National
President, Vice President mourn IAF Marshal’s death
New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday mourned the death of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh who passed away on Saturday at the age of 98.
In his message to Arjan Singh’s son Arvind Singh, the President said: “I am extremely saddened to learn about the passing of our great and cherished air warrior and Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh.”
“The Marshal of the Indian Air Force was a hero of World War II and won our nation’s gratitude for his military leadership in the 1965 War,” he added.
Kovind said Arjan Singh served the nation with distinction and was the “first and only officer of the Indian Air Force who was honoured with the five-star rank as Marshal of the Air Force”.
He said Arjan Singh has remained a living legend for generations of our fellow citizens.
“His service to the nation continued even out of uniform, as Lt. Governor of Delhi, Ambassador of India to Switzerland and the Vatican, High Commissioner to Kenya and Member of the National Commission for Minorities. For his services and achievements, he was honoured with numerous awards including the Padma Vibhushan,” the President recalled.
Naidu also condoled Singh’s death and said the Air Force Marshal “was famous for his role in the 1965 India-Pakistan war”.
“An icon of the Indian military history, the then Chief of Air Staff Arjan Singh had led a young Air Force into the war in 1965 when he was hardly 44 years of age,” Naidu said.
He also said that in 2016, the Indian Air Force named its Panagarh (West Bengal) air base after Arjan Singh on the occasion of his 97th birth anniversary.
Naidu said the Panagarh base would be called Air Force Station Arjan Singh.
“I convey my deepest condolences to the bereaved members of the family and join the nation in praying for eternal peace for the departed soul,” Naidu added.
On Sunday, the government said a state funeral will be accorded to Singh on Monday and the national flag will fly at half-mast.
Arjan Singh was the first five-star officer of the IAF and was for a long time the only living five-star officer.
A Home Ministry statement said the last rites of Arjan Singh would be performed at Brar Square in Delhi Cantonment area at 10 a.m. on Monday.
Arjan Singh, who led the air operations in the 1965 war with Pakistan, died at the Army Research and Referral Hospital here on Saturday. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit after suffering a cardiac arrest.
–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.