Saturday, May 23, 2009

Ismailis in the News - USF Mourns loss of Graduate


TAMPA, Fla. (May 19, 2009) The University of South Florida is mourning the loss of recent graduate Aly Zain Lakdawala, 21. The United States Embassy in Costa Rica confirmed that his body was found one nautical mile offshore near where he was swimming with other USF students in the Pacific Ocean near Matapalo. Lakdawala graduated from USF on May 1 with dual majors in International Studies and Philosophy, and was well known at USF for his involvement in community service. Since May 8, 14 USF students have been working with the organization "International Volunteer HQ" in rural Costa Rica. The trip was part of a community service trip of USF's alternative spring break program. Lakdawala went missing when a heavy current caught some of the group swimming during a lunch break midday Saturday May 16. Costa Rican coast guard, police, lifeguards and Red Cross have been searching for him. USF staff and the director of the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement were with the group during the entire trip. Maria Crummett, Dean of International Affairs, and other staff flew to Costa Rica to assist his father in rescue efforts. Media inquiries, please contact Lara Wade, News Director, lwade@admin.usf.edu, office phone 813-974-9060, cell phone 813-833-1498.

Ismailis in the News - India's Salim and Sulaiman Merchant nominated for Emmy



Salim and Sulaiman are Hindi music directors and singers in India. The duo consists of two brothers, Salim Merchant and Sulaiman Merchant. Salim and Sulaiman have been composing music for over a decade having scored for movies such as Chak De India, Bhoot, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Matrubhoomi and Fashion. The duo has also composed for several Indi-pop performers including Viva, Asmaan, Shweta Shetty, Jasmine and Style Bhai among others, composed and produced several TV commercials and collaborated with a artistes such as Ustad Zakir Hussain and Ustad Sultan Khan. They got their first break when Karan Johar asked them to compose the music for his movie, Kaal. After that, they have gone to do movies with well-known producers and directors like Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai and Ram Gopal Varma. Before composing music, they were composing the background scores for movies. They are famous for their background scores in horror flicks.

http://www.salimsulaiman.com/


Salim-Sulaiman nominated for Emmy
Times of India - ‎May 21, 2009‎
Here's news of another case of Indian music going global. Our very own hit-making duo of Salim and Sulaiman Merchant has been nominated for a prestigious ...
Salim-Sulaiman bag Emmy Awards nomination
Oneindia - ‎May 19, 2009‎
After AR Rahman did the nation proud by bagging two Oscars for his Slumdog Millionaire score, it's now the turn of ace music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman to ...
Salim Sulaiman go global now!
India-Forums.com - ‎May 22, 2009‎
2009 seems to be the for the Indian music industry. After AR Rahman winning various awards all around the globe, it's time ... 2009 seems to be the for the ...
Salim-Sulaiman Nominated for Daytime Emmy!
Bollywood Spice - ‎May 19, 2009‎
By Stacey Yount - BollySpice.com Salim-Sulaiman are known in Bollywood for their outstanding musical scores and soundtracks and now they are garnering ...

Aga Khan Gift to Burnaby Mayor



This photo is of a decorative clock which was a gift from His Highness, The Aga Khan to Mayor Derek Corrigan to commemorate the Golden Jubilee celebration and the Aga Khan's visit to City Hall on November 25th, 2008. The clock will be on display in the glass display cabinets located in the outer hallway of the Mayor's Office.


His Highness the Aga Khan in Berlin

Photo credit: AKDN/Hinrik Schmoock
Berlin, Germany, 15 May 2009 - His Highness the Aga Khan arrived in Berlin yesterday for a two-day official visit to hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul.

Focus Summer 2009 Hike4Life

Bishkek

WHAT: FOCUS Summer 2009 Hike4Life in Kyrgyzstan
WHEN: July 30 – August 9, 2009
WHY SHOULD YOU PARTICIPATE? This is an incredible opportunity to challenge yourself, to meet people from other parts of the world, and to build lifelong friendships, while raising vital funds for Focus Humanitarian Assistance. Your participation will assist FOCUS in enabling disaster resilient communities.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: May 31, 2009 or when all places are filled, whichever is earlier.
APPLICATION AND EVENT INFO: Available at http://www.focuschallenge.org/.
QUESTIONS: Can be referred to info@focuschallenge.org.



Tentative Itinerary: July 30 - August 9, 2009 (with approximate hike durations and distances)

Ismailis - Shah Hasan Ali Mausoleum

Hasanabad, Mazgaon, Mumbai - India

By Al-Waez Alijah Hasan Husayn Nazar Ali

Mowlana Shah Hasan Ali spent the last years of his life in the peaceful enjoyment of his large income and hereditary honours at Poona , Bombay and Bangalore . He devoted the last 30 years of his life to the up liftment of the Ismaili community in India . One of his great passions in life was horses. He had in his stables some of the best breeds of Arabian horses. His fondness for horses made him one of the prominent supporters of the turf. There are many cups won by him on the racecourses which are still preserved in the family. The Duke of Edinburgh and King Edward VII, who was Prince of Wales at that time, visited Mowlana Shah Hasan Ali at his residence during their visit to India . It was an honour which, with the exception of the leading ruling princes, was accorded to no other nobleman; this was an acknowledgement of Imam’s princely birth and of the great and loyal services he had rendered to the British government.
Mowlana Shah Hasan Ali died in April 1881 A.D., leaving three sons -Aga Ali Shah, who succeeded him to the Imamat, Aga Jangir Shah and Aga Akbar Shah. Before Mowlana Shah Hasan Ali’s death there was reconciliation between him and the ruling family in Persia . The last resting place of this great Persian nobleman, warrior, statesman, sportsman and Spiritual Leader, is at Mazagon in Bombay . This place is called "Hasanabad" after the Imam, where Ismailis have erected a mausoleum. Millions of Ismailis and Non Ismailis has visited this mausoleum from all over the world.

World Partnership Walk - Over $45m raised



Canadians join 25th World Partnership Walk to fight global poverty 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 31st, 2009
(Sunday, June 7th, in Ottawa
Sunday, June 14th, in Calgary)
WorldPartnershipWalk.com

Zee' Notes: This month the news spotlight has been on the World Partnership Walk to be held in various Canadian and US cities. Who would have ever thought the growth of this initiative from $50,000 in its inaugural year 25 years ago to last year's $5.5 million raised to help fight global poverty - and off course the impact much more due to matching contributions from various Government organizations. So if you have done your part in signing up to walk and got sponsors from your circle of life have a lot of fun and for those who haven't done so it's never too late and remember you are helping someone who, thru AKDN, may help jumpstart their family to a better life - you don't need any motivation then that....

Here some coverage for the Walk:

Vancouver Sun

Seaway News

Fighting poverty with cookies
Cornelia Naylor, Surrey NowPublished: Tuesday, May 19, 2009