World
Whistle-blower Sanjiv Chaturvedi conferred Magsaysay award
Manila: Indian whistle-blower bureaucrat Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who was on Monday conferred with the Ramon Magsaysay award by the Philippines president, said it was a tribute to all honest and sincere civil servants fighting against corruption.
“Like many other developing countries of Asia, India too faces serious problems of corruption. There is no effective antidote to this problem. No amount of individual activism or non-governmental organisations can replace corruption despite being genuine,” Chaturvedi said in his speech at the awards ceremony in Manila, capital of the Philippines.
Philippines President Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III presented the award to Chaturvedi.
Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest honour and is widely regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
Apart from Chaturvedi, social worker Anshu Gupta was chosen for the award.
While Chaturvedi was chosen for exposing corruption in public office Gupta was selected for enterprising leadership.
During his stint in various departments such as environment, forest and healthcare, Chaturvedi said, he faced stiff resistance from some most powerful elements within the system on a range of issues, including illicit felling of trees, poaching of rare species, corruption, supply of dubious medicines and irregularities in government recruitment.
“However, I was able to bring these issues to a logical conclusion as the system of checks and balances established by constitution is still working in our country, with institutions such as parliamentary committees, judiciary and independent media provides support,” said the 2002-batch Indian Forest Service officer.
Chaturvedi had exposed corruption in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi as its chief vigilance officer. He was removed from the post last year, two years before the completion of his tenure.
Chaturvedi also urged the young generation to put in best efforts for the eradication of corruption.
“The majority of Indian population is in the age group of 15-35 and there is a strong urge for eradicating corruption and to bring in a transparent and equitable system. I sincerely hope that pressure built by the young generation will certainly help to eradicate corruption,” said Chaturvedi.
Other prominent Indians who have won the Ramon Magsaysay award are former police officer Kiran Bedi in 1994 and journalist P. Sainath in 2007.
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.