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Dilip Kumar grieves for Peshawar
Mumbai: Bollywood thespian and now ailing Dilip Kumar, who was born in Peshawar, said Thursday that he longed to reach out to the parents of the children massacred in the Pakistani city.
Speaking on his behalf, his wife and former actress Saira Banu said Dilip Kumar, who real name is Yusuf Khan, was shocked by the savagery at the Peshawar school.
The 92-year-old Dilip Kumar said: “I was born in the charming city of Peshawar in undivided India and I still have many special memories of the place.
“What the Taliban terrorists of Pakistan did to the school children in Peshawar is unforgivable and sinful.
“The massacre has wounded me beyond words. My heart longs to reach out to the parents who lost their sons and daughters in the worst crime any country has witnessed in recent years,” said Dilip Kumar, whose ancestral house is still in Peshawar.
On Tuesday, the Pakistani Taliban slaughtered 132 students and nine teachers after storming an army-run school.
In pre-independence India, Peshawar was known as a city that nurtured music, poetry and theatre. According to a media report, in 1936 it became one of the first Indian cities to have a radio station.
The Hindi film industry has a strong connection to the place. Big names like Prithviraj Kapoor and superstar Shah Rukh Khan trace their roots to Peshawar.
Dilip Kumar’s family relocated to Maharashtra in the 1930s because they had business interests there. When he joined the Hindi film industry, he took the name Dilip Kumar.
“I pray to the Almighty to give strength to the grieving parents to live through the trauma and horror and bear the loss,” said the legend, reputedly the best method actors of Indian cinema.
“The time has come to crush and destroy such evil forces,” he added.
One of the pioneers of Hindi cinema, Dilip Kumar became a name to reckon with in the 1950s and 1960s, thanks to his performance in “Daag”, “Devdas”, “Madhumati”, “Amar”, “Paigham”, “Mughal-E-Azam”, “Ganga Jamuna”, “Leader” and “Ram Aur Shyam”.
After working for about six decades, he bid adieu to arclights in 1998. His last movie was “Qila”.
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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.