JEDDAH – Dr. Irshad Ahmad, consul of Press, Information and Cultural Affairs, will leave the Kingdom on Friday after serving the Indian community for more than four and a half years. He will rejoin the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) at its headquarters in New Delhi. Y.K. Shukla from Uttarakhand will succeed him as the new press consul. Speaking to Saudi Gazette, he extended heartiest thanks and gratitude to the Indian community, for the support accorded to him during his tenure. He lauded the Indian community for their team spirit and helping nature, describing them as one of the most vibrant and organized expatriate communities in the Kingdom. "The members of the community should maintain these qualities and keep always their youthful spirit alive in serving the community and supporting each other. They should continue lend a helping hand to the consulate in its activities for the betterment of the community," he said. The consul thanked all the media people in the city for their hard work and their unique role in promoting the historic relations between India and Saudi Arabia. "During the last amnesty period, the media stood as a stellar pillar in supporting the consulate and the community," he pointed out. Irshad said he is leaving the Kingdom with full of happiness and gratification. "It's a great blessing for me to have an opportunity to spend the most precious period in my life in the holy land, and will always cherish the sweet memories. It helped me to gain more spiritually as well as to acquire a lot of experience that would benefit me in my future endeavors. Irshad, holder of doctorate degree from Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia in Arabic language, noted that his proficiency in Arabic language helped him a lot in discharging his duties as press consul. "I have fully utilized my studies and proficiency in Arabic language, especially while interacting with the local Saudi people. Because of this, I felt at ease while moving in any parts of the Kingdom." The JeddahIndian Media Forum hosted a sendoff to Irshad. Forum President P.M. Mayinkutty and General Secretary Sadiqali Thuvvur presented him a memento on the occasion. Irshad joined the Indian consulate in September 2012 after serving as undersecretary at MEA in New Delhi. Akhtar Jahan is his wife. Irshad's son Faris Irshad is an engineering student at the Delhi Technological University and daughter Safwa Irshad is a student at Sanskriti School in the Diplomatic Area of Chanakyapuri in New Delhi.
