National
India must end dependence on weaponry imports: Modi
Bengaluru:Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday it was now time that India ended its dependence on imported weaponry and become self-sufficient as it did in respect of food grains.
“Indian armed forces are second to none, and now the time has come to ensure that the weapons and equipment they carried and used are also the best in the world, for this, India needs to end dependence on imported weaponry, which is expensive and is not of the latest technology,” he said after laying the foundation stone for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) new helicopter manufacturing unit in Karnataka’s Tumkur district.
Recalling former Indian prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s famous slogan of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, Modi noted that India achieved self-sufficiency in food grains in the last 50 years and called upon similar replication in indigenous weaponry.
Coming up at 610 acres at Bidarehallikaval village, 125 km from Bengaluru, the new facility, which will entail investment of approximately Rs.4,000 crore, will manufacture up to 10 classes of helicopters including Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and Naval Multi-Role Helicopters (NMRH).
Assuring that the government is committed to defence manufacturing, Modi said: “Helicopters manufactured in Tumkur will serve soldiers stationed in remote locations.”
“Manufacturing unit coming up in Tumkur would not be an ordinary one, but one which would make the whole world take notice,” he said, calling upon HAL to ensure that the first helicopter built in the new plant will take flight by 2018.
Reiterating the vision of Indian constitution’s architect B.R. Ambedkar for industrialisation in India as a vehicle to empower to the poor and downtrodden, Modi said the new helicopter manufacturing unit is step in fulfilling that vision.
“Nearly 4,000 families will directly or indirectly get livelihood due to this factory,” he said.
Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, union ministers D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar and G.M. Siddeshwara (who hail from the state) were present at the ceremony.
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.