World
Gene Saks dies of pneumonia at 93
New York: Tony-winning director Gene Saks, who helmed many Neil Simon’s plays on Broadway, passed away at his home here. He was 93.
His wife Keren told New York Times that the cause of Saks’ death on Saturday was pneumonia, as per reports.
Saks, who was born November 8, 1921, in New York City, trained for acting at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School while attending college at Cornell University.
He made his acting debut in Broadway’s “South Pacific” in 1949 and his TV debut in 1951 on “Out There”.
He turned into a director in 1960s and shared a long-term professional relationship with Simon.
He directed Simon’s Broadway plays which included “Biloxi Blues”, “Brighton Beach Memoirs”, “Jake’s Women”, “Rumors”, “Lost in Yonkers”, “Broadway Bound”, “The Odd Couple” and “California Suite”.
Saks then directed seven feature films based on Simon’s Broadway plays, including “The Odd Couple”, “Barefoot in the Park”, “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” and “Brighton Beach Memoirs”.
He won three Tony Awards for Cy Coleman-Michael Stewart’s musical “I Love My Wife” and Simon’s plays “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Biloxi Blues”.
Saks is survived by his wife Keren and their daughter Annabelle, his two children Matthew and Daniel from his marriage to Bea Arthur, and three grandchildren.
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.