[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Indian mission felicitates Haj volunteers" ids="100318,100317,100316,100325,100324,100323,100322,100321,100320,100319"] JEDDAH — The Consulate General of India held a felicitation program at the consulate premises for community members who rendered voluntary services to the Indian pilgrims during Haj 2016. Consul General Md. Noor Rehman Sheikh, while welcoming all to an event that recognized the services of the volunteers, presented certificates to members of IPWF, KMCC, Jeddah and Makkah Haj welfare forums, IFF, RSC, VIQAYA and SAWA for their wholehearted efforts during the Haj. Sheikh, in his address, lauded the work of the volunteers and stated that the mission organized this event to recognize the selfless service of the volunteers. He also presented certificates to all volunteers, while instituting a Neyazul Haque memorial award for best Haj volunteer. Haque, a volunteer, was martyred during the tragic stampede during last year's Haj. Sheikh also felicitated the consulate officials for their outstanding services during Haj and presented the first Neyazul Haque memorial award for the best Haj volunteer jointly to Abdul Gaffar (IFF) and Jamal Vattapoyil (KMCC). Prior to the awarding of certificates, Sheikh said, "This year's Haj was very good and smooth. I am very happy of the work done by the community volunteers and I recognize their contributions in making this year's Haj easy and comfortable." "I know without your selfless service this year's Haj operation would not have been successful. Even when we talk to Saudi officials or other mission officials, their praise for your systematic services was unreserved. The fact that you help all Hajis in distress, regardless of their nationalities, has been noted by these officials and they have recognized your help with words of fulsome praise," he added. "I know we all work with vigor and round-the-clock during Haj, and this I can only say is because of divine intervention. You are not only volunteers during Haj but are members who have always come forward to help the community whenever needed — like during the Nitaqat correction period and now when the workers faced issues on non-payment," Sheikh said. Sheikh reminisced on how his deputy and Haj consul, handling his first Haj, was concerned on how the mission would manage the Haj operation. "When the labor issues and Haj came together, my colleague Shahid Alam was a bit worried on how we would manage. At that time I said ‘we will as we have a very dedicated team of volunteers and they'll rise to the occasion.' And you did to prove my belief and confidence in you all." "I want to thank you once again from the bottom of my heart for your selfless services and hope that you will continue to perform like this every Haj," Sheikh rounded off his address. Earlier, Deputy Consul General and Haj Consul Shahid Alam was thankful to Almighty Allah for making Haj 2016 successful. "I thank Allah for accepting the Haj of all pilgrims and also making this year's Haj a smooth and comfortable one." He then went on to thank Consul General Sheikh for his guidance and bringing his vast experience to bear in handling Haj with unstinting efforts 24/7 to make it successful. "Haj is made successful by Allah's grace, and He makes it successful through us, our selfless services that help the pilgrims perform their rituals with the maximum of ease. And you, the Haj volunteers, play a big role in this success story. For it is people like Neyazul Haque who serve the pilgrims till their last breath who make the Haj operation successful," Alam said.
