Foundation stone laid for 'The Shepherd International Academy' at Arkula, Mangaluru
Educational Institute to be built at 3.6 acres of land on NH-73
Mangaluru, Oct 29: The foundation stone was laid for the construction of Shepherd International Academy under Hikma Educational Trust located near Arkula on NH-73 in Mangaluru.
M Ahmed, chairman of the AK Group of Companies, unveiled the new name of the Institute. Khatib Altaf Moulavi of Al-Ihsan Masjid, Mangaluru offered prayers.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of Shaheen Group of Institutions, Bidar; and Advisor of Hikma International Academy Dr. Abdul Khadir said, "Education plays an important role in society. It is necessary to create an atmosphere of getting educated. Schools should not be limited to one community. It should be a place where children from all communities and classes should mingle with each other. The parents of the students, as well as the locals, must support this institute, which is being set up by a team of young entrepreneurs" he urged.
Hikmah International Academy's trustee, noted author and international resource person Syed Habib Pasha, who also spoke on the occasion, said " one cannot achieve happiness merely by wearing good clothes and eating food. Rather, human beings must live with love, togetherness and patience. That brings real joy. I hope that this institution would be the best educational institute in South India by treating all the students equally."
Athar Khan, the trustee of Hikma International Academy and CEO of Al-Asar Foundation of Bhopal, said "Success can be achieved when one moves ahead with a goal and belief in Allah.
SM Bashir, Director of SM Marine Group of Companies and strategic advisor to the Hikma International Academy, said "Parents dream and wish that their children should become the good citizens in society. This institution to achieve that."
Bhatkal PBI Construction's Managing Director PB Ibrahim, Vijayavahini Enterprises' Proprietor K. Mohan Amin, Chief Executive Officer of Hikma International Academy Hasan Yusuf, Office bearers of the Hikma International Academy Niyaz A.K, Naushad A.K, Nazim AK, Sajid A.K, S.M Farooq, Muhammad Rizwan were present.
Briefing the details about the Shepherd International Academy, Dean of BEADS and Chairman of Hikma, Architect Muhammad Nisar informed that the academy will come up on 3.6 acres of land. He explained that the institution established two years ago is now running in Mangaluru. Pre-KG, LKG and UKG classes are being run. In coming days, it will operate from a well-equipped campus in Arkula. Priority will be given to impart quality and valuable education with advice from renowned educational experts and co-operation of the skilled teacher. The organization's main mission is to create a better future for students. Special classrooms will be built for a pleasant atmosphere. Swimming pool, horse riding, karate, computer, labs, library and prayer halls will also be opened.
The campus will house 50 deserving widows who will get suitable jobs in the School and their children will get free education , said Muhammad Nisar.
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India harbouring big and bold dreams in space sector: Shubhanshu Shukla
Kolkata (PTI): Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to go to the International Space Station, on Wednesday said the country is harbouring “big and bold dreams”, foraying into human spaceflight after a hiatus of 41 years.
Shukla was the first Indian to visit the International Space Station as part of the Axiom-4 mission. He returned to India from the US on August 17, 2025, after the 18-day mission.
The space is a “great place to be”, marked by deep peace and an “amazing view” that becomes more captivating with time, he said, interacting with schoolchildren at an event organised by the Indian Centre for Space Physics here.
“The longer you stay, the more you enjoy it,” Shukla said, adding on a lighter note that he “actually kind of did not want to come back”.
Shukla said the hands-on experience in space was very different from what he had learnt during training.
He said the future of India’s space science was “very bright”, with the country harbouring “very big and bold dreams”.
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Shukla described his ISS flight, undertaken with support from the US, as a crucial “stepping stone” towards realising India’s ‘Vision Gaganyaan’.
“The experience gained is a national asset. It is already being used by internal committees and design teams to ensure ongoing missions are on the right track,” he said.
Shukla said the country’s space ambitions include the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, the Bharatiya Station (India’s own space station), and eventually a human landing on the Moon.
While the Moon mission is targeted for 2040, he said these projects are already in the pipeline, and the field will evolve at a “very rapid pace” over the next 10-20 years.
He told the students that though these targets are challenging, they are “achievable by people like you”, urging them to take ownership of India’s aspirations.
The sector will generate “a lot of employment opportunities” as India expands its human spaceflight capabilities, he noted.
Echoing the iconic words of India’s first astronaut Rakesh Sharma, Shukla said that from orbit, “India is still the best in the world”.
Shukla also asserted that the achievement was not his alone, but that of the entire country.
“The youth of India are extremely talented. They must stay focused, remain curious and work hard. It is their responsibility to help build a developed India by 2047,” he said.
Highlighting a shift from Sharma’s era, Shukla said India is now developing a full-fledged astronaut ecosystem.
With Gaganyaan and future missions, children in India will be able to not only dream of becoming astronauts, but also achieving it within the country, he said.
“Space missions help a village kid believe he can go to space someday. When you send one person to space, you lift million hopes. That is why such programmes must continue... The sky is not the limit,” Shukla said.
“Scientists must prepare for systems that will last 20-30 years, while ensuring they can integrate technologies that will emerge a decade from now,” he said.
Shukla added that he looked forward to more space missions, and was keen to undertake a space walk, which will require him to "train for another two years".
