National
Christmas connection
By- Kaveri Aggarwal
We all are aware why Christmas is celebrated. ‘Christ mass’ is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ observed most commonly on December 25th. When we talk about Christmas, in our mind a man dressed in red, having white beard and holding a bag full of gifts appears. Yes ‘Santa Claus’. There are many tales associated with our dear Santa. Every small kid waits for Santa Claus on the night of 24th December.
St. Nicholas popularly known as Santa Claus was born in the city of Patara. All over the world Santa is known as Nicholas of Myra, Santa Claus or giving Santa, father of Christmas, Shengdan laoren and Christkindl (The Christ child).
Santa in stories appears in red clothes with snow, white beard and white horses. Many writers have been instrumental in designing the features of Christmas. One of the most influential was Clement Moore whose poem, ‘The night before Christmas’ ‘ A visit from St Nicholas’ which described an early nineteenth century American Santa Claus, one which endures for all generations.
St Nicholas was born in the city of Patara and travelled to Palestine and Egypt when he was young emperor Diocletian imprisoned him but later was released by Constantine.
While still a young boy Nicholas was made Bishop of Myra. He was renowned for his extreme kindness and generosity. Often going out at night and taking presents to needy. This tradition is carried out even today.
One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas is to remind us that God loved us so much that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him may not be lost but have eternal life.
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.