Qatar Malayalis recount horrifying moments of Iran missile attack
KOZHIKODE: For the large Malayali population in Qatar, many of whom are blue-collar workers, nurses, teachers, and technicians, Monday night — after Iran launched missiles targeting the Al-Udeid Air Base located near Doha — was a grim reminder of their vulnerability far from home. WhatsApp groups flooded with videos of the explosions, frantic voice messages, and calls for updates. Several people were too scared to sleep.
When Habeeb K, a Kozhikode native living in Lusail, stepped out of his apartment after a thunderous blast shook his building, he wasn't prepared for what he saw: his parked car partially engulfed in flames, hit by falling missile debris.
'It felt like the world was ending,' Habeeb, still shaken, told TNIE over the phone.
'My car was burning just a few feet away from where children usually play. It could have been us.'
While Qatar's defence systems managed to shoot down the threats, fragments from the explosions rained down over residential neighbourhoods, some of them heavily populated by Malayali expats from Kerala. According to eyewitnesses, several missiles lit up the sky shortly after 11 pm, followed by thunderous explosions.
'This was a turning point,' said Faisal M, a social worker who assists new people from Kerala. 'People came here for a better life. Now they are afraid to step outside. Some are even talking about returning to Kerala for good. On Tuesday, a majority of the people took leave and decided to stay at their houses and apartments.'
Nazeera T, a nurse from Kannur, recalled: 'I was feeding my baby when I saw a flash outside the window. Then came the sound, like something had exploded just above our heads. My hands were trembling. I didn't know whether to grab my phone or run.'
Entire apartment buildings in Doha, Al Wakrah, and Lusail emptied into stairwells. Families huddled together. Videos shared in Malayali WhatsApp groups captured the raw fear on peoples faces, with some even reciting prayers aloud as they waited in corridors.
'We've survived the Gulf War, the blockade, even Covid. But this is different. This time, people truly feel unsafe, as if war has come to our doorstep,' said Faisal, a long-time Doha resident.
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New Indian Express
10 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Qatar Malayalis recount horrifying moments of Iran missile attack
KOZHIKODE: For the large Malayali population in Qatar, many of whom are blue-collar workers, nurses, teachers, and technicians, Monday night — after Iran launched missiles targeting the Al-Udeid Air Base located near Doha — was a grim reminder of their vulnerability far from home. WhatsApp groups flooded with videos of the explosions, frantic voice messages, and calls for updates. Several people were too scared to sleep. When Habeeb K, a Kozhikode native living in Lusail, stepped out of his apartment after a thunderous blast shook his building, he wasn't prepared for what he saw: his parked car partially engulfed in flames, hit by falling missile debris. 'It felt like the world was ending,' Habeeb, still shaken, told TNIE over the phone. 'My car was burning just a few feet away from where children usually play. It could have been us.' While Qatar's defence systems managed to shoot down the threats, fragments from the explosions rained down over residential neighbourhoods, some of them heavily populated by Malayali expats from Kerala. According to eyewitnesses, several missiles lit up the sky shortly after 11 pm, followed by thunderous explosions. 'This was a turning point,' said Faisal M, a social worker who assists new people from Kerala. 'People came here for a better life. Now they are afraid to step outside. Some are even talking about returning to Kerala for good. On Tuesday, a majority of the people took leave and decided to stay at their houses and apartments.' Nazeera T, a nurse from Kannur, recalled: 'I was feeding my baby when I saw a flash outside the window. Then came the sound, like something had exploded just above our heads. My hands were trembling. I didn't know whether to grab my phone or run.' Entire apartment buildings in Doha, Al Wakrah, and Lusail emptied into stairwells. Families huddled together. Videos shared in Malayali WhatsApp groups captured the raw fear on peoples faces, with some even reciting prayers aloud as they waited in corridors. 'We've survived the Gulf War, the blockade, even Covid. But this is different. This time, people truly feel unsafe, as if war has come to our doorstep,' said Faisal, a long-time Doha resident.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
200-year-old well brought to life beneath Bowring Institute in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: A 200-year-old well — once a vital water source for British soldiers and their horses — has been rediscovered beneath Bowring Institute in central Bengaluru. The process to revive it has begun. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On Tuesday, the historic MotherWell, dating back to the early 1800s, gushed back to life, with clear water rising from its ancient stone walls. Concealed for decades under a building that once housed a health centre, gym and bar lounge within the club's premises on St Mark's Road, the well measures an impressive 25ft in width and 40ft in depth. The structure was unearthed after years of archival research and meticulous groundwork. The club's management restored the well as part of a broader urban water security initiative. "This well is not new. It existed even before Bowring Institute was founded in 1888," said Srikanth HS, secretary of Bowring Institute. "The British discovered it when they first arrived in Bengaluru. At that time, there were thousands of wells across the city, but only a few were known as Kapila Bavis or MotherWell — one that never went dry. This was one of them." The well once served as a primary drinking water source for colonial troops and was even linked to the water network of Kanteerava Stadium at one point. While rainwater harvesting has been practised on the premises in recent years, it was the severe water crisis during last summer that prompted the institute to go deeper — literally. "That crisis made us reflect seriously. We wanted to do more than just harvest rainwater. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now When IIT Roorkee began leading the Blue-Green Revolution nationally and selected Bengaluru as a pilot city, we saw an opportunity. Our goal became clear: Not a single drop of rainwater falling on our property should go to waste," Srikanth said. Unlike a typical open well, the MotherWell is fed by natural underground water veins that draw in water and allow surplus to percolate back into the soil — an ecological feature that helps sustain the area's groundwater table. "We've mapped seven to eight recharge points across the property. All rainwater collected here is now directed into these recharge wells that feed into the MotherWell, making it our main water source," Srikanth explained. The journey to rediscovery began as far back as 2016 when club members first heard anecdotal references to a buried well. By 2018, hydrogeologists and archaeologists confirmed its presence using ground-penetrating techniques. Delayed by pandemic Plans to excavate and restore the well were in place, but Covid-19 delayed the work. Excavation finally began three months ago after dismantling the building that had been constructed over the site. What workers uncovered astonished them. "The stone walls are nearly two centuries old, yet those remain solid and intact. We need to dig down about 25ft before we complete the project. But we already found water on Tuesday. The water is crystal clear, though it currently appears murky due to the excavation dust," Srikanth said. Full restoration may take up to 15 days. Once done, the well will cater to the institute's water needs, including drinking, cooking and showers. "We're also repairing the damaged upper portion of the well, likely sealed during construction in the post-Independence era. We want this structure to last another hundred years," he added. Beyond its practical purpose, the well symbolises a blend of conservation, community responsibility, and historical preservation. "Bowring Institute is more than a social club. We're working to offer world-class facilities, while honouring the rich legacy of one of Karnataka's oldest heritage structures. This revival is a message to future generations that heritage and sustainability can thrive together," Srikanth added.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
World's Best School Prizes 2026: Four Indian schools earn spot among top global finalists
CHANDIGARH: A government school in Haryana's Faridabad, one of the four Indian schools named among the top 10 finalists across different categories for the annual World's Best School Prizes organised in the UK, is leading the change to help transform the lives of scores of girl students by focusing and implementing physical and mental health wellbeing, nutritional support and community engagement. The Government Girls Senior Secondary School NIT-5 in Faridabad was selected for transforming the lives of at-risk girls by interlinking nutritional programmes, physical well-being and mental health support with education to break down societal barriers and ensure no girl is left behind. It is on the list of 10 finalists for the prize under the Supporting Healthy Lives category. The five World's Best School Prizes -- for Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity and Supporting Healthy Lives -- were founded by UK-headquartered T4 Education in the wake of COVID-19 to give a platform to schools that are changing lives in their classrooms and beyond. "In a world being turned upside down by AI, as technology reshapes the way we learn and renders jobs that have existed for centuries obsolete, amid growing challenges of climate change, conflict, poverty and populism, the world our young people are entering has never felt more precarious. And a good education, with humans at its heart, has never been more important," said Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education and the World's Best School Prizes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Laxmi Ji Idol For Wealth, Peace & Happiness Luxeartisanship Shop Now Undo Besides the Government Girls Senior Secondary School NIT-5 in Faridabad, schools from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh were also unveiled as contenders for membership to the Best School to Work programme to help schools attract and retain the best teachers, and celebrate the schools' enormous contribution to society's progress. The winners across categories will be announced in October. T4 Education calls itself a global platform bringing together a community of over 2,00,000 teachers from more than 100 countries to transform education. Dr Avinasha Sharma, who was an English teacher at the Faridabad school before being posted in another government school in the neighbourhood, recalled several initiatives which have been taken by the school from time to time helping it find its place being shortlisted among the top 10 finalists. A nutrition awareness programme at the school teaches students how to eat healthily while the students tend to a school vegetable garden. "During the period I was in the school and later also whatever initiatives were taking place, we worked towards healthy lives of children including focusing on their mental and physical well-being. Specifically, the area also revolved around the girl child, their health, counselling about menstruation cycles, and whether they are anaemic or not. We have been working on various sessions related to mental wellbeing, specifically focused on aiming for a purposeful life," Sharma said. NGOs also contribute to enhancing infrastructure and services. "We have various NGOs who have been conducting sessions in school premises and supporting school infrastructure also, in terms of sports activities. One of the NGOs has supported creating a football ground for students," she said. For Class 12 students, the teachers engage with students and parents to highlight the importance of higher education and career choice to support girls in building careers. The school facilitates parent workshops on health, nutrition, and education, and teachers and community volunteers personally visit homes, inviting parents to attend, she said. The school is empowering scores of students to confidently embrace the opportunities they deserve. Sharma said what makes this school different from others is here the leadership preserved whatever has been gifted from the community. "We tried to maintain whatever has been given. So, that's why this school has always been first choice among the CSR initiatives across Faridabad. That is the key to the success of the entire initiatives being taken up by the school," she said. K C Kaliya, the school principal, who was transferred from another school in Gurugram and posted in the Faridabad school on May 9, said the institute runs classes from Class 1 to 12 and is affiliated to the Board of School Education, Haryana. The number of students at the Government Girls Senior Secondary School NIT-5, Faridabad, is about 1,500, he said. "We have 57 teachers besides 13 junior teachers for Classes 1 to 5. The school has over 40 well-equipped classrooms. Each year we have a very good result which varies between 99 to 100 per cent pass percentage," Kaliya said. Expressing his happiness at the school being among the top 10 finalists, the principal said, "Over the years, the school has grown from strength to strength." He said the school regularly holds camps and seminars. "Along with studies, the physical and mental health of students is given priority," he said. "The students take part in extracurricular activities, excelling in yoga, sports and cultural competitions," he said. The principal said many pursue higher education, competitive exams, and leadership roles within their communities. The winners will be chosen by an expert Judging Academy, with all 50 finalist schools across five categories also taking part in a public vote opened this week to determine the winner of the Community Choice Award. The worldwide winners across these categories will be announced in October, with all the finalists and winners invited to the World Schools Summit in Abu Dhabi on November 15-16. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
