By Syed Mussarat Khalil Special Correspondent.
Memon Welfare Society Saudi Arab-MASA organized the second edition of MASA Sports Day for community members in Jeddah Saudi Arabia in which Memon men, women and children participated in large numbers. The purpose of this MASA event was to attract the community’s people to sports and other healthy recreational activities and to increase interaction.
Along with the Sports Day, the farewell ceremony of former MASA President Mr. Shoaib Sikander and his wife Mrs. Iram Shoaib was also organized during this event who are going to Pakistan from Jeddah Saudi Arabia on final exit visa. The MASA Sports Day was inaugurated by Mohammad Surathia with a recitation of the Holy Quran. Siraj Adamji informed the guests about MASA Sports Day in his unique style. Shoaib Sikandar, former president of MASA, officially started the Sports Day by lighting the Olympic torch in the ground. Hamza Khalid walked around the ground with a torch to the enthusiastic applause of the audience. Assisted by Siraj Adamji and Khalid Tanuma, other children carried the torch with the words of MASA Sports Day.
During the event, various games were played among children, youth and adults. Women also actively participated in the field of sports. The most interesting game was a tug of war in which four teams competed against each other and after a tough competition one team was declared victorious. Throughout the event, Imran Muscatia entertained the audience with his enthusiastic commentary.
At the end of the games, Javed Khairani started the prize distribution ceremony. Sports Committee Head Aqil Teli thanked his team as well as the event committee and volunteers who helped him in organizing this successful event. General Secretary Sadiq Surathia, while giving his farewell speech to the former president of MASA Shoaib Sikandar, said that the departure of Shoaib Bhai and his wife from MASA and Saudi Arabia is a painful step for all of us, but their services will always be used as an example will be remembered and following in his footsteps, further improvements will be made in fulfilling the objectives of MASA.
As a tribute to the services of Shoaib Sikandar, the former president of MASA, a short documentary produced by Anzalna Javed Khairani was presented, which was well appreciated by the audience with their applause. Shoaib Sikandar in his farewell speech said that he has been associated with MASA since 2009. After becoming the president in 2021, he has tried to empower the youth to highlight their leadership potential and he has been very successful in this. And his team always lived up to his trust.
He introduced to the audience the new core committee elected for the next two years, including Waseem Abdul Razzaq Tai (President), Imran Amin Muscatia (Vice President), Sadiq Surathia (General Secretary), Mohammad Javed Khairani (Joint Secretary) and Irfan Bhamri (Treasurer). He expressed good wishes for the new core committee. Newly elected President Waseem Abdul Razzaq Tai and Joint Secretary Javed Khairani also praised the former President in their speeches and said that Shoaib hai’s position has been like a teacher for us and we have learned a lot from him.
At the end of the ceremony, medals were awarded to all male and female players who came in first, second and third positions. MASA Ladies Wings also presented gifts to female volunteers Aqsa Kolsawala, Manal Younis and Anzalina Khairani for their support in MASA’s newsletter and documentary. Children who participated in the Saudi National Day drawing competition were also awarded gifts.
MASA Patrons, Core Committee and Board Members presented the farewell shield to Shoaib Sikandar and MASA Ladies Wings to Mrs. Iram Shoaib and expressed his best wishes to them. The event concluded with a sumptuous dinner which was well appreciated by the attendees.
