National
Book account of how an individual saw political drama unfolding: Pranab
New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) Terming the 10 years of UPA rule under Congress as “successful”, former President Pranab Mukherjee said on Friday that his latest autobiography was an account of how an individual saw the political drama unfolding and tried to steer clear of any personal details.
Speaking on the occasion of release of his latest series of his autobiography “The Coalition Years: 1996-2012”, Mukherjee noted: “I cannot claim to have the objectivity of a historian, which I am not. I am a party activist…I have tried to not bring my personal life, my family or any personal matter into the narrative.”
“It is absolutely (an account of) how I looked at men and matters as an active political participant,” he added.
Mukherjee, who headed various Group of Ministers (GoM) and played a key role in managing coalition partners during the UPA rule, said: “The Congress successfully led the coalition of various parties and personalities for 10 years.”
He appreciated the idea of the publishers to get the book unveiled in the presence of major coalition partners of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that ruled from 2004 to 2014 under the premiership of Manmohan Singh.
The book was formally released in the presence of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI General Secretary Sudhakar Reddy, DMK leader M.K. Kanimozhi and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav.
The book is third in a series by Mukherjee. The earlier two volumes are “The Dramatic Decade: The Indira Gandhi Years” and “The Turbulent Years: 1980-1996”.
The latest books takes the narration forward from where the “Turbulent Years” left.
Mukherjee recalled how, barring a few years in between, the Congress pulled on its own strength before the coalition era came in 1996 when Deve Gowda became the Prime Minister followed by I.K. Gujral and then NDA led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Praising the book, Akhilesh Yadav said that it is like laying your hands on good notes before the examinations.
“So before the elections, we have got this book on coalition governments which may come handy,” he said.
–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.