Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH – The Consulate General of India and Indian Pilgrims Welfare Forum (IPWF) recently organized a function titled “Team India’ to honor Indian Haj volunteers and community organizations, which were involved in Haj voluntary services, at the consulate premises.

Speaking on the occasion, Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh, the chief guest, shared with the audience the level of high appreciation for the voluntary service rendered by the Indian community members to the guests of God in the Kingdom and back in India. “When we accompanied M.J. Akbar, minister of state for external affairs and head of prime minister’s Haj goodwill delegation, during his meeting with Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, emir of Makkah and adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, we experienced the kind of appreciation that the Saudi authorities maintain toward the service of Indian volunteers extended to all the pilgrims. The emir was very pleased with the dedicated and selfless service of our volunteers,” he said.

Sheikh also noted that Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and several members of parliament praised India’s excellent Haj operation especially the services of volunteers during the meeting of Indian Haj Committee held in Mumbai on Oct. 6-7.

The consul general said that the unique concept of ‘Team India’ was quite obvious in serving the pilgrims. “I feel there is a divine push for all our work and this is mainly behind the success of our Haj operation. Moreover, without your support the success of the operation would not have been possible,” he said while emphasizing “we are working as Team India without any feelings of regionalism, parochialism and things like that, and enjoy the beauty of working as a family and thus creating wonders.”

Sheikh thanked all the organizations, volunteers, media persons and consulate staff including consuls – Anand Kumar, Moin Akhtar and Mohammed Nurul Hassan for their commendable services during the recent Haj season.

Mohammed Shahid Alam, deputy consul general and Haj consul, delivered the introductory speech. The community organization leaders presented the consul general with a memento and put on him a shawl as a token of appreciation for the outstanding services to make the Haj operation a resounding success. Sheikh and Alam honored the organizations with giving away mementos to them. These organizations included Kerala Muslim Cultural Center (KMCC), IPWF, Jeddah Haj Welfare Forum (JHWF), India Fraternity Forum (IFF), Telengana NRI Forum, Overseas Indian Cultural Center (OICC), Risala Study Circle (RSC) and Viqaya.

Dr. Nazneen Rahman, wife of the consul general, presented mementos to women volunteers and officials of women voluntary organizations. The consul general also gave away mementos to media persons and consulate staff who offered Haj services.

Earlier, IPWF President Mohammed Aziz Kidwai welcomed the gathering. Haj Mutawwif Waleed Azizurahman, Jamal Vattappoyil, convener of Haj cell of KMCC national committee, IFF Jeddah Regional President Fayazuddheen, JHWF Chairman Chemban Abbas, OICC western region President K.T.A. Muneer, Muhammad Jabbar, president of Telengana NRI Forum, Noufal Muhammad of RSC, and Sawad of Viqaya spoke on the occasion.

Consulate officials Bobby Mannat, Nadeem, M.S. Sheikh Sulaiman were also among the organizers of the event. Ayoob Hakeem, general secretary of India Forum, was the master of ceremony.