National
Two from Hyderabad among Makkah tragedy victims
Hyderabad: Two women Haj pilgrims from Hyderabad were among 11 Indians who died in the crane crash accident at the Grand Mosque in Makkah in Saudi Arabia.
More than 100 pilgrims died when a huge crane fell at the Grand Mosque on Friday (September 11).
The two deceased from Hyderabad have been identified as Shameem Bano and Khader Bee, who had gone for Haj through private tour operator Fazal Tours.
The Indian consulate general in Jeddah confirmed this late Sunday, hours after Haj Committee officials announced that a couple from Andhra Pradesh were also among the dead.
Abdul Khader, 38 and his wife Fatima Begum, 32 hailed from Machilipatnam in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.
Telangana State Haj Committee’s special officer S.A. Shukoor told on Sunday night that the bodies of the couple were identified in Mina Hospital.
Nineteen Indians, including three from Hyderabad, were among the 331 injured.
According to the Jeddah mission, Saudi authorities had displayed photos of 108 killed in the tragedy. As many as 83 missing cases were registered with the Indian Mission. Ten of them, including three from Maharashtra, are still reported missing.
Nine missing Indians identified by their relatives on Sunday are — Mohammed Abdul Khader and Fatima Begum (Andhra Pradesh), Shameem Banu and Khader Bee (Telangana), Hassan Kharaj (Jammu and Kashmir), Zakira Begum (Karnataka), Zafar Sheikh (Maharashtra), Tabassum (Punjab) and Mohammed Hanif (Uttar Pradesh).
The officials on Saturday had identified two victims – Moniza Ahmed (West Bengal) and Muameena Ismail (Kerala).
The external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in tweets on Sunday that “after opening of mortuary on Sunday evening, officials working with relatives have confirmed that nine more Indians have unfortunately died” in the accident.
He said the Indian mission in Jeddah was extending all possible assistance to the families of the 11 deceased pilgrims to complete the formalities in Makkah.
He said Indian officials in Makkah were continuing to provide assistance to the 19 injured Indian pilgrims.
The Indian mission has published its 24/7 helpline — 00966125458000, 00966125496000 — and toll free number 8002477786 for pilgrims within Saudi Arabia, the ministry statement said.
Over 136,000 pilgrims from India will be performing Haj this year. The Haj rituals will begin on September 21.
A total of 5,436 pilgrims left from Hyderabad embarkation point through the Haj Committee. They include 2,963 from Telangana, 1,819 from Andhra Pradesh and 654 from Karnataka.
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.