National
President to inaugurate Commonwealth science meet
Bengaluru: President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the Commonwealth Science Conference, which is being held in India for the first time, here Tuesday evening.
Duke of York Prince Andrew will be the special guest at the inaugural session of the four-day conference at the country’s premiere Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
Organised by the Royal Society and the union science and technology ministry, the summit will witness about 500 delegates, including 300 top scientists and 70 research scholars from 30 commonwealth nations, brainstorm on topics ranging from climate change, global health, mathematics and material and biological sciences to space.
“The event will celebrate excellence in science conducted in commonwealth countries and explore opportunities for collaborative research projects in diverse subjects,” eminent scientist Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao told.
About 300 science graduates and faculty from across the country will get an opportunity to participate in the event and listen to renowned scientists and experts presenting their papers and research findings on diverse topics.
Nobel laureates Sir Paul Nurse and Sir Martin Rees from Britain’s Astronomer Royal will deliver the keynote lectures. Nurse is president of the Royal Society in London.
Former Indian space agency (ISRO) chairman and Planning Commission member K. Kasturirangan, Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw will share their vision on ‘Entrepreneurship and Innovation in India’ at a special session.
“The 53-member commonwealth countries account for 12 percent of the global scientific community and contribute about 10 percent of the global research and developmen budget,” Rao said ahead of the conference.
Plenary sessions and workshops at the conference over the next three days will focus on building scientific capacity in developing nations and fostering a strong bond among scientists and researchers in the commonwealth fold.
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, headed by Rao, is co-hosting the event along with the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in London.
The Royal Society is the science academy of the Commonwealth to promote development of science and scientific temper among the stakeholders, including policy makers, governments, academia and industry.
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.