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AIADMK members tonsure heads at Jayalalithaa burial site
Chennai: Several AIADMK activists on Wednesday tonsured their heads on the Marina beach where J. Jayalalithaa was buried in a bid to show their affection to the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
“She was like a mother to me. It was Amma who christened my two children. We tonsure our head when we lose our mother, isn’t it?” A. Manoj, a young member of the ruling AIADMK, told IANS. A resident of Theni district, Manoj said he was unable to accept that Jayalalithaa was no more.
The veteran actor-turned-politician died just before midnight Monday, a day after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was buried at the Marina beach on Tuesday evening.
A vegetable farmer, Manoj joined the AIADMK while he was in college. He said he was attracted by Jayalalithaa’s boldness. Another men who tonsured his head was 45-year-old K. Mariappan, a worker in a cool drink making company in Tirunelvelli district.
“When I heard Amma had passed away, I came here by car with five friends,” he told IANS. “Amma was like my mother. So I decided to tonsure my head.”
Barbers who had parked themselves at the beach charged anything between Rs.100-200 to tonsure a head. The normal charges are Rs.50-100. Another group of AIADMK members from Sivaganga district also underwent the ceremonial tonsure. Some women members of the AIADMK were seen sobbing.
All of them insisted that the AIADMK would remain united despite the absence of the towering Jayalalithaa. A group of mentally challenged persons was brought by a NGO to the beach to pay homage to the departed leader.
The burial site on Wednesday received hundreds of people right from the morning. Jayalalithaa was buried a few metres behind where her mentor and AIADMK founder and Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran or MGR was buried.
Snack vendors did brisk business catering to the visitors. In Chennai city, while shops, hotels, offices and petrol bunks opened on Wednesday, there were few government-owned buses on the roads.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.