Golthamajal: Prominent socio-religious leader, founder of Hajjaj group Haji G Abdul Khader no more
Bantwal: Prominent poet and socio-religious leader Haji G Abdul Khader (87), who also founded Hajjaj group of companies, passed away on Monday morning at a private hospital in Mangaluru.
A resident of Golthamajal near Kalladka, Abdul Khader was also a prominent writer and author.
Abdul Khader served as the president of Kalladka Juma Masjid for a long time, he was fondly known as “Abbonu Haji” for his contributions in social, educational and literary fields. He was admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru owing to serious illness.
Abdul Khader was a prominent writer and poet of both Kannada and Beary literature and a lot of his works have been published in various magazines, while he has also penned a few books by himself.
He has also served as the President of Kannada Sahitya Sammelan of Bantwal Taluka and has also been awarded for his work by Taluka and District Sahitya Sammelan.
Abdul Khader is also a recipient of Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy Award and was also a prominent social worker.
He played a significant role in developing Kalladka Juma Masjid and Golthamajal Juma Masjid. He also established ‘Gem Public School’ and rendered education to thousands of students of the state and also played a key role in establishing Government High School in Golthamajal village.
Hajjaj group organises Kabaddi tournaments wherein players and teams from all the communities take part and raise over the lines dividing people on the lines or caste, communities and religions.
Abdul Khader is survived by his wife, six sons and five daughters. Family sources informed that his funeral prayer and rites will take place on Monday 5.pm at Kalladka Juma Masjid.
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Nine cheetahs from Botswana arrive at MP's Kuno National Park
Sheopur (MP)(PTI): Nine more cheetahs from Botswana landed safely at Kuno National Park (KNP) on Saturday, taking India’s total count of the big cats to 48, an official said.
The third batch of cheetahs from Africa arrived on IAF aircraft as part of a four-year population revival plan, the official said.
Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav will release the big cats into enclosures readied at the park, he said.
The new batch from Botswana was flown in to Gwalior on an Indian Air Force aircraft, and from there, IAF choppers transported them to KNP, Sheopur public relations officer Avantika Shrivastava told reporters.
This was the third batch of cheetahs arriving from Africa, following earlier introductions from Namibia and South Africa, officials said.
The IAF has assisted the cheetah revival programme by bringing them from Africa. It had transported the animals from South Africa in February 2023, and brought big cats that arrived from Namibia in September 2022, Project Cheetah Director Uttam Sharma said.
"The arrival of more cheetahs will strengthen India's cheetah revival programme. With the support of the Central government, we aim to increase the population to 50 as soon as possible," he said.
Three cheetahs have been relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, while 36 have remained at KNP, he said.
Officials said endangered animals are usually not kept in a single habitat due to the risk of disease outbreaks that can wipe out their entire population at one go.
The cheetah, the world's fastest land animal, became extinct in India nearly seven decades ago.
Last year, 12 cubs were born in the park, though six — including three cubs — did not survive. This year, between February 7 and February 18, nine cubs were born in two litters. In total, 39 cubs have been born at KNP since 2023, of which 27 have survived.
Namibia-born Jwala and Aasha, South Africa-born Gamini, Veera and Nirva, and India-born Mukhi have all produced litters at the park.
