Thursday 18 / April / 2024
Muscat: Indian expatriates in Oman are mourning the passing of a leading member of the Malayalam community here in the Sultanate.
Pradip Menon, a long-term expatriate in Oman, passed away on Wednesday, September 5, while seeking treatment for an existing health condition in India, for which he had taken a six-month leave of absence from his job at a prominent automobile company in Oman.
Menon also worked as the media coordinator of the Kerala wing of the Indian Social Club in Oman, and Ratheesh Kalembath, the convener of the wing, said he was an example that everyone needed to follow.
“Pradip had been part of our family since 2003, and for the last 15 years, made immense contributions to the Kerala wing and the Indian community here,” he told Times of Oman. “He did his job as a media coordinator really well and with complete dedication and sincerity, and most importantly, he did it silently, and not once did I ever hear him complain. His passing has affected all of us really strongly, and I would like to pass on my condolences to his family at this time.”
Pradip is survived by his wife and two children. His wife, who also worked in Oman, left with the children a few years ago so that they could continue their education back home.
Condolence meet
“We had a condolence meet for Pradip yesterday, and people were recalling their experiences with him,” recalled Kalembath. “Not one person had a bad thing to say about him, and people were telling me that when they met him, not once did he speak to them arrogantly or shout at them or complain about them to anybody. He was a very kind man and everyone here remembers him very fondly.”
He added that the Indian Social Club and Kerala Wing were ready to offer assistance to Menon’s wife, son and daughter, should they require it in the future. In addition, PM Jabir, founder of the Kerala Wing and currently the Community Welfare Secretary of the Indian Social Club, said that Menon was a man who never courted controversy or bore any ill will.
“It is a very sad piece of news because Pradip was a man everyone liked, and no one had any need to say anything against him,” recalled Jabir. “He was an integral member to the management committee of the Kerala Wing and he ran it very efficiently and smoothly with the help of the other community members.
“Because Pradip was our media coordinator, he had many friends in the media and he would always provide very good publicity over our many community welfare endeavours and did a lot to put the activities of the Indian Social Club and Kerala wing in the spotlight,” he added.
“It is a very sad day for all of us. His wife used to also work in Oman, but the education of the children took priority for her.”
Menon’s daughter is currently employed in India, and his son is still in school. “Pradip was in Oman for more than 20 years and he was a very valued member of our community,” said Jabir.
“If his family needs any assistance, we will be happy to provide it. He had been suffering from health issues for a while and went to India to treat himself, and he passed away when he was there.”
