National
Modi celebrates Diwali with soldiers on LoC, calls them ‘my family’ (Second Lead)
Gurez (Jammu and Kashmir), Oct 19 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday celebrated Diwali with soldiers in this idyllic valley of Jammu and Kashmir, telling them how he gets engergised by spending time with the Armed Forces which he called “my family”.
Dressed like soldiers in military camouflage, Modi sported a black aviator on his eyes and spent nearly two hours with the troops in the Gurez valley near the Line of Control (LoC) — the de facto border that divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
He offered sweets and gifts and exchanged greetings with them, appreciating the sacrifices of armed forces in protecting the country.
He said like everyone else he too wished to spend Diwali with his family.
“Therefore, I came here to be with you because you are my family. When I shake hands with you, you may think it is a formality. But it is not a formality for me. I get new energy,” he said in his address to the gathering of the men in uniform.
The Prime Minister said he had been told that the soldiers on the borders regularly practice yoga which would “definitely enhance their abilities, and give them a sense of calm”.
He said soldiers who leave the armed forces after completing their duty tenure “can become excellent yoga trainers”.
In the visitors’ book, Modi wrote: “Protecting the Motherland, far from your loved ones, displaying the highest traditions of sacrifice, all soldiers at the nation’s borders, are symbols of bravery and dedication.
“I have an opportunity to spend the festival of Diwali with you. The presence of brave soldiers at the border, on this festive occasion, lights the lamp of hope, and generates new energy among crores of Indians.”
The Prime Minister, according to an official statement, spoke of the new resolve that each Indian citizen must make for 2022 — the 75th anniversary of Independence.
“To accomplish the dream of ‘New India’, this is a golden opportunity for all of us to work together. The Army too is a part of it.”
He also said that the central government was committed to the “welfare and the betterment” of the military personnel, in every way possible.
He mentioned about the implementation of One Rank, One Pension, which had been pending for decades.
The Chief of Army Staff, Gen. B.S. Rawat, and other senior Army Officers were present on the occasion.
The Prime Minister arrived at the Dawar Brigade headquarters of the Army in the border town of Gurez, some 130 km from Srinagar, in north Kashmir’s Bandipore district.
Gurez is the gateway to Gilgit-Baltistan, part of the Jammu and Kashmir under Pakistani control.
This is the fourth successive Diwali Modi celebrated with soldiers. In 2014, months after he took the power, Modi spent the festival at Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield.
–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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