SAUDI ARABIA

Indian expats laud diplomat's involvement with community

October 30, 2017

Irfan Mohammed



Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The unexpected transfer of a popular diplomat has evoked strong reactions in the Indian expatriate community here.

According to sources, India's Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh, who was especially dear to blue collar workers from the country, has been transferred to New Delhi and it is not yet clear who will replace him in the post.

Sheikh assumed office in June 2016 and made a good reputation for himself and the Indian mission here. He has successfully supervised Indian Haj operations, besides effectively addressing labor issues at different levels.

His transfer comes on the heels of Sheikh's successful involvement in organizing a series of mega events in western Saudi Arabia on the theme of "70 Years of Indian Independence".

The Kerala festival inaugurated last week has drawn huge crowds.

Sheikh was involved with the Indian community in various flagship programs of the Indian government, such as the Swatch Bharat and Paryatan Parv.

Down to earth by nature, Sheikh is commonly referred to as the mass's diplomat. He is easily accessible to the common man and has developed good rapport with all sections of the community. Tech-savvy Sheikh is known for responding promptly through social media platforms to issues raised before him.

According to community members, the government’s decision to transfer Sheikh came as a surprise to them.

Sheikh, hailing from a village in Manipur, is the first Muslim from the northeastern state to successfully scale the prestigious civil service examinations, in 2002 and again in 2003.

A career diplomat from the 2003 Indian Foreign Service (IFS) batch, Sheikh was appointed consul general in Jeddah in June 2016. Earlier he had worked as Haj consul in Jeddah and was then posted at India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. However, he came back to Jeddah as consul general after a short hiatus. Now he is returning to New Delhi before completing his Saudi tenure.

Diplomatic posting in Jeddah is vital for the Indian government because of the annual Haj pilgrimage and the large Indian diaspora in western Saudi Arabia.


October 30, 2017
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