JEDDAH: The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has been celebrating 75 years of Indo-Saudi relations and people-to-people linkages through the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
As part of an organized program of events titled, “Reminiscences of Hajj: Cherishing 75 Years of Indo-Saudi Friendship,” officials participated in activities related to the annual pilgrimage and Hajj volunteers.
India’s Minister of Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, through a video message thanked King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Saudi government for support in helping Indian authorities provide the best possible services to Indian pilgrims.
Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, India’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, highlighted historical accounts of the Hajj and Umrah experiences of Indian pilgrims as well as key buildings and madrassas in the Kingdom that also reflected the links between the two countries.
Consul General of India Mohammed Shahid Alam pointed out the positive transformations in Hajj arrangements in recent years and thanked the Saudi authorities for their cooperation with the Indian Consulate in Jeddah.
Dr. Syed Zafar Mahmood, president of the Zakat Foundation of India, who handled his country’s Hajj operations from 1988 to 1991 when he was posted in Jeddah, shared his recollections from the time and noted the beneficial changes that had taken place in Hajj management since then.
The chief executive officer of the Hajj Committee of India, Dr. Maqsood Ahmed Khan, spoke about the history and work of the committee and gave a presentation on the evolution of the Hajj experience for pilgrims including changes to travel documents, visas, and currencies.
During the event, senior officials from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah shared stories and recollections of working with the Indian Hajj mission.