Urdu Academy Jeddah recently celebrated the 16th National Education Day.
The annual day, dedicated to India’s first Education Minister Maulana Abulkalam Azad was held at the Indian Consulate.
Many well-known personalities, including students, principals, teachers and parents from various international schools, were in attendance.
India’s Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Shaikh was the chief guest. Deputy Consul General Shahid Alam and Zia Nadwi, director Al Falah International School (DPS), were the guests of honor.
Urdu poetry competitions (Tamsili mushaira) and speech contests in Urdu were the highlights of the event.
Students of 16 Jeddah international schools took part and gave skillful presentations. The speaking talents of the students received all round praise and favorable notice.
Addressing the gathering, the consul general said the academy’s efforts to promote Urdu and the style of presenting the poetry with perfect resemblance to great Urdu poets deserved appreciation.
In his welcome address, Jamal Qadri, president of Urdu Academy, reviewed the academy’s activities and achievements in Saudi Arabia and at home in India. He thanked the Indian Consulate for providing the venue and for having extended cooperation to the academy since 2001.
Mohammed Faheem, program organizer who conducted the meeting, presented some verses from renowned Urdu poets.
International Indian School Jeddah’s (IISJ) students, Nadira Sadaf and Liaqat Ali Khan, anchored the speech contests for girls and boys respectively.
Mohammed Abdul Sattar Khan conducted the program and Khalid Hussain thanked the sponsors for their support.
The annual Azad Souvenir for 2016 was released by the consul general and was presented by Chief Organizer Sheikh Ibrahim.
The consul general also distributed plaques of appreciation to teachers of all participating schools.
Abdul Sami, governor of Toastmasters in the Western Region, was the chief judge. He was assisted by Nasir Khursheed.
The panel of judges for the speech contest included Syed Ali of King Abdulaziz University, Farzan Rizvi, general manager of Abdul-Aziz M.H. Alshaya Co., Professor Shahida Aziz of King Abdulaziz University and Surinder Pal Singh.
Judges for the poetry competition were Urdu poets Mahtab Qadr, Shiraz Mehdi, Altaf Shahryar, Waheed-ul-Qadri Arif, Nassir Barni, Irfan Barahbankwi, Iqbal Belan and Afsar Barabankwi.
In the speech contest for girls, Summayya Shamim of IISJ took the first prize; Bayan Arif of Shati Al-Noor the second, and Syeda Sara Fatima from Dauhat-ul-Uloom the third. They were awarded trophies, plaques and tablets.
In the speech contest for boys, Yahya Syed Viqaruddin of DPS Al-Falah won the first prize and Mohammed Sufiyan Nafees of Al Wurood School got the second. The third place went to Mohammed Azam Ali from Al Mawarid School.
The poetry session, conducted by Aslam Afghani, began with naat presented by Tahira Fahim.
Mariya Imad of Al Mawarid won the first prize for girls for presenting one of Anjum Rehbar’s poems. Sidra Mohammed of IISJ was second with a poem by Ambreen Haseeb Amber and third place went to Saba Noor of Shati-ul Noor School who presented a poem by Parveen Shaker.
Mohammed Anees Siraj Patel of IISJ topped the boys. He presented the poetry of Munawar Rana on Maa (Mother). Zain Rashed of DPS won the second prize for presenting a poem by Manzar Bhopal and Adrish Kar of DPS took third prize for presenting Anglo-Indian poetry of Mustafa Ali Baig.
Salim Farooqi, secretary of Urdu Academy, proposed the vote of thanks.
Indian expats recall contribution of first education minister
Indian expats recall contribution of first education minister
Petromin Nissan celebrates decade of partnership excellence in Kingdom
Petromin Nissan recently hosted an event to celebrate 10 years of partnership with Nissan, marking a decade since Petromin was appointed as the official Nissan dealer in Saudi Arabia. The milestone reflects a partnership shaped by trust, consistent performance, and a shared long-term vision that has played a meaningful role in the development of the automotive sector in the Kingdom.
The event highlighted Petromin Nissan’s continued confidence in the Saudi market, demonstrated by the attendance of senior leadership from Nissan Global, the Middle East, and Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom was reaffirmed as one of Nissan’s most important growth markets in the region, in line with the company’s global focus on innovation, sustainability, and intelligent mobility.
The celebration was attended by a number of senior industry and business leaders, including Sheikh Amr Al-Dabbagh, chairman and CEO of Al-Dabbagh Group, reflecting the significance of the partnership and its broader impact on the Kingdom’s automotive and business landscape.
As part of its performance over the past year, Petromin Nissan had been awarded two Awards of Excellence from Nissan Global, recognizing operational strength and overall business performance, and reinforcing its standing as one of Nissan’s leading partners worldwide.
Paddy Magee, managing director of Petromin Nissan, said: “Over the past 10 years, Petromin’s priority has been to build a business that puts the customer first while fully reflecting Nissan’s global standards. Through expanding our network, strengthening our service capabilities, and investing in our people, we have focused on creating sustainable value for the Saudi market.”
Adib Takieddine, managing director of Nissan Saudi Arabia, said: “Saudi Arabia continues to be a strategic market for Nissan. Our partnership with Petromin has been instrumental in strengthening our presence in the Kingdom, supporting growth, enhancing customer satisfaction, and advancing our long-term vision for mobility in alignment with Vision 2030.”
Over the decade, Petromin Nissan significantly expanded its footprint across the Kingdom, now operating 18 showrooms and 16 service centers in 11 cities, improving accessibility and delivering a more seamless customer experience nationwide.
Reflecting on the broader partnership, Terence Byrne, CEO of National Motor Company, said: “Reaching this milestone is a clear reflection of a partnership built on shared values and long-term commitment. Petromin Nissan has established a strong platform in Saudi Arabia and continues to deliver real impact for customers and the wider automotive ecosystem.”
Looking ahead, Petromin Nissan reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the Saudi market, with continued focus on innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, and customer-centric mobility as the partnership moves into its next phase.
