National
Mohammed Rafi should be conferred with Bharat Ratna: Congress
Mumbai: The Mumbai Congress today stated that Mohammed Rafi should be conferred with the Bharat Ratna as it would be a tribute to the great Bollywood playback singer.
Congress leaders led by city unit president Sanjay Nirupam, vice-president Jaiprakash Singh, Minorities Cell chief Nizamuddin Raeen, district minorities cell chief and a large number of activists paid tributes to Rafi at his grave in the Juhu Tara Road cemetery on the occasion of his 91st birth anniversary on Thursday.
“Rafi Sahab influenced generations of music lovers and was the darling of all Indians who still get mesmerised by his magical voice. Even 35 years after his untimely demise, people have not forgotten his songs and continue to hum them,” Nirupam said.
As a tribute to the memory of the great singer, he urged the government to confer the country’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna on him posthumously.
Earlier, several Rafi fans associations and groups had also demanded the Bharat Ratna for the singer on different occasions.
Rafi took the Indian music industry by storm with his entry as a playback singer in 1941 and never looked back till his sudden death in 1980 at the age of 55.
However, he left behind a treasure trove of immortal songs comprising solos, duets with all the top singers of his era, qawwalis, ghazals, disco, pop, rap in Hindi and various Indian languages and also in foreign languages, including two albums in English.
There are roads named after Rafi in Mumbai and Pune, and a shrine in Birmingham, UK, a Mohammed Rafi Academy run by his son singer Shahid Rafi.
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.