Farewell to the Indian Ambassador

"We the people of Sudan regret your transfer back to India with deep sorrow and pain. No matter how best we try to give you what we owe you, we will fail, because your hands of co-operation, your honesty and sincerity augmented the Indo-Sudanese relationship in all fields. We wish you best of life and happiness in your new assignment and we sincerely hope that our long relationship will continue as long as we live.” These were the words cited by Sudanese Indian Friendship Association for H.E. Sanjay Kumar Verma on his completion of his tenure in Sudan as Ambassador of India. Sudanese Indian Friendship Association (SIFA) is the people’s body made up of Sudanese nationals who studied in Indian Universities. Hytham Balla Saeed, President and Abuobeida S.Abdalla Vice President of SIFA presented a memento to Ambassador Verma. More than 200 people gathered at Indian Club in Omdurman to bid a sad farewell to His Excellency and Dr.Anil Mithani President of the community presented a memento to Ambassador Verma and expressed their gratitude for guiding and supporting the community in various matters and organizing many cohesive activities. Indian community in Khartoum both from the public sector namely ONGC and BHEL and private sector like Star Contracting Oil & Gas Co. bid farewell to the Ambassador. H.E. Sanjay Kumar Verma has touched the hearts of almost every Indian in Sudan and many Sudanese, from every walk of life. The Ambassador has always been accessible to the public. There is not a soul who has not spoken highly of him. His popularity and active participation saw him in action at cultural events, musical nights, tennis, badminton and cricket tournaments in Khartoum. Ambassador’s wife Mrs. Gunjan Verma carried out many charitable activities along with the Indian ladies in Sudan. During the Ambassador’s tenure the bilateral trade between India and Sudan increased from $800 Million to $1.56 Billion. There has been an increase in number of Sudanese businessmen, students and patients wanting to go to India. Sudan wishes them well wherever His Excellency’s career takes them.