National
Dinakaran meets ‘silent’ aunt Sasikala in jail (With Images)
Bengaluru, Dec 28 (IANS) Upbeat after his victory in the recent R.K. Nagar by-poll, AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dinakaran called on his “silent” aunt and sidelined party leader V.K. Sasikala at the central prison here on Thursday, a party official said.
“The meeting lasted for about half an hour at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, but Sasikala did not speak throughout the meeting as she is observing “maun vrat” (vow of silence),” All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) state secretary V. Pugazhendhi told IANS here quoting Dinakaran.
Sasikala, 60, has been maintaining silence as a tribute to late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, ever since her death anniversary on December 5, Pugazhendhi said.
“She will be observing silence till sometime in January,” he added.
A confidante of late Jayalalithaa, Sasikala is serving a four-year sentence in the central jail on the city’s outskirts since February 15, after the Supreme Court on February 14 upheld her conviction in a corruption case by a trial court here in September 2015.
Although Jayalalithaa was also convicted in the multi-crore disproportionate assets case as the main accused, she passed away on December 5, 2016, at a private hospital in Chennai.
The late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister was also in the same jail here for three weeks from September 26 to October 20, 2015, but was released on conditional bail by the apex court.
Sasikala’s co-convicts Elavarasi (sister-in-law) and V.N. Sudhakaran (nephew) are also currently serving the sentence in the same jail after they were held guilty in the Rs 64-crore disproportionate assets case of Jayalalithaa.
Dinakaran, 54, was meeting Sasikala for the first time after his victory in the by-election.
He had defeated his AAIADMK rival E. Madhusudhanan by a margin of 40,707 votes on Sunday.
–IANS
bha/nir/bg
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.