RIYADH — As Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s large Indian expatriate community is gearing up to celebrate the 72nd Indian Republic Day, LuLu, the region’s leading retail chain, is holding a country-wide “India Fest” that highlights great offers on a wide range of food and spices, authentic dishes, and ethnic clothing running till Jan. 27, 2021. As it is customary for the promotion every year, LuLu kicked off the festival in a launch event, as inaugurated by Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Indian Ambassador to KSA, in the presence of Shehim Mohammed, director of LuLu Hypermarkets Saudi Arabia, government officials, and LuLu dignitaries at LuLu Hypermarket Riyadh Avenue Mall, Murabba. In Jeddah region, the festival was Inaugurated by Y. Sabir, acting consul general of India, Jeddah. But taking the COVID-19 situation into account, LuLu held it in a reduced scale with a smaller pool of performances and limited guest capacity while assuring social distancing practices. Dr. Sayeed said: “Food security is an important dimension of the bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia. Even during the peak of COVID-19, the supply chains have been maintained between both countries. “In this context, LuLu Group has played a very positive role in making available all Indian products, including rice, fruits and vegetables, to the Kingdom during this period. I am very pleased to note that LuLu Group is opening new outlets in different parts of the Kingdom which is an indication of its popularity among the local population.” LuLu has flown in more than 7,000 products in different categories, from fresh fruits & vegetables to meat, and traditional wear like sarees and churidars. Moreover, LuLu is putting a spotlight on a huge range of freshly prepared hot foods being prepared in store for the entire promotion, from biryanis to curries, popular street foods, traditional sweets, and many more delicacies. Speaking on the occasion, Mohammed said: ““We have always taken pride for showcasing the beauty and diversity of Indian culture through a festival like this. LuLu imports worth SR200 million through its offices across India every year. “This is our humble tribute to the glorious tradition, food and offerings of India, which have been widely popular among the Kingdom’s population with more than 200 nationalities. This is also our initiative to bind together all communities for a common interest, which is through food, fashion, film, and tourism.” LuLu, which has its own food processing plants and sourcing offices in India, has exerted massive efforts to introduce a new range of products, featuring organic, low-fat, gluten-free and many more diet-based food options in store that are in demand now with health-conscious shoppers. — SG