Tag: hosts

British PM Rishi Sunak hosts Coronation Big Lunch for community heroes

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London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty hosted a Coronation Big Lunch at Downing Street here on Sunday for community heroes to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla as part of the country’s long celebratory weekend.
The invitees included US first lady Jill Biden and British Sikh entrepreneur Navjot Singh Sawhney, who won the UK PM’s Points of Light Award earlier this year for his eco-friendly hand-cranked Washing Machine Project, which is benefitting over 1,000 families without access to an electric machine in underdeveloped countries or refugee camps.
The event was one of an estimated 50,000 Big Lunches or street parties being organised up and down the United Kingdom to celebrate the Coronation at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday. Ukrainians forced to flee the war-torn country amid its conflict with Russia were also present at the lunch.

“Come rain or shine, thousands of friends and neighbours are coming together this weekend to put up the bunting, pour the tea and cut the cake at street parties and community events across the UK,” said Sunak.
“I am proud to welcome Ukrainians forced to flee their homes and some incredible community heroes to Downing Street for our very own Coronation lunch to celebrate this historic moment. In England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and across our Overseas Territories and the wider Commonwealth people are marking this momentous occasion in the spirit of unity and hope for the future,” he said.
The British Indian leader made history at the Coronation ceremony on Saturday when he read a passage from a biblical book at the Abbey as the head of government of the host nation.
Akshata Murty, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and the UK’s Indian First Lady, marched in with him as part of a Commonwealth Realms procession.
Sunday marks the designated Big Lunch element of the Coronation weekend, a nationwide initiative to bring neighbours and communities together to celebrate the historic event.

Downing Street has been adorned with bunting featuring the official Coronation emblem and the Union Flag. Crockery was donated by Emma Bridgewater the award-winning ceramics company based in Stoke-on-Trent including a limited-edition King Charles III teapot.
Besides Sawhney, several other recipients of the Points of Light Award volunteers that have made an outstanding contribution to their community were invited to attend the event.
“Winning the Points of Light award and getting recognised by the Prime Minister is a phenomenal privilege. The Washing Machine Project’s mission is to alleviate the burden of unpaid labour, mainly on women and children,” said Sawhney of his work.
Attendees enjoyed food sourced from across the UK, including Loch Duart salmon from Sutherland in North West Scotland and soda farl from Northern Ireland. Beef came from Gloucestershire in South West England and ice cream was sourced from Chilly Cow, a company based in Ruthin, Wales.
Ukrainians fleeing the Russia-Ukraine conflict and their UK-based sponsors also joined the event.
They include Olga Breslavska who travelled to the UK as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme and is currently studying an intensive English course. Caroline Quill a Homes for Ukraine sponsor has been instrumental in matching 250 families across East Sussex and Kent and will also join the lunch.
Young people from organisations such as UK Youth and the National Association of Boys and Girls Clubs were also invited to mark the occasion.
Members of Britain’s royal family will also attend some community events and street parties during the day before seeing the likes of pop stars Katy Perry and Take That perform at Windsor Castle at the Coronation Concert on Sunday evening. Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor Ahuja is among those scheduled to make an appearance at the concert.
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#British #Rishi #Sunak #hosts #Coronation #Big #Lunch #community #heroes
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 7, 2023
Emporium Hosts Art Exhibition of Two Engineers

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by Muskan Fatima
SRINAGAR: Government Arts Emporium Srinagar hosted an exhibition of artwork produced by engineers Iftikhar Wani and Shazia Basharat. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri inaugurated the two-day painting exhibition.
Shazia Basharat, an engineer by profession, discovered her love for art during the lockdown period. This being her first exhibition, she looks forward to the journey ahead. ‘Art has changed my outlook on life and brought immense peace to me. Just like in art, sometimes in life things do not turn out exactly how we had imagined but just some touches can make it look better. I learnt from painting that there is always time to change, just that it should come from within you,’ said Shazia. Some of her paintings explored the beauty of nature, including ‘Aatish-e-Chinar,’ which depicts the beauty of the Autumn season, and ‘Beginnings,’ which depicts the beauty of the early bloom of almond flowers in Spring.
Although there is a diversity in her artworks, two of Shazia’s paintings showcased Sufi whirling dervishes. “In my understanding, these artists who whirl around at some point find that everything is blur around them, and when these worldly things become a blur for them, that is when they connect to God. They even try to dance on their toes as if disconnected from the worldly affairs,” said Shazia.
Iftekhar Ahmad Wani, on the other hand, is a self-taught artist who worked as a marketing manager and industrial marketing expert in Saudi Arabia. He started painting in 2012 and feels that art comes naturally to him. He mainly uses Kashmir as his inspiration for his paintings. One of his paintings shows the mesmerizing beauty of Khanqah-e-Moula. ‘My father was an engineer by profession, and he used to take me to Khanqah as a kid. After he passed away, I started painting those places. It is challenging to paint Shehr e Khas, but there is a poetic atmosphere to Kashmir” said Iftekhar.
Dr Jahangeer Aslam Makhdoomi, who is an Oncologist and an Artist, said, ‘I am happy to see that people are coming with their work. I hope this creates a chain reaction and encourages others as well, especially the youth. The paintings of Iftekhar Wani took me back to my native place, Downtown, and refreshed my memories.’
One of the onlookers named Unis Saleem commented, ‘Each painting seems to be telling a story. For a person like me who always dwells in paintings, visiting this exhibition has been a piece of solace as well as a thought-provoking experience.’

Another onlooker, Rukhsaar Manzoor, said, ‘These paintings bring out a feeling of home in me. For all of us, Kashmir is home.”

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#Emporium #Hosts #Art #Exhibition #Engineers
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

May 7, 2023
Jaishankar hosts reception for foreign ministers attending SCO meet

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Benaulim: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday evening hosted a gala reception for the foreign ministers of Russia, China, Pakistan and other member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), marking the beginning of a two-day conclave of the grouping.
The main deliberations of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers will take place on Friday.
The reception at the sea-side Taj Exotica Resort in Benaulim was attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Russia’s Sergey Lavrov and Pakistan’s Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Uzbekistan’s Bakhtiyor Saidov and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming.

The foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were also among those who joined the reception.
This evening’s cultural performance was an amalgamation of Indian classical and folk dance forms along with Bollywood dance styles, as a glimpse of Hindi cinema.
There was a special segment where representatives of the SCO countries showcased their dance performances.
India is hosting SCO conclave amid the escalating confrontation between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine and concerns over China’s expansionist behaviour.
The overall situation in Afghanistan including apprehensions that the country may turn into a breeding ground for terrorism under the Taliban rule as well as the fast evolving regional security situation are expected to figure prominently during the deliberations on Friday.

India is emerging as a key player among the SCO countries though China and Russia are seen as the major drivers of the grouping that is increasingly seen as an “alternative” to NATO.
India is hosting the SCO conclave when its ties with China are under severe strain in view of the lingering border row in eastern Ladakh.
People familiar with the preparation of the conclave said the foreign ministers will deliberate on overall challenges facing the region in the backdrop of the current geo-political turmoil and the state of bilateral ties between the member nations would not impact the discussions.
The SCO is an influential economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.
India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping, which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.
India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.
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#Jaishankar #hosts #reception #foreign #ministers #attending #SCO #meet
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 4, 2023
Andhra Pradesh CM hosts Iftar in Vijayawada

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Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday hosted ‘Iftar’ dinner here for the Muslim community, on behalf of the state government.
During the event, the Chief Minister spoke a few words in Urdu and extended advance Eid-Ul-Fitr greetings.
It is believed that God listens to the prayers offered during Ramzaan, so I request you all to pray for the state for good times, said Reddy in Urdu in a video link shared by the state government.

As part of Iftar, the CM also offered namaz prayers at the mini stadium in Vidyadharapuram in the city.
Deputy Chief Minister (Minority Welfare) S K Amzad Basha, were among those present.
Popular Tollywood actor Ali also attended Iftar and was seen offering prayers.
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#Andhra #Pradesh #hosts #Iftar #Vijayawada

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 18, 2023
Hyderabad: Asaduddin Owaisi hosts iftar for US Consul General, Senator Todd Young

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Hyderabad: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday hosted an iftar party for the US Consul General Jennifer Larson and Senator Todd Young.
Later, Jennifer Larson took to Twitter to share her experience at the iftar party. She wrote, “For @SenToddYoung’s last event in #Hyderabad, we attended an iftar hosted by MP and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. It was fitting to conclude a great visit with outstanding food and excellent conversation.”
Earlier, Todd Young visited the new US Consulate in Hyderabad and became the first Senator to visit the new US facility in the city. During his visit to the city, he met IT Minister K. T. Rama Rao for a discussion on Telangana’s present and future as a leader in the IT, life sciences, and defense/aerospace industries. He also visited T-Hub in the city.

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#Hyderabad #Asaduddin #Owaisi #hosts #iftar #Consul #General #Senator #Todd #Young
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 15, 2023
India hosts first joint working group meeting on Chabahar port

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New Delhi: At their first joint working group meeting on the Chabahar port, India and the central Asian nations reaffirmed that connectivity initiatives should comply with global norms, transparency, local priorities, financial sustainability and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
The comments, mentioned in a joint statement released on Friday following the meeting hosted by India in Mumbai on April 12 and 13, came amid growing global criticism of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The statement said the participants at the meeting noted that further development of regional connectivity is essential for enhancing trade and commerce between India and the central Asian countries in the context of their land-locked nature and lack of overland connectivity with India.

The mention of “lack of overland connectivity with India” is being seen as an indirect reference to Pakistan’s reluctance to grant New Delhi transit access to Afghanistan and beyond.
India has been pushing for the Chabahar port project to boost regional trade, especially for its connectivity to Afghanistan.
At the meeting, the country representative for the UN World Food Programme (UNWFP) made a presentation on the ongoing cooperation between India and the UNWFP in Afghanistan for the delivery of wheat assistance.
The statement said the consul general of Afghanistan emphasised the significance of the Chabahar port for the delivery of humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people and providing economic opportunities for Afghan businessmen and traders.
Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran’s southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.

The first meeting of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group (JWG) on the Chabahar port was chaired by Dammu Ravi, the Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and attended by deputy ministers and senior officials from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The special invitees to the event were the country representative of the UNWFP, the deputy foreign minister of Iran and the consul general of Afghanistan, according to the statement.
It said the participants “reaffirmed that the connectivity initiatives should conform with international norms, the rule of law, respect for international commitments, and are based on mutually-agreed principles of sustainable connectivity, transparency, broad participation, local priorities, financial sustainability and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries”.
China has been facing criticism of creating debt traps for a number of countries while pushing projects under the BRI. Several African countries are finding it difficult to repay the loans provided by China for BRI projects.
The statement said the participants at the joint working group meeting also emphasised that connectivity projects deserve priority attention and could be a force multiplier for trade and economic cooperation and contacts between countries and people.
The statement said the participants agreed that connectivity requires the private sector’s active participation.
“In order to facilitate large-scale private investments in sustainable connectivity, the sides expressed their commitment to implement relevant international standards, to ensure a level-playing field for companies and to ensure reciprocal access to markets,” it said.
During the meeting, the managing director of India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) gave a comprehensive presentation on the facilities and current operations at the Shahid Behesti terminal at the Chabahar port. IPGL is currently operating the terminal.
“The Country Representative for UNWFP made a presentation on the ongoing cooperation between India and UNWFP in Afghanistan for the delivery of wheat assistance. The Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan emphasised the significance of Chabahar Port for the delivery of humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people and providing economic opportunities for the Afghan businessmen and traders,” the joint statement said.
At the meeting, the deputy foreign minister of Iran proposed to hold the next round of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group (JWG) deliberations in his country, along with the participation of the private sector. The participants welcomed the proposal.
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#India #hosts #joint #working #group #meeting #Chabahar #port
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023
Jr NTR hosts dinner for Amazon Studios top executive, S S Rajamouli joins them

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Hyderabad: ‘RRR’ star Jr NTR, who has become a global sensation in the last few months, hosted a dinner party for James Farrell (Vice President International, Amazon Studios) and few dignitaries from the film industry at his house on Wednesday.
Taking to Instagram, Jr NTR posted a few snaps from the evening, in which S S Rajamouli also joined him. In the first black-and-white snap, Jr NTR can be seen sharing a good laugh with Farrell. In another frame, NTR posed with Rajamouli for the shutterbugs.
“An evening well spent with friends and well-wishers. Was great catching up with James and Emily. Thanks for keeping your word and joining us for dinner,” NTR wrote in the caption.

Jr NTR is in the headlines as he has bagged a role in the sequel of ‘War’. As per a source, the shooting for the film is expected to start in November 2023.
“Get set for the biggest theatrical experience when Hrithik Roshan takes on NTR Jr. in War 2. The film is being mounted on a scale that has never been attempted before in India. Aditya Chopra and Ayan are clear that they want to make it a spectacle and a global cinematic moment for India. Pre-production is in full swing for this action extravaganza that starts its shooting schedule in November,” the source said.
“War 2 is a huge pan India movie right now, after casting coup by Aditya Chopra to get NTR Jr. in this film. The YRF Spy Universe is expanding at a rate that is unimaginable and all the films of this universe are now the biggest event films for audiences to enjoy in theatres,” the source added.
Directed by Siddarth Anand, ‘War’ featured Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff in lead roles. This high-octane action drama is touted to be one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of that year. However, the makers have not made any official statement regarding ‘War 2’.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 13, 2023
Nitish Kumar hosts Iftar party in Patna

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Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday organised an Iftar party in his official residence, 1 Anne Marg, here.
Several leaders including Deputy Chief Ministers Tejashwi Yadav, JD-U national President Lalan Singh, cabinet minister Jama Khan, JD-U state president Umesh Kushwaha, Water Resource Minister Sanjay Jha and several Muslim clerics participated in the event.
In the last few days, the opposition parties has targeted Nitish Kumar over Iftar parties, especially after the Ram Navami violence in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif. BJP and LJPR targeted Nitish Kumar after he went for the Iftar party of JD-U MLC Khalid Anwar in Phulwari Sharif in Patna recently.

Iftar parties in Bihar have significant political overtones. One such example was seen last year when RJD leader and Rabri Devi had given an Iftar party in her official residence 10 Circular Road in Patna, attended by Nitish Kumar, and subsequently political equation had changed in Bihar as he dumped the NDA to join the Mahagatbandhan again.
Rabri Devi will organise an Iftar party on April 9.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 7, 2023
HM Amit Shah hosts dinner for Padma awardees

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday hosted a dinner for Padma awardees who received the honour from President Droupadi Murmu here.
“Had the pleasure of hosting a dinner for the esteemed Padma Awardees of 2023. It was a great experience to converse with these amazing individuals who are filled with so much enthusiasm for their chosen fields of work. #PeoplesPadma,” Shah tweeted.
The President had approved the conferment of 106 Padma awards, including three duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one), on the eve of this year’s Republic Day.
Of these, over 54 people were awarded — Padma Vibhushan (3), Padma Bhushan (4) and Padma Shri (47) — on Wednesday. Rest of the awardees would be conferred the honour in another ceremony later.
Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna, noted industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and famous playback singer Suman Kalyanpur were among the awardees who were honoured by the President.
Among the awardees were many unsung heroes. The Modi government has been honouring unsung heroes of the country with Padma awards ever since it came to power in 2014.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 23, 2023
Hyderabad: AFA Dundigal hosts graduation ceremony of 144th ATSS

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Hyderabad: Air Traffic Control Officers Training Establishment (ATCOTE), Air Force Academy Dundigal, Hyderabad on Thursday hosted the graduation ceremony of the 144th Air Traffic Surveillance Services (ATSS) Course.
A total of 17 officers comprising 11 officers from IAF, three from Indian Navy, one from Indian Coast Guard, one from HAL and one officer from Nigerian Air Force were part of the 144th course. The course equips the controllers to maintain orderly flow of air traffic.
The ATSS is a three-month long course for training qualified Air Traffic Controllers in the usage of radar. Air Force Academy Commandant Air Marshal B Chandra Sekhar was the reviewing officer of the celebrations.
ATCOTE, a premier training establishment of the Indian Air Force (IAF), is equipped with state-of-the-art simulators to facilitate training of officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and officers from Friendly Foreign Countries in the field of Air Traffic Services (ATS).
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 16, 2023