Tag: national

New Delhi [India], November 6: Bringing authentic, handcrafted & all-natural nutrition from Bihar and Jharkhand — ready in just 20 seconds.

Natureship Foods has launched its latest innovation — a range of instant Sattu drink mixes that deliver clean, plant-based protein and fibre in every serving. Made with no preservatives and no artificial additives, they’re designed for the fast-paced generation that wants real nutrition without slowing down.

In a world where quick commerce promises 10-minute deliveries, Natureship Foods is redefining “fast” — proving that speed and authenticity can coexist.

But behind this simplicity lies a much deeper story — of roots, resilience, and reimagining what “authentic” truly means.

The women team behind it

Prerna Mishra, founder of Natureship Foods and alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, spent over seven years in the corporate world — working with leading brands such as Future Group and Swiggy Instamart. Born in a  Bhagalpur, Bihar, she grew up deeply connected to the soil, the people, and the slow, real rhythm of rural life.

When she moved to  Mumbai for work, she began to notice two very different Indias — one where people were constantly hustling, searching for authentic, real nutrition in their busy urban lives, and another, in her own villages, where authentic food and traditional culinary wisdom were simply a way of life.

Prerna says, “I could see these two worlds right in front of me — one searching for authentic nutrition and another holding centuries of culinary wisdom but no opportunity to express it.

I felt I was standing right at the cusp of that gap, and I knew I had to weave these worlds together.”

Weaving the two worlds

That realization gave birth to Natureship Foods — Prerna started by collaborating with rural women artisans and small-scale farmers, and together they revived age-old methods of processing food — stone-grinding, hand-pounding, and hand-roasting — to retain purity, flavour, and nutrition.

Today, Natureship Foods’ product range brings together the heritage of Bihar and Jharkhand with the convenience modern life demands:

1. The Heritage Stone-Ground Range – Traditional staples like Chana Sattu, Jau Sattu, Makka Sattu, multi-grain atta, and pulses, made using slow, authentic methods.

2. The Innovative Drink Mixes – Instant, flavourful Sattu-based protein mixes ready in just 20 seconds. They have launched 55gm sachet for people on the go.

3. The Revival Collection – Forgotten regional treasures such as Katarni Chawal and Katarni Chura — native grains from Bhagalpur, known for their fragrance and heritage value.

Each product is handcrafted in small batches, directly sourced from small-scale farmers and prepared by rural women, ensuring a fair and sustainable value chain. Currently they are present on Swiggy Instamart, Big Basket, Amazon and their website –https://natureshipfoods.com/

Redefining Success and Impact

In a world governed by KPIs and dashboards, Prerna believes that when you work with communities, patience is your greatest metric. “The goal,” she says, “is to ensure that everybody in the value chain is becoming better off.”

Quoting from Albert Schiller’s feature The Weaver of Worlds in No Small Talk,

“Her proof is not found on a dashboard but in the story of Ambika Upadhyay, the workshop manager. A woman with a tenth-grade education who had escaped an abusive marriage, Ambika was fighting immense ‘social stigma’ yet showed up every day, driven by a ‘willingness and her drive to prove herself.’ Today, she manages Amazon orders on a laptop and has become an inspiration.

‘She has grown out of that definition that you know she is a lady who has been left by her husband. She now represents possibility. A better life.’

This presents a sharp challenge to conventional business valuation. What is the quantifiable value of one individual rewriting their narrative and, in doing so, creating a new anchor of possibility for an entire community? This is an impact metric that standard business analytics is unequipped to measure.”

Stories like Ambika’s define what Natureship Foods stands for — the belief that real success lies in dignity restored, confidence rebuilt, and lives transformed.

Today, Natureship Foods works with over a hundred rural women across Bihar and Jharkhand — many of whom had never stepped outside their homes before — giving them stable income, agency, and pride in their craft. The transformation is visible not just in their earnings but in their self-belief and the way they see themselves.

Beyond women, brand partners directly with small-scale farmers, ensuring fair prices and long-term sustainability. The brand helps farmers preserve indigenous varieties like Katarni rice and Chana, ensuring that traditional farming becomes viable again.

By 2028, Natureship Foods Pvt Ltd aims to empower over 3,000 rural women and hundreds of farmers —  through meaningful participation in a value chain that celebrates their wisdom, their hands, and their heritage.

Recognition and the Road Ahead

Natureship Foods’ work has received widespread recognition — currently they are being incubated at NSRCEL, IIM Bangalore, and are a finalist at IIT Bombay’s Eureka!, to being featured in global and national publications including No Small Talk by Albert Schiller and other international media. The brand’s acknowledgment in PM Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat stands as a testament to the social and cultural significance of its mission. Prerna is also a member of Goldman Sachs 10k women, a global initiative supporting women in business.

But this is only the beginning. Brand is now working on an innovative micro-processing model, where 70% of food will be processed in villages and the remaining 30% near urban dark stores for last-mile fulfilment through quick commerce partnerships. This hybrid model will allow the brand to scale sustainably — keeping authenticity intact while reaching urban customers faster.

Real. Rooted. Reimagined

At its heart, Natureship Foods is about reconnecting people with their authentic selves, their land, culture, and people.

As Prerna puts it,

“Sattu is just one way we have started doing it. There are multiple ways through which we can help people reconnect with their land, their culture, and their roots. That’s what we have built a brand on — one that is real, rooted, and reimagined.”

Contact:

Natureship Foods

Email: contact@natureshipfoods.com

Website: www.natureshipfoods.com

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Surat (Gujarat) [India], November 5: To support the EcoKranti Revolution, The Art of Living, Sri Sri Rural Development Programme & Sustainability (SSRDP), together with the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), entered into a Memorandum of Understanding. Together, the trio aim to make Surat, already one of the cleanest cities in India, a green model of their development in the country. The proposed vision is to see innovation, along with a city living in harmony with the environment, gaining popularity as a model of environmentally safe urban development globally.

As the city shifts towards modernity, the message is simple: development should not come at the expense of nature. The development should also align with environmental conservation, a hallmark of Indian heritage and cultural values.

The central topic of the mission is the eradication of single-use plastic and promoting environmentally friendly behaviour of citizens. With the help of the SSRDP-SMC partnership, the project enhances sustainable projects, promotes scientific waste recycling, and fosters green innovation, contributing to the transformation of Surat into India’s greenest city.

The movement aims to unite people towards discouraging the use of single-use plastics, which pose a silent danger to the environment and the health of citizens. During the degradation of plastics, they all dissolve to form microplastics that escape into the air, water, and food. Research indicates that the average human is being exposed to microplastics every week that are the size and weight of a credit card, which also heightens the risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases, as well as fertility dysfunctions and other medical complications. It is a crisis of human health, as it requires collective efforts to abolish single-use plastics and secure a better future.

To address this issue, the Art of Living design developed a series of environmentally friendly products that biodegrade naturally within nine months, a significantly faster process compared to one-use plastics, which can remain in landfills for over 1000 years. The movement encourages citizens, companies, and industries to invest in and embrace these sustainable alternatives.

Surat, which initiated the initiative, was backed by Shri Paresh Patel, President of Surat BJP. Directors and Trustees of SSRDP and Prakash Dhoriyani, the representative of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji, the Mayor of Surat, Daxesh Mavani, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the SMC, the District Development Committee of the Art of Living, as well as teacher CA Hari Arora were present at the MoU signing ceremony.

On the product launch day, EcoKranti products costing over 10 lakh were given out free of charge in over 50 locations throughout Surat, marking the first significant step in transforming Surat into a large-scale green revolution.

EcoKranti is committed to bringing about change worldwide, resulting in a cleaner, greener, and happier planet for future generations and ensuring that sustainability is the first option, not the last.

The eco-sustainable EcoKranti products are also available on online stores like Amazon or Blinkit, where everyone can easily access them, ensuring that living organically is not a difficult task to undertake.

New Delhi [India], November 5: India isn’t dipping its toes into artificial intelligence – it’s diving in headfirst. With the IndiaAI Mission, MeitY has flipped the switch on a national movement to build an AI ecosystem that’s powerful, ethical, and unapologetically Indian.

IndiaAI Mission The Big Picture: AI as India’s Superpower

At the Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2025), the message from MeitY was crystal clear: artificial intelligence is not just a tool – it’s India’s next big growth engine.

Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, summed it up best: “AI is a horizontal, cross-cutting technology that can transform lives and accelerate India’s progress towards Viksit Bharat 2047.”

That’s not just policy talk. It’s a declaration of intent. India doesn’t plan to be a spectator in the global AI race – it’s here to lead.

Building the IndiaAI Engine

The IndiaAI Mission, spearheaded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is designed like a precision machine – seven interconnected pillars driving innovation, access, and governance.

Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY and CEO of the Mission, laid it out clearly: “Our biggest advantage is human capital. But innovation also needs affordable computing, quality datasets, and sustained investment.”

The Mission focuses on:

• Affordable AI compute infrastructure – because innovation can’t thrive on expensive GPUs alone.
• Open, high-quality datasets for startups and researchers.
• Foundation models built in India, for India.
• Startup enablement programs to supercharge homegrown DeepTech ventures.
• Ethical and trustworthy AI frameworks to keep the ecosystem safe, transparent, and inclusive.

This isn’t just about catching up with Silicon Valley. It’s about setting a new global standard where affordability meets ethics.

Governance that Keeps Humans First

As AI adoption accelerates, India is already setting the guardrails.

At ESTIC 2025, MeitY launched the India AI Governance Guidelines – a framework that balances innovation with responsibility.

The brain behind the framework, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, summed it up with the principle: “Do no harm.”

The framework rests on:

• Seven guiding Sutras for ethical AI.
• Six governance pillars covering transparency, accountability, and safety.
• Short-, medium-, and long-term action plans for regulators, developers, and industry.
• Innovation sandboxes – safe zones for experimentation without collateral damage.

As Shri Krishnan emphasized, “At the heart of it all is human centricity.”

India’s governance model aims to do what most countries struggle with – encourage creativity while keeping humans in the driver’s seat.

Homegrown Brains, Global Ambition

India’s AI story isn’t being written in air-conditioned conference rooms. It’s being built in labs, startups, and villages where innovation meets necessity.

Dr. Sridhar Vembu, Co-Founder of Zoho Corporation, reminded the audience why constraints can be blessings. “When you don’t have all the resources, you find better solutions. There’s new science waiting to be discovered.”

From Niramai’s AI-driven breast cancer detection to IIT Madras’ data science breakthroughs, India’s innovators are proving that impact doesn’t need infinite budgets – it needs infinite imagination.

From Hackathons to Policy Playbooks

IndiaAI isn’t just writing frameworks – it’s building proof.

The IndiaAI Hackathon for Mineral Targeting, held with the Geological Survey of India, turned data into discovery. Teams developed AI-powered solutions for mapping critical minerals like copper, gold, and rare earth elements – because you can’t build chips or EVs without them.

The winners didn’t just bag prize money; they demonstrated what’s possible when policy meets purpose.

This bottom-up approach – empowering students, researchers, and startups – is how India’s AI ecosystem is growing roots and wings simultaneously.

The Road to Viksit Bharat 2047

Every big mission needs a vision beyond buzzwords. For India, that’s Viksit Bharat 2047 – a developed, self-reliant nation powered by inclusive technology.

AI is central to that journey. It’s the silent enabler behind smarter healthcare, sustainable agriculture, efficient governance, and cleaner cities.

By the time the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 convenes, India aims to showcase not just algorithms, but outcomes – AI that serves people, not the other way around.

India’s pitch to the world is simple: affordable innovation, scalable governance, and technology that doesn’t forget humanity. If the 1990s made India the IT back office of the world, the 2020s might just make it the AI powerhouse of the planet.

PNN News

New Delhi [India], November 3: At Bharat Mandapam, where ideas usually echo politely, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the stage ablaze. A ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Scheme was launched – not as a slogan, but as a statement: India’s tech game is about to get very real.

When Science Meets Scale

PM Modi’s address at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2025 wasn’t just another policy sermon. It was a masterclass in confidence. “When science meets scale, when innovation becomes inclusive, when technology drives transformation – the foundation for great achievements is laid,” he said. And for once, that didn’t sound like a cliché.

The Prime Minister made it clear that India’s innovation narrative has outgrown its old costume. The nation isn’t just a tech consumer anymore – it’s becoming a global pioneer of transformation through technology.

He was right. The numbers back him. India’s R&D spending has doubled in the last decade, patent filings have multiplied seventeen-fold, and the country now boasts the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. Over 6,000 deep-tech startups are working on next-gen materials, clean energy, semiconductors, and biomanufacturing.

That’s not optimism. That’s data.

Ease of Doing Research

PM Modi introduced a phrase that might just become policy folklore: “Ease of Doing Research.” It’s a clever pivot from the much-touted “Ease of Doing Business.” The idea is simple – make innovation frictionless.

Reforms in procurement, financial rules, and regulatory processes are designed to help prototypes leap from lab benches to market shelves faster than ever before. The ₹1 lakh crore RDI fund – announced with his trademark flair – puts serious money where the mouth is. For the first time, India’s researchers and private innovators have access to capital for high-risk, high-reward projects.

That’s venture energy at a national scale.

The Confidence of a Nation That Builds Its Own Satellites

PM Modi’s timing was no accident. Just a day before his speech, Indian scientists launched the nation’s heaviest communication satellite – another feather in ISRO’s already crowded cap. The Prime Minister used the moment to underline India’s momentum: “Yesterday we scaled new heights in science and technology, and today we lay the foundation for even greater transformation.”

The message: India is done playing catch-up.

And he wasn’t just speaking to scientists. He was speaking to every startup founder, engineer, and dreamer watching India’s scientific renaissance unfold.

Digital Public Infrastructure: The Unseen Engine

One of the Prime Minister’s proudest refrains returned: India’s Digital Public Infrastructure. “Today, India has the world’s most successful digital public infrastructure,” he said.

He’s not exaggerating. Two lakh gram panchayats are fiber-connected. UPI has rewritten the global digital payments playbook. Data is cheap, access is widespread, and the digital divide is shrinking faster than skeptics predicted.

When the world scrambled for vaccination logistics, India delivered the world’s largest vaccination programme with its homegrown tech stack. That’s what happens when scale meets science.

Women: From Innovators to Icons

One of the most satisfying parts of PM Modi’s speech was about women. A decade ago, fewer than 100 patents a year were filed by women in India. Today, that number is over 5,000. And women now make up 43% of STEM enrolments – higher than the global average.

That’s not tokenism. That’s transformation.

“When innovation is inclusive, its primary beneficiaries become its leaders,” PM Modi said, acknowledging how women have gone from being contributors to commanding roles in India’s scientific story.

AI: From Buzzword to Framework

Artificial Intelligence got the kind of mention that usually makes techies sit up straight. PM Modi declared that India is shaping the global framework for ethical and human-centric AI, and announced the upcoming Global AI Summit in February 2026.

With the India AI Mission investing over ₹10,000 crore, the country isn’t just experimenting – it’s engineering the rules of responsible AI before the world decides them for us.

That’s smart. That’s sovereign digital leadership.

Science for the Next Billion

PM Modi’s brand of tech optimism always circles back to inclusion. His challenge this time: shift from food security to nutrition security, from import dependence to innovation independence.

He threw a few curveballs to the scientific community:

• Can India develop biofortified crops that end global malnutrition?
• Can clean, affordable soil enhancers replace chemical fertilizers?
• Can genomic diversity mapping make personalized medicine mainstream?

These weren’t rhetorical flourishes. They were marching orders.

And the message was clear – India’s science must not just chase patents; it must solve problems that matter to the next billion.

From Labs to Legends

Behind the grand announcements lies a clear pattern. PM Modi’s government has seeded an innovation infrastructure that’s no longer aspirational – it’s operational.

Nearly 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs are now nurturing over one crore young experimenters across India. That number will soon rise to 25,000 labs. Universities are multiplying, IITs and IIITs are expanding, and the new education policy is breaking language barriers in STEM.

Add to that 10,000 new Prime Minister’s Research Fellowships over the next five years, and you’ve got a full-spectrum ecosystem – from school labs to high-risk research funding – aligned with one vision: make India the world’s innovation lab.

A Global Vision, an Indian Engine

India is rapidly building a vibrant ecosystem for research and development. Addressing the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave in New Delhi. https://t.co/jIhdvjraIy

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 3, 2025

PM Modi’s speech wasn’t about bragging rights. It was a strategic narrative – India as a hub where science meets inclusion, technology drives transformation, and research is both national mission and private enterprise.

The ₹1 lakh crore RDI Scheme is not just a fund. It’s a psychological marker. It tells every Indian innovator that the country is finally ready to bet big on their ideas.

And if the world’s listening – it should.

Because this is not the India of jugaad anymore. This is the India of design, data, and deep-tech discipline.

Jai Vigyan. Jai Anusandhan. And, let’s be honest – Jai Execution!

PNN News

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 1: The war against Maoism in India has turned a corner. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the red flag of rebellion has finally bowed to the national flag – and this time, the results back him up.

From Red to Saffron-White-Green

In Raipur’s Atal Nagar, PM Modi didn’t mince words. “Tiranga has replaced the red flag,” he told a roaring crowd during the Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav. The symbolism was deliberate – and sharp. For decades, large parts of central India were held hostage by Maoist control. Today, the Prime Minister claims, that story is ending.

According to PM Modi, the number of Maoist-dominated districts has fallen from 150 a decade ago to just three – all in Chhattisgarh: Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur. “I guarantee that the day is not far when India and Chhattisgarh will be rid of Maoism,” he said, sounding less like a politician and more like a man closing a long chapter of violence.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

The Union Home Ministry’s latest data backs the Prime Minister’s claim. As of October 2025, Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) impacts just 11 districts nationwide, down from 18 earlier this year. Compare that to 126 in 2013, and you start to see the scale of what’s changed.

This isn’t political spin; it’s quantifiable progress. The government’s multi-pronged counter-insurgency approach – combining security operations, road and power projects, and surrender-and-rehabilitation programs – appears to be working.

In just the past month, over 200 Naxals surrendered in Bastar and 20 more in Kanker. These aren’t nameless rebels either – several carried bounties worth crores. They’ve now traded jungle warfare for citizenship papers and a fresh start.

Adivasi Areas Finally See Development

For the first time in decades, light – literal and symbolic – is reaching remote villages. PM Modi cited Bijapur’s Chikkapali, which got electricity after 70 years, and a school being built in Abujhmarh – a first since Independence.

That’s not just infrastructure; it’s transformation. In a region long written off as a “red corridor,” new roads, schools, and medical camps are now replacing checkpoints and encounter zones.

PM Modi’s tone turned emotional when addressing the Adivasi community: “Those who pretended to follow the Constitution and spoke of social justice did injustice to you for political gain.” It was part empathy, part indictment – and fully on brand for a leader positioning himself as the cleaner of a national wound.

The Cost of Maoism – And the Comeback

Let’s not sugarcoat it. For years, Maoist violence turned entire districts into no-go zones. Teachers, doctors, engineers – anyone serving the state – were targets. Infrastructure stagnated, and development stopped at the district border.

That’s the context behind PM Modi’s assertion: “For decades, those who ruled left you to fend for yourself while they sat in AC rooms enjoying life.” It’s political theater, yes – but it also echoes what locals have lived through.

By contrast, the central government’s post-2014 strategy made it personal. Security forces got better intelligence, coordination between states improved, and crucially, development began moving faster than ideology. When schools, clinics, and mobile towers arrived, propaganda lost its audience.

India’s Counter-Insurgency Pivot

Delhi’s playbook shifted from “hunt and neutralize” to “reform and rebuild.” A combination of security pressure, welfare delivery, and surrender policies now defines India’s LWE response. The government’s target: complete Maoist eradication by March 31, 2026.

It’s ambitious, but not impossible. What’s working in Bastar could become the template for India’s other internal security challenges – from militancy in the northeast to extremism elsewhere.

Even former sceptics in the security establishment acknowledge the shift. “The reduction from 150 to three affected districts is not luck; it’s persistence,” a senior officer said earlier this month.

From Fear to Festivals

PM Modi summed it up neatly: “In Bastar, there is no fear but celebration.” That line captures the psychological turnaround more than any statistic could. When people stop whispering about ambushes and start planning cultural fairs, that’s victory of a different kind.

Chhattisgarh’s Adivasi heartland, once synonymous with landmines and ambushes, is now on the verge of normalcy. With every surrender and every new road laid, the red flag fades a little more.

Beyond Chhattisgarh

India’s Maoist problem was once continental – spanning Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Today, the crisis has largely contracted to a handful of southern Chhattisgarh pockets.

This contraction aligns with India’s broader growth narrative – the shift from conflict zones to emerging markets. When a region once controlled by insurgents begins building schools and solar grids, it’s not just national security; it’s nation-building.

The Final Stretch

There’s still work to do. The Maoist ideology won’t vanish overnight. But it’s running out of ground – both literal and ideological. The youth who once joined armed groups now have smartphones and job offers. The state’s message is clear: the gun is out of style; growth is the new revolution.

As PM Modi put it, “The day is not far when the red flag will be history.” That’s more than rhetoric. It’s the country finally catching up to its own promise.

Also Read: India’s War on Naxalism: A Decade of Grit and Growth

Surat (Gujarat) [India], November 1: Advaitaa Ballroom is in business. It is the biggest and most recognisable event venue in Surat. It reinvents the event infrastructure of the city on an unparalleled scale, design and versatility.

As a world-class destination for international-level events, Advaitaa is an icon. The venue has a 35,000-square-foot indoor ballroom that has no pillars, a ceiling raised 30 feet, and a broad 30,000-square-foot landscape lawn. The spaces can be used to conduct a wedding, a corporate event, an exhibition, or a cultural festival of any size.

This is a joint venture between Procreate Events and Manisha Decorators, two of the best event companies. The two organisations have a history of excellence in design, execution, and innovation, so together they ideated, developed and currently operate Advaitaa as their flagship venue in the region.

Advaitaa co-founder, Parv Parmar, told us that when we had the vision of Advaitaa, we wanted to establish an event infrastructure that could match a world-class standard in Surat and host any global events to the very highest standard. We were determined to make our city the home of a space that is not only big, but grand in its experiences, thought about its design, and incomparable in its versatile character. We are proud to tell you that Advaitaa is just as we wanted it to be, where all details have been carefully selected to give you a high-end guest experience, contemporary event services, and an impeccable performance.

Gujarat Home Minister, Shri Harsh Sanghavi, recently inaugurated Advaitaa. The occasion was a milestone for the event fraternity of Surat. The launch received acclaim among industry members in Gujarat and India, highlighting the fact that it can well position Surat on the national and global event map.

Constructed to suit the ease of use of guests as well as operational efficiency, Advaitaa is built with green construction and energy conservation systems. It has customizable layouts and ornamental architectures that have made it one of the most flexible and futuristic ready venues in Western India. It is capable of accommodating 700 to 3,000 guests simultaneously, and its location is pivotal due to being located off Surat Airport Road, which makes it well-connected.

New Delhi [India], November 1: The day was a day of introspection and insightful conversation with Mr Sahil Luthra, Founder and Managing Director of Vijayan Trishul Defence Solutions, getting the privilege of seeking the blessings of Param Pujaya Divyatapasvi Acharyadev Shri Hansratna Surishwarji Maharaj Ji. The holy Jain spiritual guru still commands people in India by his life of discipline, compassion and devotion to human beings.

In this religious experience, the Shri Maharaj Ji, who is in the process of his eighth 180-day period of fasting and meditation, imparted profound teachings on faith, inner strength and self-mastery. His national campaign, Save Culture, Save Family, Build Nation, is designed to revive morality, re-establish families, and reunite society with its cultural heritage. Mr Luthra talked about how much he liked this campaign and talked about how the message therein corresponds to the premise of leading with purpose and integrity.

On the same day, the Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria Ji, also paid a visit to Shri Maharaj Ji. It was a very touching and deep meeting that united the spirit of governance, culture and spirituality. It was a dialogue of equal respect and shared vision of a more aware and peaceful country.

Mr Luthra was honoured to be present at this special meeting, and he recollected the experience and remarked;

“To be in the same presence with such enlightened people was a grounding and uplifting experience. It made me remember that the real leadership, be it in the field of governance, innovation or spiritual life, has its meaning when led by the spirit of empathy and integrity.”

The Hon’ble Governor admired the devotion of Shri Maharaj Ji to social and spiritual well-being and realised the significance of the efforts that could empower moral and cultural principles. He told me that these initiatives are critical towards fostering togetherness, harmony, and empathy throughout the country.

UIBC-UC’s Faizal Kottikollon meets with the Kashmir CM – Meeting follows inauguration of DREAM School and launch of Indo-UAE education paper in Srinagar

Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) [India], October 31: Mr. Faizal E. Kottikollon, Dubai-based entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Chairman of the UAE India Business Council – UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC), along with Kshitij Korde, Head of Corporate Affairs, UIBC-UC, called on the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Omar Abdullah, in a landmark meeting that brought together leadership and vision.

This meeting was held on the sidelines of two key events in Srinagar – the inauguration of the transformed Middle School Block at Government Girls Higher Secondary School (GGHSS) Kothibagh, and the launch of a UIBC-UC research paper, “Bridging Horizons: UAE-India Partnership and the Future of Education-led Development.”

These events collectively underscore the growing momentum of Indo-UAE collaboration in social development, particularly in education and healthcare. The Chief Minister lauded the DREAM School initiative of the Faizal & Shabana Foundation (FSF), describing it as “a shining example of what visionary philanthropy and government partnership can achieve.”

The Kothibagh DREAM School, initiated following Mr. Kottikollon’s 2023 visit to Srinagar as part of a UIBC-UC delegation, stands as a testament to his steadfast commitment since that landmark year, a commitment that has continued to shape and strengthen Indo-UAE socio-developmental cooperation.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently said, “No amount of infrastructure development, be it roads, power projects, or commercial complexes, can substitute for quality healthcare and education. These are the true pillars of J&K’s progress and prosperity.”

Mr Kottikollon also presented the Chief Minister with a copy of the research paper launched earlier and a copy of “Opening Gateways – Tourism Opportunities India-UAE,” a visually stunning coffee table book celebrating the growing tourism ties between India and the UAE. Jammu and Kashmir is highlighted in the book as a tourism magnet for the country, with the untapped potential of human capital development in J&K mentioned in the paper.

Mr. Kottikollon, whose foundation has transformed over 900 schools across India under its PRISM framework, expressed gratitude for the Chief Minister’s support and reaffirmed his long-term commitment to J&K’s development.

“It was an honour to call on the Hon’ble Chief Minister and seek his guidance on strengthening the Indo-UAE corridor,” said Mr. Kottikollon. “Education and healthcare are not just priorities but bridges that connect communities and create lasting impact.”

The meeting also explored new avenues of collaboration, including the proposed 40 K–12 school transformation program across J&K and a potential partnership to upgrade existing government healthcare institutions, aligning with the region’s focus on patient safety and holistic wellness.

Mr. Kottikollon also invited the Chief Minister to lead a J&K delegation to the UAE to further

dialogue on cross-border investment and knowledge exchange, whilst also extending a special invitation to visit Tulah Wellness Sanctuary, his integrative wellness venture in Kerala.

The school opening in Srinagar, where Lt. Governor Shri Manoj Sinha was chief guest, was attended by members of the UIBC-UC delegation and marks a significant milestone in Indo-UAE cooperation, showcasing how public-private partnerships can transform the educational and social landscape of Jammu & Kashmir.

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Oxford [United Kingdom], October 31: The Business Excellence and Empowering Visionaries Awards, held in Oxford at the historic Keble College, featured Dr Manu Singh, a renowned social activist, environmentalist, and spiritual reformer, as the Guest of Honour.

The evening was attended by representatives of 57 countries, among whom were Councillor Louise Upton, Mayor of Oxford, members of the House of Commons, Lord of Mayfair and the Lord of Wimbledon. The appearance of Dr Singh gave a spiritual organisation and patriotic overtones to the global assembly.

A Defining Patriotic Moment

On being called to the podium, Dr Singh modestly put aside the American flag and hoisted the Indian Tricolour before the audience, saying, ‘This flag should always be first when I have to give any speech.’ His closing words were “Jai Shri Ram,” which was followed by thunderous applause, infused with national pride and universal values.

A Message for a Shared World

Dr Singh presented the awards to the awardees in his keynote speech, which served as a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary issues. In a parable comparing Heaven with Hell, he emphasised that the distinction was a matter of attitude, of self- versus sharing.

“The table is already laid. The spoons are in our hands. It is a question of whether we shall starve together or prosper together, and of whether we shall be willing to nourish each other, which he was, to such a standing ovation.

Based on the Sanatan philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: the world is one family, Dr Singh challenged the leaders to regard the vulnerable not as a liability, but as a call of duty. He used the pandemic and climate change as a reminder of how human beings are connected and emphasised that uplifting the weakest is not a charity but a duty.

The Life Founded on the Sanatan Values.

Dr Singh, founder of Sarva Dharma Samvaad (SDS), has led faith leaders in the past to advocate animal welfare, environmental responsibility and interfaith coexistence. His campaigns against the sacrifice of animals and his support for stray animals make ahimsa (non-violence), seva (service), and jeev daya (compassion) as spiritual demands.

He redefines Sanatan spirituality as ecological by creating a connection between ecological stewardship and Hindu traditions, both the dog and cow of Bhairava and Krishna.

Global Recognition

Well-known in the world of spiritual values, Dr Singh has spoken at the Parliament of World Religions, the UN Environment Convention, and the World Muslim League, having been praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an inspiration for using spiritual values to encourage ecological renewal. His acknowledgement at Oxford also solidifies his purpose as an ethical leader of the world.

Dr Singh brought the audience to a climax in his conclusion:

Leadership is not the ability to climb high, but to carry with us several people. Heaven and Hell are not far-off metaphorical abstractions–they are decisions that we make on a day-to-day basis. To the people assembled at Oxford, the message of Dr Singh was plain enough, so that it is not only a guest of honour, but a keeper of perennial wisdom to a broken world.

New Delhi [India], October 30: The date will mark a grand celebration of “Shashakt Samaj – Samridh Bharat” organized by the Vishwa Sindhi Hindu Foundation of Associations (VSHFA), an international conglomeration of more than 400 Sindhi Associations, Panchayats, NGOs, and Trusts across 35 countries, under the guidance of Hon’ble Member of Parliament Shri Shankar Lalwani Ji and the leadership of Dr. Gurmukh Jagwani (Ex MLC and President, VSHFA).

The event will see Sindhi leaders, Sindhi organizations, and Sindhians from around the globe and across India assemble together to celebrate the atmosphere of unity, empowerment, and the spirit of a strong and independent Bharat.

This is a milestone event in the continuing mission of the Foundation to enhance the engagement of the Sindhi community in the development of India and to serve the dream of Viksit Bharat 2047. It will also focus on the need to introduce the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as a major move to reinvent Indian society.

Dignitaries and Guests

We shall have the sugar and spice of the most exalted dignitaries at nightfall:

Members of Attendees of the Authorities and Government:

• SHRI RAJNATH SINGH JI (Hon’ble Defence Minister – Government of India) as the Chief Guest, and
• Hon’ble SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT JI (Hon’ble Minister of Culture and Tourism) as the Honourable Guest.

Their presence will bring immense prestige to the event and serve as a reiteration of the government’s desire to empower communities and bring back unity in the country.

Message from VSHFA Leadership

As he prepared to make his thoughts known, Dr. Raju V. Manwani, the General Secretary of VSHFA, wrote:

“The host to come will demonstrate the solidarity of Sindhi people and their effort to make India stronger and more independent. It will be an honourable moment to revere our history and our shared duty in the making of the future of our nation.”

The Vigyan Bhawan “Shashakt Samaj – Samridh Bharat” festivity will culminate on an encouraging note and will encourage the Sindhi diaspora to have a revival of new zeal.