An expatriate couple is bidding farewell to Bahrain after more than four decades, with fond memories and “deep gratitude for the blessings and opportunities”.
Long-standing pillars of the Indian community, Varghese Iype and Lally Varghese, are now looking forward to a peaceful retirement in India – and exploring the vast country.
Originally from Mavelikara in Kerala state, Mr Iype, known to many as ‘Boban’, arrived in Bahrain in 1981 and joined Bapco’s engineering division the following year.
His wife, who jointed him in 1985, also made significant contributions through her work with the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company, Alba and on various Bapco projects.
Both expressed profound appreciation for the warmth, acceptance and religious freedom they experienced in the kingdom.
“We were treated wonderfully here, embraced for our culture and differences and granted the freedom to live our lives fully,” said Mrs Varghese.
“My husband and I have been here since the 80s, and it has been a privilege to witness Bahrain’s incredible transformation over the decades.”
Mr Iype also served in various roles at St Mary’s Indian Orthodox Cathedral in Manama, including as committee member, harvest festival convener and senior citizens fellowship secretary, among others.
“We always gratefully remember in our prayers the Late Amir His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Majesty for their generous gift of land to build our church and for granting us expatriates the freedom to worship,” said Mrs Varghese.
The couple’s twin sons, Binoj and Alex, were born and raised in Bahrain and are now both postgraduate mechanical engineers, with one living in Doncaster, the UK, and the other in India.
The couple leaves Bahrain tomorrow on a Gulf Air flight.
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