Jeddah, Sep 1: A leading member of the Indian community has called on the new consul general to help expedite the process of expanding the International Indian School-Jeddah (IISJ) to accommodate nearly 5,000 children who have nowhere else to go for education.
Dr. M.S. Karimuddin, a well-known pediatrician and former chairman of the school managing committee, was speaking at a well-attended function organized by the Indian community to welcome Consul General B.S. Mubarak on Friday.
“I have been part of this school since its inception,” he said. “The school currently has 13,000 students, but there are thousands in the queue waiting to get in. Parents are facing immense difficulties. We need to find a way out.”
Mubarak acknowledged the problem and said he would do all in his power to solve it. “Right now, our focus is on the Indian pilgrims who are arriving for Haj 2014. Once Haj is over, we will focus on this and other genuine issues pointed out by many leading members of the community.”
The new consul general is a familiar face to the Indian community in Jeddah. He was the Haj consul for three years from 2008 to 2011. Before being appointed consul general in Jeddah, he was India’s representative in Palestine, a posting that he said taught him about the very admirable qualities of the Palestinian people.
He recalled many anecdotes about his stint in Palestine. “Palestinians are very honorable and hard-working people,” he said. “I have seen many bright Palestinians working abroad for years in some of the most desirable places and yet coming back to their homeland to reinforce their rightful claim on their land and their country.”
Talking about the honesty and generosity of the Palestinian people, he said he had once forgotten a bag of groceries outside a market. “Once I realized, I went back to the store and was surprised that it was not there. This was not my experience with the Palestinians and I was upset.”
Realizing my anxiety, a nearby storeowner asked me about what was in the bag. “He supplied all the contents and told me someone might have taken it accidentally. He wouldn’t take a penny from me. I was uncomfortable, but he was adamant and wouldn’t accept any payment.”
Two days later when Mubarak went to inquire about the missing bag, the storeowner said someone had taken it by mistake and returned it the next day. “Such is the level of their honesty and generosity,” Mubarak said.
The program was the idea of prominent Indian community members, including Siadath Ali Khan, Syed Sharique Ali, Kader Khan, Aziz Kidwai, V.K. Rauf, Syed Nasir Khursheed and Mohammad Rafiya.
In his address, Siadat Ali Khan praised the consul general for his excellent services to Indian pilgrims in the past. He reiterated that Indian welfare forums and organizations played a pivotal role during the Nitaqat campaign. “All of us will be more than happy to extend any and all help to you, Mr. Consul General, in accomplishing any task for the good of the community.”
The community members recalled the valuable contributions of previous diplomats, including Talmiz Ahmad, T.T.P. Abdullah, Ausaf Sayeed, Syed Akbaruddin and Faiz Ahmad Kidwai.
“All our diplomats contributed in their own ways to raise the profile of the Indian community in the Kingdom,” said Ahmeduddin Owaisi, a prominent and respected elder of the community.
India Forum’s Acting President Shaikh Khaleeq was the master of ceremonies. Huma Kader Khan introduced the consul general and welcomed his wife Lateefa Mubarak. Syed Sharique Ali presented a vote of thanks. Among the prominent invitees were popular consuls and vice consuls, including Raghib Qureshi, Irshad Ahmad, Raj Kumar, S.R.H. Fahmi and N.P. Singh.
Office-bearers and members of nearly 50 different cultural, social and welfare organizations took part in the welcoming ceremony at the Jeddah Trident. Well-known ghazal singer Nizam Ali Khan added a dash of color to the evening with lilting Urdu poetry.
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