Stories of Excellence
Samina Baig is the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest and the K2 summit in Pakistan. Samina comes from the small remote village of Shimshal in the Hunza region of Northern Pakistan and began climbing when she was just four years old. By age 23 she had climbed the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. TRA-008
Alim Hirji grew up playing a variety of sports, but it was table tennis where he excelled. Alim rose through the ranks of the sport, achieving a top 15 ranking in the Senior Men’s category in England. Sport is still a major part of his life, as he continues to play abroad on weekends, winning numerous British League titles and even a National Championships medal. Join us to hear his story.
Pinky Lilani, CBE DL, is a motivational speaker, food expert, women's advocate, and author and publisher of Spice Magic. She is the founder and chair of several awards recognising influential women and leaders and the force behind the Women of the Future Programme, a portfolio of global events, projects, and networks that support women, celebrate their talent and success, and, in so doing, help to burst open the female leadership pipeline. She has won several awards for her work and was listed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour.
Nadia Verjee, Chief of Staff to the CEO and Minister of State for International Cooperation was responsible for curating and developing the Expo 2020 Dubai's thematic programme with over 200 nations, organizations, and partners from around the world. Nadia’s story will resonate with you and empower you to follow your passion and pursue your goals fearlessly. TRA-007
Anita Karim, a 22-year-old from Karimabad, Hunza, is the first female Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter to represent Pakistan at an international level. Anita won her second international match at the One Warrior Series (OWS) in Singapore, against Indonesia’s Gita Suharsono, where she dominated all three rounds of the fight. SPO-016
Nirali started playing tennis at the age of 5 and was already playing at the national level at aged 8. She achieved 2nd place at the U12's. She's definitely one to watch out for in upcoming games. SPO-015
Lutfiya Abdulmajidova is a volleyball player and coach from Khorog, Tajikistan. She has participated in various national and international competitions. As a captain of the GBAO Women Volleyball team, she has had a key role in winning the National Cup for almost 15 years. SPO-014
Adil has combined his passion for football with his aptitude for anatomy. Let us find out how he ended up in his dream job as the doctor of the Chelsea football team. SPO-013
Shafaq is Pakistan's youngest fitness trainer, a wapda sponsor athlete, and a national gold medalist. She also smashed the medals leader boards at Jubilee Cup. Watch to hear her story. SPO-012
Moiz Lakhani has competed at the national level in judo, kickboxing, and wrestling and at the international level in Jiu-Jitsu. He shares his journey and experiences in sports, academics, social entrepreneurship, and international development. SPO-011
In today's journey of Muslim Intellectuals, we introduce Al Muayyad fid din al-Shirazi and Nizari Kohistani. Let's understand the reason they're recognized as among the great Muslim intellectuals and get inspired.
We are joined by Dr. Eboo Patel, the Founder and President of Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that prepares youth to become interfaith leaders in a changing environment. Patel was also a member of President Barack Obama’s inaugural advisory council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. A Rhodes scholar with a doctorate in sociology from Oxford University, Eboo has authored four books, with a fifth one on the way. TRA-006
Sujeet is a very talented sportsman. He's played at cricket's top level in several countries and leagues. He's a left-hand batsman, spinner, and all-rounder. Watch him share his story! SPO-010
Danish Dhamani is the Co-founder of Orai, a public speech coaching app. Cited as the most common phobia amongst humans, Danish struggled with public speaking. His journey as the co-founder of Orai was motivated by his own personal experiences and his drive to improve the quality of life of people across the globe. Danish joins Trailblazers host, Tahira Nizari at the Serena Hotel in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur. TRA-005
Rahim Daya, Head of Barclays Private Bank, Middle East discusses the plans he made and strategies he incorporated into his life and career that led him to his current position. He also talks about his experiences as a drummer in the band Khayal, which has performed all across the globe and during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Lisbon, Portugal. In sharing his strategy for dealing with pressure, Rahim spends his time focusing on what he can control and does not worry about the things he knows he has no influence over. “Focus on what you control, do everything you possibly can to get to the desired outcome. TRA-004
Jasmin, Agata, and Victoria belong to a very special family. They are three of the six Al-Halj sisters from Sweden Jamatkhana who all practice, compete and teach Taekwondo. Hear their story on The SportShow! SPO-009
We are joined by Latif Nasser, the host and executive producer of the Netflix documentary series ‘Connected: The Hidden Science of Everything’, host at ‘RadioLab’ and host of ‘The Other Latif’ mini-podcast series. Receiving a Ph.D. in the history of science from Harvard University, Latif is the recipient of the 2021 Dupont Columbia Award for his series ‘The Other Latif’. In this episode, he is interviewed by his sister, Farah Nasser, a news anchor for Global News. The siblings explore their childhood, share stories about their upbringing and how their parents enabled them to develop a constantly curious attitude towards the world. “This idea, ask questions until their head hurt. That was a thing that our dad would say, there are always more questions, there are always more things you can learn from everybody and not just fancy scientists, everybody. TRA-003
In this episode, we are joined by Farah Williamson, co-founder of Project Shelter Wakadogo, and Director of Gulf and Strategic Partnerships at Plan International Canada. Working closely with the local community in Gulu, Uganda, Farah shares with us what motivated her to co-found Project Shelter Wakadogo whose guiding principle is putting children at the heart of everything. Trailblazers is a new original series, exclusively on Ismaili TV, showcasing Ismailis around the globe who have demonstrated excellence in their fields. TRA-002
Trailblazers Premiere! A new original series, exclusively on Ismaili TV showcasing Ismailis around the globe who have demonstrated excellence in their fields. In our very first episode, we are joined by The Honourable Salma Lakhani, the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Born in Kampala, Uganda, and expelled in 1972, her Honour gives us insight into her installation ceremony and what it felt like to swear the oath on the Qu’ran. She discusses how the promise of hope for a better future for everyone motivates her to serve her community. Join us as Her Honour kicks off our series in hopes of inspiring other Trailblazers. TRA-001
There were eight Pakistanis among the world’s top 100 nurses and midwives, five faculty members, and three alumni from Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan. Meet them all in today's program of the spotlight.
David Aly is a student and football player. He's just signed for Portugal's top football and is playing as a Goalkeeper for Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira. SPO-008