National
Rashtrapati Bhavan now open for public four days a week (Lead)
New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Rashtrapati Bhavan, the sprawling official residence of the Indian President here, will now be open for public viewing for four days a week.
Starting Thursday, after paying Rs 50 per person, members of the public can go visit the British-built President’s house on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., except on gazetted holidays. Children below the age of eight are exempted from the charge.
“Indian citizens are required to carry any valid photo ID cards while foreign citizens are required to carry their original passport at the time of visit,” an official statement said.
People could earlier visit Rashtrapati Bhavan’s main building and the central lawn three days a week on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The number of days of public viewing have been increased on the directions of President Ram Nath Kovind.
“The President directed that we must endeavour to make it (Rashtrapati Bhavan) more and more accessible to the people,” Ashok Malik, Press Secretary to the President, told IANS.
There has been no change in other stipulations. Entry and exit for visitors will be through Gate number 2 on Rajpath, Gate number 37 on Hukmi Mai Marg, and Gate number 38 on Church Road.
“The visits can be booked online at http://rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in /rbtour,” the statement said.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan was originally known as the Viceroy’s House and came up when the British shifted their capital from then Calcutta (now, Kolkata) to Delhi. It has four floors and 340 rooms in the main building.
One of the largest residences of a Head of State in the world, it covers a floor area of 200,000 square feet and boasts of a Mughal Gardens.
Records say 700 million bricks went into building the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
–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.