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Naidu performs ‘bhoomi puja’ for Andhra capital
Vijayawada: Amid chanting of Vedic hymns, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday performed ‘bhoomi puja’ or ground breaking ceremony of the new state capital Amaravathi.
As the clock struck 8.49 a.m., Naidu accompanied by his wife Bhuvaneswari and son N. Lokesh performed the rituals at a colourful ceremony in Mandadam village in Guntur district, about 20 km from here.
Central and state ministers, MPs, state legislators, senior officials and leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) participated in prayers and other rituals which continued for two hours.
A group of priests had started the prayers, including a ‘havan’, much earlier as per Vaishnavite tradition at 3 a.m. in the village, located on the banks of Krishna River.
Naidu, his family members and ministers poured cement into a pit to mark the ceremony. A basin made with a kilogram of silver and gold coated shovel were among the masonry implements used on the occasion.
The chief minister later ploughed the field with a traditional ploughshare while his wife sowed ‘navaratnalu’ (nine chief grains) in the soil.
Also present were Naidu’s brother-in-law and popular actor N. Balakrishna.
However, the inauguration of the chief minister’s camp office at Vijayawada was postponed as he missed the ‘mahurat’ or auspicious time of 10.30 a.m. set by astrologers.
Naidu could not reach Vijayawada on time due to ‘bhoomi puja’ rituals.
Addressing a public meeting after the ground breaking ceremony, the TDP chief said the day would go down in the history of Andhra Pradesh as a red-letter day.
He said it was good fortune of five crore Telugus that they have got an opportunity to build a 21st century capital.
Naidu said it would not be a mere administrative capital but a city which will transform people’s live. “It will be a dynamic city, an economic capital which will give jobs to people and a tourism centre.”
Naidu said he choose this region for the capital as it was centrally located and accessible from all parts of the state.
Singapore has developed the master plan for Amaravathi. The chief minister said leaders of Singapore told him that Andhra capital would be better than even Singapore.
Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited to lay the foundation stone for the capital on Dussehra.
He thanked farmers for giving their land under the land pooling system for building the capital and assured them that the government will protect their interests.
Central minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the central government would extend all possible help in developing the capital city. She said nobody should have any doubts on this.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.