Tag Archives: sushma swaraj

After Sushma Swaraj, Jaitley now goes under knife for kidney transplant

Posted on by
Reply

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s health has become a cause of national concern as the second-in-command in Modi’s government is all set to undergo a kidney transplant surgery at the AIIMS on Saturday, April 7.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which has apologized for its mistaken dialysis on a patient last week, said it has formed a special team under doctor V.K. Bansal to carry out the surgery on Jaitley and Sandeep Guleria, a specialist from Apollo Hospitals has also been roped in.

The new state-of-art Cardio-Neuro Tower in the AIIMS will be the place for today’s operation and it may be recalled that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too underwent her kidney transplant here in December 2016.

Jaitley had tweeted on Thursday: “I am being treated for kidney related problems and certain infections that I have contracted. I am therefore currently working from controlled environment at home. The future course of my treatment would be determined by the doctors treating me.”

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, in his tweet wished the leader early recovery. “I’m truly sorry to hear this @arunjaitley ji. I pray for your speedy recovery,” he tweeted. Jaitley, 65, had earlier been operated upon for a gastric bypass in 2015 to loose weight after Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari underwent similar surgery.

Jaitley, who visited Singapore recently, had to cancel his other international trips, including his next week’s visit to London for the annual economic dialogue. Currently, he has cancelled all major appearances in the public and is working from home.

Since the recovery will take at least three months, the finance ministry will essentially be run by finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia with the PMO overseeing its function. Adhia, a Gujarat cadre IAS official and a long-time confidante of PM Narendra Modi, will report to him for the next three months. His retirement by end of this year, is likely to be given an extension, said The Wired quoting sources familiar with the developments.

Jaitley’s absence when Karnataka elections are being held next month may keep Modi tied to Delhi but PM is not likely to allot the ministry to other BJP leaders in view of its key role in implementing the welfare programs ahead of the 2019 elections.

 

Sushma Swaraj Offers Help on Kuwait, Libya, South Sudan Victims Abroad

Posted on by
Reply

In view of sporadic incidents of attacks on Indian nationals in the Gulf and Middle-East, Indian External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that the Indian Embassy has taken up the matter at the highest level in Kuwait and Libya to ensure safety and security of Indian nationals.

On the condition of Mrs. Gopika Shajikumar, who was stabbed in Kuwait, she said the victim has undergone a surgery and is recovering. “I was informed about the stabbing of Mrs. Gopika Shajikumar an Indian national from Kottayam. I asked for an immediate report and we have complete details of the unfortunate incident. Gopika has undergone surgery at the Farwaniya hospital. I wish her a speedy recovery,” Swaraj tweeted on Twitter.

On Libyan case where an Indian citizen was shot with a gun, she wrote on Twitter, “We have rescued Dr.Ramamurthy Kosanam in Libya. Dr.Kosanam has suffered a bullet injury. We are bringing him to India shortly. Later, she tweeted that the Mission had rescued all the six Indians abducted in Libya. “I appreciate the good work done by our mission there,” she added.

In another incident in South Sudan, where an Indian was shot dead, brother of one of the victim Syed Farooq Basha in Juba, South Sudan tweeted from Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh seeking help from the minister, who in turn asked the ambassador to rush to the scene and help the victim’s family in sending the body home.

 

Sushma Swaraj Twitter Seva to Help Abducted Indian in Malaysia

Posted on by
Reply

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, known for her Twitter-based interaction with Indians abroad who require help, has responded to a Twitter message from an NRI in Malaysia who had sought help.

Yogendra singh, an Indian national had asked for her help through twitter saying that his father was abducted in Malaysia for ransom on January 17.

Soon Sushma Swaraj responded saying the Malaysian mission is following it up with the local police authorities: “I have received a report from our Commissioner in Malaysia. He is following this with Malaysian authorities/ police.”

She said, “I share your concern. Our High Commissioner in Malaysia is in touch with the Police. He will keep you informed.”

She also said, “We are taking this abduction very seriously. I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Malaysia to keep me informed on daily basis.”

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj helped a couple on honeymoon when the groom was facing delay in getting a passport and visa to the Gulf. Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs kickstarted Twitter seva to help people who are in distress when abroad.

In another response to twitter-based queries, she has asked the citizens stranded abroad to register on MADA and then tweet to respoective Indian missions.

“In case you are stranded abroad, pl register on and give MADAD ID no.and details of agent to  .”

Raisina Dialogue 2017 Concludes

Posted on by
Reply

The second annual Raisina Dialogue was held in New Delhi, this time in January with distinguished foreign and Indian intellectuals and academics addressing the seesions. Envisioned to be India’s flagship conference of geopolitics and geo-economics, the conference was designed on the lines of Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

This year’s conference was jointly held by the Ministry of External Affairs, India and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a think tank funded by the Ambani group in India. Held in New Delhi from 17-19 January, 2017 at the Taj Palace, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, the theme of the Dialogue, this year, was “The New Normal: Multilateralism with Multi-Polarity”.

The three-day dialogue featured an Inaugural Panel with the participation of M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Foreign Minister of Nepal, Hamid Karzai, former President of Afghanistan, Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Advisor to Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

A video message from the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres was also be played before the Inaugural Panel followed by several Ministerial and Keynote addresses.

Besides the Theme Address by Foreign Secretary Dr. S. Jaishankar, the foreign dignitaries who addressed the Dialogue included Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, UK, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Minister for Regional Development, Sri Lanka, Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada, Jacques Audibert, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of France, Shunsuke Takei, Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr, Commander, Pacific Command and Admiral Michelle Howard, Commander, US Naval Forces, Europe and Africa.

While the first edition involved about 40 countries with 120 foreign participants, the 2nd edition featureed participation from about 65 countries and more than 250 foreign participants.
The name Raisina Dialogue comes from Raisina Hill, where the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the South and North Blocks of the Indian government’s head offices were located and the conference symbol has the design as its symbol.

The theme of the first dialogue was “Connecting Asia” which witnessed participation of more than 100 speakers from over 35 countries and the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj described the dialogue as a “new sense of purse to the country’s foreign policy”.

External Affairs Ministry Launches Twitter Seva

Posted on by
Reply

In an effort to provide quick services and responses to Indians abroad and in the country for passport and other services, the Ministry of External Affairs has launched “Twitter Seva” platform, enabling the quick resolution of grievances.

In the past two years, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj often used Twitter to help Indians who’re caught in difficulties abroad. Now, the Twitter Seva will monitor the complaints throughout the day and night to provide help from local Indian embassy or regional passport office.

The service was launched by Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh. Ministry spokesman Vikas swarup said the twitter Seva will act as “an umbrella platform” of all Ministry-affiliated Twitter handles. VK Singh said it would offer new frontiers in the use of digital technology for citizen engagement.

Twitter Seva will bring about 200 social media handles, including those of 198 Indian Missions abroad, 29 Regional Passport Offices and 8 other handles such as @MEAIndia, @Indiandiplomacy and @MEAQuery — all under one platform. Swarup said the enhanced, timely and transparent manner will now take the ministry to “a new leap forward.”

The launch of Twitter Seva service was first launched by the commerce and industry ministry in april, by the Telecom Ministry in August and now the External Affairs Ministry.

Sushma Swaraj Kidney Transplant Successful: AIIMS

Posted on by
Reply

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj underwent a kidney transplant at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Saturday and her condition is stable, said a statement. It said the minister, 64, is safe and is in Intensive Care Unit after the six-hour-long surgery.

“A dedicated team of 50 personnel comprising transplant surgeons Prof. M. Minz and Prof. V. K. Bansal, transplant anaesthesiologists Prof. M.K. Arora, Prof. Rashmi Ramchandran, Prof. Vimmi Rewari and Dr. Preet Mohinder Singh, nurses, technicians and support staff, undertook the procedure under the leadership of Prof. M.C. Misra, Director, AIIMS and HoD Cardiac Anaesthesia, AIIMS,” said the statement.

The kidney was donated by a woman, not any relative, in her 40s and both of them are doing well, said the statement.