National
India to invite Ramayana troupes from southeast Asian nations
Manila, Nov 14 (IANS) To highlight the shared culture between India and southeast Asia, India will invite Ramayana troupes from all Asean member states to perform in the country of the epic’s origin, a senior official said on Tuesday.
Briefing the media here after Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 15th India-Asean Summit, Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen invoked the theme of Ramayana as a very important historical and civilisational connect between India and the Asean countries.
“He (Hun Sen) said that Ramayana is performed not only in India but all Asean countries and that Asean troupes should be invited to do their rendition of Ramayana as part of our commemorative celebrations,” Saran said.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the India-Asean dialogue partnership and the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Asean.
A special commemorative summit will be held in New Delhi on January 25 next year where leaders of all 10 Asean member states are expected to be present.
According to Saran, Modi welcomed Hun Sen’s proposal and said that this would definitely be included as an important component.
“We would invite Ramayana troupes from all Asean countries to perform as part of the celebrations,” Saran said.
Interestingly, when Modi attended the opening ceremony of the 31st Asean Summit here on Monday, a ballet company named Rama Hari presented the Filipino version of the Ramayana which is known as ‘Maharadia Lawana’, meaning King Ravana.
It is the Maranao version, which refers to the people living around Lake Lanao in the Philippines.
–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.