Latest news with #Fahim
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Language is no barrier for this six-year-old Afghan girl in Kerala
KOTTAYAM: 'Ente peru Behsa Karimi,' she said in a sweet yet crisply articulated voice, before proceeding to confidently count to ten. Her Malayalam belying her origins in war-torn Afghanistan. In a classroom buzzing with the chatter of children and the fresh scent of books, the six-year-old captivated the hearts of everyone. Hailing from Herat, third-largest city in Afghanistan, Behsa is one of 16 students admitted to the first grade at Mudiyoorkara Govt LP School. She is the daughter of Mohammad Fahim Karimi, a research student of management studies at MG University, and Ellaha Zahir. Fahim first arrived in Kottayam, with family, in 2021 to pursue his postgraduate studies. The family currently resides near Thellakom. With his wife and children accompanying him on his student visa, Behsa had the opportunity to learn Malayalam at a very young age. She also completed her preschool education in Kottayam, which contributed to her fluency in the local tongue. 'My Malayalam vocabulary is limited. I find the language quite challenging. However, my daughter has picked up the language well. She attended pre-school at SH School here. I think she will not face any language barriers, because she is a fast learner. I hope my daughter will help her classmates learn English as well,' said Fahim. Fahim expressed his happiness at the warm and welcoming attitude of the local people. 'My family really appreciates their attitude,' he said.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Little Afghani girl steps into world of letters from Kottayam
As classrooms across the State filled with the chatter of children and the scent of fresh books on Monday, it was a six-year-old girl from Afghanistan who captured hearts in Kottayam. Clutching her new school bag and dressed in a crisp yellow frock, Behsa Karimi walked into Government LP School, Mudiyoorrkkara, with wide eyes and an eager smile. This bright young girl, originally from Herat in Afghanistan, is one of 16 students who joined Grade I this year. Behsa is the daughter of Mohammad Fahim Karimi, a 33-year-old research scholar in Management Studies at Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), and Ellaha Zahir. Though her roots lie in the rugged landscapes of Afghanistan, Behsa's early learning has begun right here in Kottayam, where she also attended pre-school. This made her the star of the school's reopening ceremony on Monday. It's the first time the school here has welcomed a student from another country and the teachers were thrilled. Headmistress Sindhu K. and her team greeted Behsa with open arms. Soon, she was exploring her classroom, exchanging shy giggles with new friends and adapting to the rhythm of her new school life. 'She speaks more Malayalam than I do,' Fahim chuckled. 'Though I came here five years ago, I barely know ten words in this language. But Behsa will have no trouble picking up the nuances here. She's already at home,' he said Fahim first arrived in Kottayam in 2021 to pursue his postgraduate studies. Now a research scholar at MGU, he still has two more years of research to complete and the family is currently settled near Thellakom. During this time, Kottayam will remain home for the Karimi family, and for Behsa this school will be her world. On her very first day, she received her textbooks, uniform and school bag from the school. While Fahim and Behsa are here on student visas, her mother and two year old sister, Behar, are on dependent visas.
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
'Traumatised' Bangladesh Star Withdraws From Pakistan Tour After Border Tension With India: Report
Bangladesh tearaway Nahid Rana is among the three members to withdraw from their upcoming tour of Pakistan, which is set to kick off next week at Lahore's iconic Gaddafi Stadium. According to the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) cricket operations chairman, Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, there is a possibility that Nahid could have withdrawn from the squad, considering the difficult situation he faced when trying to leave Pakistan earlier this month due to the cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. Nahid was a part of Peshawar Zalmi's squad when the players had to be withdrawn from the Pakistan Super League. Nahid's national teammate, Rishad Hossain, was also a part of Zalmi's squad, but he is touring with Bangladesh. Fahim revealed that most of the players were hesitant to tour Pakistan but changed their minds after most of the Bangladesh players decided to embark on the three-match T20I series. "What Nahid Rana and Rishad faced recently, you can't blame them for being traumatised. Which is probably why Rana has withdrawn from the tour. Among the coaching staff, James [Pamment] and Nathan [Keily], who are our fielding coach and trainer, aren't going. The rest are ready to go there," Fahim said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. "There were hesitations among few other players. But later, when they saw others are going, they felt that it might not be difficult to go there and they changed their initial position," he added. According to Fahim, Pakistan provides high security during cricketing tours and said, "I saw during the Champions Trophy how much security is provided in Pakistan. I don't think you can do more than that. The PCB chairman (Mohsin Naqvi) assured us to give the highest security." Bangladesh's tour will feature three T20Is, reduced from the initial five-match affair. The series will kick off on May 28, the second will be played on May 30 and run through to June 1. Listen to the latest songs, only on
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First Post
22-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Bangladesh Cricket Board defends pacer Rana pulling out of Pakistan tour: 'Can't blame them for being traumatised'
Young Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana was part of the international players who were evacuated out of Pakistan during its conflict with India. read more Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedeen Fahim has come in support of pacer Nahid Rana after he pulled out of the upcoming tour of Pakistan . Rana wasn't the only player to withdraw from the Pakistan tour, but he is the only one who was part of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025. Rana, 22, was part of Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2025 when the players had to be abruptly evacuated out of the country due to the India-Pakistan conflict. The players were evacuated to Dubai first from a military base in Rawalpindi, which was later hit by a missile as the Indian Army retaliated against attacks from their neighbours. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Besides Rana, Rishad Hossain is also part of the PSL 2025 and recently returned to Lahore Qalandars for the playoffs. Hossain is also a part of the Bangladesh squad for the T20I series in Pakistan. But Rana has decided to withdraw. Bangladesh's fielding coach James Pamment and strength and conditioning coach Nathan Keily have also withdrawn. BCB supports Rana in his decision BCB cricket operations chairman Fahim told ESPNCricinfo that the trauma of the conflict could have forced Rana towards taking the decision to withdraw from the Pakistan tour. He also supported the pacer's decision. 'What Nahid Rana and Rishad faced recently, you can't blame them for being traumatised. Which is probably why Rana has withdrawn from the tour. Among the coaching staff, James [Pamment] and Nathan [Keily], who are our fielding coach and trainer, aren't going. The rest are ready to go there,' Fahim said. Fahim revealed that a few more players were uncomfortable with the tour but later agreed after the majority decided to go ahead with the scheduled plan. 'There were hesitations among few other players. But later, when they saw others are going, they felt that it might not be difficult to go there and they changed their initial position,' he added. Fahim added that Pakistan will be providing high security to the Bangladesh cricket team. 'I saw during the Champions Trophy how much security is provided in Pakistan. I don't think you can do more than that. The PCB chairman (Mohsin Naqvi) assured us to give the highest security,' he said. Bangladesh was scheduled to tour Pakistan for a five-match T20I series, but it has now been reduced to three games. All three matches will be held in Lahore on 28, 30 and 31 May. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Taking a break from work to hit the gym? How executives can model work-life balance
Healthy work environments begin with what employees see from their leaders — not just what they're told. Culture shifts through example, not just memos. That was the message echoed by HR leaders during the Future Workforce Summit 2025, held at the Address Sky View Hotel in Dubai, where work-life harmony took centre-stage as a critical pillar of modern workplace culture. At the summit, Anam Irfan, an HR executive and wellness advocate, said, 'There's no such thing as perfect balance,' she said. 'But harmony is achievable — if leaders model it. Employees are watching. What we normalise from the top is what becomes culture.' She recounted an example from her own experience working with a C-suite executive in a major digital firm in the GCC. The executive prioritised his personal wellness by blocking time mid-day to visit the gym — a small act that led to a 25 per cent to 30 per cent increase in employees doing the same. 'When the leader made wellness visible and unapologetic, others felt safe to follow,' Irfan added. 'That's how culture shifts — through example, not just memos.' Irfan also pointed out that in the GCC region, many professionals — especially expatriates — face heightened job insecurity, which makes it even more crucial for leaders to signal that taking care of one's health is not just acceptable but expected. 'This isn't like being in your home country where job transitions feel safe. Here, people hold on tightly to their roles. That's why leadership's role in normalising balance is even more vital,' she said. Culture and accountability go hand-in-hand The Future Workforce Summit 2025, organised by KT Events and held at the Address Sky View Hotel in Dubai, is designed to spark vital conversations about the workplace and challenge traditional norms in the UAE and beyond. Mirray Fahim, People & Organisation Director at Novo Nordisk UAE, expanded on this message with concrete examples of how accountability for wellness is embedded at every level of her organisation. 'We don't just talk about wellness — we measure it,' she said. 'You can't manage what you don't measure.' At Novo Nordisk, an annual engagement survey called Evolve includes dedicated questions about stress, physical well-being, and whether employees feel their company cares about them. These results aren't just stored in HR files — they're tied to leadership performance reviews and even bonuses. 'Leaders are held accountable. If their teams show low engagement or high stress, they're enrolled in targeted support programs with organisational psychologists to unpack the 'why' and improve,' Fahim shared. She emphasised that the data shows a clear link — high engagement correlates strongly with lower stress, and the reverse is also true. For Novo Nordisk, wellness is not a 'nice to have' but a business imperative. Prevention pays off — literally Fahim also highlighted Novo Nordisk's global initiative, NovoHealth, which focuses on six pillars of preventive care — including mental health, fitness, and regular health checks. 'We offer every employee gym memberships, yoga classes, even a home treadmill,' she noted. 'Some might say that's a luxury. But our insurance data shows it saves us 2 to 4 times the cost over time, when we prevent chronic conditions.' This long-term view, she explained, has led the company to design benefits that span life stages — whether it's 14 weeks of paid parental leave, fully paid caregiver leave for employees with aging parents, or remote work flexibility for those going through personal challenges. She closed with a deeply human example — when an employee dealing with a high-risk pregnancy asked for extended unpaid leave, the company instead worked with her to redesign her role to be remote-friendly — ensuring her health, income, and peace of mind were all preserved. 'We saw her as a whole person, not just a worker. That's what wellness really means.' The session made it clear that the future of healthy workplaces lies not in slogans or superficial benefits, but in the willingness of leaders to model wellness, take accountability for their teams' emotional climate, and treat employees as humans first. As Irfan put it, 'if we want healthier workspaces, the change has to start with us. We build the blueprint through our behavior. Culture is contagious.'
