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Journalism of Courage
Diwali Utsav: A Diwali Utsav was organised by MoS External Affairs and Culture, Meenakashi Lekhi, for ambassadors and diplomats on Tuesday. The evening began with ‘Ramayana Chaupai’, followed by a brief performance of Ramleela. The highlight, however, was a rendition of ‘Sundar Subhumi’ or ‘Girmityas Song’, also known as ‘Diaspora Song’. The song reflects how Diwali as a festival connects India with countries like Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji and Mauritius, among others. The song was originally sung by indentured labourers who were shipped to Caribbean countries as plantation workers.
The evening saw representation from embassies of the UK, Australia, Finland, Romania, Singapore, Bhutan and Nepal.
Dos and don’ts: Laughing loudly inside the office building may prove costly for the staff working under the Ministry of External Affairs at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, Chanakyapuri in New Delhi. The Ministry has issued instructions regarding decorum and dress code to the staff. Among other things, officials have been advised against “unnecessary roaming around and sitting on sofas”.
“Assembling in groups, sitting on staircases, talking and laughing loudly inside the building, etc., are to be avoided,” reads the order. Henceforth, officials found not adhering to the dress code norms will be sent back and leave will be deducted,” says the order dated October 12, 2022.
Support to patients: Taking forward the government’s initiative for providing nutritional support to TB patients, staffers in Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s office have adopted 54 patients from Delhi’s Sultanpuri. They have decided to take turns visiting the patients and delivering food baskets to them. The minister himself has adopted 15 patients from his hometown in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. He has met the patients once and will visit them again during Diwali. Launched last month, 37,900 “nikshay mitras” have committed to supporting 10.25-lakh TB patients across the country.
