Faizal and Shabana Foundation launches 'Nadakkavu Model' school in Kashmir
Kozhikode:
The Faizal and Shabana Foundation, renowned for its exemplary work in the field of education, has expanded its model project, 'Nadakkavu Model' School, to Kashmir. This initiative marks a significant step in the foundation's efforts to elevate educational standards across the country. The project's earlier success in revamping Nadakavu School in Kozhikode had garnered nationwide attention.
The foundation's development efforts are now focused on the Govt Girls Higher Secondary School in Kothibagh, Srinagar. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Faizal and Shabana Foundation to formalize this collaboration.
The primary aim of the project is to ensure quality education for girls, continuing the foundation's mission to enhance educational opportunities. The inauguration ceremony in Srinagar was attended by several prominent individuals, including KE Faizal, Chairman of KEF Holdings and Co-Founder and Director of Faizal and Shabana Foundation, and Shabana Faizal, Vice Chairperson of KEF Holdings and Founder and Director of the foundation.
The event also saw the presence of Razzak Faizal, Founder of Peak Mobility, among other top officials.
Founded in 2007, by UAE-based businessman Faizal Kottikollon, founder of KEF Holdings, and his wife Shabana Faizal, the foundation has donated more than INR340m ($4.5m) for the rehabilitation of schools, based on a model of quickly replacing crumbling classrooms with prefabricated structures.
Shabana hails from Mangaluru in Karnataka state of India. She is the only daughter of prominent businessman and socio religious leader Late B Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen who founded the prestigious BA Group of Businesses in Thumbay near Mangaluru.
Faizal believes inequality begins at the school gate and this belief of his decision to turn his attention and wealth towards rebuilding India’s underserved public schools in an effort to level the playing field for poorer students.
The foundation has till date contributed to the renovation of 19 schools in three south Indian states – Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The renovation model of the foundation has been so successful that the Indian government the model to renovate other schools. The practice has played a part in the transformation of nearly 1,000 schools countrywide, with more than 300,000 students benefitting from new classrooms and other facilities.
Today, more than 140 schools in Kerala follow the Nadakkavu model, and hundreds more have been influenced in some way. The foundation has provided direct financial support to 16 schools in Kerala, two in Tamil Nadu and one in Bangalore.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
