Published: Sat 29 May 2021, 2:35 PM
Updated: Wed 2 Jun 2021, 8:23 AM
Standing: (from left) Safeer (husband of first daughter Sumayya), Amal (daughter); (sitting) Aslam with grand son Mazyoun , Tasneem Aslam and mother Sunitha Syed
Tasneem Aslam, an Indian student from India's southernmost state Kerala's Alappuzha district and a namesake of Pakistan's career diplomat and a former spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a proud recipient of a coveted honour of the UAE government.
Her hard work, diligence and intelligence have paid off.
The UAE government has recognised her merit and excellent academic credentials to extend her a 10-year Golden Visa, which is reserved only for prominent global personalities.
Tasneem received the Golden Visa in the exceptional student category and is allowed to stay in the country till 2031, as the UAE unveils major reforms to attract global talents from people belonging to all walks of life.
Tasneem, but naturally, is thrilled by the honour.
“This is one of the best moments in my life. I feel privileged to achieve this and I am thankful to Almighty Allah. My parents 'support has been enormous, and Insha Allah I hope to sponsor them in near future,” Tasneem told Khaleej Times.
“I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the wise and visionary leadership of this great nation that has been making rapid strides to promote education. Students, educators, and institutions enjoy great value in this young nation that's celebrating 50 years of its foundation. I seek solace in the immortal words of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that 'knowledge is the shortcut to success,' ” she said.
Tasneem studied Islamic Sharia from Al Qasimia University in Sharjah and topped her class, which consisted of pupils from 72 nationalities, with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.94 on 4.
Tasneem has memorised the Quran. She has enroled for a postgraduate degree in Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) at the University of Sharjah.
She had attended the Emirates National School in Sharjah, where her mother Sunita works as a teacher, and had secured 95.6 per cent in her Grade XII examinations.
Tasneem's father Muhammad Aslam is a former employee of the Sharjah City Municipality and now runs a typing centre in the emirate.
Her father is ecstatic about their daughter's feat.
He said: “I'm proud of her achievements. We've been flooded with congratulatory calls and messages for the past two days from our friends and relatives from across the globe.”
Tasneem, who is proficient in Arabic, has multitasking skills. She helps her father with Arabic translation at the typing centre and simultaneously manages the social media account of Zahaar perfumes.
Earlier, she worked as a teacher at Nobel Qur'an and Sunnah centre in the emirate. She also taught the Quran and hadith at the Abu Bakr Siddique mosque in Sharjah.
“Tasneem is very creative, and she spends her free time designing her own abaya,” her father signed off.