JEDDAH, 18 January 2007 — India Week will be organized in Jeddah by the Consulate General of India to mark the country’s Republic Day and the first anniversary of the visit of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to India.
Mohammed ibn Ahmed Tayyab, director general, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makkah region, will open the week, which will feature a host of cultural, academic and economic activities. The festivities will begin on Jan. 25 with a “ghazal” program by Talat Aziz, who will be accompanied by tabla maestro Jeetu Shankar.
As part of the official Republic Day celebrations on Jan. 26, a flag-hoisting ceremony will be held at the consulate at 8 a.m. This will be followed by a seminar on “Indo-Saudi Cooperation in the Field of Medical Tourism‚” organized by the Indo-Saudi Medical Forum (ISMF) in association with FICCI-Maharashtra Medical Tourism Board. A photo exhibition on “Modern India” will be held on the sidelines of the Republic Day reception the same evening.
On Jan. 27, media personalities Karan Thapar and Qurban Ali will share the dais for a panel discussion on “Challenges for the Indian Democracy Today.”
An interactive India quiz for families will be organized on Jan. 28 by India Forum. Indian Education Council will host a session on careers the next day. The Saudi-Indian Business Network will organize an economic seminar on “New Areas of Economic Cooperation Between India and Saudi Arabia” during which Saudi entrepreneurs will give their impressions about India. Exclusive cultural days are earmarked for Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh with local artists presenting programs depicting the richness and diversity of cultures of these states. The week ends on Feb. 2 with a variety entertainment program titled “Mesmerizing India” to be presented by local artists and students of International Indian School, Jeddah.