Jeddah: In a historic first, an Indian woman Foreign Service (IFS) officer has assumed charge as the Haj Consul at the Indian Consulate in Jeddah. Ms. Sadaf Choudhary, a 2021-batch IFS officer, has taken over as Consul for Haj and Commerce, marking a significant milestone in India’s diplomatic engagement related to Haj affairs.
Ms. Choudhary succeeds Mr. Mohammed Abdul Jaleel, a native of Kannur, who has been transferred to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, where he is currently serving as Secretary in charge of the Bangladesh–Myanmar Desk. Prior to her posting in Jeddah, Ms. Choudhary served as Head of Chancery at the Indian Consulate in Marseille, France.
As Haj Consul, Ms. Choudhary will play a key role in the preliminary preparations for the 2026 Haj pilgrimage for Indian pilgrims, working closely with the Indian Ambassador and the Consul General of India in Jeddah. In addition to Haj affairs, she has also been entrusted with the Commerce portfolio, a responsibility earlier handled by Mr. Mohammed Hashim, who has since been transferred to the Ministry of External Affairs.
Meanwhile, Mr. Imam Mehdi Hussain has taken charge as Consul for Press, Information and Culture, in addition to serving as Head of Chancery at the Indian Consulate. A native of Champaran in West Bihar, Mr. Imam Hussain has previously served at the Indian Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, bringing with him considerable diplomatic experience.
The new appointments are expected to further strengthen the functioning of the Indian Consulate in Jeddah, particularly in areas related to Haj management, trade, media coordination, and cultural outreach.
