VS Achuthanandan turns 96, leaders wish oldest communist leader in the country

Agencies
October 20, 2019

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 20: Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan turned 96 on Sunday and celebrated the occasion by cutting a cake.

In the persence of close family members and well wishers, Achutanandan cut a cake and his wife gave him a small piece to mark the occasion.

As leaders from various political parties, friends, well wishers and media personnel turned up to wish him,Achutanandan thanked everyone.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was among those who extended birthday wishes to the senior leader.

"Conveyed my heartiest wishes to Shri V S Achutanandan, former Chief Minister and senior leader on his 96th birthday.

Shri V S Achutanandan is one of the most respected political figures of Kerala," Khan tweeted.

The Governor would be visiting Achutanandan tomorrow to wish him personally.

CPI(M) state secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Senior Congress leader A K Antony, telephonically wished Achutanandan on his birthday.

KPCC President Mullapally Ramachandran also wished the senior leader.

Born on October 20, 1923 in a working class family in Punnapra in Alappuzha district, VS had to end his education at the primary level and was soon attracted to the trade union movement in Alappuzha district.

A founder leader of the CPI(M), Velikkakath Sankaran Achuthanandan, popularly known as VS Achutanandan, whose life has been linked to the history of Communist movement in the state, including Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, is the oldest living Communist in India.

He was among the 32 leaders who walked out of the historical CPI national council meet in 1964 to form the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Achutanandan, who is the chairman of the Adminstrative Reforms Committee, had addressed party workers at an election convention at nearby Vattiyoorkavu, which is among the five assembly constitutencies where bypolls are being held on Monday.

VS, who had served as the Leader of Opposition and Chief Minister, was the star campaigner of the CPI(M)-led LDF in 2016 assembly elections, which saw the front riding to power in the southern state with a massive mandate of 91 seats.

After the assembly results came out, the CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury had described VS as the "Fidel Castro of Kerala" who would continue to guide and inspire the party, while naming Pinarayi Vijayan as the Chief Minister.

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News Network
July 15,2020

New Delhi, Jul 14: India's COVID-19 tally has reached 9,36,181 as 29,429 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

The death toll went up to 24,309, including 582 fatalities in the last 24 hours.

Out of the total cases, 3,19,840 are currently active and 5,92,032 are cured/discharged/migrated.

As per the Ministry, Maharashtra -- the worst-affected state from the infection -- has a total of 2,67,665 COVID-19 cases and 10,695 fatalities. While Tamil Nadu has a tally of 1,47,324 cases and 2,099 deaths due to COVID-19.

Delhi has reported a total of 1,15,346 cases and 3,446 deaths due to COVID-19.

As per the information provided by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) 3,20,161 samples have been tested for COVID-19 till July 14, of these 1,24,12,664 samples were tested on Tuesday.

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News Network
January 27,2020

New Delhi, Jan 27: The government on Monday issued the preliminary information memorandum for 100 per cent stake sale in national carrier Air India. As part of the strategic disinvestment, Air India would also sell 100 per cent stake in low cost airline Air India Express and 50 per cent shareholding in joint venture AISATS, as per the bid document issued on Monday.

Management control of the airline would also be transferred to the successful bidder.

The government has set March 17 as the deadline for submitting the Expression of Interest (EoI).

EY is the transaction adviser for Air India disinvestment process.

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News Network
May 29,2020

New Delhi, May 29: More than 38,000 doctors, including those retired from the Armed Forces Medical Services, have volunteered to help the government in its fight against COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said on Friday.

On March 25, the government had made an appeal to doctors, including the retired ones, to come forward and join the efforts to fight the pandemic.

"38,162 volunteer doctors, including retired government, Armed Forces Medical Services, public sector undertaking or private doctors have signed up with the government to battle COVID-19 pandemic," the official said.

The official further said Niti Aayog has sent a list of names of these doctors to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

In a statement posted on Niti Aayog's website on March 25, the government had said those who wish to contribute to this noble mission may register themselves through a link provided on the Aayog's website.

"The Government of India requests for volunteer doctors who are fit and willing to be available for providing their services in the public health facilities and the training hospitals in the near future.

"We appeal to such doctors to come forward at this hour of need. You could also be a retired government, Armed Forces Medical Services, public sector undertaking or a private doctor," the statement had said.

It had noted that in case the outbreak leads to a high number of infected individuals, India's public health facilities will face tremendous load to take care of a large number of patients.

Many countries, including the US, Italy, the UK and Vietnam, had also urged retired health workers to come back to work amid the pandemic.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India has climbed to 1,65,799, making it the world's ninth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Health Ministry on Friday said the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,706 in the country.

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