National
JLF kicks off, Vasundhara Raje gives it a miss
Jaipur, Jan 25 (IANS) A regular to the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who was scheduled to inaugurate the gathering on Thursday morning, gave it a miss.
The festival, that will witness over 200 sessions on themes ranging from fiction and non-fiction to journalism and travel writing over the course of five days, was inaugurated by former Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva and British-born American essayist and novelist Pico Iyer.
Festival producer Sanjoy Roy in his address urged the visitors to realise the potential and significance of culture. “We know that art and culture is the driving force of our society. It is crucial in contemporary times that citizens understand the importance of culture, he said.
Roy also mentioned that dissent has a crucial role to play in any democracy, but maintained that “it is safe” only “as long as it is expressed within the bounds of the law”.
“Writers and artists live in worlds of imagination. Fringe groups may not agree with every book that a writer writes, every film that a filmmaker makes, every artwork that an artist produces but they give their lives in bringing these precious works to life,” he said.
Meanwhile, with the Shri Rajput Karni Sena going on a rampage in many parts of the country against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmaavat”, the authorities are taking additional precautions to prevent any untoward incident. Notably, Mahipal Singh, the president of the fringe group has warned that they will be protesting against the presence of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Prashoon Joshi at the festival.
Festival co-director William Dalrymple recalled its 11-year-long journey and said that although there are hundreds of literary events around the globe, there only four or five, which boast of a stellar line-up of award-winning writers. “And we are the only one that is absolutely free for everybody and we are the largest literature festival in the world,” he said.
“For five days, we are once again setting up a mini-university where the greatest minds of Harvard and Oxford will mingle with the winners of Sahitya Akademi Award to make it a truly memorable experience for all of us,” added Dalrymple.
Delivering her speech in Hindi, followed by an English translation, co-director Namita Gokhale highlighted the role that the annual literary gathering has played in bringing literature to the mainstream in India.
“In its eleventh year, there is also a satisfaction because literature has come to the mainstream of our national discourse. Lit fests and similar events are happening across the country, all the year round and this good for the future of our society. We are happy to have played a small role in this,” Gokhale said.
Delivering the keynote address, Pico Iyer expressed his happiness over the fact that even at a time when bookstores and publishers are closing down in many parts of the world, there are new bookshops and publishers, readers and festival in India.
Over the course of five days, Pink City will host several literary stalwarts and witness sessions on literary themes, coupled with book launches and art exhibitions and installations.
–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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