The dream of Ajay Kumar, the Indian worker who produced several portraits of King Abdullah using bits of glossy magazine papers and wanted to meet the King to personally hand over his artworks, has come true. Last Friday, he was able to meet in person King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, at the Gulf Royal Palace during the King's one-week visit to the Eastern Province. He handed over the portraits to the Monarch. “It was the happiest moment in my life, thanks to Prince Turki Bin Abdullah, the King's son, who arranged my meeting with King Abdullah. The King shook my hand and said the portraits were very good, look exactly like him, and expressed his appreciation,” Kumar said, beaming with happiness as he talked to Saudi Gazette. Kumar's artworks of King Abdullah's portrait and his dream to personally hand over the portraits were featured in the May 18th issue of the Saudi Gazette's Expats Life section under the title “A unique way to say Thank you”. “My meeting with the King will remain my most cherished memory forever. I always thought that my dream will remain a dream forever, but thanks to His Royal Highness Prince Turki Bin Abdullah and the Saudi Gazette, my dream came true. The newspaper feature helped a lot and many of the King's personal assistants recognized me and my artwork. They told me they read the article in the Saudi Gazette,” said a very proud and pleased Kumar. He said his experience at the Gulf Royal Palace where he met the King is the sweetest episode in his life. “I was extremely surprised by the humbleness of Prince Turki and his staff. They were very generous and caring to a commoner like me. It was truly an amazing experience and I feel extremely fortunate,” Kumar said. “My love and respect for the King and the Royal Family increased manyfold. Just to know how much care and concern the King and Royal Family are showing to even an expatriate like me is truly unmatched anywhere in the world. I am speechless and humbled in front of this extreme generosity,” he said. __
