National
IAF aggressively upgrading infra in eastern theatre
By Raymond Kharmujai
Shillong, Oct 3 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) is aggressively upgrading infrastructure on its eastern theatre to boost strategic deployment of advanced assets close to the Chinese border.
“The infrastructure development is taking place at a very, very rapid pace in the eastern front. We are inducting a number of new platforms in term of weapons, radar systems, networking systems,” Air Marshal Anil Khosla, who heads the Shillong-based Eastern Air Command, told IANS.
“We are getting Rafale aircraft, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters and Apache attack helicopters. Recently, we have inaugurated a new C-130 J squadron complex in the Eastern Air Command,” he said on the sidelines of the Air Fest at the Shillong Advanced Landing Ground here.
Noting that Eastern Air Command is growing from strength to strength, Khosla said, “We are getting ready to absorb the new technology and in another few years, may be two-three years or five years, it will be a very, very potent force (Eastern Air Command).”
“As I said, the delivery has already started. The radars are already coming in. We already have C-130 and we have operationalised a lot of helicopters units such as Mi-17 and Mi-17 V5, ALH, and in future we will get Chinooks, Apache, Rafale. So for all this, infrastructure is required,” he said.
He said that six advance landing grounds have been made operational in Arunachal Pradesh, and added that the advance landing ground at Tawang is being upgraded as well as another at Vijaynagar.
“A lot of infrastructure is coming in our airfields to house the new (radar and networking) systems. We are trying to improve the operating surfaces further so that all these fighters and heavy transport aircraft can land and take off,” the Air Marshal said.
“We are trying to make bases for housing our new radars which will be coming in. In addition, we are trying to upgrade our ranges to ‘air to ground’ ranges which are very important for the training of people,” he said.
However, Khosla said the Indian Air Force capability building was not aimed with any particular country in mind
“It is a capability building of our own as over the years we have improved in the country economically. It is all-round capability building and development in the civil field as well as in the military field. So it is not aimed at any particular country. We are building up our capability and Air Force is becoming a potent and formidable force, and it is towards that,” he added.
(Raymond Kharmujai can be contacted at [email protected])
–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.