National
India for Afghan-controlled peace efforts: India to President Ghani
New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) India on Tuesday told visiting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that it believes peace efforts in his war-wracked country should be “Afghan-led” and “Afghan-controlled”.
Welcoming the Afghan President to India, President Ram Nath Kovind also condemned the series of terror attacks in his country, including in the provinces of Kabul, Kandahar, Ghazni and Paktia, that have resulted in over 200 people being killed in the past week.
Kovind expressed admiration for the astute leadership that Ghani has provided to Afghanistan through difficult times and commended the Afghan President for strengthening bilateral relations between India and Afghanistan.
Kovind added that India itself has been victim of state-sponsored, cross-border terrorism for decades.
“We can fully empathise with the ongoing quest of the Afghan people to secure peace.
“India believes that whatever initiatives are taken for bringing peace in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled,” he said.
His comments come days after Afghanistan participated in the 6th Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) meeting along with the US, China and Pakistan in Muscat, Oman, on October 16 to revive stalled peace talks with the Taliban.
On the same day, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had flown to Kabul to meet with the Afghan leadership.
“Securing sustained peace and security remain the key fundamentals in leading Afghanistan on the pathway of economic recovery and growth. Unfortunately, mindless and senseless violence is being imposed on the people of Afghanistan,” President Kovind was quoted as saying in a statement.
The President said that for India, Afghanistan is not just a strategic partner, but a nation that evokes endearing affection.
He recalled President Ghani’s speech at the Heart of Asia Summit in Amritsar in December 2016, and his visit to the Golden Temple. He added that civilisational links and people-to-people contacts provide a strong foundation to the ever-growing bilateral friendship.
Kovind also said that in recent times, the two countries have deepened their strategic partnership. The India-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Show in New Delhi brought the businessmen of both nations together and generated business worth over US$200 million.
The President expressed happiness at the opening of the air freight corridor between Kandahar and Kabul and Delhi. He also noted that the Afghan cities of Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat have been connected directly by air to Delhi.
The Afghan President is on a day-long visit to New Delhi.
–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.