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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Annamalai vows to not wear sandals till DMK regime is dislodged
Coimbatore, Dec 26: BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai on Thursday said he would not wear sandals and walk barefoot until the DMK regime is dislodged.
Further, he said he would lash himself six times with a whip on December 27 at 10 am outside his residence here to draw people's attention over the tragic sexual assault of the Anna University student. Also it was to condemn the police, and the state government for its "apathy" in handling such matters.
Addressing a press conference, Annamalai alleged that the accused, Gnanasekaran was a DMK office-bearer, which was denied by the ruling party. The BJP leader, showing photographs of the accused with DMK leaders, alleged that he was a ruling party's student wing office-bearer.
Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathi asserted that the accused in the varsity student sexual assault case was not even a primary member of the DMK. The BJP leader alleged that the accused committed the crime emboldened by his affiliation to the ruling party.
"This is very simple," he told reporters here. Since, the accused was associated with the DMK, police did not act against him, he alleged and wanted to know about the use of Nirbhaya funds to prevent such crimes.
Annamalai also questioned the way the FIR was written and said it was drafted as if the victim had committed a crime. "The DMK (government) should be ashamed of disclosing the identity of the victim."
Announcing that he would not wear footwear till such time the DMK government is ousted, he said he would go on a 48-day 'Viratham' (spiritual vow) by worshipping Lord Muruga, offering prayers at all the six 'Aarupadai' temples in the state by February, 2025.
