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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Bengaluru, Dec 26: A Japanese national, Hiroshi Sasaki, who works in Bengaluru, lost Rs 35.5 lakh after being 'digitally arrested' by cyber fraudsters, police said, on Thursday.

 

The incident occurred between December 12 and 14, police added.

Sasaki, who lives in a flat near Dairy Circle, received a phone call on December 12. The caller was claiming to be from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The caller informed him that his phone number would be blocked due to its unauthorised use.

To avoid the disconnection Sasaki was asked to dial a number.

Upon dialling the number, he was immediately connected to a WhatsApp call from someone claiming to be from the Cyber Crime wing of Mumbai Police. The caller informed Sasaki that he was involved in a money laundering case.

The fraudsters "digitally arrested" him and siphoned off Rs 35.5 lakh by having him make payments through various means, including RTGS.

He was also told that the money would be returned after the investigation was completed.

After realising that he had been duped, the victim approached the South East Cyber Crimes, Economics and Narcotics (CEN) police station and lodged a complaint.

'Digital arrest' is a new cyber fraud, where the fraudster poses as law enforcement agency officials from agencies like CBI, and customs and threatens people of arrest by making video calls.

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