National
Asean leaders set to be chief guests at R-Day parade
New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Leaders of the Asean bloc are set to be the chief guests at the country’s main Republic Day event here on Friday in an unprecedented diplomatic move by India which normally invites only one leader for the glittering show.
Leaders of the 10 countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have arrived and were still arriving in New Delhi, officials said.
On Thursday, they will take part in a summit to mark 25 years of partnership between Asean and India.
On Friday, all 10 Asean leaders will be the chief guests at the Republic Day parade where India displays its military might and cultural diversity.
The Asean is made up of Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The two-day “Asean-India Commemorative Summit” will include the launch of postage stamps. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a gala dinner for the visiting leaders after the summit.
There will be a retreat during which they will have a discussion under the theme of “Maritime Cooperation and Security”.
Modi has already held bilateral meetings with Myanmar’s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Singapore Prayut Chan-ocha and Lee Hsien Loong.
Modi also met Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and will hold a bilateral with Indonesian President Joko Widodo later on Thursday.
He will meet Laos and Malaysian Prime Ministers Thongloun Sisoulith and Nazib Razak on Friday.
Asean was founded in 1967 and is India’s fourth biggest trade partner.
–IANS
soni-ab/mr
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.