National
President’s maiden overseas visit to Djibouti, Ethiopia from Oct 3
New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) President Ram Nath Kovind would visit Djibouti and Ethiopia in Africa from October 3 to 6 as his maiden overseas visit after assuming office.
He would first visit Djibouti on October 3 and would leave for Ethiopia on October 4, it was announced on Friday.
“On the invitation of Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, President Ram Nath Kovind is undertaking a state visit to Djibouti on October 3 and 4. It will be first country the President will visit after assuming office,” Ashok Malik, Press Secretary to the President, told reporters.
It would also be a first visit by an Indian head of state or government to Djibouti as the previous highest level visitor from India was a Minister of State, Malik said.
During the visit, Kovind would be received by his counterpart and will have official talks with him.
“He is also expected to be received by Djibouti Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed,” Malik said.
During the visit, an agreement on institutionalising foreign office consultations is expected to be signed apart from agreements related to accelerated and greater economic cooperation between the two countries, he added.
“The President would also address the small Indian community consisting of a few hundred people.”
Neena Malhotra, Joint Secretary for East and Southern Africa, said that Kovind would visit Ethiopia from October 4 to 6, which would be the first visit by an Indian President to Ethiopia after almost 45 years. Last such visit was by then President V.V. Giri was in 1972.
“Africa is chosen as first overseas destination of President’s visit and that reflects importance given to African continent by the current government,” Malhotra said.
She added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared that Africa is priority for India’s economic and foreign policy and hence 16 VVIP visits have been made to the continent in the last three years and there is no country in the continent not visited in last three years by an Indian minister.
“Ethiopia as one of the fastest growing non-oil producing economies in Africa offers immense opportunities for India and Indian businesses,” she said.
–IANS
vv/him/vd
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.