‘Beacon of peace’ passes away; PM Modi condoles demise of Omani leader Sultan Qaboos bin Said
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New Delhi, January 10: Oman's leader Sultan Qaboos bin Said passed away at 79 on Friday evening. PM Narendra Modi condoled his demise saying, “He was a visionary leader and statesman who transformed Oman into a modern and prosperous nation. He was a beacon of peace for our region and the world.”
A three-day period of national mourning has been declared in Oman. Qaboos was believed to have been suffering from colon cancer and was rarely seen in public since he began treatment in 2015.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Sultan Qaboos in February last year. It was a much fruitful visit for both the countries as the two sides signed eight agreements, including pacts on cooperation in the field of defence, health and tourism. Sultan Qaboos had appreciated the contribution of honest and hard working Indian nationals in the development of Oman.
I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. He was a visionary leader and statesman who transformed Oman into a modern and prosperous nation. He was a beacon of peace for our region and the world. pic.twitter.com/7QnGhM5lNA
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 11, 2020
The late sultan was born on November 18, 1940, in Salalah, the capital of Oman's southern province of Dhofar. Qaboos is a direct descendant of the founder of the Al Bu Said dynasty, which created the sultanate in the 1600s after expelling the Portuguese from Muscat. He was educated in India and at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. After completing his military training with the British army in Germany, he studied local government and embarked on a global cultural tour. He returned to Oman in 1964, and spent most of his time thereafter studying Islamic law and Omani history.
Sultan Qaboos had ruled the Gulf Arab state for a whopping 50 years since he took over in a bloodless coup in 1970 with the help of Oman's former colonial power Britain. At just 29, Qaboos overthrew his ultra-conservative father, Said bin Taimur, in a 1970 palace coup with British backing. Over the course of Sultan Qaboos's five-decade rule, he was credited with using Oman's oil wealth to transform the sparsely populated Gulf nation into a rich country with a vibrant tourism industry and high standards of living.
The Sultan has no children, no brothers, never married and had not appointed a successor. A 1996 statute dictates the royal family should select successor within three days after the throne is vacated. Otherwise, an all male, 50-person council of military, security officials, supreme court chiefs and heads of the two assemblies will name a successor.