DAMMAM — A two-day career fair began at International Indian School, Dammam, on Wednesday with at least 14 higher education institutions from the Kingdom, India, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain participating. The annual event at the school's boys campus in Raka district was inaugurated at 4 p.m. Visitors continued to throng the various stalls until 8 p.m. On Thursday, the event will begin at 8.30 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. Among Thursday's highlights will be a career seminar, to be inaugurated by Siby George, deputy chief of mission at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, at 5.30 p.m. T.R. Gopal Nair, chairman of the Saudi Aramco Endowed Chair for Technology at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, will deliver the keynote address. Nair, a world-renowned technocrat and career guru, is the first Indian to be appointed in the coveted position at the Aramco Endowed Chair. A career booklet compiled by the Career Guidance Cell of IIS Dammam will be released on the occasion. The 52-page booklet, which includes guidelines for choosing a proper career path, will be a valuable reference tool for the school's senior students and their parents, said a press statement. Major institutions participating in the fair include Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (Alkhobar); British Council (Alkhobar); SRM University, Chennai; NITTE University, Karnataka; SVCET, Andhra Pradesh; IGNOU (Dammam); Institute of Management & Technology (IMT), Dubai; BITS-Pilani, Dubai; RAK Medical & Health Sciences University, Ras Al-Khaimah; Manipal University, Dubai; Link India Consultants, Dubai; Institution of Fashion Technology (Bahrain) and Indian Academy (Bahrain). A committee led by K.M. Thirunavukkarassu, Chairman of the School Management Committee, Abdulla Manjeri, Convener, Academic Sub Committee; Shamshad Ahmed, Member, Management Committee; Principal E.K. Mohammed Shaffe; Lt. Col. J.A. Rocque, Principal In-charge-GS; Boys Section Vice Principal Alamgir Islam, Registrar Gangesh Tewari, Senior Girls Section Head Dhanalaxmi Ramanujam, Ayesha Banu, John Joseph, Ahmed Azad and Nazeer Maniyamkulam, coordinator, is organizing the event, which is open to all members of the Indian community residing in the Eastern Province. Republic Day celebrations The school has also made elaborate arrangements to celebrate India's 64th Republic Day on Saturday. Management Committee Chairman Thirunavukkarassu will hoist the national flag at 8 a.m. at the Boys Section Ground. The School Scouts and Guides Squadrons, The Cubs, Bul Buls and the Bunnies will stage a parade and guard of honor. The president's message will be read by Principal Shaffe. Students from various sections will present colorful performances, including patriotic songs. In Jeddah, the Indian Consulate General will mark the Republic Day with a flag hoisting ceremony at 8.00 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Consulate premises in Tahliah Street, Jeddah. Consul General Faiz Ahmad Kidwai will hoist the flag. All Indian nationals, Persons of Indian Origin and friends of India can attend the ceremony.
