Siddeek Ahmed, chairman and managing director of ERAM Engineering Company, receives the OICC award from Khaled Almaeena, Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Gazette, at Red Sea Palace Hotel in Jeddah late Friday night. Also in attendance are (L to R): Aruveetil Alavi, K.T.A. Muneer, Papatta Kunhi Mohamed, Shereef Kunhu, Zakir Hussain Edavanna, and Majeed Naha. — Courtesy photo JEDDAH – The Overseas Indian Cultural Congress (OICC) honored an Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist, Siddeek Ahmed, for his services and contributions to the community at the Red Sea Palace Hotel in Jeddah late Friday night. Siddeek Ahmed, chairman and managing director of ERAM Engineering Company and director of ITL Group of Companies, is known for supporting charitable trusts and non-profitable organizations like AH Foundation, Regional Cancer Centre, and Daya Rehabilitation Centre in India. He is also president of the We Care Association that aims to help the poor and needy in the Middle East and India. During his speech, Ahmed said his future plans include helping secure a release for those Keralites detained in the Kingdom's prisons over minor charges. Ahmed came to Saudi Arabia as a business investor through SAGIA in 2007. The OICC awarded him the Valapra Mohammed Kunhi Memorial Award 2012, which was presented by the event's chief guest Khaled Almaeena, Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Gazette. Almaeena lauded the philanthropist's work and said, “The best of you is the one who is best to his community and best to humanity.” He said people like Ahmed were “luminaries in the society who must be encouraged”. Almaeena also had words of praise for expatriates in Saudi Arabia. “You are the driving force behind the progress of Saudi Arabia,” he said. The function was presided over by K. M. Shereef Kunhu, President of OICC. Papatta Kunhi Mohammed, chairman of the Award Committee, welcomed the gathering, which included a number of noted Indian businessmen. Syed Masood Ahmed, principal of International Indian School Jeddah, presented a certificate of appreciation. The Valapra Mohammed Kunhi Memorial Award was instituted by the OICC in the memory of its late member Valapra Mohammed Kunhi to encourage philanthropy and honor those who embodied the spirit of compassion, humanity and social justice.
