Sadaaqa: Partnership & Cultural Kinship, written by Indian journalist and author Chaitali Banerjee Roy of Kuwait, was launched in Kolkata by the Business & Economy Literature Club at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Kolkata.

Distinguished figures from the fields of international development, academia, literature, and healthcare came together to celebrate a publication that details the long-standing collaboration, cultural kinship, and civilizational ties between Kuwait and India.

The book was launched in the esteemed presence of Dr. Rupali Basu, Regional Head – East & Andhra Pradesh, HCG Cancer Hospitals; Ajeya Bandyopadhyay, Senior International Development Professional (World Bank Group) and Convenor, Business & Economy Literature Club; Dr. Bidisha Banerjee, Associate Professor & Acting Head, Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong and Bratati Bandyopadhyay, Renowned Elocutionist.

The Arabic word for friendship, Sadaaqa, is a fascinating compilation of interviews with notable Kuwaitis and Indians whose individual and professional experiences demonstrate the depth of the two countries’ relationship.

Sheikha Souad Al Sabah, whose love for India inspired the first episode of the Sadaaqa audiovisual series; Sheikha Halah Bader Al Mohammed Al Sabah, known for her involvement with India’s luxury travel industry; Padma Shri Sheikha Shaikha Al Sabah, the first Kuwaiti to receive one of India’s highest civilian honors for her contribution to yoga; Dr. Lubna Al Qadi, a renowned social scientist with strong intellectual and personal ties to India; and Tony Jashanmal, whose family’s business in the Gulf dates back to the First World War.

The book also chronicles the extraordinary journeys of pioneering Indian families and businesspeople in Kuwait and the Gulf, such as Dhiraj Oberoi of Kitco, one of the country’s oldest locally produced food manufacturers; Ravi Kohli of Dawat, whose family was instrumental in the early Indian school movement in Kuwait; Kuldeep Singh Lamba, who transformed Al Mailem into one of Kuwait’s top automakers; and S. K. Wadhawan, founder of Samara Group of Companies, a major Middle Eastern distributor of automotive spare parts. Sadaaqa celebrates the people-to-people ties that continue to fortify the long-lasting friendship between India and Kuwait by chronicling centuries of shared history shaped by trade, migration, entrepreneurship, diplomacy, education, the arts, and cultural exchange.

The dignitaries emphasized the value of literature and cultural diplomacy in promoting deeper cross-border understanding and meaningful communication. They described the book as a timely contribution that honors shared heritage, mutual respect, and enduring friendship between India and Kuwait, and they valued it as an important record of the historical, cultural, and interpersonal ties between the two nations.

An engaging conversation with the author marked the end of the launch, which was followed by a book signing event and networking opportunities for diplomats, academics, professionals, media representatives, and literary enthusiasts. The occasion reaffirmed the importance of literature as a potent tool for maintaining common histories, encouraging intercultural communication, and fortifying global friendships via narrative.

Priyanka Dutta