tmag
HOT TOPIC
si hraak monwar
tmag to ishraak
Young gun hotshot Famous in his teens, 19-year-old entrepreneur Ishraak Monwar, dynamic and smart, fits perfectly into our description of a young star. The difference between him and most teenagers is not an ambitious mind but the ability to be practical and adhering. Partnered with his friend, he came up with the idea of the ‘’iTasker’’ (extremely popular in Australia), designed to make people’s lives easier. This service allows the user to recruit a person for a particular period of time to carry out various tasks around the house or extending it, be with washing the dishes, walking the dog, or assembling the furniture. It redefines the concept of Do-It-Yourself, making it to be Get-Someone-Else-To-DoIt-If-You’re-Too-Busy. He is also the co-owner of Addition Clothing.
courtesy
What brought on the idea of the iTasker? Contrary to what's out there on the interviews we already gave, the idea of iTasker just came up from market research into gaps and new booms in the market. We saw that collaborative consumption, the whole idea of neighbours helping neighbours were coming up big style. Looked further into it, ran a few beta concepts. The whole beta framework for iTasker just worked out and we went for it. That sounds amazing. So you wouldn’t fully take credit for the success of your business? Nah, not at all. I single-handedly couldn't have come this far or taken one business or company that high. I don’t know about what most businessmen think, but I personally think a good team of two or more good individuals is always more effective than an amazing individual going solo. It was the combined effort of me and James and all of the amazing people who gave us pointers and helped us through each obstacle then and even to this day, I make up for James's weaknesses and he makes up for mine. Greed is good but too much greed can be self destructive. For me and James, strength is in the numbers; a large share isn't always the most important thing to consider when starting up.
alveera mamoon
I hear you’ve been on a show in Australia earlier this year. Tell me about it. That was around March last year. Well the show was a current affairs programme that highlights and briefly elaborates on notable things happening within the Australian community as a whole. It's called Today Tonight, it's by channel 7. We got interviewed for being notable young individuals with a business that they deemed to contribute to society. It was pretty cool; James enjoyed the spotlight last month on it again. Sadly I was in the UK at the time. This time, it's for another business me and him own, it's called Addition Clothing. What did you do with your first big pay cheque? I got $940 brake pads, $380 racing tires and new hides costing about $160 for my Chrysler crossfire, a few PlayStation games, my little sister a PlayStation vita, my girlfriend then a pair of limited edition Ray-Bans and a Thomas Sabo charm, and my mom another pair of Ray-Bans with an Aigner bag that she gave away to my little sister! When was the last time you did a household chore? Last month. I am completely self sufficient with my UK apartment.
7
shiuli sathi
fighting the good fight
grameenphone
It is not everyday that we realise that nothing is impossible until it is done. But, once in a while we discover an extraordinary tale of inspiration that amazes us and proves that yes, anything is possible if you believe in it. Special Olympics Gold Medalist Shiuli Sathi is an icon of encouragement and true inspiration. Born to a family of six and the daughter of a rickshaw puller, Shiuli was diagnosed with a mental disability at the age of four. For the first 15 years of her life, she could not walk on her own and had to be carried around from place to place. “I could not talk fluently too,” Shiuli says as she reminisces about her tough childhood,” No one played with me or talked to me. They treated me like an outcast and I hated it.” Her dislike for crowded places and loud noises made her adamant to skip school and it was after almost a year, when she finally gave in to her parents and teacher’s words and decided to join school and see how it suited her. Her love for sports came into life, when she started doing exercises to stay fit and overcome her physical limitations. Badminton being her first game of attraction, Shiuli quickly learnt how to play ‘boichi’ and also became the fastest runner in her class. It was Shiuli’s endless determination and never ending practice at the Dhupkhola Field, which caught the eyes of the selectors of the Bangladesh Special Olympics Association in the year 2007. Her first international acknowledgement took place in that very year when Shiuli qualified for the Special Olympics World Summer Games, in China, Shanghai. Losing
to her opponent by just one point, Shiuli brought back 2 silver and 1 bronze medal for her country in badminton. Turning her disappointment for her unexpected loss to her goal to achieve, Shiuli worked harder and in the year 2009, she attended the second summer Olympics in Brunei, Darussalam. Qualifying in every round for badminton and boichi, her years of hard work shone brightly when Shiuli won the final rounds of her sports with huge leads and brought back 5 gold medals in a row. “I could not believe it,” she says, “I was so ecstatic that I was still in a daze for days.” Since then, Shiuli has participated in another special Olympics and has garnered 10 medals in total till date. When in Dhaka, Shiuli works as a teacher’s assistant in the school Sweet Bangladesh in Mohakhali. She teaches dancing to the challenged kids there and when asked about her future plans, Shiuli says that she wants to make an institution where she will train challenged kids of our country to be like her, so that they can live a normal, happy life and contribute to the society as good citizens, taking Bangladesh forward. “We are fighters,” states Shiuli. “We are blessings, not curses as some may think. I want my students to stand up for themselves and fight for their rights. With every fall you take, double your strength and determination and believe in yourself. Then you can achieve the impossible and show the world that you are special, not for your shortcomings but you are special because you have accomplished what others did not dare to do in their lifetime.” sama e deen
TM AG TU E SDAY, J U LY 23 , 20 1 3