National
Sushma Swaraj to inaugurate Saudi national cultural festival
New Delhi/Riyadh, Feb 4 (IANS) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj would inaugurate Saudi Arabias annual Janadriyah Festival on Wednesday where India has been invited as “guest of honour this year”, the External Affairs Ministry said on Sunday.
Sushma Swaraj would travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday at the head of a delegation and stay there till Thursday, Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.
“EAM @SushmaSwaraj will visit Saudi Arabia from February 6-8 to inaugurate the Janadriyah Festival of Saudi Arabia on February 7,” he tweeted.
In Riyadh, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh in a joint press conference with Saudi Minister of National Guard Prince Khalid bin Abdul Aziz said that India’s participation in the festival will be multifaceted and would take relations of the two nations “to new heights”.
He said it was a matter of “great honour for India” to be invited as Guest of Honour country for the prestigious national event that is being organised annually since 1985.
“We will have an Indian pavilion where we will project a number of Indian themes and projects. The India pavilion will comprise glimpses of traditional and modern India,” Singh said.
The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) is sending nine different cultural troupes for the cultural performances which include Kathakali, Kalariyaptu, Kathak, Manipuri, Chhau, Bhangra, Bollywood, Gujarati and Rajasthani. There will be cultural performances in all the evenings in this 18-day festival, he said.
There will be cultural performances by the Indian school children and the Indian community as well. Yoga performances have also been arranged every day. Indian movies will also be screened during the festival.
There will be displays and presentations by ministries/departments such as Indian Ordnance Factories Board, ISRO, AYUSH Ministry, India Tourism board, Ministries of Shipping, Textiles, Food Processing Industries, Skill development, the Handicrafts Promotion Council, Digital India, Make in India etc, Singh said.
A number of Indian companies including Larsen and Toubro, Tata Motors, Jet Airways, Shapoorji Pallonji, Aster Med city, KRBL Rice and Toshi Electronic etc are also putting up their stalls in the India pavilion, he added.
“On the traditional side, India pavilion will have presentations representing our socio-cultural heritage, folklore, traditional costumes, Indian perfumes, bridal costumes, artefacts, display of specimen of calligraphy, Arabic manuscripts etc. Our Saudi friends will also be able to enjoy Indian food at the ‘Flavours of India’ booth in the pavilion.
“We greatly value our close and deep-rooted civilizational and strategic relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is also home to more than three million-strong Indian Community. I have no doubt that India’s participation in this festival will take our relationship to new heights,” Singh said.
–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.