A Kasargod descendant is Secretary to British King Charles

A Kasargod descendant is Secretary to British King Charles

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, December 16, 2024: Muna Shamsuddin, a Kasaragod native, serves as Assistant Private Secretary to King Charles III. She supervises his official programmes and accompanies him on foreign trips. A British diplomat, Muna was appointed to this role last year while working at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office in London.  She joined the British Foreign Services after graduating in Mathematics and Engineering from the University of Nottingham in Britain. She has served as the Consulate General in Jerusalem and as the Deputy Head of Mission in Karachi, Pakistan. Her husband, David, is a UN official. Muna and her colleagues are responsible for overseeing the official programmes of King Charles. They are also expected to accompany the King on foreign trips.  Muna is the daughter of late Dr Puthyapurayil Shamsuddin and Shahnaz alias Sayedunnisa of Hashim Street in Talankara Theruvath. Muna’s father, Dr. Shamsuddin, was the son of the late P. Ahmed, a prominent lawyer in Kasaragod, and late Zainababi. After working in the US, UK and Saudi Arabia, Muna’s father returned to Britain and lived with his family in Birmingham.

Muna had visited Kasaragod 10 years ago and earlier was a regular visitor. Her relative, Muhammed Sameer Puthyapur, told ETV Bharat that she used to visit Kasaragod every year with her family as a child. Sameer also mentioned that they hope to welcome her back to Kasaragod after the busy period. CA Abdulla, Mangalore/California says, "She is my first cousin. She is in the British Foreign Service (IFS in India who are the top rank holders in IAS examinations). Ours is a very accomplished and very highly educated family. She is the late famed Kannada Writer Ms Sara Aboobacker ’ s niece. Her father was a world famous surgeon who had amputated the leg of a British actor Martyn Green in New York in 1959 with the help of a policeman’s pen knife and saved his life. His leg was stuck in a lift. Later on he completed FRCS in Edinburgh in 1966. It was world news then. Our grandfather late P. Ahmad was a very learned and extremely famous lawyer in Kasaragod. Our youngest uncle Captain Mohammed Hashim volunteered to go to the front and fight and was martyred in action in the 1965 war with enemy Pakistan. Another first cousin Nagma Mallick (IFS) is Indian ambassador to Poland now. Thus it should make all Indians proud that Ms.Muna is a part of this land."

Kanara: that is from Kasargod to Karwar, Arabian Sea to the Western Ghats, with a hoary history and legacy on people originating from this well marked region, whatever their background, language, faith or reputation, many have often excelled in different ways and fields in different spots all over the globe since generations.  One can come across all kinds of feats and achievements by natives of this cultured, intelligent and accomplished region in almost every field documented. There is not only no holding them back or limiting them in any sense of the word.  In more than 190 countries of the world today one can find citizens with roots from Kanara.  Kasargod  has been a part of Kerala in the linguistic states scheme, the Northernmost tip of the land.  In ancient times it was Malabar too, though Malayalam language has always held sway in the area, languages used around are prominently from Kanara. Tipu Sultan and the Mysore Kings ruled it at one time.  In British  times from 1800 to 1947  it was a part of South Kanara under the Madras Presidency.   

Kasaragod: One of the 14 districts in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Its northern border Thalappady is located just 10 km south to Mangalore in Karnataka,  which is the southernmost portion of the major port city.  Kasaragod is the northernmost district of Kerala and is also known as Saptha Bhasha Sangama Bhoomi (The place where Seven languages meet). The district is situated on the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats.  It also remains the last formed district of Kerala to date, 1984. The district is bounded by Dakshina Kannada district to the north, Western Ghats to the northeast, Kodagu district to the southeast, Kannur district to the south, and the Arabian Sea to the west. Kasaragod district has the maximum number of rivers in Kerala, counting twelve.

Kasaragod town is located on the estuary where the Chandragiri River, which is also the longest river in the district, empties into Arabian Sea. Kasaragod is home to several forts which include Arikady fort, Bekal Fort, Chandragiri Fort, and Hosdurg Fort. Bekal Fort is also the largest fort in Kerala. The historic hill of Ezhimala is located on the southern portion of Kavvayi Backwaters of Nileshwaram. Talakaveri, which is home to Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary where the 805 km long Kaveri River originates, is located  not too far off.  Robert Caldwell describes the extent of Malayalam in the late 19th century as extending from Chandragiri fort and Chandragiri river in the north to Neyyar river beyond Thiruvananthapuram in the south.

Tulunadu, where Tulu is traditionally spoken, is said to be bound on the south by the Chandragiri river and fort, thus including Kasaragod city within the Tulunad region. Historian N. Shyam Bhat states that at present, the Tulu nadu can linguistically be said to extend to the south up to the river Chandragiri or Payaswini, and culturally up to the Kavvayi river  in the south, as the region between the Chandragiri and Kavai (Kavvayi) rivers presents the characteristics of a twilight zone between the Malayalam and Tulu speaking areas. Kasargod is also the first district in India to have official symbols-official tree, flower, bird, species.

Francis Buchanan, the family doctor of Arthur Wellesley, visited Kasaragod in 1800. In his travelogue, he recorded information; On 19 January 1801, Francis speaks of visiting a Siva temple at Pulla (Pallikere), beyond which, the country rises into open rising lands, all the way to Chandragiri river and Chandragiri fort, which he describes as the northern border of the Malayala. He says that the country on the north of the Chandragiri fort and river is called by Hindus as Tuluva, the Tulu country. According to Stuart (1895) “The Kasargod taluk originally formed the southern portion of the ancient Tulua kingdom and was separated from the kingdom of Kerala by the Chandragiri river which was formerly called “Perumpula”; the river on which the fort stands is shallow but very wide and formed the southern boundary of the ancient Tulva kingdom. The nayars and the other females of the Kasargod taluk of south Canara, are prohibited from crossing the river.”  In 1763, Hyder Ali raided Bedanoor (Bidnur), the capital of the Ikkery Naiks. His son Tippu Sultan raided much of Malabar region in Kerala. As per the Treaty of Seringapatam of 1792, Tippu surrendered Malabar.  The British occupied Kanara only after the death of Tippu Sultan in 1799. In contemporary times the occupants are estimated as Hindus 56%, Islam 38%, Christianity 7%, Others 0.24% and so on. This very civilised and culturally great region has contributed greatly to the world arena in every sphere and is renowned for several contributions since ancient times too. The achievements of Ms. Muna Shamsuddin, kith and kin are noteworthy to follow and a matter to rejoice.