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Vajpayee’s portrait unveiled in Central Hall of Parliament
New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday unveiled a life-size portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Central Hall of Parliament.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and H.D. Devegowda and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran L. K. Advani were present at the unveiling.
Speaking on the occasion, President Kovind said that Vajpayee will always be remembered for his decisive leadership during challenging situations including the 1998 nuclear test and the Kargil War.
“He contributed a lot in establishing India as a peaceful but strong and powerful country,” he said.
Modi said there was equal power in the former leader’s speeches as well as in his silence.
“His communication skills were unparalleled and he had a great sense of humour,” he said.
Recalling Vajpayee’s long political career, Modi said he spent a large amount of time in the opposition but despite that, he continued raising issues of public interest and never deviated from his ideology.
“Now, he will be forever in Parliament’s Central Hall, inspiring and blessing us.”
Azad said Vajpayee will always be remembered for his speeches.
“Vajpayee ji will be remembered because there was criticism in his words for the opposition but in his heart there was no anger,” he said.
Renowned artist Krishn Kanhai of Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, prepared the portrait of Vajpayee, who served as Prime Minister three times between 1996 and 2004.
The decision in this regard was taken unanimously on December 18 at a meeting of the parliament’s portrait committee chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
Vajpayee was the first Prime Minister from outside the Congress to serve a full five-year term between 1998 and 2004.
He is also a recipient of India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, which was conferred on him in 2015.
He died last August at the age of 93 after prolonged illness.
–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.