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44 women of excellence honoured with Nari Shakti Puraskar

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New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) It was women power all the way at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday evening when as many as 44 women were honoured by the President of India with the prestigious Nari Shakti Awards, the highest civilian honour for women in India, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

These 44 women, hailing from different backgrounds, had broken barriers in various streams ranging from social development to technological innovations and medical excellence.

For 30-year-old Ruma Devi, who hails from Barmer in Rajasthan, receiving an award from the President was something she had never imagined till date.

“The award is a huge boost not just for me but for the society as well,” Ruma told IANS.

Married at the age of 17, it was not a cake walk for Ruma. With skills in stitching and embroidery, she gathered some women to form a self help group that would make bags and other handcraft items.

“It was not easy in the beginning, had to convince my husband and in-laws. But now, they are very supportive. I have only been doing my work and didn’t expect such a prestigious recognition,” she added.

Like her, for acid attack survivor Pragya Prasun, the award is a hope to change society’s approach towards those who have been victims of acid attacks.

“Acceptance and love from the society is the biggest challenge. People still judge an acid attack survivor on how they look. We are not welcomed easily,” Pragya noted.

Pragya was attacked in 2006, just 12 days after her marriage. She said her life had turned upside down but the incident failed to deter her.

“The attack had deeply affected me, psychologically mostly. But then I decided not to remain as a victim. I made a point to fight back and now I offer free surgeries to those who have been victims of acid attacks,” she stated.

Pragya runs an NGO, Atijeevan Foundation, that helps survivors of acid attacks become economically independent. Her NGO has so far helped more than 200 such survivors.

The One Stop Centre (OSC) of Lucknow also received the award for its exceptional progress in improving child sex ratio at birth under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.

According to the Women and Child Development Ministry, the selections from the nominations were finalized after considering their contribution in empowering vulnerable and marginalized women.

This year, among the awardees are scientists, entrepreneurs, environmentalists, social workers, farmers, artists, masons, woman marine pilot, woman commando trainer, journalists and film-makers and many others, who have faced their own unique challenges, but have not been deterred from achieving their dreams.

–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

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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.

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