It set the stage in this direction with the recent launch of its Yanbu chapter in the presence of Chairman Amir A. Khan and Jeddah chapter chief Mohammad Sayeeduddin.

The IEF’s Dammam chapter, which was inaugurated earlier, is currently engaged in active collaboration and cooperation with the Saudi Council of Engineers in the joint pursuit of professional growth.

As the forum’s founder, the Riyadh-based Amir Khan has taken a lead in expanding the group through various chapters in the Kingdom. The IEF’s quest is to promote greater interaction among Indian engineers. Many senior Indian expatriates took part at the Yanbu chapter launch.

“Engineers from India contribute significantly to the development of Saudi Arabia,” he told Arab News yesterday. “And since this has been acknowledged by many high-ranking Saudis, we need to capitalize on this good will.”

Amir Khan appreciated the efforts of Tasneem Akhtar and named him IEF Yanbu chapter coordinator for 2012-2013. He highlighted the forum’s long and successful journey through a PowerPoint presentation and the group’s interactive website.

Akhtar expressed confidence that the Yanbu chapter would help raise the profile of Indian engineers in Yanbu. According to him, more than 500 Indian engineers are engaged in various projects in Yanbu.

In Dammam, the IEF, in collaboration with the Saudi Council of Engineers, proposed better cooperation among its members. The idea was mooted during a PMP training organized by IEF’s Dammam chapter at Ramada Gulf Hotel-Alkhobar. A group of engineers, who successfully completed their PMP Training, were awarded certificates by Anexas Europe CEO Amitabh Saxena.

Media personality Raid S. Qusti, in his keynote address, commended the IEF for its initiative and hoped that it will increase its level of cooperation with the SCE and prestigious universities such as King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University and Dammam University. He stressed the need for expanding IEF’s constructive contribution through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In.

“You should not limit yourselves to only English newspapers, you should reach out to the Arabic media and help young Saudis understand the dynamics of the market,” he said.

Qusti recalled the good experience that he had while visiting India as a media delegate during Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s visit to New Delhi in 2006. “Saudi-India relations are growing stronger and stronger,” he said.

Dhafer Al-Shehri of the SCE welcomed the greater interaction between the IEF and the SCE. “It is in the mutual interest of us all to collaborate and cooperate,” he said.

Mohammed Maslehuddin and Mirza Zaheer Baig, both distinguished researchers at the KFUPM, were the guests of honor. They exhorted the Indian engineers to apply themselves on the job at hand and to continue contributing to the development of Saudi Arabia.

IEF Dammam Chapter President Shuja Sheriff, vice presidents Mohammed Z. Nadeem, Imran Ali, Javed Farooque and Ather Ahmed were among the key members of the organizing team.