Nagma Muhammad Fareed of Kasaragod is the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs
First Muslim woman to become Indian Foreign Service officer
If the right opportunity is given to Muslim women, they can achieve anything and scale any heights. Nagma Muhammad Fareed who is appointed as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, held by Sushma Swaraj, is a fine example for this. Nagma Fareed is the first Muslim woman who was selected for the coveted Indian Foreign Service ( IFS ) post in India and she is also the first Muslim woman who is working in an important position with the External affairs Minister.
1920 and 1930s Muslim Community of Kerala and Karnataka was very backward. But a boy from ‘Pudipura family’ of Chemanadu village in Kasaragodu, situated on the bank of Chandragiri river, started going to primary school in Kasaragodu crossing the river during those days. He completed his high school in Mangaluru and left for Madras ( now Chennai) for college education. He got two degrees from the university and became an advocate. After returning to Kasaragodu, he started his profession as advocate and became famous as ‘Vakeel Ahmed’.
Nagma Muhammad Fareed is the daughter of this illustrious father Ahmed. Ahmed has sent his three sons to Madras for higher education. Against the existing practice in Muslim community at that time, Ahmed sent his only daughter to school. She was the only Muslim girl who had completed metric education during that time in the district.
Nagma was very good in her studies and secured good marks at Schools and colleges . Her parents wanted her to become a doctor. But the ambition of Fathima Nagma was different. She wanted to write IAS exam. She was educated at St Stephen's College & Delhi School of Economics. She holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature and a master's degree in Sociology. She appeared for IAS ( UPSC) exams in 1990. She secured a rank within 100. Due to her good ranking she got the opportunity to select the foreign service . So, Nagma selected Foreign service and joined in the batch of 1991.
In the beginning, she served in France, Arab countries, Sri Lanka, Nepal and other countries in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later, she was appointed first as the Indian High Commissioner to Thailand and later as the Indian Ambassador to Tunisia. Before this posting, she served as a staff officer to Prime Minister I.K. Gujral. She then served as the first woman Deputy Chief of Protocol (Ceremonial).For the last three years, she was serving as Indian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam.
Now, she is elevated as the Joint Secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. One of her brother is serving in high rank in the Indian Air Force.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
