National
Raje, Gehlot mourn singer Mubarak Begum Shaikh’s death
New Delhi : Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot, former Chief Minister, on Tuesday mourned the death of legendary Bollywood playback singer and ghazal maestro Mubarak Begum Shaikh, who was born in the state. She was 80.
The songstress, who was born in Sujangarh in Rajasthan, passed away after prolonged illness at her residence in Mumbai late on Monday night, a family member said.
“Saddened by the news of passing away of legendary playback singer Mubarak Begum ji. May her soul rest in peace — condolences to the family,” Raje tweeted.
Gehlot shared: “Demise of Rajasthan’s Mubarak Begum the legendary playback singer, is a great loss. Her contribution will be remembered forever. May her soul RIP.”
Princess Diya Kumari, of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur, said: “Sad to hear that legendary playback singer Mubarak Begum ji has passed away. May her soul rest in peace.”
Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi also condoled Mubarak Begum’s death, while actress Celina Jaitley said: “A legend passes away leaving her beautiful songs as a legacy RIP Mubarak Begum.”
Known popularly as Mubarak Begum, she was a widow and is survived by her son Hussain, daughter-in-law Zarina and granddaughter Sana with whom she was living for many years.
She moved to Mumbai 70 years ago and sang her first playback song in 1949 for the film “Aaiye”. Proficient in Hindi and Urdu, she had a notable singing career spanning over 110 films in over four decades till the early 1980s.
Among her most memorable numbers were “Kabhi tanhaiyon me, hamari yaad ayegi” (Mahari Yaad Aayegi-1961); “Mujhko apne gala laga lo, ai mere hamrahi” (Hamrahi – 1963); “Neend udd jaye teri, chainse sone wale” (Juaari – 1968); “Wo na aayegi palat ke” (Devdas – 1955); “Wada humse kiya, dil kisiko diya” (Saraswatichandra – 1968).
Besides playback singing, she used to give regular stage performance and musical concerts.
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.