National
Musical tribute to Gauri Lankesh in Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) Around two weeks after Gauri Lankesh was gunned down at her Bengaluru residence, people from the media, activists, friends and admirers paid rich tributes to the slain journalist and activist here.
Known for her fearless attitude, Editor of weekly Kannada magazine “Gauri Lankesh Patrike”, Lankesh vehemently opposed communalism and was a staunch critic of Hindutva politics.
A special event called “Gauri Ke Naam”, organised by the Centre for Policy Analysis on Friday, was also joined by poets and musicians, among others, to pay tribute to Lankesh and her fearless journalism-activism.
An Indian Sufi ensemble based in the capital, Ruhaniyat, presented songs of peace and freedom.
One of the band members Sarim Ali, while talking to IANS, expressed deep sorrow at Lankesh’s death and said: “It is completely unacceptable to suppress a voice, a voice of a person who was struggling for other people’s rights.”
“People who feel that killing her was justified are completely wrong.”
Mayank from the same band said: “It is very depressing. We are a progressive nation, but what is happening is just the opposite.”
Other performers included Saif Mehmood, Sujata, Vangish Jha, Ashok Kumar Pandey, Ravi Kant, Achyutanand Mishra, Sangwari group and Raza Haider.
Haider enthusiastically raised his voice through poetry against the various attacks on freedom in the country today.
“Gauri was a friend, an ardent activist in terms of women issues and democracy per se. She was a fierce fighter as far as democratic rights are concerned,” said Raza.
“She never backed out from anything…never said no to any campaign ever. I just wanted to pay tribute to her,” he added.
Then there was Relaa, a collective of Indian performers-turned-activists, reviving the long-forgotten tradition of protest songs in its fight against casteism, capitalism and discrimination.
“It is that time in this nation when we are told what to wear, what to eat, what to say, etc. etc. There isn’t much of freedom left with the masses to decide things for themselves,” the group manager said.
“Relaa is a cry against oppression, a cry for equality, a cry against caste atrocities, a cry for freedom,” he explained.
Indian academic and novelist Purushottam Agrawal was also present at the event.
“When someone is brutally killed, apparently for her views, it is a matter of concern for every citizen…regardless of any agreement or disagreement with her,” he told IANS.
“It (this kind of violence) won’t end with her. Tomorrow it could be you, me or anyone else. One could be killed in the name of cow protection, Indian culture, Hindutva, Islam or whatever,” he said.
“I am here to express that this kind of madness will not be tolerated. Political violence from any quarter is to be condemned…whether it is by the right wing or the left wing,” he added.
–IANS
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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.
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