Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, on Sunday arrived at Trivandrum International Airport in Kerala, India.
The two-day state visit came following an invitation Sheikh Sultan received last December, during his meeting with Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of Kerala.
The visit comes as part of Sheikh Sultan's keenness to strengthen relations between the emirate of Sharjah and the state of Kerala, to achieve intellectual exchange between the two countries in the fields of culture and art, and to take a closer look at Kerala's efforts to develop its comprehensive cultural renaissance.
During his official visit to Kerala, the Sharjah Ruler will meet with the Prime Minister of India and senior officials. He will also attend the ceremony to award him the honuorary doctorate for his great efforts in serving the Arab and Islamic culture, as well as the appreciation of his intellectual and literary production, which has been translated into several languages.
Dr Sheikh Sultan was received by Kerala's Chief Minister, along with Dr Ahmed Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to India, Jamal Al Zaabi, Consul-General of UAE in Kerala, Navdeep Singh Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE, and a number of ministers and businessmen.
Sheikha Jawaher was received by Kamala Vijayan, wife of Kerala's Chief Minister.
Dr Sheikh Sultan was also accompanied by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, Sheikh Salem bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ruler's Office, Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Executive Chairman of Sharjah Department of Government Relations, Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Information in Sharjah, Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi, Head of Protocol and Hospitality Department, and Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director-General of the Sharjah Media Foundation.
