Faizal & Shabana Foundation and Manipal University sign pact to boost research and development

[email protected] (CD Network)
February 3, 2014

Faizal_And_Shabana_1

Dubai, Feb 3: The Faizal and Shabana Foundation, part of KEF Holdings, signed an MoU agreement with Manipal University to invest AED3 million towards a research and development facility for precast concrete technology at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), India and to introduce a precast design and engineering course to the University's curriculum.

“This is a first for any institute of higher learning in India and has the potential to transform engineering education in the country,” said Faizal Kottikollon, chairman of KEF Holdings and Faizal & Shabana Foundation.

“We are pleased to be part of this exciting venture. This new research and development center will no doubt benefit many students and faculty members. Precast concrete technology is rapidly expanding in India due to its sustainability, affordability and time saving measures. We therefore believe that this course will be a huge success at the University,” he said.

KEF Holdings recently entered a partnership with Finland-based Elematic, a leading provider for precast technology and machinery to set up manufacturing plants in India-and later UAE- involving investments totaling AED 200 million.

The Foundation aims to further precast technology by introducing it to students to advance the field and create employment opportunities for them.

“We are committed to seeing the advancement of this very successful industry and we believe that it has the potential to transform engineering education,” said Dr. Ramdas Pai, Chancellor of Manipal University. “We look forward to seeing the career possibilities and opportunities that will arise from this,” he said.

The research and development center will be set up by the Foundation and expertise will be given to the University via collaboration with Finland's Lahti University of Applied Sciences.

About Faizal & Shabana Foundation:

Innovation, excellence, integrity, and humility are the corner stones on which KEF Holdings was built. The philosophy of the group is to constructively influence lives of people by being different and making a difference.

Inspired by the desire to give back, commitment to sustain, and passion to excel while valuing the potential of each human being, the Faizal and Shabana Foundation was initiated in 2007 by KEF Holdings' founders, Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal.

The overall vision of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation is “Giving to Create Impact”. The focus areas of the Foundation's interventions are specifically Women, Children and Youth.

Thematically the Foundation has been working in the sectors of Education, Housing, Health, Humanitarian Assistance, Livelihoods, and Sports. The Foundation has been supporting projects globally and in India.

 

Faizal_And_Shabana_2

Faizal_And_Shabana_3

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 3,2025

arrival.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.