77th Republic Day of India Reception at the Embassy of India in Riyadh
GOVERNMENT & DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT NO. 006

77th Republic Day of India Reception

Celebrating India's Heritage, Friendship & Cultural Diplomacy

Embassy of India, Riyadh
Cultural Palace, Diplomatic Quarter
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

31 January 2026

A Journey from Jeddah to Riyadh in Celebration of India–Saudi Friendship

Official invitation to the 77th Republic Day Reception at the Embassy of India, Riyadh
OFFICIAL INVITATION & JOURNEY

From Jeddah to Riyadh for India's Republic Day

The invitation was from H.E. Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Mr. Vipul Bava, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Riyadh, kindly forwarded the invitation to Capt. Amal Ahmed. Capt. Mir Shakeel UrRahman and Capt. Amal Ahmed then travelled by road from Jeddah to Riyadh to attend the official 77th Republic Day of India Reception hosted by the Embassy of India at the Cultural Palace, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh.

The reception brought together distinguished guests from the diplomatic community, Saudi government institutions, business, media, cultural and community circles, creating an important platform for friendship and meaningful interaction.

OFFICIAL WELCOME

A Warm Welcome from the Embassy of India

As we entered the reception, it was a pleasure to be warmly welcomed by H.E. Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, together with senior members of the Embassy team.

The official photograph captured Capt. Amal Ahmed, H.E. Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, Capt. Mir Shakeel UrRahman, Mr. Abu Mathen George, Ms. Manusmriti, Counsellor (E&C), and Col. Sarabjeet Singh, DA/CSO, marking a memorable beginning to the evening.

We were particularly pleased to meet once again Mr. Abu Mathen George, Deputy Chief of Mission, whose continued dedication contributes to the close and growing relationship between India and Saudi Arabia.

We also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Vipul Bava and our dear friend Capt. Sarry Shaban, whose friendship has been built over many years through motorcycle expeditions, community initiatives and shared experiences across the Kingdom.

At the conclusion of the evening, we were delighted to meet Mr. Prijith Mathew, who warmly welcomed us and kindly presented us with a commemorative Embassy gift bag on behalf of the Embassy of India.

Capt. Amal Ahmed and Capt. Mir Shakeel UrRahman with H.E. Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan and Embassy officials at the 77th Republic Day Reception
Indian cultural performances during the 77th Republic Day Reception in Riyadh
CULTURAL PROGRAMME

Celebrating India's Heritage Through Culture

The Republic Day programme featured vibrant Indian cultural performances celebrating the country's rich traditions, diversity and heritage.

The reception was honoured by the presence of H.E. Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudairi, Undersecretary for the Riyadh Region, who attended as the Chief Guest, together with H.E. Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

One of the memorable ceremonial moments of the evening was the cake-cutting in the presence of the Chief Guest and the Ambassador, providing a symbolic moment of friendship and celebration between India and Saudi Arabia.

The cultural performances beautifully reflected India's regional diversity and created an atmosphere in which India's heritage could be experienced and appreciated by guests from Saudi Arabia and the wider diplomatic community.

We also wish to express our appreciation to Ms. Devika, who wonderfully arranged the cultural performances. It was a pleasure to meet her during the evening and share photographs together.

For us, these cultural moments reflected the important role that culture and people-to-people interaction play in strengthening understanding, friendship and mutual respect between India and Saudi Arabia.

DIPLOMATIC, MEDIA & COMMUNITY NETWORKING

Building Friendships Beyond the Diplomatic Circle

The 77th Republic Day Reception also provided a valuable opportunity to connect with a wide range of distinguished guests from diplomatic, governmental, cultural, business, tourism, media and community circles.

Throughout the evening, Capt. Mir Shakeel UrRahman and Capt. Amal Ahmed had the pleasure of meeting diplomats, media personalities, event organisers, influencers, business leaders and influential members of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia.

Among the personalities we were pleased to meet were Mr. Hany Shaker, representing the media and entertainment community, and Mr. Hashim Abbas, whose social-media presence provided another opportunity to exchange thoughts on travel, tourism, cultural diplomacy and friendship.

We were also delighted to meet Mr. Mohammed Sami, a businessman, together with many other distinguished guests from different professional and community backgrounds.

These informal conversations and encounters were an important part of the evening. They created opportunities to exchange experiences, discover common interests and build new relationships beyond the formal programme.

One of the most heartwarming moments was reconnecting with our dear friend Capt. Sarry Shaban, former Director of the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) Jeddah Chapter. Our friendship has grown through many years of motorcycle expeditions, charity initiatives, volunteer activities and community service across the Kingdom.

For Indian Saudi Couple Travellers, such encounters are an essential part of our wider mission: connecting people, cultures and communities through travel, friendship, responsible tourism and cultural understanding — between India and Saudi Arabia and with the wider world.

Indian Saudi Couple Travellers networking with diplomatic guests, media personalities, influencers and business leaders during the 77th Republic Day Reception
SPECIAL APPRECIATION

With Sincere Appreciation

Capt. Mir Shakeel UrRahman and Capt. Amal Ahmed extend their heartfelt appreciation to everyone whose invitation, hospitality, professionalism and efforts made the 77th Republic Day Reception a truly memorable diplomatic and cultural occasion.

Our sincere thanks also go to every person we met during the evening. Each conversation, greeting and exchange contributed to an atmosphere of friendship and mutual respect.

We remain committed to supporting and nurturing the enduring friendship between India and Saudi Arabia, while continuing to promote cultural understanding, responsible tourism, people-to-people connections and friendship with the wider world.

OFFICIAL SOURCES & MEDIA

Media & Digital Records

As part of our News & Media Preservation Archive, we have preserved available official digital records, published media references and personal documentation connected with the 77th Republic Day of India Reception held at the Cultural Palace, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh, on 31 January 2026.

The media record complements our first-hand documentation of this important India–Saudi diplomatic and cultural engagement and preserves surviving references for future historical record.

🇮🇳 Official Embassy

Official Instagram reel from the Embassy of India, Riyadh, relating to the 77th Republic Day celebration.

📱 View Event Reel

📱 Mr. Hashim Abbas

Instagram reel preserving his meeting with us during the Republic Day reception.

📱 View His Reel

📰 News & Appreciation

Arabic news reference with English translation and our appreciation to the Embassy of India for the invitation.

📰 View News Reel

📰 Preserved Published Media Sources

The preserved published media references provide additional documentary evidence of the 77th Republic Day celebration, the Embassy engagement, India's cultural presentation and the wider India–Saudi friendship reflected during the occasion.

The active preserved media record consists of five published sources.

Sahm News

Published media record

📰 Open Source

Mawtany

Published media record

📰 Open Source

A3lam KSA

Published media record

📰 Open Source

Makkah Lovers

Published media record

📰 Open Source

WBAAD

Published media record

📰 Open Source
Archival Note: Al-Kifah News and Sada News were checked during the preservation process and were found to be inaccessible/dead. They are therefore retained in the internal News & Media Preservation Archive as excluded historical sources and are not presented here as active links.

Event: 77th Republic Day of India Reception

Organizer: Embassy of India, Riyadh
Date: 31 January 2026
Venue: Cultural Palace, Diplomatic Quarter
Location: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Media Coverage: 3–5 February 2026

NEWS & MEDIA PRESERVATION

Preserving the Record for the Future

This Government & Diplomatic record forms part of our wider News & Media Preservation Archive, where official invitations, photographs, published media, digital references and historical documentation are carefully preserved.

The purpose of this preservation work is to maintain an authentic and documented record of our engagements while keeping the chronology of the actual event separate from later media publication and related engagements.

The 77th Republic Day Reception remains an important chapter in our continuing journey of India–Saudi friendship, cultural diplomacy, responsible tourism and people-to-people connection.

A PERSONAL REFLECTION

Friendship Beyond Borders

Every Republic Day reminds us that the strength of a nation is reflected not only in its history, but also in the friendships it builds across the world.

For Capt. Mir Shakeel UrRahman and Capt. Amal Ahmed, attending the 77th Republic Day Reception was another meaningful opportunity to witness the enduring friendship between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

From the road journey from Jeddah to Riyadh, to the official welcome, cultural celebrations, diplomatic encounters and personal friendships formed during the evening, every moment strengthened our belief that travel can bring people and cultures closer together.

We remain honoured to continue carrying a message of friendship, cultural understanding, responsible tourism and people-to-people connection — between India and Saudi Arabia and with the wider world.

From India and Saudi Arabia to the wider world — friendship has no borders.