Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Vipul, along with leaders and members of the Indian community, observe a moment of silence at the ICC premises yesterday to pay tribute to the late Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Pics: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: The Embassy of India in Qatar, in association with the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), Indian Sports Centre (ISC), and Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC), held a community condolence meeting to pay tribute to the late Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, recalling his transformational leadership and the enduring bonds of friendship he fostered between Qatar and India.
The gathering held yesterday at the ICC Ashoka Hall, brought together Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Vipul, alongside prominent leaders and members of the Indian expatriate community, who united in expressing their condolences and gratitude for the Father Amir’s lasting contributions to Qatar and his deep affection for India and its people.
Delivering the keynote condolence message, Ambassador Vipul said the Indian community across Qatar was mourning the loss of a leader who had played a defining role in shaping the modern State of Qatar and strengthening the historic relationship between the two countries.
“On behalf of the Government of India, our Embassy, and the entire Indian community in the State of Qatar, I express our deepest condolences on the passing away of Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,” the ambassador said.
Ambassador H E Vipul speaking at the meeting.
He added that the Indian community joined Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Al Thani family and the people of Qatar in mourning the profound national loss, while paying the highest tribute to a visionary statesman whose foresight laid the foundations for a prosperous and globally respected Qatar.
The ambassador noted that Father Amir’s leadership transformed Qatar into an internationally recognised nation through remarkable progress in energy, world-class infrastructure and an influential diplomatic role.
He also highlighted the country’s achievements in education, culture, sports and human resource development, describing them as milestones that elevated Qatar to new levels of development. Speaking about the close ties between India and the Father Amir, Ambassador Vipul said the Indian people would always remember the warmth, support and respect extended to India and to the large Indian expatriate community residing in Qatar.
He recalled numerous stories reflecting the Father Amir’s compassion for ordinary people, including Indian residents, and said his affection for India was evident during both his official and personal visits to the country.
The ambassador noted that Father Amir paid three official visits to India in 1999, 2005 and 2012, in addition to several private visits, helping deepen bilateral relations and people-to-people ties. He commended the Indian Cultural Centre for screening archival footage from those historic visits during the condolence programme.
Reflecting on his own experience, Ambassador Vipul said he had the privilege of witnessing several meetings between Father Amir and senior Indian leaders, including External Affairs Minister H E Dr. S. Jaishankar in December 2020, then Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu in June 2022, and Prime Minister H E Narendra Modi in February 2024.
During the ceremony, ICC President A.P. Manikantan, ICBF President Shanavas T. Bava, ISC President E.P. Abdurrahman and IBPC President Thaha Muhammed also delivered condolence messages, praising the Father Amir’s extraordinary achievements in building modern Qatar and recalling his enduring friendship with India, his affection for the Indian people, and his continued support for the welfare of the Indian expatriate community throughout his leadership.
