Shukria Kuwait

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

‘कुवैत आपके साथ है!’ this special message shows a never ending friendship between two nation, this was the message of support and solidarity to India from Kuwait in the fight against COVID-19 ,when the Kuwait towers lit up with the Indian tricolor. Both Kuwait and India helped and supported each other during this pandemic. Kuwait sent 12,000 oxygen cylinders to India while India sent 200,000 doses of vaccine to Kuwait under the campaign name ‘Maithri’. This friendship is a great example of co-ordination and assistance which will continue to make both the nations closer and happier together.

India and Kuwait, two different nations with different culture, geography and people, all united with liberty and friendship. Both nations engaged in trade for the past 1000 of years, starting the relations a millennia before. Both the nation prospered with harmony and development holding hands together and by strengthening ties. Almost 1 million Indians live in Kuwait with attachment and peace.

Singers like Mubarak Al Rashed al-Azmi and artists like Mahmoud al Qattan were influenced by Indian culture. Mubarak al Rashed had a great love for Bollywood songs and had sung a lot of them in Hindi. While travelling to South Africa Mr. Qattan noticed a lot of photos of Mahatma Gandhi which inspired him to make a portrait of Gandhi. There are even movies based on Kuwait, the most famous one being Airlift, which is based on the evacuation of 170,000 Indians from Kuwait, with the help of an Indian businessman named Mathunny Mathews. This event was hailed as the world’s largest civilian evacuation in history. All these show the influence of India in Kuwait and vice versa.

As Indians living in Kuwait, we have a lot of job opportunities compared to India, we hope the Indian economy becomes more stable with more job opportunities. Even after the war and the great losses Kuwait, still managed to bounce bake to its spot in world affairs within 3 decade. The economy of Kuwait has developed a lot in recent years with more urban areas, and other public facilities, also the employment rate in Kuwait is high which means that most of the people find jobs with a sufficient amount of salary to feed their families. As an Indian, I am thank full to Kuwait for giving us opportunities and welcoming us with open arms.

Kuwait, a nation with hot and sandy deserts, busy streets with crowds of people and tall skyscrapers cutting through the clouds, a nation with happiness and great welfare. This is where we lived for so many years, exploring the bundle of diversity and creativity despite being a small nation covered with deserts and cities.

Kuwait takes great pride in its diverse culture, revered values and strong faiths and traditions. In Kuwait people greet each other by shaking hands and kissing cheeks. They show hospitality by serving qahwa coffee which is made up of cardamoms and cloves. Despite being greatly influenced and impacted by the western world, Kuwaitis still adhere to their old customs and traditions.

Before the discovery of oil in Kuwait, pearl fishing was the main occupation of people in Kuwait, Kuwait was once one of the largest producer of pearls. But when cheap pearls were sold in japan, Kuwait lost its value in pearl fishing. In 1938 oil was discovered in Burgan field and Kuwait started making more oil wells and exported oil abroad, and thereby the economy flourished, the small fishing villages in Kuwait turned into huge urban areas with development of residential areas. Even India started out like this with fishing and farming as the main occupation of people, later big metropolises came and people began to modernize and industrialize.

To mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Kuwait Towers were illuminated with the projection of the national flags of India and Kuwait. Our hearts filled with pride and honor to see our flag lit up, our blood fills with patriotism and devotion to our motherland India. It signifies 6 decades of cordial relationship between both the nations.

The management of affairs by both the ambassadors Shri Sibi George and Fahad Ahmad Al-Awadhi has been continuing without interruptions. As an Indian student in Kuwait, when I hear the national anthems of Kuwait and India at my school, it fills my mind with patriotism to my motherland and to my second home.

Thank you Kuwait for giving us a warm and friendly welcome.

A country’s friendship isn’t based on its size, population, or wealth, it is revolving around the planet of love and friendship amongst the people of the nation.