Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Vipul with community leaders during the event at the ICC. Pics: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: The Indian community in Qatar accorded a warm farewell to Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Vipul, at the conclusion of his three-year tenure, with the envoy expressing gratitude to Qatar’s leadership and the Indian diaspora while reaffirming the strength of the India-Qatar partnership.
Community leaders paid glowing tributes to the Ambassador, unanimously describing him as a “People’s Ambassador” whose accessibility, compassion and commitment to public service earned him the respect and affection of the Indian diaspora.
The event was jointly organised by the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), Indian Sports Centre (ISC) and Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC) at the ICC Ashoka Hall. Addressing the gathering, the Ambassador thanked Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Qatari leadership for their continued support to the Indian community.
He described it as a matter of pride that during his tenure both Indian Prime Minister
H E Narendra Modi visited Qatar and H H the Amir paid his second State Visit to India, saying these high-level exchanges had provided fresh momentum to the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The ambassador expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Indian community for its affection and cooperation, saying any recognition he received truly belonged to the community itself.
He described the Indian diaspora in Qatar, numbering more than 830,000, as one of the best-organised expatriate communities in the world. He praised the four apex organisations for working closely with the embassy to support Indians across the country.
Reflecting on the past three years, the Ambassador highlighted the embassy’s close collaboration with community organisations in promoting culture, sports, business and social welfare. He commended the ICC for organising major cultural festivals, the ICBF for its humanitarian work and welfare initiatives, the ISC for expanding sports activities and transforming the International Day of Yoga into a landmark community event, and the IBPC for strengthening business, trade and investment ties between India and Qatar.
He also praised the embassy staff for maintaining an open-door policy and ensuring community members always felt heard and supported. Describing Qatar as unique, he said few countries witnessed such close cooperation between an embassy and its expatriate community, adding that this partnership had become a key strength in serving Indians abroad and further deepening bilateral relations.
He concluded by saying the friendships, school visits, cultural celebrations and countless interactions with the Indian community would remain among his most cherished memories.
ICC President A.P. Manikantan said the ambassador’s “always yes” approach to resolving issues and his willingness to remain accessible at all hours gave the community confidence that the embassy would always stand with them.
ICBF President Shanavas T Bava praised Ambassador Vipul’s open-door policy and constant engagement with community organisations, saying he remained closely connected with the diaspora and personally prioritised the welfare of Indian nationals, particularly during challenging times. ISC President E P Abdurrahman described the envoy as a leader who always focused on solutions rather than obstacles, inspiring organisations to set ambitious goals and work together to achieve them.
IBPC President Thaha Muhammed said the evening marked not only the farewell of a diplomat but the celebration of a significant chapter in India-Qatar relations, crediting Ambassador Vipul with strengthening bilateral ties and leaving behind a lasting legacy of cooperation between the embassy and the Indian community.
