Arab News bids farewell to senior staff member

JEDDAH: Arab News employees yesterday accorded a farewell reception to K.S. Ramkumar, one of its senior most members, who returns to his home base in Mumbai tonight.
Staff members said Ramkumar’s absence would be felt very much in the organization as his contribution during the past three decades had been immense. “He excelled as a reporter due to the wide contacts he developed during the past 30 years. He has a number of stories and interviews to his credit,” one of his colleagues said.
Ramkumar said when he was hired in erstwhile Bombay for a reporter’s job for Arab News, it meant turning a new leaf in his career. “I came here on Nov. 18, 1982 when some of the present staff members were not even born or were in school,” he said, adding he has been a proud witness to the tremendous progress of Arab News, as much as of Jeddah and the Kingdom over the years.
He pointed out that his reporting years here gave him a rare opportunity to meet and interact with a number of local and international leaders.
“Needless to mention that I am leaving behind the family that I enjoyed working with,” he said, and thanked Editor in Chief Abdulwahab Al-Faiz and every other member of the staff for their cooperation.
“I will continue to pray for the welfare of you all and hope the Arab News’ brand image and readership will grow from strength to strength,” he added.