New Delhi

To retain talented expatriates working in the Kinddom, Saudi Arabi has granted citizenship to two Indians - Dr Shamim Ahmad Butt and Faraz Khalid. The two are in the first batch of outsiders who have been given this privilege. Others include young professionals from France, Singapore and Lebanon.

This comes in the wake of a royal decree issued on July 4 that aims to grant Saudi citizenship to individuals with exceptional talents in various fields and is also in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 which aims to foster an environment that attracts, invests in, and retains exceptional creative minds, the local media reported.

Dr Shamim Ahmad Butt is the Deputy Head of the Emergency Department at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh.

Dr Butt is accredited by the Saudi Commission as a resident of the Saudi Council of Emergency Medicine.

He is also the winner of the 2007-2008 Zonn Perkin Gold Medal for Emergency Research.

Faraz Khalid, CEO of Noon holds an MBA in entrepreneurial project management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

He serves as the CEO of Noon, co-founded Namshi, and has been instrumental in the creation, launch, and expansion of the e-commerce platform.

According to Saudi Gazette Newspaper as per a Royal decree, Saudi citizenship can be granted to scientists, medical doctors, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and distinguished talents with unique expertise and specializations.

The announcement aligns with the Kingdom's initiative to attract experts and exceptional global talents in religious, medical, scientific, cultural, sports, and technological fields.

This move supports Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goal of creating an attractive environment that fosters retention and investment in exceptional creative minds.

This decree is an extension of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to attract prominent talents whose expertise contributes significantly to economic development, health, culture, sports, and innovation.

Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported on several notable individuals who have been granted Saudi citizenship by the recent royal decree. Among them is Mehmood Khan, an American and the CEO of the Hevolution Foundation, recognized for his contributions to the health sciences.

Jackie Yi-Ru Ying, an American scientist of Singaporean origin, has also been granted Saudi citizenship. Ying was the founding Executive Director of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore and currently leads the NanoBio Lab.

Lebanese scientist Niveen Khashab has been honored with Saudi citizenship for her advanced scientific expertise and contributions to bioengineering and nanomaterials. Khashab is a founding member of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and has been an Associate Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering there since 2009.

ALSO READ: Ghulam Mohamed Zaz rues that santoor making in Kashmir will end with him

Noreddine Ghaffour, a French scientist, has been recognized for his expertise in environmental science and engineering, particularly in desalination technologies. Holding a PhD in membrane separation techniques from the University of Montpellier, Ghaffour is a Professor at KAUST.