National
‘Assam CM agrees for micro minority status to Sikhs’
Guwahati, Aug 29 (IANS) In response to the demand of Assamese Sikhs, the state government on Tuesday reportedly agreed to accord “micro minority status” to the community.
A delegation of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and representatives of the Assamese Sikhs led by Committee General secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa met Assam Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday in this regard.
“The Chief Minister today (Tuesday) acceded to accord micro minority status to the Assamese Sikh community in the state and provide various facilities for socio, economic and political upliftment of the community,” Sirsa said while addressing a press conference in Guwahati.
He said the Assam government had responded towards their various demands and that the government had also appointed an IAS officer of the state as the nodal officer to coordinate implementation of these demands.
“The Assam Chief Minister has also agreed to implement Anand Marriage Act in the state at the earliest, start service to enable the Sikh community members have darshan of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar and other gurudwaras in the state and also sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 crore for building Community Centre and Eduation Complex in Nagaon,” he added.
Sonowal also agreed to install a statue of General Chetanya Singh, the first sikh General who was sent to Assam with a platoon of 500 Sikh soldiers from Punjab by Maharaja Ranjit Singh during the Burmese attack on the state.
As the history goes, then Ahom King Chandrakanta Singha had sought the help of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1820 when the Burmese attacked the kingdom. The war continued for two years and the Sikh soldiers who survived the war settled in Assam and came to be known as Assamese Sikhs.
Although these Assamese Sikhs are devout Sikhs and sport turban, they have got assimilated in the Assamese culture and most of them do not even know the Punjabi language.
–IANS
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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.