National
Surajkund Crafts Mela to be held from February 2-18
Chandigarh, Jan 27 (IANS) The annual 32nd Surajkund International Crafts Mela will be held at Surajkund in Haryana’s Faridabad district from February 2 to 18, a Minister said on Saturday.
Uttar Pradesh will be the theme state this year at Surajkund, adjoining Delhi.
Tourism Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that the Mela’s focus will be on safety and security of children. “There will be zero tolerance towards child rights violations.”
At least 20 countries and all states of India will participate.
He said child-friendly procedures will be adopted at the event, including setting up child-friendly space, creche for children of officials and workers, breastfeeding booth, first-aid booth, ‘lost and found’ counter and stall for children with special needs.
“Besides advocating the rights of children through hoardings, material on child rights will be provided. There will be prohibition on selling harmful substances and inclusive environment will be provided to children,” Sharma said.
The Minister said child-tracking system through RFID tagging will be implemented, under which families visiting the fete along with children below the age of 14 will have to visit a special police desk and assisted by local District Child Protection Unit.
“On registration, each child will be provided a RFID tag, containing the child’s name and guardian(s) name, contact number and other relevant details.
“If a child is found wandering, a volunteer or police officer can simply take the child to the control room and use the RFID reader to read the child’s tag. The whereabouts of the child will automatically be sent to the registered mobile number and the child’s guardian,” he said.
These measures were suggested by the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Women and Child Development Department to the Haryana Tourism Department for this year’s event.
The Crafts Mela is organised by the Surajkund Mela Authority in collaboration with the Union Ministries of Tourism, Textile, Culture and External Affairs, Haryana Tourism Department and Haryana Tourism Corporation.
Last year, more than 1.2 million footfalls were recorded at the mela, including foreigners.
–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.