Riyadh, June 1 (IANS) India’s Consul General in Jeddah, Fahad Suri, has extended his heartfelt ‘Haj Mubarak’ greetings to all Indian Haj pilgrims on the successful completion of the main Haj rituals.

On the occasion of the commencement of the departure phase, he also conveyed his best wishes for the safe, smooth, and auspicious return home of all pilgrims, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah wrote on Sunday on social media platform X.

Fahad Suri, along with Consul Haj Sadaf Choudhary, participated in the Khitamahu Misk ceremony organised by the Saudi Haj Ministry, marking the successful conclusion of Haj-2026 season and celebrating excellence in pilgrim services.

Each year, the Saudi Haj Ministry gives away performance awards (Labbaytum Awards) to various Haj Missions at the Khitamahu Misk Ceremony.

In a historic first, India was honoured with two Labbaytum Awards under the “Best Haj Coordination and Communication” category, recognising the outstanding efforts made towards ensuring seamless facilitation, coordination, and welfare of Indian Haj pilgrims.

The Consulate General of India in Jeddah, expressed “Heartfelt gratitude to the Saudi authorities, local service providers, and all partner agencies for their invaluable cooperation and support in making the Haj pilgrimage comfortable, safe, and spiritually fulfilling for 1.75 lakh Indian pilgrims”.

“This recognition reflects the collective dedication, teamwork, and commitment of everyone involved in the Haj operations. Sincere gratitude for the constant guidance and support of Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Ministry of External Affairs,” the Embassy of India in Riyadh said, while celebrating the award.

The Embassy also congratulated all members of the Indian Haj Mission who contributed to the achievement.

India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Suhel Khan visited Makkah in April and oversaw the arrangements for Indian Haj pilgrims, where he received the first batch of Indian pilgrims arriving in Makkah from Madinah by train.

Among the key initiatives for Haj 2026 are enhanced digital services through the Haj Suvidha App and the introduction of Haj Suvidha smart wristbands to help locate and assist pilgrims.

For the first time, a short-duration Haj option of around 20 days has been introduced, offering greater flexibility.

–IANS

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