National
Nobel laureate Yunus bats for linking Olympics with social business
Kolkata, Aug 29 (IANS) Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday batted for linking sports with social business.
“We will discuss how can we link Olympics with social business… how the event can be seen from the perspective of a social business. The idea is to not just consider Olympics as a sport event but how can we tap it for betterment of society.
“I have suggested several things… I have said sports should be linked with social business,” Yunus told the media here referring to the topics that will be on the table at 8th Global Social Business Summit 2017 in Paris in November.
He was at Indian Institute of Management Calcutta to deliver the Arijit Mukherji Memorial Lecture.
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Bid Committee last year signed a partnership agreement with the Yunus Centre founded by the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner from Bangladesh, to help build social business in the city and draw international attention to the project.
The Grameen Bank founder said the French government has shown a keen interest in his proposal.
He said Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, wants to make the city a hub for social businesses.
Asked about the non-repayment of loans by those who are credit-worthy and those who took loans on collateral, Yunus said: “This proves that collateral is no guarantee that the money is returned. Sometimes they are so rich that banks are scared to approach them so that’s why I say when you are not getting money despite the collateral then why are you scared of giving collateral.”
During the day Yunus attended the board meeting of Indian Corporate Action Tank, the country’s first incubator for large organisations to create social businesses. The platform was launched by Yunus Social Business and Tata Trusts.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.