National
Karnataka lawmaker, farmer leader Puttannaiah dies
Bengaluru, Feb 19 (IANS) Karnataka’s regional party lawmaker and popular farmer leader K.S. Puttannaiah has passed away. He was 69, an official said on Monday.
Puttannaiah died on Sunday night at Mandya, about 100km from here.
“Puttannaiah breathed his last at 10.55 p.m. on Sunday night in a state-run hospital at Mandya after a cardiac arrest,” the district official told IANS.
Puttannaiah was a lawmaker of the Sarvodaya Karnataka Party (SKP) from the Melkote Assembly segment in the old Mysuru region since May 2013.
“Puttannaiah was rushed to the hospital last evening after he complained of chest pain while watching a kabaddi game at a stadium in the town,” the official said.
The regional outfit (SKP), merged in March last year with Swaraj India, floated by former Aam Aadmi Party rebel leader Yogendra Yadav in New Delhi.
Puttannaiah’s death came two days after the Supreme Court on Friday delivered the final verdict in favour of Karnataka in the inter-state Cauvery river water sharing dispute with neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Puttannaiah was the sole farmers’ leader in the state Assembly after getting elected for the first time from the Pandavapura segment in the same district in the 1994 election though he lost in the 1999, 2004 and 2008 elections.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and leaders of other political parties and farmers’ associations mourned Puttanaiah’s sudden demise.
“Puttannaiah’s death had come as a shock. The state’s farmers’ movement has lost a prominent leader,” said Siddaramaiah in a statement here, adding that he was saddened by the loss of his friend.
In a tweet, Congress state unit President G. Parameshwara said: “Puttannaiah was a proud farmer, activist and an outstanding leader. He contributed a lot to the state’s agriculture growth. He was an affable person. Saddened by his sudden demise. Condolences to his family.”
Saying Puttannaiah was a charismatic leader, Yogendra Yadav tweeted that “the farmers movements all over the country would miss this rare bridge between farmers’ struggles of the previous and current generation”.
–IANS
fb/nks/ksk
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.