really shocked and never expected such a demand from them. At that moment, I realized that money has a great role to get a job even if we have enough qualifications. In the present situation, I could not imagine giving Rs. 20 lakhs as a donation to them to get the job. I gave a complaint about this to one of the directors' board members. Literally, his reply left me shocked and disappointed. He said: it is easy, just take a bank loan and give it to management and pay the loan from salary.” I could not think about another loan as we were overloaded with many bank loans. I felt very disappointed and humiliated by the management. I was also listed in the Kerala PSC list for the Assistant Professor but it was banned due to some political issues. At the same time, we were facing foreclosure threats from current bank loans and were afraid that we would lose our home.
Then I was thinking to go abroad for a Postdoc position or job better than staying in Kerala. In between I got a contract job at Calicut University as an Assistant Professor for one year. One day, I received a phone call from Mr. Manaf (my brother in low ‘s friend) to congratulate me for awarding my Ph.D., and had discussed my current job situation in Kerala with him. He encouraged me to go to UAE to search for a job or continue my studies. So, I quit my job at Calicut University, came to UAE in 2018, and left my one-year-old baby with my parents in Kerala. Nonetheless, it was not easy to get a job in UAE. Luckily, I have got tuition for a 10th student from a Kerala family with the help of Simsarul Ustahtad and could meet the expense of UAE. After three months I received an interview call from Dr. Enas, Professor, at Khalifa University and unfortunately, he did not select me. But he recommended me to Dr. Emad, Associate Professor, at Khalifa University, and got a position as visiting researcher. I submitted a project proposal to him, he was really impressed with that, finally, we published three publications in high-impact factor journals from that proposal then he promoted me to Postdoc. It was the happiest moment for me because I knew a postdoc is a key step to reaching the Scientist position. From there, I gained new skills, learned more, and continue my research. As a result, more than 10 publications in high-impact factor journals, now continue his group since 2019, and expecting more publications this year. Here I am mainly focused on material synthesis and its application in wastewater treatment. In between I received a golden visa from UAE in 2021 and visited the USA in 2022 and presented my research at the AIChE conference (world famous conference for chemical engineers). Besides, I am working as a guest editor and reviewer for some reputed journals. With the help of this job, Alhamdulillah, I have fixed my family’s all financial problems and released my mother’s home from all bank loans.
Global Rising Beyond the Ceiling Team For Middle East
RBTC Global Coordinator For Middle East : BUSHRA MASOOD, United Arab Emirates
Founder & President : Farah Usmani, New York, USA
Contributors: RBTC coordinators from various states of India:
Sabiha Ahmad ( Coordinator Uttar Pradesh);
Zoya Fatehally ( Coordinator Karnataka),
Shaheen Usmani ( Coordinator Kerala),
Faiqa Saulat Khan ( Coordinator Madhya Pradesh),
Shabina Omar ( Coordinator West Bengal),
Yasmeen Haider (Coordinator Tamil Nadu),
Miriam Fozia Rahman ( Coordinator Delhi),
Mehnaaz Nadiadwala ( Coordinator Maharashtra)
Rana Y. Ali ( Co-Coordinator, USA)