ALKHOBAR, Sep 17 ( Arab News): The Indian government has honored International Indian School-Dammam Principal E.K. Mohammed Shaffe by conferring a national award on him.

Shaffe received the award from Indian President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi last week. The annual award, which is given away every year, is meant to recognize the services of meritorious and talented teachers.

“This National Award belongs to all those who have supported me wholeheartedly in executing my duties as a principal,” Shaffe told Arab News. “Without the support of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia it would not have been possible to achieve the excellent results that we have been producing all these years.”

Shaffe comes from Cochin in the south Indian state of Kerala. He became the principal of Dammam school in 2006. He served as vice principal, principal and director of the International Indian School-Jeddah between 2000 and 2006. He has been in the teaching profession for the last 35 years, 25 of which were spent in various Gulf states.