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Jaishankar seeks waiver of cooling-off period for joining Tatas
New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Former Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar is slated to join Tata Sons as its head of global strategy and has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a waiver of the mandatory cooling-off period for bureaucrats seeking commercial employment, well-informed sources said on Thursday.
The sources said Jaishankar, 63, who retired on January 28 after steering India’s foreign policy during his three-year tenure as the top diplomat of the country from January 2015, has been offered the position in the capital.
However, before seeking employment with the private sector, retired bureaucrats have to serve a “cooling-off period” of one year.
The cooling-off period used to be two years, but was cut by half by the current government in December 2015.
They also have to give in writing that the organisation seeking to employ them is not involved in activities in conflict with or prejudicial to India’s foreign relations, national security and domestic harmony.
Jaishankar has now sought a relaxation in his case or else will only be able to join Tata Sons next year when his cooling-off period ends in January 2019.
It was not immediately known if the Prime Minister’s Office has responded to the former Foreign Secretary as yet.
Attempts to reach Jaishankar over phone for his comments failed as he didn’t answer calls. He did not respond to text messages either.
The highly-regarded career diplomat was said to have enjoyed the Prime Minister’s trust during his term in South Block as also a good working relationship with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
He served in Moscow before the Soviet Union disintegrated and in Sri Lanka when the Indian Peace Keeping Force was deployed in the island nation.
He was India’s envoy to the United States, China, the Czech Republic and Singapore. He is largely credited with helping negotiate a peaceful resolution to the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam last year.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.