National
Amit Shah meets Kerala’s Ezhava community leader
Kollam (Kerala): Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Sunday met Kerala’s Hindu Ezhava community leader Vellapally Natesan, who has expressed his desire to form a political party.
Natesan, the supreme leader of the powerful Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Sangom – the social organisation of Ezhavas – and Shah met on the sidelines of an event here to celebrate 62nd birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi.
This was for the second time in as many months that Natesan and Shah have met.
BJP Kerala unit president V. Muraleedharan and Natesan’s son, Tushar Vellapally, also took part in the meeting that assumes significance as Ezhava community leader wishes to form a political party.
But, Natesan said: “We did not discuss politics at today’s (Sunday) meeting.”
“Why people are so restless on my meeting? Don’t I have the freedom to meet people? Moreover, he (Shah) is the national president of the party that rules the country. I will also meet the prime minister…,” Natesan told the media.
The SNDP owes its allegiance to social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.
In Kerala, Hindus constitute over 50 percent of the 3.30 crore population and in numbers the Ezhava community is slightly ahead of the Hindu Nair community.
Over the years the SNDP, even though it claims to maintain a policy of equidistance with the rival political fronts – the Left Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front – in the state’s political spectrum, it was known that a majority of the Ezhavas often backed the CPI-M-led alliance.
Ever since Narendra Modi became the prime minister, the BJP was doing its best to woo the SNDP and for that Natesan was offered a deal to name a central university in the state after the revered guru.
For the BJP, which is yet to open an account in the 140-member Kerala assembly, getting Natesan into the NDA fold is expected to yield dividends, and with local body polls to be held in November and the assembly polls next year, the BJP is doing every bit of politicking.
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.