Udupi: Omani Students Celebrate National Day at Manipal Varsity

By Divvy Kant Upadhyay, Manipal
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Nov 20: Omani students studying at Manipal University (MU) celebrated the Omani National Day along with their friends, faculty and senior administration of the University. The students sang their national anthem and made a video presentation about the culture and history of Oman. A senior student, Khalsa gave a brief description of the country. The students were in an upbeat mood and full of praise for the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said.

MU Pro Chancellor Dr HS Ballal, Registrar (International Programs) Dr Vinod Bhat, Registrar Dr GK Prabhu and MCOAHS Dean Dr B Rajasekhar spoke on the occasion. Incharge of International admissions, Diana Britto was also present. The officials hoped that educational and healthcare opportunities offered in India could help empower and enable aspiring Omani professionals as well as deepen the bond between the two friendly nations.

Omani Students celebrate Oman National Day at Manipal University. Pro Chancellor Dr HS Ballal, Registrar (International Programs) Dr Vinod Bhat, Registrar Dr GK Prabhu and MCOAHS Dean Dr B Rajasekhar join in the celebrations. Khalid in his traditional dress, Kandura, reads out a poem in honour of the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said

Omani students at Manipal are chiefly pursuing training in allied health sciences and engineering. Infact, a student Khalid believes that when he returns to Oman, he may be among the first few trained Omani nationals in the field of Medical Imaging and Technology. Speech and Language Pathology and Respiratory Therapy are other popular courses among Omanis.

Faced with the tough challenge of picking up communication skills in English before they get down to the subject, students like Khalid overcame difficulties by interacting and spending time with friends fluent in English. Khalid is now often called upon by authorities when Omani or other Arab nationals visit Kasturba Hospital for medical treatment. He acts as the interpreter and also helps establish an instant bond.

Many students like Khalid tried the traditional spots like Bangalore and Pune for their higher education – but they chose to settle in Manipal because of the University town atmosphere. “At Manipal, the quality of infrastructure and calm atmosphere was much better compared to over-crowded places like Bangalore and Pune” says Khalid hoping for some company next year as more Omani nationals are expected to come to study at Manipal.

Apart from the language, food is a serious issue they admit. Most of them have picked up cooking skills and cook for themselves. Some like Azza are lucky. “My mom cooks for me. It’s nice to have her around”

It is estimated that there are around 1500 Omanis pursuing higher education courses in India at present. The official website of the Indian Embassy at Oman states that traditionally many Omanis have studied in India and a large number continue to travel to India for higher education, especially in technical subjects such as engineering and IT. Manipal is the latest destination for them in addition to Bangalore, Pune and Chennai.

Indo-Oman cultural relations are strong and date back several decades. Today, it is estimated that there are around 500,000 Indians in Oman, constituting the largest expatriate community in the country. Coming from all parts of India, they include skilled workers and technicians, and professionals such as doctors, engineers, bankers, finance experts and managers.