DAMMAM: Celebrated Indian musician Amjad Ali Khan was decorated with the first Prem Nazir International Award for the Promotion of Arts at a well-attended event at Dammam Sheraton at the weekend.
The award, instituted by Soorya Cultural Society of Nataraja Krishnamoorthy, is named after legendary Malayali filmstar, the late Prem Nazir.
Businessman Abdullah Al-Saihati presented the award to Amjad Ali Khan in the presence of Prem Nazir’s son Shahnawaz, Indian Business Forum President Mohamed Javed Ibrahim, General Secretary Ambarani Jagannathan and Soorya Global Coordinator Rafeek Younus.
“The award is being presented to Amjad Ali Khan for all that he has done for the promotion of music and arts and culture and universal brotherhood,” said Krishnamoorthy, the main force behind the Soorya cultural organization.
“Prem Nazir, whose real name was Abdul Qader, was a superstar; he was widely admired for his excellent acting abilities and also for his commitment to social justice,” he said. “There is no other person more deserving than Amjad Ali Khan.”
According to Krishnamoorthy, the award seeks to inspire young people to apply their talents and energies to selfless and innovative service to their community, their country and to the world as a whole.
As the evening wore on, it took on a different color with Amjad Ali Khan and his able musician sons, Amaan and Ayaan, treating the music aficionados with their lovely notes strung from sarod, a classical, northern Indian instrument.
Amjad Ali Khan and his ensemble have been performing around the globe for decades, but this was their second performance in the Kingdom, and the select audience of prominent Saudis and Indians gave him an enthusiastic response.
Initially Khan performed with talented tabla player Tanmay Bose. Then his two sons came on stage and helped him spellbind the audience with their musical prowess. There was such synchronization between the boys and the tabla player that every few minutes cheers from the audience resounded through the hall.
The performance was described as magical. “Music has no boundaries, and its language transcends everything,” said anchor Anil Madan. “It is an honor for us to have ‘ustadji’ and his sons here in Dammam,” he said, referring to the title of extreme honor that has been granted him in his homeland.
Amjad Ali Khan charms music lovers
Amjad Ali Khan charms music lovers
Jeddah Fit Expo 2026 offers inspiration, innovation
- Sports, fitness, wellness in spotlight at Jeddah Superdome
- Gyms and fitness brands offer visitors a wide range of interactive experiences
JEDDAH: Jeddah Superdome welcomed more than 1,000 athletes of all ages on Wednesday for a heart-pounding session which placed sports, fitness and wellness in the spotlight.
The Jeddah Fit Expo 2026 is taking place until Jan. 31 and visitors on the first day were treated to a heady environment filled with high-intensity energy and in which cutting-edge fitness trends met the inspirational spirit of sportsmanship.
More than 300 brands and over 200 exhibitors engaged in in-depth exchanges and interactions according to organizers, while jointly forging an event for the global sports and fitness industry.
Mohammed Al-Aidarous, from the event’s organizing committee, told Arab News the expo aimed to spread the culture of fitness as a daily lifestyle and sought to encourage best international expertise and practices, while empowering and developing local sports talents.
He said: “The sports and fitness industry is a rapidly growing sector globally. Especially in Saudi Arabia, there is an increasing focus on health and fitness among the general public. Consequently there is a growing demand for fitness-related products and services.”
The exhibition, which is in its fourth edition, has brought together suppliers of fitness equipment and sports and leisure products, along with representatives from nutrition and health sectors, wellness clinics, youth sports education, and artificial intelligence solution providers.
Many of the participants are introducing new products to meet changing market trends, leveraging the national fitness policies, deeply exploring market demand, and expanding their presence in the sports industry market, thereby providing users with more professional services.
Gyms and fitness brands at the event are offering visitors a wide range of interactive, educational and commercial opportunities designed to promote healthy lifestyles while showcasing the latest industry innovations.
Danya Aljamal, an event coordinator at GymNation, said: “We are here to show sports enthusiasts who we are and what we can do to make them change their lifestyle with sports. GymNation is about enjoying your time, having fun, challenging yourself and making the best form of your body.”
She added: “We will be offering visitors our famous Hyrox class. It is designed to help enhance your strength and explosive power through a combination of targeted, high-intensity exercises and I hope people enjoy it.”
AI is rapidly reshaping athletic training environments. The exhibition features platforms that analyze an athlete’s movement, track progress, and offer automated corrections.
Saudi entrepreneur Mohammed Kaki, founder and CEO of FitLife, an Al-powered health-tech startup delivering B2B personalized nutrition and wellness plans, said: “We are proud to share the FitLife platform and feel excited to take these insights and relationships to the next level during this three-day event.
“FitLife is an app developed to make people’s fitness journey much easier and more convenient. Our algorithms were developed to produce accurate programs with a full range of workouts and recipes designed to fit people’s daily schedule and preferences.
“Our objective at FitLife is to foster growth and revolutionize the way people perceive health and fitness.”
Kaki indicated that the startup was also aiming to support coaches and specialists in sports and health organizations through AI solutions.
Beyond the exhibition stands and workshops, bodybuilding, calisthenics, taekwondo and volleyball are among the activities taking place at Jeddah Superdome.
