LAVASA : Can Ajit Gulabchand Build More New Cities For India?

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Indian
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LAVASA : Can Ajit Gulabchand
Build More New Cities For India?
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THE INTERNATIONAL
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EST: 1992 The Region’s Oldest,
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LE T TERS TO THE EDITOR
POSITIVE READ
Your magazine TII is excellent in all respects. I enjoy reading your thought
provoking articles. The topics selected and their content is really interesting
even to an Indian citizen like me in the USA. You have cooked so many
varieties of food in a small vessel. Your command of the English language is
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brings out the philosopher in you. Good luck!
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IMPACT: GANDHI OR KING?
I am a regular reader of TII and your editorial in TII 20.2 is spot on.
We Indians do not think through the ideologies that dominate our society,
we are blind to the truth. We love to point out that Gandhiji influenced
Martin Luther King Jr, but we don’t consider who had a greater impact on
their country.
Living in the Gulf for over a decade, I have observed how despite their
allegiance to one common belief, the rulers in this part of the world are not
on ideological power trips trying to ram down their ideology on everyone.
Perhaps Saudi Arabia is the sole exception, everywhere else people are left
to their own beliefs with no pressure to conform.
The choice is not ideology, it is the truth we must search for.
Monisha Prakash
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SPEAK IT LIKE YOU SHOULD
Zenifer Khaleel’s article on accents was very interestiing. My 5 yr old, who is
comfortable with English, chooses appropriate language to communicate
with different people. Before starting the conversation she asks - “Do you
speak English, Uncle/Aunty?” I think we Indians speak English with a fairly
correct accent (the sole purpose being to get the message across) when
compared to those from the Middle East or even parts of Europe. Whether
the intention is to ape the West or just a survival tactic or to achieve
perfection is subjective. If we speak English.....then let’s speak it in the way it
is intended to be spoken.
Sunayna Iqbal
Dubai
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KHOTA RAJ : IS INDIA INDEPENDENT AT 67?
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
– Plato
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten we belong to each other.
– Mother Teresa
Indians residing in the UAE would
probably agree that living in this
country we can see more of the kind of
personal freedoms that are meaningful
to people than we see back in India. All
the Gulf states are young countries and
the quality of life they have achieved for
their citizens and guests is the envy of
the world.
We are all expatriates living here
but few of us can deny that we are
welcomed and treated well - and if we
are innovative, hardworking and law
abiding, there are many opportunities
that can come our way.
Based overseas you learn what
works and what doesn’t. In cultures
where there is peaceful co-existence,
there is a desire not to inconvenience
your fellow human beings and a basic
honesty in your dealings.
Naturally there are those who will
complain of unfairness and exploitation
and often theirs is a genuine plight.
But such difficult situations are not
uncommon back home and nobody
is forced to remain in a country
where one is taken advantage of or
mistreated. In fact many people live
abroad in difficult circumstances
because of the lack of preferred options
back where they come from.
I am aware there are so called
patriotic individuals who believe our
janmabhoomi (motherland) is sacred,
and they are unconcerned about the
immoral, dirty, brutal society India has
become. 67 years after gaining our
freedom, it is debatable that we have it.
Is India really independent?
Constitutionally we are, but that is one
question every Indian should seriously
consider. How much theoretical
freedom is built into our political
system? Do the practical applications
really work?
After the British Raj came the
Licence Raj, now we live under the
Khota Raj with scam after scam
making a mockery of our freedom.
Independence Day, August 15th is
coming up soon and it might be a good
idea to think about freedom - what
does it mean?
Most people think about it in
terms of political freedom - not living
under a state that engages in any form
of coercion against its citizens. But
personal safety, freedom of speech and
freedom from economic tyranny are
essential for true political freedom to
exist. Is that true of India? Do people
really have personal and financial
freedom?
The fact is that one hundred percent
political freedom is nonexistent
anywhere today, there are only degrees
of such freedom. Some societies have
more and some less. Does India have
less or more?
It is not only large multinational
companies acquiring monopoly
positions in energy, finance, medicine,
media that can colonise us. Politicians
controlled by powerful vested interests
have in fact ensured that our corrupt
system enforces a form of economic
slavery.
India may also not be under the
military boot, or the fundamentalist
boot (not yet anyway) like some
countries in the Middle East. But the
tyranny of corrupt rule obvious in India
is also one vicious form of economic
occupation. Its cruel effects seen in the
degradation of our most vulnerable
citizens. The middle class who escaped
from the recent Uttarkhand devastation
have homes to return to, but what
about the poor and helpless who must
continue to live in that ravaged region?
Jim Wallis, well known author and
Editor of Sojourners magazine, reveals
that it costs hundreds of millions of
dollars to become and remain a U.S.
senator. In 2008 every successful
senator raised nearly US$8 million to be
elected. The cost of running for the U.S.
presidency is about one billion dollars.
What does it cost in India and how
do our venal netas raise the money?
There are other important freedoms.
Think how different a person you
would you be if your circumstances had
been completely different? Observing
all our social influences and choosing
true values is one of the key principles
of real freedom. Only a mind that is free
can embark on a journey for the truth.
Satyamev Jayate (Truth Alone
Prevails) is not just a TV serial, it is our
national slogan.
What does it mean to you?
Frank Raj
Founder-Editor & Publisher
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The International Indian
@frankraj08
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Frank Raj
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DIASPORA
LAVASA
Can Ajit Gulabchand Build
More New Cities For India?
42
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FOOD SPECIAL
The Great indian Thali
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How Ordinary People Succeed In The Gulf - By Frank Raj
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Do Something For India By Deepa Ballal
Happy to be back
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Fluctuating Fortunes of Britain’s Asian Billionaires By Shamlal Puri
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Michael Hyatt: The Secret To Becoming Awesome
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EDITOR’S PICK
FRANK RAJ
Fisherman’s Cove, Chennai (Photo by FR))
Room with a view
Candlelight dinner by the beach
VIVANTA: FISHERMAN’S COVE
CHENNAI - BY TAJ
V
ivanta by Taj—
Fisherman’s Cove, is a
luxury beach resort on
the Bay of Bengal in
Chennai, offering an
irresistible blend of sun, sea and
sand on South India’s Coromandel
Coast. The 5-star deluxe resort is part
of the chain of the Taj Hotels, Resorts
and Palaces. The hotel is situated
32 km (45 minutes) away from the
city of Chennai near the Covelong
Beach and the temple towns of
Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram.
It is set on a beautiful 22-acre beach
property with Casuarina trees.
Built on the ramparts of a ruined
Dutch castle from the 18th century,
Fisherman’s Cove is considered to be
the finest beach resort in Southern
India. The plush cottages, villas and
rooms with great sea views make
this place ideal as a leisure getaway.
The business facilities of Fisherman’s
Cove are also excellent, making
it a common venue for corporate
meetings and conferences.
Traditional rural style cottages
are the biggest attractions at
Fisherman’s Cove, located amidst a
lush green expanse of palm groves.
12
Besides standard and sea view
rooms, there are garden cottages
and sea view cottages. The garden
cottages have private sit-outs as well
as open air garden shower facilities.
The sea view cottages provide
wonderful views of the magnificent
beach, as you relax on hammocks.
with wonderful views of the ocean
front.
Dining facilities at Fisherman’s
Cove offer a wide range of
international and Indian cuisines.
Bay-view Point: An open air
seaside restaurant for indulging in
seafood.
Pool Side Sunken Bar: Great
views of the sea and great cocktails.
Seagull: A multi-cuisine
restaurant and a coffee shop for the
choicest local delicacies.
Anchor Bar: For great cocktails,
and the choicest wines of the world.
Upper Deck: For Mediterranean
cuisine and candlelight dining.
A wide range of innovative
activities in the area and on site have
been designed for hotel guests to
ensure a truly memorable stay.
CONTACT
Vivanta by Taj - Fisherman’s Cove
Covelong Beach
Kancheepuram Dist. 603 112
Tamil Nadu, India
Telephone: +91 44 6741 3333
Facsimile : +91 44 6741 3330
http://www.vivantabytaj.com/FishermansCove-Chennai
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July - August 2013
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We have flaws. We prefer Italian
housewives to erudite scholars to
run our country. We glorified the
village as the eternal way of living.
But the village was a horrible place
of ignorance, of filth, of not enough
economy.
COVER STORY
FRANK RAJ
LAVASA: A HILL CITY
LIKE NONE IN INDIA.
The hill station of Lavasa being developed by Ajit Gulabchand’s Hindustan Construction Company
(HCC), near Pune aims to develop a viable city of 300,000 people. Life in Lavasa has been
envisioned as, “energetic yet calm, aspirational yet affordable, hi-tech yet simple and urban yet
close to nature, a stirring adventure . . . an enterprise that will redefine the very notion of a city as
we know it.” Has Gulabchand created a model for the kind of city we would like to live in when we
return to India?
Ajit Gulabchand - a vision beyond Lavasa
I
f the term “hill station” reminds you of the British
Raj, with big colonial bungalows and their wrap
around verandahs, this is not what you will find
in a modern city like Lavasa. There is no place
like it anywhere in India if you are looking for a
place that is green and pollution free, with first-rate
roads, no traffic congestion and picture perfect idyllic
surroundings.
Stroll down Lavasa’s colorful lakefront promenade
of shops, restaurants, hotels and apartments and you
could easily imagine being in the Mediterranean city of
Portofino in north-western Italy – but you are not in the
Italian Riviera that Lavasa is modelled on.
You are in the Western Ghats, just an hour away
from Pune, and only three hours from Mumbai.
Hidden away in the Sahyadri mountains, Lavasa is
a scaled down, carefully planned replica of the Italian
town it drew its inspiration from. Its catchy name
precisely conceived by a specialist American branding
agency actually has no meaning — it is one visionary
Indian’s brazen dream to create a city of the future in
a place like India that desperately needs new ideas for
planning the urbanization of the country.
McKinsey Global Institute’s 2010 report entitled
14
“India’s Urban Awakening,” predicted that the scale and
speed of the country’s urban transformation will be second
only to that of China. Estimates put the country’s mass
migration by 2030 to India’s cities will be close to 600
million people. If that is true, 250 million city folk will crowd
into India’s existing crisis-ridden, overburdened cities.
The McKinsey report confirms that new cities are key to
India’s economic future. Nearly 50 per cent of the country’s
population is under the age of 25 — and if India wants
to obtain maximum benefit from such a “demographic
dividend,” it needs to create the kind of urban centres that
appeal to them and where they can thrive. But the report
also warns, “India’s governance of cities is muddled and
ineffective and nowhere near ready to face this challenge.”
Access to Lavasa from Mumbai is through the HCC
built superb six-lane Mumbai-Pune Expressway, passing
Hinjewadi the IT corridor of Pune, located on the NH4
bypass around the city of Pune. Originally a small
village, Hinjewadi is the second most upcoming town in
Maharashtra and the location of the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech
Park, home to the world’s prominent software companies.
Population in the Pune area is exploding — reportedly 30
million at last count and growing. An hour’s winding drive
from Pune city lies Lavasa, easily trumping stand-alone
developments as India’s first privately financed hill station
strategically designed for environmental and social
sustainability. Lavasa is planned as a four-phase, live-workplay city for some 300,000 people spread over 25,000 acres
aiming at a “365-day” economy, with jobs in tech, hotel
management, healthcare, animation and more.
“The fact is that all the innovation, knowledge, creation
of wealth, all happens in cities,” says Gulabchand chairman
and managing director of Hindustan Construction Co.
The high-profile billionaire industrialist is known for
megaprojects — India’s most famous bridges, highways,
dams, and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, the pretty cable-stayed
bridge that connects West and South Mumbai across the
Arabian Sea.
Gulabchand’s uncle was Walchand Hirachand, the turnof-the-century industrialist who established India’s first
modern shipyard, first aircraft factory and first car factory
besides construction companies, sugar plantation, sugar
factory, confectionery, engineering companies, etc. Silver
maned Gulabchand is clearly a chip off the old block and
spearheads a diverse legacy as the visionary behind Lavasa.
I find the chairman in a good mood at our interview in
his regal Mumbai offices. I wonder if I should ask whether
his run-in with the Congress government over Lavasa had
anything to do with his views on India’s politics and
his knocking of hallowed Gandhian notions.
He was quoted by the Toronto Star as saying,
“We have flaws. We prefer Italian housewives to
erudite scholars to run our country. We glorified
the village as the eternal way of living. But the
village was a horrible place of ignorance, of filth,
of not enough economy and we glorified that. We
never gave it a thought, because of the socialist
philosophy, that urban India is finally the creator of
GDP growth, is the creator of innovation. Because
of central planning, everyone looked to Delhi for
answers, so our cities haven’t taken shape.”
“We will need 500 new cities at a minimum
over the next 30 years. Over 500 million people
will migrate. Where will you accommodate them?
Where is the place in the existing cities? So, you
have to create them.”
Maharashtra’s hill station legislation had
officially cleared the way for Lavasa. International
design firm HOK won a global competition for the
master plan and pushed for Lavasa to be a full-time
city for people, to live, work and play, rather than
a gated community for the rich. The city’s financial
model was planned on three pillars: real estate
sales, city service revenues and joint ventures.
Lavasa’s city manager is Scot Wrighton an
American from the University of Georgia with
20 years’ experience of managing various U.S.
cities, says: “Lavasa’s size and scope, and its
unique response to the needs of India, make it
unlike any other new city project in the world.
It is an urban laboratory where innovation, new
technologies, considerable advance planning and
a heavy reliance on public-private partnerships are
collectively redefining the appearance of the urban
landscape in India.”
Wrighton believes, “Despite delays occasioned
by the government, the Lavasa business plan
is both solid and sustainable. It is not just a real
estate project; it is a long-term city project where
the developer invests, with many partners and
stakeholders, in the operations and services of the
city. Building a new city is complex and at times
unpredictable, but always challenging and fun.
Even though my entire career has been about
efficiently managing local governments, a project
July - August 2013
15
COVER STORY
We will need 500 new cities at a minimum over the next 30 years. Over 500 million
people will migrate. Where will you accommodate them?
Lakefront apartments on Lavasa’s promenade
minister,” Gulabchand admits, referring to Jairam
Ramesh, the U.S. educated Congress politician who is
now the Minister for Rural Development. “In effect we
got delayed by three years because it took a year for
that to finish,” Gulabchand says of the government work
stay order, which has now been lifted. “Then it required
another 18 months for the repackaging of the financing.
Given monsoons in between you lose two, three years.
It’s been quite an enormous cost. The actual direct cash
flow costs are almost 2,000 crores (about $370 million)
but the rest of it is the opportunity cost. Lavasa would
have been a vibrant town by now.”
What does a situation like this have to do with
returning Indians who hope to have a decent lifestyle
in India? The way I see it, Diaspora Indians (not Non-RIs
please) undertake three great adventures: The big one
is when we leave India; then we adapt to life abroad and
succeed in employment or business; finally we return to
India with our hard won earnings hoping for a decent
life. Most people opt to head back to their hometowns
but there are those who have been stirred up by new
ideas and are willing to innovate in their relocation
choices.
Returning to Apna Desh what can one look forward
to after exposure to a certain quality of life abroad?
Having gained an understanding and some concern for
like Lavasa has presented challenges and situations that
I have never faced before. We hope the final product of
Mugaon, the second phase now
the work we do here will be something all Indians can
under
construction, combines institutes,
be proud of because it contributes to building a model
IT,
and
year-round destinations like a
that can be replicated elsewhere in the country.”
space
and
rocket camp with West-Indian
“Planning is a big part of the Lavasa success story.
Maharashtrian building motifs.
Each phase of the project has a separate architectural
theme, and a different set of economic drivers. The
land uses and town centres are then fashioned around
these elements. The first phase, Dasve, mixes higher
education, professional meeting and hospitality, with
tourism destinations in a southern Mediterranean
layout. Mugaon, the second phase now under
construction, combines institutes, IT, and year-round
destinations like a space and rocket camp with WestIndian Maharashtrian building motifs.”
In late 2010 the Indian Environment and Forests
ministry ordered that construction in Lavasa cease
because the project violated environmental laws, an
order that was subsequently rescinded in 2011.
View of the lake: Lavasa is surrounded by seven hills
“We got derailed by the former environment
16
Aerial view of Mugaon the second town of Lavasa
a well-cared for environment in the cities of the Gulf and
beyond, what can one expect in India?
More and more real estate projects featuring
beautiful gated communities where stylish apartments
try to recreate the overseas quality of life are enticing
discerning property buyers. But sadly very few Indian
cities are viable places to look forward to. India is an
enchanting country whose badly disfigured beauty rates
poorly when the inevitable comparisons are made to
people’s overseas dwelling experiences.
In our polluted country of extremes our urban
sprawls exist on borrowed time, because nobody accepts
responsibility for the grave problems of our cities. But
there is some hope for those who want to live in decent
surroundings if new cities like Lavasa are allowed to
come up in India and not obstructed by politicians for
reasons best known to them.
If you compare foreign cities, and wonder why
Indian cities are so dirty, besides the fact that our most
vulnerable citizens live on the streets, one cannot help
but wonder why even the educated Indian cares little
about the upkeep of his community. Money is the
preferred air freshener in India – even in well-to-do
neighborhoods people do nothing about their dirty
surroundings because Indians prefer not to manage
their own waste and the garbage collection system is
contemptible.
India is unclean, deprived and hazardous, where even
drinking water is contaminated, and the government
doesn’t really care. The rot is symptomatic of a far deeper
malaise that has not found expression as yet in the public
debate because of widespread self-deception. That’s
why it’s all the more distressing when a worthwhile
project like Lavasa probably the greenest and most
environmental-friendly city in India that I have seen was
blocked and almost brought to a halt.
Not surprisingly Lavasa is fast emerging as the
most promising new tourist destination in Maharashtra
atrracting close to 7 lakh tourists in 2012. A variety of
hotel packages ranging from serviced apartments to
Apollo hospital in Lavasa
There is some hope for those who
hope to live in decent surroundings if
new cities like Lavasa are allowed to
come up in India and not obstructed
by politicians for reasons best known
to them.
Scot Wrighton, City
Manager Lavasa
star hotels, are available. Tourists
can choose from the very serene
‘Ekaant’ hotel on a hilltop, or a
languid lake-view experience at
the ‘Waterfront Shaw’ serviced
apartments, or opt for a businessclass hotel stay at ‘Mercure’ and
‘Fortune’ hotels.
Dasve – The first town of Lavasa
Dasve is the first town being developed in Lavasa.
Besides being the prime residential space, Dasve boasts
of reputed education, tourism, healthcare and hospitality
institutions. Apollo Hospital and Apollo Pharmacy are
already operational, offering long-term and shortterm therapeutic care and R&D facilities. A world-class
business and convention centre inspired by the Davos
Congress Centre is also up and running. The town prides
itself in retaining thousands of square metres of lush
greenery in and around Dasve.
Dasve offers potential residents a choice of living
spaces – from studio apartments and 1/2/3 BHK
apartments to sprawling villas. The villas are built on
large carpets of land scattered upon the hillsides.
Presented in ascending and descending formats, these
villas reflect the topography surrounding them.
Adding a dash of Mediterranean élan to Dasve is
July - August 2013
17
COVER STORY
The Dasvino Town & Country Club
Lavasa’s Town Hall
Not surprisingly Lavasa is fast emerging
as the most promising new tourist
destination in Maharashtra and close to 7
lakh tourists visited Lavasa in 2012.
Water sports in Lavasa on Warasgaon Lake
a colourful promenade stretching for almost 2 km
along the Warasgaon Lake. Overflowing with cafés,
boutiques and open-air eateries under umbrella
canopies, it forms part of the retail and entertainment
hub in Dasve. The lake also offers sporting and
recreational facilities. A romantic evening is just a
walk away with the promenade leading down to the
waterfront, pedestrian bridges, shopping enclaves
and dining areas situated at the heart of Dasve.
Mugaon, the second town of Lavasa
Situated on the banks of the lake amidst a
beautiful and picturesque setting, Mugaon is being
developed on approximately 2,400 acres and is much
larger than Dasve, the first town of Lavasa.
Mugaon is being developed as a residential,
educational, business and commercial hub. Major
attractions in the new town are the Town Centre
with shops, cafes, cultural institutions, spiritual
centres, Apollo Medicity, schools and colleges; sports
academies like the Manchester City Football Academy,
Nick Faldo Golf Academy etc and a USSRC supported
Space theme park and a Hollywood - Bollywood style
theme park.
Over 2,000 spacious apartments with a
18
Plenty of outdoor activities for children
spectacular view will be developed on both sides of the lake
at Mugaon over a four year time period. Designed by India’s
leading architect, Hafeez Contractor, the apartments will
have facilities like a modular kitchen, modular washroom,
video door phone, home automation, Wi-Fi enabled homes,
renewable energy via a centralized solar water heating
system, and water recycling to name a few.
Ajit Gulabchand has recreated a slice of Europe in
Lavasa, it’s a place worth seeing, go there for a holiday, you
just might want to live there permanently.
Frank Raj is TII’s founding editor and publisher.
TRAVEL SPECIAL
FRANK RAJ
TOP 10 DESTINATIONS FOR INDIANS
TII did some research to find out the travelling habits of Indians and the top ten
destinations they travel to. Internet surveys reveal the popularity of nearby countries
for work and holidays rather than Europe and America. Five out of the top ten
destinations in the list of favorites are South East Asian.
Pattaya is a popular destination
• SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco is one of the three destinations in the
US that Indians like to visit. Besides the Golden Gate
Bridge, San Francisco is culturally diverse and boasts of
great Victorian architecture a liberal and scenic beauty.
While in San Francisco take the famous cable cars that
run up and down its hills and offer a great experience for
many of us who miss the good old trams. San Francisco is
ranked 44th of the top tourist destinations in the world,
and was the sixth most visited one in the United States in
2011. Popular sights are: Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars,
Alcatraz Island, and its Chinatown.
• PATTAYA
Pattaya was a small fishing village until the 1960s.
20
San Francisco is a hot favorite
When American servicemen during the Vietnam War
began arriving in Pattaya for rest and relaxation. Now
it attracts over 5 million visitors a year. Beach resort
hotels and retail stores, include Asia’s largest beachfront
shopping mall. Thailand’s resort town is about 150
km from Bangkok, Pattaya is famous for its bars and
entertainment especially its cabaret shows. Even
though the thriving nightclub industry is a major source
of income, the city it also attracts its share of families.
Pattaya is said to cater to at least 5 million visitors
annually and boasts of some interesting beaches,
temples, museums and galleries and a variety of options
to eat as well as things to do.
July - August 2013
21
The Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosque
TRAVEL
• LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas is America’s
internationally renowned major
resort city known primarily for
gambling, shopping, fine dining,
and nightlife. The Entertainment
Capital of the World is famous for
its consolidated casino–hotels and
associated entertainment. A growing
retirement and family city, Las Vegas
is the 31st-most populous city in the
United States, with a population at
the 2010 census of 583,756. Sin City
is its other nickname. In Vegas for
less than $100 you can get a legal
licence from the wedding bureau
that’s open more hours than it is
closed -- even on holidays - without
any blood test or waiting period.
• KUALA LUMPUR
Kuala Lumpur is the sixth most
visited city in the world, with 8.9
million tourists per year. Tourism
here is driven by the city’s cultural
diversity, relatively low costs and
wide gastronomic and shopping.
Major tourist destinations are
the Merdeka Square, the House of
Parliament, the Petaling Street, the
National Palace (Istana Negara), the
Kuala Lumpur Tower, the National
Museum, the Central Market, the
National Monument,and religious
sites such as the Jamek Mosque and
Batu Caves. Kuala Lumpur plays
host to many cultural festivals such
as the Thaipusam procession at the
Sri Mahamariamman Temple. The
Petronas Towers are the tallest twin
towers in the world and also the
retail and fashion hub for Malaysia.
• DUBAI
Dubai has emerged as a
cosmopolitan metropolis that has
grown steadily to become a global
city and a business and cultural
hub of the Middle East and the
Gulf region. Although Dubai’s
economy was historically built
on the oil industry, the emirate’s
western-style model of business
drives its economy with the main
Las Vegas is for the masti crowd
New York - the greatest city in the world
revenues now coming from tourism, real
estate, and financial services. The city has
become symbolic for its skyscrapers and
high-rise buildings, such as the world’s
tallest Burj Khalifa, in addition to ambitious
development projects including manmade Palm islands, hotels, and some of
the largest shopping malls in the world.
With the largest immigrant population in
the world, US American global consulting
firm Mercer rated the city as the best
place to live in the Middle East in 2011.
Only six hours from Europe and about
two hours from India, Dubai is a popular
weekend getaway from India. Dubai
offers water sports opportunities along its
beaches, great hospitality services as well
as shopping options and even relatively
lesser-known entertainment options
like camel racing, desert safari and dune
bashing among others. It also has a superb
snow skiing centre that is located inside the
Mall of the Emirates.
• NEW YORK
The greatest city in the
world had a record 48.7
million visitors in 2010. Major
destinations include the
Empire State Building, Ellis
Island, Broadway theatre
productions, museums such
as the Metropolitan Museum
of Art, and other tourist
attractions including Central
Park, Washington Square
Park, Rockefeller Center,
Times Square, the Bronx
Zoo, Barclays Center, Coney
Island, South Street Seaport,
New York Botanical Garden,
luxury shopping along Fifth
and Madison Avenues, and
events such as the Tribeca Film
Festival, and free performances
in Central Park at Summer
stage and Delacorte Theater.
The Statue of Liberty is a major
tourist attraction and one of the
most recognizable icons of the
United States.
• HONG KONG
According to the Hong
Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)
overall visitor arrivals to Hong
Kong in 2010 totalled just over
36 million, a 21.8% increase
over the previous year, which
includes 22.5 million mainland
Chinese arrivals.
Tourism, along with
international trade and financial
services are the three main
sources of income for Hong
Kong. The former British colony
that is now one of the two
special administrative regions
of China (Macau is the other).
Even though Hong Kong can
be very crowded, the truth is
that its country and marine
parks offer some breath-taking
landscapes. If a single image
could encapsulate Hong Kong,
it would be the panorama from
Victoria Peak.
• LONDON
London must feature in a list of
Indians’ favourite tourist destinations.
It attracted 15.3 million international
visitors in 2011, who spent £9.4
billion. One of the great ‘world cities’
main attractions include The London
Eye, London Aquarium, Big Ben, the
Houses of Parliament, Westminster
Abbey and Nelson’s Column, Tower
of London, Buckingham Palace,
Tower Bridge Experience, Ripley’s
Believe It Or Not!, Madame Tussauds,
ZSL London Zoo, London Dungeon
and St Paul’s Cathedral.
• BANGKOK
One of the world’s most
happening tourist hotspots,
Bangkok is as well known for its
historical venues, temples, palaces,
markets, high-rise buildings and
traffic as it is for its wild nightlife.
The historic Grand Palace and
Buddhist temples including Wat
Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast
with other tourist attractions such
as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan
Road and Patpong. MasterCard
ranked Bangkok as the global top
destination city by international
visitor arrivals in its Global
Destination Cities Index, with 15.98
million projected visitors in 2013.
Bangkok has also been named
“World’s Best City” by Travel + Leisure
magazine’s survey of its readers for
three consecutive years since 2010.
• SINGAPORE
Singapore attracted a record
13,171,303 tourists in 2011, over
twice its total population according
to the Singapore Tourism Board.
Tourism in Singapore is a major
contributor to the Singaporean
economy. Its cultural attraction can
be attributed to its cultural diversity
that reflects its colonial history and
Chinese, Malay, Indian and Arab
ethnicities. It is also environmentally
friendly, and maintains natural and
heritage conservation programs.
Singapore is always on the itinerary
Kuala Lumpur
London Cabs
Along with this, it also has one of
the world’s lowest crime rates. The
Orchard Road district, which is
dominated by multi-story shopping
centres and hotels, is considered
the center of tourism in Singapore.
Other popular tourist attractions
include the Singapore Zoo and Night
Safari, the Singapore Zoo with its
‘open zoo’ concept, Jurong Bird Park
, The tourist island of Sentosa, which
attracted 19 million visitors in 2011,
is located in the south of Singapore,
consists of about 20–30 landmarks,
such as Fort Siloso, the Tiger Sky
Tower and Sentosa Luge. Singapore
has two integrated resorts which
house casinos, namely Marina Bay
Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.
Singapore has also legalised
gambling and is promoting itself as
a medical tourism hub. Moreover,
Singapore is also a hub for education
with at least 20 per cent of students
in Singaporean universities being
foreigners.
Frank Raj is Tii’s founding editor
and publisher.
22
July - August 2013
23
TRAVEL
KATHY M. NEWBERN & J.S. FLETCHER
THE SEABOURN QUEST
LUXURY CRUISE EXPERIENCE
You expect a ship’s captain to be proud; this one has lots to boast about: “I think this may be
one of the most beautiful cruise ships in the world,” Capt. Magnus Bengtsson says of luxury
cruise ship Seabourn Quest on our Athens-to-Malaga sailing.
E ded
S
B
C
1 0 s will be awar
e
t
a
u
d
gra
The 650-foot, 32,000-ton, 11-deck luxury cruise ship Seabourn Quest
W
e agree whole-heartedly with his
descriptions of the vessel: “very classy,
sober, very contemporary, very nice.”
“The biggest asset — even if this
is one of the best cruise ships — is our
staff, for sure,” said the captian. “It is the people working
here that make Seabourn very special.”
The most striking features of the 650-foot, 32,000ton, 11-deck Seabourn Quest are the ship’s elegant
profile, chic style, contemporary furnishings, sleek
design and abundance of space.
24
“You only have 450 guests on a ship that normally
(could) carry 800-1,200. There is no ship in the world that
has so much square footage per guest,” the captain adds.
“You can always find your own little spot.”
One of the most popular spots is the ship’s centerpiece,
Seabourn Square (Deck 7), featuring well-stocked library,
couches and chairs with lamps and tables, computers, free
coffee bar with baristas also serving pastries and gelati,
plus access to an outside deck aft. At its center is a private
area with guest relations personnel at four desks. This area
replaces the traditional Purser’s Desk.
website : www.agu.ac.ae / / E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook.com/AGUDubai
July - August 2013 THE INTERNATIONAL INDIAN
@AGUDubai
f
u
25
TRAVEL
Aerial view of the Seabourn Quest at sea
Nearly all passengers — us included — rave over
Quest’s spectacular culinary offerings and the additional
dining options the smaller sister ships don’t have. Here,
in addition to the first-rate, formal, table service of The
Restaurant, there’s chocolate-brown-and-red-hued
Restaurant 2 with a small-bites, five-course, nine-dishes
tasting menu that changes each third night. There’s no
surcharge, but reservations are required.
In addition, The Colonnade offers the best buffet
we’ve found at sea (in 62 cruises). Culinary themes here
during our cruise included Surf & Turf, Steak House, Old
England, Spanish, Indian Bistro, Italian and French.
Seabourn guests rave over the Market Lunch, which
we first sampled on our Seabourn Spirit sailing from
Hong Kong to Shanghai. The popular offering invites
cruisers to come into the kitchen where manned, food
stations tempt every taste, and the presentations are
lovely.
The outdoor Patio Grill serves far more than burgers
and fries. There are upscale entrées alongside freshly
made pizzas, and you can’t beat the view on a gorgeous
sea day.
Still Intimate at 450 Guests
Virtually identical Seabourn Quest, Seabourn
Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn represent a move
away from Seabourn’s smaller ships that hold just 208
passengers each — Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and
Seabourn Legend. The move had some long-time fans
of the line’s reputation for elegant, small-ship cruising a
little worried. Of course 450 guests on the new Seabourn
ships is a far cry from the 4,000-6,000 passengers on
other new cruise ships.
Those who doubted are now believers, says Capt.
Bengtsson. “They said, ‘we will test it once and then we
will go back to the small ship.’ The reaction has been the
opposite. They are coming back and coming back.”
On this cruise, 48 percent are repeaters.
All Seabourn ships are all-suites (many with verandas)
26
Aft pool and whirlpool
and offer superb dining in a choice of venues; open
bars throughout the ship; fine wines poured at lunch
and dinner; award-winning personalized service and a
relaxed, atmosphere. Seabourn was recently recognized as the “world’s
best” in June 2013 by readers of Travel + Leisure
magazine in the “Small-Ship Cruises” category, and
outscored all cruise lines regardless of size in the
magazine’s annual survey of its readers.
“Everyone at Seabourn shares a mission to provide
the world’s best service,” said Seabourn president
Richard Meadows. “We have elegant ships, wonderful
cuisine and sail to many of the world’s most desirable
destinations, but the number one reason our guests
come back to sail with us repeatedly is the quality of
service they receive from our crew. This is clearly their
award.”
Quest Features Amazing Spa Villa
We bestow our own “most lavish spa day at sea
award” to Seabourn Quest thanks to the incredible fourhours of pampering and relaxation we experienced in
the ship’s expansive upper deck Spa Villa during one of
our two sea days this sailing.
Seabourn was recently recognized
as the “world’s best” in June 2013 by
readers of Travel + Leisure magazine in
the “Small-Ship Cruises” category, and
outscored all cruise lines regardless of
size in the magazine’s annual survey of
its readers.
Elegant waiters ensure top service standards at sea
July - August 2013
27
Caviar service on the luxury ship
Pool deck of the Seabourn Quest
Balcony suite
The Spa at Seabourn, a head-turner, is found on
Deck 9 Aft. So we’re not surprised that Quest emerged
from a scheduled drydock in May 2013 with four new
elegant Penthouse Spa Suites. The Spa at Seabourn has
twice been awarded the SpaFinder Wellness Readers’
Choice Award as “Best Spa on a Cruise Ship.” Guests will
access the suites from a spiral staircase in the lobby of
the spa, and enjoy unlimited access to the spa’s Serene
Area, as well as spa amenities in the suite itself and the
services of a spa concierge.
On Quest, we loved the Thermal Suite Lounge
with large hydro-pool, dry float, sauna and steam
rooms including an herbal-infushed laconium. Among
treatments are nine facial therapies for men and
women including the Seabourn 24 Karat Gold Facial.
Ten massage options include Thai Massage, Bamboo
Massage and the Elemis Absolute Spa Ritual with facial.
The gym area is well-equipped, and a motion studio
features a Kinesis Wall and Thai massage area.
Seabourn has refined the concept of a spa day
at sea with not only the Serene Area with its heated
wood-slab beds, but with a most fantastic Spa Villa. The
Spa Villa shares Deck 10 Aft with the Spa Terrace, which
features a whirlpool and deck loungers, but the private
villa is partitioned off at one side as its own fabulous
playground.
Inside we were wowed by his-and-hers massage
tables, an oversized day bed with gauzy curtain, a huge
his-and-hers shower, plus a bathing tub for two and a
dining table.
We made full use of all of it, starting with a couple’s
28
massage, followed by a bubble bath for two (that the
therapists had thoughtfully drawn for us). Then, at the
pre-set time, our lunch arrived and was presented by our
own waiter, complete with wine and dessert. Post-lunch, of
course, a little nap was required.
Afterward, we raved to the spa manager over the spa
villa, the service and of course our spa treatment. Our
masseuses were excellent.
Seabourn’s award-winning fleet circles the globe
throughout the year. For 2014, Seabourn Quest will summer
in the waters of Northern Europe. Quest’s seven-day Baltic
cruises between Copenhagen and Stockholm include the
line’s signature three-day stay in St. Petersburg, Russia. In
late summer, Quest will cross the North Atlantic on a 24-day
cruise from London to Montreal, stopping at Ireland, the
Faroe Islands, multiple new ports in Iceland and Greenland,
as well as Newfoundland and Québec. For reservations or more details on Seabourn’s 2014
Europe season, contact a professional travel agent, call
Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.
[ SCAN ]
AND LET HEALING TOUCH YOUR LIFE.
U.S.-based, husband/wife team J.S. Fletcher and
Kathy M. Newbern report on luxury destinations,
spas and cruising around the globe. They are awardwinning members of the Society of American Travel
Writers (SATW) and created YourSpaReport.com
and YourNovel.com, their personalized romance
novel business. They recently won an SATW award
for Best Article on Foreign Travel (second place) for
their story on Exuma, Bahamas, that appeared in The
International Indian’s September/October 2012 issue.
July - August 2013
29
EXPAT
LINDA S. HEARD
Is there life
after Dubai?
I
’m often asked “Where’s home?”
It’s a question that used to make
me flinch because, in reality, I
don’t have one. I relinquished
emotional ties to my homeland
decades ago when I finally accepted
that I was destined to be an eternal
expat. It smacks of pretension to
respond with, “I’m a citizen of the
world” and parroting the old adage
“home is where I hang my hat”
sounds insincere.
My father, a naval radio officer
during World War II, would regale
me with exotic tales, emphasizing
that the world was my oyster. I took
his advice to heart. Since my 20s, I’ve
lived and worked in 18 countries,
always feeling like a transient,
observing different lifestyles
without ever really fitting in, with
one exception – the United Arab
Emirates, Dubai to be exact.
People who wave goodbye to
their families to work in the UAE are
usually aware that, sooner or later,
they’ll return home, hopefully with
fatter bank balances and a wealth of
fascinating after-dinner stories. For
those who have lived away for 20
or more years, returning to the fold
takes some getting used to. They’re
often envied and soon discover that
even close friends have difficulty
relating to their multi-cultural
outlook on life or the glamour of a
world they’ve never tasted.
Returning expats are often
viewed as people of privilege,
even those who go home with
little more than a few suitcases.
Children brought up in the UAE
are vulnerable to culture shock, as
30
Kimberley Reader wrote in the Gulf
News under the headline ‘Dubai
students struggle with culture shock
in Britain’. “Students, who have left
Dubai to go to university in their
‘home’ countries, speak of panic and
an uneasy inner dialogue. Simply
put: a life of struggle,” she writes,
explaining that they struggle to
adjust to cultural and social norms
and “also to become independent
after such a fortunate, yet sheltered
upbringing.”
For me, going back to the ratrace of London where a warm and
sunny day is a rarity, driving office
workers to prostrate themselves,
semi-dressed, on grass verges during
their lunch hours, wasn’t an option.
And so, for 14 years I permitted
myself to believe Dubai was home,
offering everything I thought I
wanted in life – an amazing job as a
magazine editor with a respectable
tax-free salary, a secure, almost
crime-free environment, great food
and entertainment, ease of living
and eclectic fun-loving friends. Dubai
was on the up-and-up; its energy
was almost palpable as it pulled out
Leaving Dubai was
traumatic; I kept tearing
up. I was glad we were
heading to another Arab
country.
all the stops to secure its place on
the map. Holidaymakers from the
UK and Europe would often intimate
that while they were bowled over by
the Emirates, life here wasn’t ‘real’. I
would answer “life doesn’t have to
be a tortuous up-hill effort to be real
and this is as real as it gets.”
I wanted to stay forever. But
when I hit the mid-40s, hard reality
stopped me in my tracks. It was
time to ponder my future. Then,
non-Emiratis were not permitted to
own property and there was (and
still is) age limit on work visas. It was
daunting to imagine being thrownout at 60, not exactly the best age
to begin a new life from scratch. My
husband was on the same page, so
we reluctantly made plans to go.
The burning question was
where? Ever the foolish romantic,
I proposed that we open a Rick’s
Café in Casablanca. “Okay,” he said
without blinking. A month or so
later, we were winging our way to
the Moroccan capital together with
Oliver, our 11 kg cat, whom I stuffed
in a Dubai Duty Free hold-all praying
the cabin staff wouldn’t notice that
he was considerably heavier than
their 3 kg rule.
Leaving Dubai was traumatic; I
kept tearing up. I was glad that, at
least, we were heading to another
Arab country. But all was not well
from the get-go. The furnished
one-bed apartment in the up market
area of Anfa-Superieur that we had
booked for three months – and
stupidly paid for in advance unseen
from Dubai – was a disappointment.
Our seven pieces of luggage took
up all the living space and we had to
leap from the door to get into bed.
We moved to a hotel after a month
unsuccessfully seeking suitable
accommodation, a business premises
and cars, which are exorbitantly
taxed in Morocco.
Although we found the city
intriguing and its people welcoming,
we decided Casablanca was a
no-go. Because no airline would
allow us to transport Oliver in the
passenger cabin, we hired a minibus to Tangiers where we spent a
memorable night in the Al Minzah
Hotel on which Rick’s Café, featured
in the movie Casablanca, was
modeled, before taking the ferry
to the port of Algeciras in southern
Spain. We shelved our business
plans; instead taking the decision
to use a chunk of our nest egg to
spend a few years just following our
noses. Now that I had the luxury of
time to do nothing or everything, I
felt lost because suddenly life had
no structure and I could no longer
identify with a job title. That feeling
quickly dissipated. I stopped wearing
a watch and basked in an unfamiliar
sense of absolute freedom.
We ended up spending two
years in a gorgeous hillside villa
overlooking Marbella’s Puerto
Banus, hanging out with golfers,
bridge players, well-heeled posers
and wealthy retirees discussing the
merits of liposuction. The old town is
picturesque with cobbled streets and
orange blossom trees; the climate
perfect, the beaches inviting.It’s
just beautiful but why did I always
end up with red rimmed eyes after
catching a glimpse of Dubai on our
satellite TV?
I was wasting away aimlessly
in paradise. My senses craved
stimulation; my intellect cried out to
be challenged. The kind of adrenalin
rush I was used to in Dubai was
absent; I felt empty of purpose.
“Why don’t we move to Bangkok?”
I told my other half. “Bangkok! Are
you crazy?” he exploded. It’s down
to my powers of persuasion that he
eventually capitulated.
I had briefly visited Bangkok in
the late 70s but was not prepared for
the bustling, modern metropolis that
greeted us upon arrival. We rented
a spacious, well appointed service
apartment in Sathorn Road that lies
at the heart of the city’s business
and embassy district. I came alive
again. I flourished in 24/7 organized
chaos. I loved the unpredictability,
the crowds and the sprawl. Now we
weren’t living the same day of our
lives over and over again because
each was fresh and new with
something unexpected happening
around every corner. I did not,
July - August 2013
31
EXPAT
however, appreciate year-long heat
and humidity, getting stuck for hours
in traffic jams - and the language
barrier was a problem. After being
kidnapped by a taxi driver (we were
saved by the driver of a tourist
coach), we packed up and flew to
Beirut, spurred by my fond memories
of the Lebanese capital in the 70s
when it was dubbed “The Paris of the
Middle East”.
A Lebanese friend had reserved
a scruffy furnished flat for us near
Hamra. The first night we sat
contentedly on the balcony sipping
cold drinks until the distant sky lit up
with explosions, which we were told
were a result of Israel’s bombing of
electricity plants. Two nights later,
we were awoken by black smoke and
cries of “Allah ‘O’ Akhbar”. I grabbed
the passports, credit cards and the
cat, not necessarily in that order, and
bolted down to the reception where
the landlord, clad in a silk dressing
gown, leather slippers and puffing
on a cigar, chided us for being
worried. “This building is solid, it’s
withstood wars for over 150 years,”
he said. I was not reassured. We
headed for the hills, literally, moving
into a traditional old stone house
with a small attached orchard in the
village of Beit Mary where we were
bowled over by the hospitality of the
residents who never ceased to ply us
with invitations for coffee and meals.
I was tempted to adopt Lebanon
as home, but after a summer of
electricity cuts and water shortages,
we moved on - this time to Athens.
I insisted on staying in a familyrun hotel. I got my wish. We came
across a hotel with a spectacular
view of the Mediterranean in
Kastella, an area of Pireaus, little
realizing that the owner was a
member of the mafia who received
the hotel as a gift for services
rendered to the Greek junta in the
70s. In the years that followed we
ate lots of fish, took regular day trips
by hydrofoil to the nearby islands
of Poros, Aegina and Hydra and
were regulars at the antique market,
but we failed to get a grip on the
language which impacted our social
life. Unlike islanders, Atheneans
tend to be suspicious of foreigners,
especially Americans and Brits. No,
Athens could never be home.
Dubai still served as a magnet,
ever pulling me in its direction, until
2004 when living in Egypt I received
a business invitation to visit. I had to
restrain myself from emulating Pope
John Paul by kissing the ground. I
was astonished to find that the city
was unrecognizable. In the seven
years since I’d been away, it had
transformed. I no longer knew my
way around; most of my friends
had left. I was shaken to find myself
a total stranger. My Dubai was no
more, living only in my memory. It
was freeing. The chapter had closed
and my heart was open to a new
one.
Alexandria is the latest, but
not necessarily the last, stop on
our journey of gathering shared
moments. It’s a whirlwind for
both us. I had picked up my pen
again while we were in Athens
and my Egyptian-born British life
partner battled red tape to launch
a successful construction business.
Dubai was, for me, love at first
sight; Egypt wasn’t, but I’ve come
to appreciate life in the raw in a
country with a soul as ancient as
India’s. Living through the January
25th revolution has bonded me
to the Egyptian people. Now I
belong. Would I return to Dubai if
the opportunity arose? I hesitate to
say never because life is a journey
forward and whenever I’ve tried to
retrace my steps, I’ve invariably been
disappointed.
It’s taken a long time, but I
learned the definition of home.
The American writer Tad Williams
describes it best: “Never make your
home in a place. Make a home for
yourself inside your own head. You’ll
find what you need to furnish it…
That way it will go with you wherever
you journey.”
Linda S. Heard is a British
syndicated political columnist,
specialising on Middle East
affairs, and the co-author of
“Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor: the
Autobiography”. Her weekly
columns are published each
Tuesday in the Gulf News and
Arab News. She is currently
based in Alexandria, Egypt.
32
July - August 2013
33
FOOD SPECIAL
GOLDEN REEJSINGHANI
THE GREAT INDIAN THALI
Think of variety. Think of a Thali, they say many a food spread has
tantalized foodies but not the way the lavish spread has. Nothing beats
the fun of having a plateful, quite literally, with an assortment of goodies
Thali Meals can be accompanied by a variety of side dishes
I
n a Thali food is served in large
round platters either of brass,
steel or silver and katories
(small round bowls) made of
the similar metal as thalis, in a
thali meal there are no courses, the
idea behind this is to give a person
a complete pot-pouri of flavors,
textures and taste all together,
separate bowls hold different foods
ranging from sweet, sour, tangy,
crisp, crunchy, smooth and chewy
which are mixed and sampled so that
a person is completely sated.
The bowls are mostly used for
dishes having gravy like dals, curries
and vegetables and dry items like
snacks and breads and are placed
attractively on the thali. At the sides,
rice is put into a greased katori
pressed inside and then it is inverted
34
in the centre of the thali, the molded
rice is loosened from the katori
and sets in a mound in the plate
condiments like pickles, koshambiri,
chutneys, lemon slices and salt,
which are placed by the side of the
thali.
Buttermilk and raitas are served
with the meals in order to neutralize
the taste of the spices; other
common items are papads, pickles
and koshambiri.
Food is replenished as and when
required throughout the meal and
melted ghee is passed around to
be poured on khichadi or rice it is
considered auspicious to start the
meal by eating a little bit of jaggery
or some sweet.
Think of variety think of thalithey say many a food spread has
tantalized foodies but not the way
the lavish spread has. Nothing beats
the fun of having a plateful, quite
literally with an assortment to dig
into.
So if a classic Gujarati thali boasts
off undhiya , aamras , khandvi ,
stuffed patra , amiri khaman and a
glass of chaas , a Maharashtrian thali
will strut their traditional stuff – thali
peeth , sabudana khicadi , bajra
bhakri , moong dal usal so on and so
forth.
A Maharashtrian thali will strut
their traditional stuff thali peeth,
sabudana khicdi, rajgira thepla,
sweet dal with Keri so on and so
forth.
Not to forget the Punjabi platter
of palak paneer, Kabuli channa, desi
channa masala, moong dal halwa
accompanied by puri’s, chapatti’s,
papads, pickles, farsan and rice.
Rajdhani Thali Restaurant
specializes in serving a combination
of Gujarati and Marathi thalis; they
serve around 32 items to make a
complete wholesome delicious thali.
with 72 rotating food items with
22, 464 delicious delicacies from
Gujarat and Rajasthan. Being a
blend of Maharashtrian and Gujarati
cuisine, the thali is not on the
sweeter side. They also provide
healthy food to their customers
therefore the menu is changed daily
to provide variety in the Thali.
In Mumbai, another popular
Thali specialty restaurant in the
western suburbs in Juhu for relishing
a wholesome meal is The Class Thali.
Thali served here is a combination of
Gujarati, north Indian and Rajasthani
food.
Sweets to accompany a Thali meal
The Thali meal is different in North and South India
Dishes on the menu include
the masala dhokla, chaas, puri,
moong dal khichdi, gate ka saag,
aloo bikaneri, sada chawal, and corn
tikkis. It is also well known for their
small baby size jalebis, gulab jamuns,
malpua, meetha pan, moong dal
sheera and the list goes on.
The uniqueness of this thali is
that it has a blend of many tastes.
A sea food Thali
And is liked by the young and the
old alike.
Mumbai’s Golden Star Thali
located at Raja Ram Mohan Roy road
opposite the charni road station is
a landmark for serving traditional
ethnic Gujarati and Rajasthani thali.
They provide you with sweets
that are different served on different
days of the week and four types of
vegetable dishes which are usually
made of paneer, lentils , potatoes
and greens, three farsans , four
types of rotis , rice and different of
chutneys and other accompaniments
like the masala chaas etc.
It provides unlimited eating
options and the food is both
medium and spicy which is to every
ones liking, some of the famous
items on the menu here are the desi
ghee jalebis, dal batti and the wide
July - August 2013
35
FOOD
variety of farsans.
Yet another popular joint in
Thane for relishing a wholesome
thali is the Tip Top Thali, the thali
here is a combination of Gujarati and
Punjabi food.
Dishes on the menu include
palak paneer, gulab jamoon, chaas,
puri, phulka aamras and the list goes
on.
Located in Kamala Smurti Shivaji
Nagar in Thane , Swad Thali is a land
mark for a traditional maharashtrian
meal vegetables , usal farsan , snacks
raita papad and aamras they have
both medium and spicy food famous
items on the menu are shrikhand ,
thaali peeth and sabudana khicdi
De – Thali - Undhiyu
Ingredients
500 grams mixed vegetables like
sweet potatoes, raw bananas, baby
potatoes and baby brinjals
100 grams raw guavas, carrots
and tomatoes.
1 tablespoon each of sugar and
garam masala, 2 tblsps.roasted til
and groundnuts.
4 tablespoons ground coriander
leaves and green garlic,
½ coconut, grated.
1 teaspoon cumin and ajwain
Green chili and ginger paste.
To prepare Muthia take
125 grams gram flour
1 cup methi leaves
1 onion, minced
2 flakes garlic, grated.
1 teaspoon green chili
paste and oil
Salt to taste
Mix all the muthia ingredients
together with enough water to
form a stiff dough, form into rolls
and steam for half an hour. Cut the
brinjals and potatoes into fours
halfway through, and cube other
vegetables. Heat 4 tlsps.oil and add
36
De Thali Undhiyu
South Indian Thali with pappadam
ajwain, cumin seeds and hing. Add
tomatoes, spices, ginger, chill paste
and garlic paste and cook until dry,
put in all the vegetables along with
the remaining ingredients and half of
coconut. Cook over a slow fire until
the vegetables are almost done, place
muthias on top and continue cooking
until the vegetables are cooked,
decorate with remaining coconut
and coriander leaves. Serve with
chapattis smeared with pure ghee,
mango pickle and raita.
Golden Reejsinghani is a
freelance writer based in Mumbai
SUKH SAGAR
NEHA BHATIA
Indian Cuisine Has Reached Armani
Dhanraj Poojari, MD of Sukh Sagar restaurants shares insights with TII.
W
orking at Sukh
Sagar was a natural
progression,” says
Dhanraj Poojari.
“Sukh Sagar
being a sizable business, I also
studied in the same field, which
added an impetus for me to take up
food as a career. The glamour factor
of being associated with restaurants
and hospitality also played a large
part,” he admits.
Indian food has reached across
the world with the help of Bollywood,
and that’s how Dhanraj realized the
need to take the brand forward.
“Every place we do business at is
home.”
I’ve been with Sukh Sagar for
over 15 years now. Every place
where we do business is home, and
that helps us function better. To
communicate with the people of a
city, to work with them and serve
them teaches us a valuable things
about our customers. Even a basic
rule like closing the restaurant during
prayer hours in Saudi Arabia – a
practice we don’t follow in the UAE –
gives us insight into the psyche of the
market we function in.
“Vegetarian food more than just
salads”.
Vegetarianism by itself is almost a
habit with most Indians. Irrespective
of religion, most communities eat
vegetarian meals at least thrice a
week. Our country has a culture of
ingredients and dishes – like ‘pav
bhaji’ or ‘dosas’ – that allow for ample
non-meat dishes in a household.
Sukh Sagar has become
synonymous with vegetarianism, and
people are confident that our dishes
are 100% vegetarian according to the
38
Dhanraj Poojari - taking the brand forward
Sukh Sagar in Doha
Indian definition. Unlike some others
that may use eggs for mayonnaise,
noodles or naans, we refrain from
that practice. For instance, last week,
while visiting New York, I saw at least
10 restaurants on Lexington Avenue
that certified themselves as not just
vegetarian, but even kosher. A lot of
Muslims who can’t find halal meat
pick vegetarian food over non-halal
meats. All these practices feed into
the vegetarian market. Besides, even
practices like yoga have contributed
to the market.
“Westerners understand
vegetarian food better now”.
and this was largely because they
didn’t recognize ingredients like
‘bhindi’ or ‘channa’. But now that
awareness has increased, vegetarian
food is recognized as more than just
those straitjacket dishes. The average
westerner today probably eats
spicier food than you and I do! A lot
of them know our dishes like
‘pav bhaji’ and ‘dosas’, which is highly
encouraging.
“Hospitality is a demanding,
full-time job”.
The food industry is cutthroat.
Any business is, but hospitality takes
it to a different level mostly because
of the time-consuming operations
they undertake. Everyone dines out
on weekends, malls stay open 24x7
sometimes – there’s people doing
these jobs that we often don’t notice.
“Indian cuisine has reached
Armani”.
Indian restaurants are doing a
great job here in Dubai – to reach
Armani and JW Marriott standard
proves our cuisine has evolved into
a wine and dine experience. We’re
fortunate to have the diversity of
choice as we do.
“Strengthening our
foundations is my future plan”.
We hope to take Sukh Sagar to
every place in the world with a large
Indian diaspora – Kuala Lumpur, New
York / San Francisco, maybe even
China. Overall, we hope to better our
customer service, train our staff and
fulfil our CSR activities. It’s of greatest
consequence for us to augment our
chefs – some of whom are of the
most basic Indian backgrounds –
and to me, to be able to make them
better people and help their lives
and families is also growth.
Neha Bhatia is a Dubai
based journalism graduate who
gleefully writes about everything
Indian – food, cricket, and
politics.
Sukh Sagar has become synonymous with vegetarianism
Sukh Sagar at JBR, Dubai
Westerners understand vegetarian
food better now.
July - August 2013
39
RESTAURANT GUIDE
RESTAURANT GUIDE
INDIAN CUISINE
INTERNATIONAL CUISINE
MOTI MAHAL
DELUX
Aroma and fragrance bring
back lingering memories of the
bygone Mughal era
KAATI
EXPRESS
GAZEBO
Cuisine: North Indian, Biryani Timings: 10 AM to
12 Midnight Telephone Number: 04-2566999
Address: Level 2, Next to Mango, City Court,
Deira City Center Area, Dubai Prices / Offers:
AED 130 for two Unlicensed
ERIC’S
Cuisine: Goan, Mughlai, Chinese, Thai Timings:
11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, 6:30 PM to 11:45
PM Telephone Number: 04-396-4447 Address:
Ground Level, Block B2, Street 10B, Sheikh
Hamdan Colony, Al Karama, Dubai Prices /
Offers: AED 80 for two Unlicensed
The Delhi-famed Moti Mahal Delux
Restaurant, awarded The 2013 Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor for
being amongst the top-performing 10%
of all businesses worldwide on TripAdvisor, specializes in Mughlai cuisine
and is located in the heart of Dubai.
Connoisseurs of Mughlai delicacies and
originators of Chicken Makhani, Dal Makhani,
Tandoori Chicken and a delicious spread of
other mouthwatering dishes. Each dish is an
original replica of the hugely famous Moti
Mahal Delux of Delhi since 1959. Aroma and
fragrance bring back lingering memories of
the bygone Mughal era. Get the exquisite
taste now.
A fast growing chain, it has established its
branches across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras alKhaimah, Kuwait, Lebanon and London.
Phone:
Ras Al Kaimah : 07- 2281885
Dubai
: 04 - 358990
Abu Dhabi
: 02 - 6742121
TII Readers can avail 25%
Discount using this coupon at any
Moti Mahal Deluxe outlets.
*Only one coupon per visit is redeemable
*Coupon validity 90 days from July 1st 2013
KAATI EXPRESS USES
THE AUTHENTIC AND
HEALTHIEST OF INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THEIR
KAATI ROLLS. TASTE ONE
AND YOU WILL KNOW
THAT THIS COMES FROM
SOMEONE WHO LOVES
GOOD FOOD.
Tucked away in the block behind
Park Regis Hotel in Karama lies
Kaati Express a quaint little joint
offering a mind- boggling and lip
smacking variety of kaati rolls,
kebabs and bohridum biryani.
Opened since 2011 it was the
owner’s love for food and the
unavailability of “that” perfect
Kaati Roll anywhere in Dubai or in
the Emirates that pushed him to
recreate the taste of the famous
kaati rolls, from back home India,
in Dubai .
CALL 04 358 27 33 /
050 788 56 31
FREE HOME DELIVERY
40
SHIRAZ GOLDEN RESTAURANT
Cuisine: Mughlai Timings: 12 Noon to 4 PM, 6
PM to 11 PM Telephone Number: 04-3589818
Address: Next to Grand Midwest Hotel, Behind
Barjuman Centre, Khalid Bin Al Waleed, Dubai
Prices / Offers: AED 90 for two , A delicious
presentation of indian cooking at its finest
Unlicensed
ASHA’S
Cuisine: North Indian, Mughlai Timings: 12:30
PM to 3 PM, 7 PM to 12 Midnight Telephone
Number: 04-324 4100 Address: Level 1, Pyramids , Wafi, OudMetha, Wafi City, Dubai Prices
/ Offers: AED 320 for two Unlicensed
D’FUSION
Cuisine: Multi Cuisine, North Indian, Latin
American Timings: 7:30 PM to 1 AM Telephone
Number: 04-3716666
Address: The Grandeur Hotel, Ground Level,
Behind Mall of the Emirates, Barsha 1, Dubai
Prices / Offers: AED 250 for two Licensed
CHUTNEYS
Cuisine: North Indian Timings: 12 Noon to 3 PM,
7 PM to 11 PM Telephone Number: 04-447
4300 Address: Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments
Bur Dubai, OudMetha, Dubai Prices / Offers:
AED 300 for two Licensed
MANVAAR
Cuisine: Rajasthani, North Indian
Timings: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 12 Midnight Telephone Number: 04-3368332 Address:
Opposite Reem Residency, Near Fish Market,
Al Karama, Dubai Prices / Offers: AED 100 for
two Unlicensed
INDEGO BY VINEET
Cuisine: Indian Timings: 7 PM to 12 Midnight (FriWed), 7 PM to 1 AM (Thur) Telephone Number:
04- 317 6000 Address: Grosvenor House,
Lobby Level, Tower 1, Dubai Marina, Dubai
Prices / Offers: AED 700 for two Licensed
Listings change. Restaurants are invited to be listed
permanently in TII’s directory
CHOR BAZAAR
Cuisine: North Indian Timings: 7 PM to 11 PM
Telephone Number: 04- 444 5445 Address: Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate, Ground Level,
Next to IbnBatuta Mall, Dubai Prices / Offers:
TEATRO
Cuisine: Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Italian
Timings: 6 PM to 2 AM Telephone Number:
04-3438000 Address: Towers Rotana, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx AED
400 for two Licensed
SPECTRUM ON ONE
Cuisine: Spectrum On One Timings: 6 PM to
1 AM Telephone Number: 04-3325555 Address: Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx AED 500 for two
Licensed
WAFI GOURMET
Cuisine: Lebanese, Arabian Timings: 10 AM to
10 PM Telephone Number: 04-3244433 Address:
Wafi, OudMetha, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx
AL IWAN
Cuisine: Arabian Timings: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM,
6 PM to 12 Midnight Telephone Number: 043017600 Address: Burj Al Arab, Umm Suqeim,
Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx AED 800 for two
Licensed
CELEBRITIES
Cuisine: Continental Timings: 8 AM to 10:30 AM,
7 PM to 11 PM Telephone Number: 04-3999999
Address: One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
Marina, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx AED 501
for two Licensed
CREEK CRUISES
Cuisine: Steakhouse, Australian Timings: 7 PM
to 12 Midnight Telephone Number: 04-3939860
Address: Deira, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx AED
MERIDIEN VILLAGE
Cuisine: Asian, American, Latin American, Multi
Cuisine Timings: 8 PM to 11 PM Telephone
Number: 04-217 0000 Address: Le Meridien
Dubai, Garhoud, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx
AL DAWAAR AT HYATT REGENCY DUBAI
Cuisine: European, Middle Eastern, Asian,
Japanese Timings: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, 6:30
PM to 12 Midnight Telephone Number: 04 317
2222 Address: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Level 25,
Naif, Dubaii Prices / Offers: Approx AED 400 for
two Licensed
FAZARIS
Cuisine: International Timings: 06:30 AM to 11
AM, 12 Noon to 4 PM, 6:30 PM to 11 PM
Telephone Number: 04-4368888 Address: Downtown Burj Dubai, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx
AED 500 for two
BEACH BAR & GRILL AT ONE &ONLY ROYAL
MIRAGE
Cuisine: Contemporary European International
Seafood Timings: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM, 7 PM
to 11:30 PM Telephone Number: 04-399 9999
Address: One & Only Royal Mirage, The Palace,
Al Sufouh Road, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx
THE
FISHERMANS
WHARF
BLUE FLAME AT JUMEIRAHCREEKSIDE HOTEL
Cuisine: International Seafood Steakhouses
Timings: 06:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM to 3
PM, 6 PM to 11 PM Telephone Number: 04-230
8565 Address: JumeirahCreekside Hotel, Mezzanine Level, Near Century Village, Garhoud,
Dubai UAE Prices / Offers: Approx AED 400 for
two Licensed
BLUE ORANGE
Cuisine: International Timings: 7 AM to 10:30
AM, 12:30 PM to 3 PM, 6 PM to 10:30 PM
Telephone Number: 04-399 4141 Address:
Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort, Dubai
Marina, Dubai UAE Prices / Offers: Approx AED
SAFFRON AT ATLANTIS THE PALM
Cuisine: Malaysian, Asian, Sea Food, International Timings: 7 AM to 11:30 AM (Sat-Thur), 7 AM
to 11 AM (Fri), 6 PM to 11:30 PM (Sat-Thur),
7 PM to 11:30 PM (Fri) Telephone Number: 044262626 Address: Atlantis, West Royal Towers,
Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx
CABANA
Cuisine: International Timings: 11 PM to 11:30
PM, 12 Midnight to 2 AM Telephone Number:
04-438 8888 Address: The Address, Level 3,
BurjKhalifa Area, DubaiUAE Prices / Offers: Approx AED 350 for two Licensed
CARAMEL RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
Cuisine: Asian Fusion International Timings: 11
AM to 2 AM (Sun-Thu), 7 PM to 2 AM (Fri-Sat)
Telephone Number: 04-399 4141 Address: Level
2, Precinct Building 3, DIFC, Dubai Prices / Offers: Approx AED 400 for two Licensed
GLASSHOUSE BRASSERIE
Cuisine: International Vegetarian Timings: 7 AM to
11 PM Telephone Number: 04-2127551 Address:
Hilton Dubai Creek, Restaurant Level, Baniyas
Road, DubaiUAE Prices / Offers: Approx AED
We’re finally here!
The Fishermans Wharf is proud to announce that it has launched in Dubai
at the Dubai Marina bringing the best
fusion sea food to Dubai. Situated at
Marina View Tower 2, the restaurant
features both indoor and outdoor dining
with exciting views of the Dubai Marina.
Signature dishes include Prawn Cocktail, Thick Salmon Carpaccio, Lobster
Thermidor, Seafood Risotto, Thai Fish
Curry and Goan Prawn Curry. Pick from
our fresh catch of the day, and watch
our chefs create a mouth watering dish
just for you.
We combine a spirited atmosphere and
delicious food with wonderful customer
service to offer one of the best dining
experiences around.
Marina View Tower – II,
Dubai Marina
P.O. Box 115785
Dubai, U.A.E.
Call: +971 800 8393 ,
+ 971508778752
July - August 2013
41
TII’s DINING OUT DIRECTORY
TII’s DINING OUT DIRECTORY
Pick your favorite Indian and international
restaurants in Dubai, from TII’s directory!
INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP
DIASPORA
MICHAEL HYATT
EKTA R. GARG
THE
SECRET
Desi Girl in an
American World
TO BECOMING
AWESOME
People have preconceived notions about
people especially where the
issue of their accent is concerned.
A
few months ago as I ate
my lunch the phone
rang. I answered and
listened patiently as the
caller introduced herself
as a representative of an insurance
company. Solicitous calls like this
happen every day in the States, and
through the years I’ve become adept
at kindly but firmly turning down
any “special offers” or “amazing deals”
and letting the caller know that
we don’t need his/her company’s
services.
This insurance rep had the same
goal in mind, and I let her hesitate
over my name as she tried valiantly
to pronounce it correctly. After
listening to her attempts, I provided
her with the American pronunciation
of “Ekta” and accepted her
compliment of my name. I’ve gotten
compliments on it before, although
why it fascinates Americans so much
I don’t know.
“So what’s the origin of your
name?” the rep asked.
“My parents migrated here from
India about forty years ago,” I told
her, my standard explanation, “but
I was born and grew up here in the
States.”
“Wow,” she said. “You don’t have
an accent or anything.”
I sighed internally. Did she miss
the part when I said I was born here?
42
Probably so. People often just look
at my skin color or read my name
and assume that I’m a recent arrival
to this country.
Let me dispel the notion of
racism, however, at least where
my own personal experience is
concerned. I’ve heard about it,
studied it, and even feared it when
I landed in Chicago a handful of
days after the September 11 attacks
to begin my master’s degree. But
I’m truly blessed that I’ve never
experienced it.
That doesn’t mean people don’t
have preconceived notions about
me, especially where the issue of an
accent is concerned.
Once an airport employee
commented, “Your English is very
good.”
Normally I’m not one for snide
remarks. But after a long flight and
just wanting to get home and into a
hot shower, I couldn’t help myself.
“It should be,” I said icily, “I grew
up here.”
I didn’t bother to wait for her
reaction. I’m a former spelling bee
champion drilled for hours on not
only how to spell words but how
to pronounce letters. Ds and Ts
can sound alike as can Bs and Ps,
and that can make the difference
between winning and losing. With
all that practice and hard work of
making sure my pronunciation came
out crystal clear, I felt offended that
this airport employee could make an
assumption about me based on the
way I looked.
As I’ve matured and come to
understand better the cosmopolitan
nature of our country and our world
(especially in the Internet age,) I
realize that I probably shouldn’t have
snapped at that woman. But I still
wish people wouldn’t just assume
they know things about me because
of my ethnic heritage. “Don’t judge a
book by its cover,” I like to think.
On the other hand, it’s fun to
throw people off. I know when they
see me in a salwar kameez wearing
a mangalsutra they instantly form
an impression, and when I open my
mouth and my perfect American
English flows that impression gets
obliterated. That’s why when the
insurance rep called I didn’t come
back at her with a snarky comment. I
simply accepted her point about not
having an accent, let her know that
we were very happy with our own
insurance company, and ended the
call.
Ekta Garg lives in Salt Lake
City, Utah, she has an MSJ
in magazine publishing from
Northwestern University, and
blogs at www.thewriteedge.
wordpress.com
Michael Hyatt
N
obody wants to lead an average
life—at least nobody I talk to.
But it’s easy to do. We get lulled
into a coma of ease and familiarity. Then
we medicate our boredom and futility
with entertainment. Before we know
it, half our life is spent and we’ve done
practically nothing important.
Jon Acuff’s new book, Start, is the
perfect alarm to wake us up and help
us pursue a truly meaningful calling.
The subtitle says it all: Punch Fear in the
Face, Escape Average, and Do Work that
Matters.
Starting with Dave Ramsey, Jon
looked at people who’ve succeeded in
their chosen fields and noticed a pretty
clear pattern. It’s a five-stage journey he
calls ‘the road to awesome.’
1. Learning: This is where we all start.
It’s a time of experimentation and
exploration when we try a lot of
different paths and approaches.
We rack up experience and start
getting a sense of what works and
doesn’t work for us.
2.
Editing: Here’s where we start
applying that sense, where we
start dropping the things that
drain our energy or don’t fit our
aptitude and passions. Jon says
that it’s about getting focus and
finding the work that allows us to
be the best version of us, whatever
that happens to be.
3.
Mastering. Now it’s time to invest
in the best version of you. It’s
when we master our profession,
our calling, the particular brand of
awesome that we’re after.
4.
Harvesting. This stage is all about
the rewards of all our learning,
editing, and mastering. Don’t
confuse this with laying back.
As Jon says, any farmer can tell
you that harvest time is when
you work the hardest. But it’s
also the time rewards are the
greatest. Personally, I feel like I’m
in this stage right now. I’ve never
worked harder, nor have my efforts
ever been more productive and
satisfying.
5.
Guiding. The final step on the
journey is to help others on the
path. Jon talks about how Dave
Ramsey has done this for him. I’ve
been intentional about mentoring
younger men in the same way. This
is the time to encourage, help, and
instruct.
There are no walls between these
stages. You might be in a place of heavy
learning and just beginning to edit
things down. You might be mastering
an area and really seeing the harvest
start to come in.
Jon Acuff’s new book,
Start, is the perfect alarm
to wake us up and help us
pursue a truly meaningful
calling.
We used to tie these stages to age–
learning in our twenties, editing in our
thirties, and so on. Start shows us that
today these stages are tied to our level
of engagement. You might be thirty and
finally starting to figure it out. You may
be fifty and looking to start something
new. It doesn’t matter. Whenever we
start, the point is to start. Anyone can do
it at any time.
Bestselling author Michael Hyatt
is the former Chairman of Thomas
Nelson, the 7th largest trade book
publishers in the U.S.
www. michaelhyatt.com
July - August 2013
43
SEE YOU AT THE TOP
FRANK RAJ
Rahul Singh, GM,
Thrifty Car Rental
Rahul and his team at Thrifty Car Rental
RAHUL SINGH:
STRADDLING DUBAI & DELHI FOR EIGHT YEARS
T
he story of the Indian
professional in the Gulf
has not really been told.
One mostly reads about
how Indians have played
a major role in the construction of
cities in the Arabian Gulf. But the fact
is that Indian managers have steered
the growth of many companies
in the region, undergirding and
establishing their trajectory to
success. Rahul Singh, General
Manager of Thrifty Car Rental, market
leader by far in the UAE, shares his
journey of accomplishment.
TII: What was your goal in
coming to the Gulf – any specific
objectives?
RS: After ten years in both India
and the U.S., I was looking to explore
other markets in the Asia Pacific or
the Middle East and the Al Moosa
Group, which is one of the largest
in the UAE presented an interesting
opportunity.
TII: What was your family
background in India?
RS: We were an upper middle
class family and as children we
led a fairly comfortable life. My
father always held senior corporate
44
positions, retiring as Executive
Director of Indian Cables.
TII: So financial goals were not
a major issue for you.
RS: Not really, but still at the
end of the day in India especially
in the 90’s, you didn’t save much
and eventually you want to secure
yourself financially. I firmly believe
that if you focus on the job at hand
and work hard you are bound to
excel. And both career growth and
money will follow.
TII: What was your first
assignment in Dubai?
RS: While I started off with
the Al Moosa Group in corporate
marketing, within a few months an
opportunity arose with Thrifty Car
Rental and since I always liked a
direct line responsibility I took it on.
TII: You’ve achieved success
not just in business; you overcame
a difficult personal situation. Can
you share some of the challenges
and the experience?
RS: In 2003 my wife and I
separated, my two small sons, eight
and six were left in my care. I felt that
as a single parent bringing them up
in Dubai without any support would
I firmly believe that if
one focuses on the job at
hand and works hard he
is bound to excel. Both
career growth and money
will follow.
have been difficult and since I have
a lot of family in India, I decided
to shift back to Delhi. My children
always came first and when my
marriage broke up I had to decide on
my priorities. For that my career had
to take a back seat.
TII: Was moving back to India a
wise decision?
RS: At that time most people
thought it was unwise, wondering
why I was leaving a good job, and
possibly getting into a bigger mess
than what I was already in! But my
priority had to be to look after my
kids. I was confident I would be
able to find something to do in
due course in India. My employers
the Al Moosa group were very
understanding about the situation
and even gave me a parting bonus, a
gesture I would always appreciate.
TII: But you rejoined Thrifty
very soon, how did that happen?
RS: As my replacement, I had
inducted a Canadian manager with
more than 20 years of experience
in the car rental business. Given his
track record I was quite confident
that he would be successful
in managing and growing the
company. But somehow things
didn’t work out for him and after my
being about five months in Delhi
the company contacted me to see if
I was interested in coming back. But
though I wasn’t doing anything on
the work front, on the personal side
my situation hadn’t really changed,
my children were still too small for
me to stay away from them.
TII: The Al Moosa Group took a
very different approach to solving
the problem...
RS: Yes, we met in Dubai to
explore how we could work together
again and agreed to a solution
that suited both of us. We decided
I would work one week in Dubai
and one week out of India! Every
alternate week, Sunday to Thursday
I would be in Dubai and the rest of
the time I would operate from Delhi.
Looking back it is difficult to believe
that this arrangement lasted for
eight years.
TII: Did you think you’d be
back in Dubai within six months of
leaving?
RS: Call it destiny I suppose, but
when I left Dubai I had no inkling
that I would ever come back. I never
imagined that my replacement who
had a wealth of experience would
not work out.
TII: After straddling Delhi and
Dubai for eight years, how does it
feel to be back in Dubai full time?
RS: My sons have since grown,
Devrath is 18, Prithvi is 16 and our
business has expanded considerably.
Thrifty continues to be the market
leader with a huge lead over the
competition. The business needed
me full time and being here on a
day to day basis certainly makes a
difference in a business like ours.
TII: In terms of market share
where is Thrifty today?
RS: Thrifty has about 15,000
vehicles at the moment while our
nearest competitor probably has
around 10,000 vehicles, so it’s a big
gap. When I joined Thrifty we were
probably number four or five, and
when I left in 2003 we were already
the market leaders and have since
maintained that position for more
than a decade now.
TII: Why did you decide to get
back to full time work?
RS: The owners had been
talking to me about coming back to
Dubai full time and all these years
they had been very understanding
about my personal situation. It was
only fair that I should get back on a
full time basis as soon as I could.
TII: With your experience you
must have had other options…
RS: Yes I could have certainly
explored other options. However
when you have an employer who
is so understanding and willing to
accommodate you for as many as
eight years in your difficult times,
its only appropriate to get back to
a regular working arrangement as
soon as you can.
TII: Would you say looking
back, you have achieved what you
wanted?
RS: I have definitely achieved
what I wanted, and my work still
provides me with great satisfaction.
TII: What is the main reason
you feel that way?
RS: The greatest satisfaction is
when you see your efforts bearing
fruit. Thrifty was once an ‘also-ran’
in the car rental business and now
besides having the largest fleet we
are probably the most profitable
company in our line of business. This
in spite of being up against not only
all major international players but
also a plethora of large local players
and a huge unorganized market.
TII: What is your work
philosophy?
RS: I feel that one has to be
passionate about work. If you are not
you will never be able to deliver your
best. If you are not motivated and
wanting to give your best you will
only be negative about everything
around you – your boss, your
colleagues or for that matter even
your customers.
TII: How do you feel when you
come to work?
RS: I look forward to coming
to work each day. It’s not that I
don’t take a break, if I don’t feel like
working for an hour or so I’ll take
a break, no big deal. But when I’m
Rahul Singh - passion is essential
there I’m fully involved, continuously
exploring what could be done to
better our business.
TII: What do you think of the
Indian expatriate community in the
Gulf?
July - August 2013
45
powered
by
Rahul Singh - calculated risks
RS: Despite some great success
stories my sense is that in general
people here seem to be very risk
averse; and they just do enough to
hang on to their jobs. As a result they
end up hardly trying anything new
in terms of venturing into new areas
or even new ways of doing the same
thing which is not very healthy for an
organization.
The way I see it, you can bring
about improvements in whatever
you may be doing. That’s one of
the reasons why I think we’ve been
so successful – Thrifty has been
delivering record profits for the last
13-14 years now. Each year we have
exceeded our profits, downturn or
no downturn. We not only had good
years when Dubai boomed, but also
through the financial crisis when the
market crashed.
TII: Does your management
style have anything to do with your
success?
RS: I’m quite comfortable taking
calculated risks when it comes to
taking decisions. My point is that
if we try to do ten things which we
think could be good for our business
and end up succeeding in say only
six of them, chances are that we
would be far better off as against
the other option of just not doing
anything.
TII: How would you describe
yourself?
RS: I’m the kind of person who
empathizes with others which helps
me understand and manage people
more effectively. I often reflect how
a lot of people who work for us have
left behind their families to earn a
Rahul Singh - integrity is the legacy
living in the Gulf. At home we have
a full time maid and I always tell my
kids to make her a part of the family,
and treat her with compassion.
Money is just one part of the whole
equation.
TII: What do you think helped
you overcome the personal crisis
you faced?
RS: I drew strength from my
spiritual beliefs but I also had plenty
of family support which made it
easier. That was the reason I left
Dubai because as a single parent I
knew I couldn’t do it alone. With two
parents the responsibilities at home
are shared and when it all falls on
one person it becomes difficult.
TII: What did you learn from
your personal crisis?
RS: I feel that adversity is a true
test of your character and when
you come out of it, it gives you a lot
more confidence and you feel much
stronger for the experience.
TII: You’ve been in and out of
India in a very unique way – what
are your views on life here and
there?
RS: The UAE is like a more
modern India with much better
infrastructure. We have the best of
both the worlds here – you can have
household help, order things from
your neighborhood grocer, live well
and in many ways life is so much
easier than in India.
Back home we struggle with
issues the government has created,
whether it’s the infrastructure
bottleneck or whatever. Perhaps not
so much now but still one cannot
take things like good roads, gas,
water, and electricity for granted as
we do here.
TII: Have you adjusted to the
extent that you cannot return to
India?
RS: Not really, I have spent so
much time in India that I have no
problem living there, though some
adjustments are inevitable. I have
lots of family in India and I think
lasting friendships from our school
and college days add to the quality
of life, so I look forward to that.
TII: What was your educational
background?
RS: I did the better part of my
schooling in Delhi, passing out
from Modern School. I finished a
BA Hons in Economics from SRCC,
and followed it up with an MBA
from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of
Management Studies in Mumbai in
1987, specializing in marketing.
TII: You worked briefly in the
U.S. - didn’t you want to stay on
there?
RS: It was a specific project
based assignment which finished in
about a year. Unlike a lot of people
I didn’t fancy living in America so
I never explored any possibilities
there.
TII: What is the legacy you will
leave for your sons?
RS: Integrity in an individual is
key; it’s the core of what I’m about
and that’s the way I would like to
be remembered. I think integrity
gives you a lot of conviction in doing
whatever you may be doing .
Frank Raj is TII’s founding editor
and publisher
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
T: +971 724 33 535
E: [email protected]
Al Jazeera / Al Hamra, PO Box 35102
www.eternity-technologies.com
46
LANGUAGE
NANDINI SIRCAR & FEBY IMTHIAS
THEIR ARABIC ADVANTAGE
It takes nearly 88 weeks
for an English speaker
to learn Arabic.
P
Farooq Sheikh-two years to learn
Abhishek Saha-video journalist
eople say learning a
language always adds
a feather to one’s cap.
But often these feathers
are not easy to acquire.
According to reports revealed by the
magazine Atlantic it takes nearly 88
weeks for an English speaker to learn
Arabic.
But for 32 year old Farooq
Sheikh who is from Mumbai,
not learning Arabic wasn’t really
an option. Farooq who is a CFA
by profession decided to quit his
previous job as an analyst and
switched over to a more promising
career in a government organisation
in UAE. Initially, he struggled to
get a foothold like any other job,
trying to establish himself in a new
environment. But he was quick
to realise that his problems were
coupled by the fact that he did not
know Arabic.
Surrounded by colleagues who
were primarily Arab nationals, he not
only found it difficult to understand
discussions in meetings and follow
instructions but he could not even
remember and pronounce their
names correctly which sometimes
led to embarrassment and offence. In
the beginning he heavily depended
on software that translated all local
documents into English verbatim.
But Sheikh realised this wasn’t a
long term solution to his problems
and he certainly didn’t want this to
be a handicap. Farooq recalls those
were days of much frustration. But
fighting against odds, someone
who isn’t naturally predisposed for
rapidly learning a foreign language,
he began with elementary classes.
Though, a Muslim, like many he
was unable to read the Quran in
Arabic. He said what he really found
different from English was that
there was no capital or small letters.
Farooq recalls, ‘certain consonants
joined only from the right side, and
some from both sides. The vocals
were sometimes written above or
beneath the consonant’.
But battling all these challenges,
over the next three months he did
learn basic Arabic which eased
things at work. And… while he
was content with this level of
Arabic knowledge, an unfortunate
48
day occurred when he could not
understand his client’s instructions,
resulting in his inability to provide
the expected deliverables. That
episode led to a major humiliation
for him. It then struck him fluency
in the language had now become
imperative.
Over the course of the next one
year Farooq was determined to get
into advanced levels so that he could
be adept at conversing and writing.
Even his Bangaladeshi house help
Chunnu, a blue collar worker who
had picked up the language at his
previous job,helped him practise
spoken Arabic. Two years went by
and Farooq was gradually being
acknowledged as a meritorious
employee. He was promoted to a
senior position in the company. This
success he now attributes to the
extra efforts he put in to learning the
language.
Abhishek Saha is a video
journalist with a television channel
in Dubai. His work entails major
travelling especially within GCC and
interaction with many on ground
zero. Having arrived from Delhi his
Hindi and English were sound. But
little did these help. Sometimes, he
felt not knowing the local language
either meant meanings lost in
translation or even a complete loss
of information. He remembers an
episode in Kuwait where his office
had made arrangements for his stay
along with a colleague. They were
on a short assignment shooting for a
documentary. After a tiring work day,
while his co-worker decided to hit
Zanjeer Hussain- UAE is like home
Rabeeba Zanjeer, Zain Zanjeer, Zanjeer Hussain and Nafisa
the bed, Abi instead wanted to take
a stroll outside, not realising that he
was wandering away from his den.
As he kept walking, he lost track of
time and when he realised it he was
unable to find his way back.
He could not remember the
name of the building where he was
staying and his mobile had no signal.
Some of the internal road signs
were in Arabic and the passers-by
he approached could only speak the
local language. After an exhausting
search for over two hours, he finally
bumped into a man who could only
understand broken English. The
Good Samaritan eventually proved
to be his saviour.
This episode he says was
a turning point in his life. He
immediately got back and hired
a private tutor who could teach
him the language. Of course, the
journey to any learning is steep.
His initial complains entailed that
the language consisted of symbols
completely different from the English
alphabet. The consonants in a word
were written together or separately
depending on their characteristics.
These things were difficult to
comprehend and memorize.
But Abi claims he was so geared
towards learning that he even
subscribed to an Arabic channel just
to listen to it everyday. He says, ‘I
put tonnes of effort into it, knowing
that you can only make progress in a
language if you work at it each day,
and try to learn the vocab’.
The real reward came when in
2011 he lost his job. After dabbling
in short term assignments for three
months, Abi was lucky to find a
full time job.This time he landed
in a place where knowledge of the
language was a compulsory clause.
In retrospect, he feels he owes the
job to the newly acquired skill.
After having spoken to these
men I stretch the truth a little
when I say they mastered it in just
twelve months, but I don’t mind
amplifying a little just to present
their accomplishments in a more
appealing light. Of course, it takes
years of effort and constant practice
to learn a foreign language more so
when it’s rated as one of the most
difficult languages to learn in the
world.
But for those who do claim to
learn it in less than a year, and who
do indeed achieve such a feat are
best kept deep underground for
brain experiments. All I need to do
now is to challenge my own limits to
complete what I’ve left undone.
The Beauty of Arabic
Does knowing the Arabic
language really help you climb
careers ladders in the UAE? Feby
Imthias explored the advantages of
learning conversational Arabic.
Most expatriates living in the
UAE are unable to speak or read
Arabic because they find it daunting
Arabic is the world’s 4th
most spoken language
after Mandarin, Spanish
and English with 400
million native speakers.
to learn a language that is both
beautiful and intimidating at the
same time. The Arab world has a
largely English speaking population
which makes it easier for expats to
get by without having to grapple
with the intricacy of learning and
practicing an ancient and rich
language.
Yet Arabic is the 4th most
spoken language in the world after
Mandarin, Spanish and English
with more than 400 million native
speakers.
Zanjeer Hussain is an
Electronics and Telecommunications
Engineer who works as a Business
Analyst with Weatherford
International.
He is a linguaphile and knows
fluent Arabic besides Urdu, Tamil,
Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam, a bit of
Tagalog and is taking baby steps to
learning Spanish. “The UAE is like
home for me, probably just like any
other person who was born and
bought up here,” says this second
generation Indian expat whose
father, Zakeer Hussain works with
July - August 2013
49
LANGUAGE
L-R: Arya Menon, Dr.Roshni Bhaskaran, and Anirudh Menon
Emirates Post and has been in the
UAE since the 80s.
“I learnt Arabic as a subject at
school but dealt with the nuances
of conversation from my father
who speaks Arabic effortlessly and
always encouraged me to do the
same. The rest of it was learnt from
my Arab neighbors and soccer
mates at Satwa Sheikh Colony in
Dubai. It’s a beautiful language and
it is absolutely sensible to learn the
language of the land we live in,”
urges Zanjeer.
Music is a big part of Zanjeer’s
life. He is a music composer/
producer and does music direction,
production for ads, short films
and serials in Indian languages in
his spare time. His more popular
music includes the title remix song
of ‘Chumma-Just Fun’ serial on
Amrita TV, jingle for the Microsoft
Bizspark Campaign in India, ‘Take
off’ a short film by the Folksmedia
Company, ‘Leave Me Behind’ by 4Cast
productions, which was screened
and nominated for the best short
film Armani Pavilion, BurjKhalifa and
the Beat 100 silver award for the best
original song -’All I’ve gotta say.’
“Knowing to speak the Arabic
language makes a big difference. I
am able to reach out to a wider social
circle from different countries and
being comfortable with them helps
me be more creative, “ says Zanjeer.
“I am working on an Arabic song
which is currently in production. It
will be sung by the popular Egyptian
singer, Ahmed Eldeberky. I love
Arabic music. Apart from that, my
upcoming single is a Swahili-English
song called “Taifa” meaning People.
It is about peace, love and unity
and every dollar per download from
itunes will be donated to Africa.”
Knowing Arabic has helped
Zanjeer meet a lot of new people.
Being an IT professional in this
region, the language has helped him
whenever he travels around MENA
which is a part of his job.
“I am a frequent traveler. Many
people have mistaken me for an
Arab or Arabic speaking North
African. I deal with many native
Arabic speakers in my day to day
life and my ability to speak this
language has paved the way to
many new professional and personal
relationships.”
He explains, “It is a very unique
and delicate language. There
is an elegance and style in the
Arabic language which has always
fascinated me since my childhood.
My mother, Zulaikha Hussain, taught
me the Arabic Tajweed. I will always
be grateful to my parents and this
country for the skills and blessings it
has given me. “
Dr.Roshni Bhaskaran, BDS,
MDS is a specialist prosthodontist
with the Dr Sunny Medical Centre,
Shahba, in Sharjah.
Dr. Roshni comes from a very
conservative Kerala background and
has done her medical education
entirely in South India. She has no ties
with the Gulf region to boast about
when speaking of Arabic. Yet she
learnt the spoken Arabic language
purely by talking to her patients and
through patience. It took her more
than two years to become a fluent
communicator in Arabic but now she
does it with élan.
“I have never done any Arabic
speaking course. My sole motivation
to learn spoken Arabic was the
helplessness I faced when dealing
with my patients. I couldn’t establish a
bond with them and the Emiratis were
unable to communicate their ailments
to me. I had a nurse who could speak
a few broken Arabic words. I started
with that and slowly built on it. I was
fortunate to have some lovely patients
who had the patience to teach me.”
For a non-Muslim like Roshni,
learning a foreign language that
is deemed tough was extremely
rewarding. Her patients sigh with relief
to find an Indian doctor speaking their
own language. Initially Roshni mixed
up the genders in Arabic grammar but
she attributes her success in learning
the language to the great loving
community of Emiratis who never
made her feel uncomfortable when
she got stuck.
“I have been in the UAE since 2003.
I never felt the need to learn Arabic
initially when I joined a clinic that
had a largely Indian clientele. After I
joined DSMC in 2008 with its majority
of Arabic patients I decided to learn
the language. It turned out to be a fun
and challenging experience. It was
definitely worth the time put in.”
Nandini Sircar is a freelance writer
based in Dubai; Feby Imthias
is an independent newspaper
correspondent based in Abu
Dhabi.
50
DIASPORA
SHAMLAL PURI
FLUCTUATING FORTUNES OF
BRITAIN’S ASIAN BILLIONAIRES
Britain’s Asian billionaires have a strong presence in the 2013 Sunday Times Rich List. They are
among1,000 tycoons from the UK and rest of the world who share £450 billion.
SHAMLAL PURI picks the winners and losers among the wealthy NRIs.
Lord Swaraj Paul of Caparo
The Hinduja brothers Srichand (seated)
and Gopi (standing behind him):
Richest Indians in Britain.
The silver jubilee edition of the Sunday
Times Rich List released in April 2013
Steel magnate Laxmi Mittal topples
from the top into fourth position.
he Hinduja brothers Sri
Chand and Gopi are
the richest Indians in the
United Kingdom while
the steel magnate Laxmi
Mittal’s wealth has plummeted
dramatically down the ranks of the
elite club, the 2013 Sunday Times
Rich List has revealed.
The Hindujas, ranked the third
richest in the UK, are worth £10.6
billion. Their fortunes increased
from £8.6 billion in 2012 due to
acquisitions and the permission to
build a power plant in India.
The high profile Mittal, who
secured the richest man in Britain
spot for eight consecutive years
from 2005 to 2012, slipped down to
the fourth position when his £12.7
billion fortune plummeted to £10
billion. He lost £2.7 billion in one year
due to growing problems with his
steel empire which employs 245,000
people globally.
First published in 1989, the
annual Sunday Times Rich List is a
definitive guide to wealth in Britain
and Ireland. It is compiled by Philip
Beresford.
The top slot this year is taken
by Russian Alisher Usmanov whose
mining and investment wealth
is estimated at £13.3 billion. His
fortune rose by just under £3 billion
in the last year. In fact, Russians rule
the Rich List this year.
“Britain’s wealthiest people are
richer than they have ever been in
the past twenty-five years with a
combined fortune of £450 billion,”
notes the List.
This year’s Rich List has ten
billionaires and 44 millionaires from
the Indian sub-continent and British
Asians from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
and Malawi, among other nations.
Other risers on the list include
the Arora brothers Simon, Bobby and
Robin whose discount chain B & M
Stores increased their turnover by
126% to £613 million and a wealth
valuation of £1.1 billion, placing
them in the 73rd position in the list.
Robin Arora, who is aged only
28, becomes the “the first person
under 30 to join the Rich List’s
billionaire class.”
Ravi Ruia, one of the leading
Indian industrialists now based in
London is worth £2.5 billion. With his
India-based brother Shashi, he runs
the Essar group that has sales of £17
billion in 25 countries.
Anil Agarwal, whose mining
interests through his Vedanta
T
52
Resources metals to oil group, is
worth £2.2 billion. Agarwal, 60,
floated Vedanta on the London stock
market and lives in UK.
On the 38th position is Lord
Swaraj Paul of the Caparo steel and
engineering group with a fortune
worth £2 billion. His wealth rose
by £1.15 billion last year through
improved returns. Lord Paul, a
Labour peer, came to Britain from
India in 1966 seeking treatment for
his daughter’s leukaemia. She died
two years later. He set up the Ambika
Paul Foundation in her memory to
promote child welfare.
Indian-born Sri Prakash Lohia,
who is an Indonesian citizen, is
worth £1.89 billion earned through
his plastics and textiles interests,
putting him in the 39th position. He
is married to Seema, who is the steel
magnate Laxmi Mittal’s sister. Lohia
is planning to spend more time in
London as he expands his business
empire there.
Indus Gas owned by the
London-based Ajay Kalsi lost £100
million last year from its £1.5 billion
fortune but the family is confident
of recouping their losses through
increased gas production at its SGL
field in the Indus Valley straddling
eastern Pakistan with western India.
Medicines have occupied a
big space in Indian-born Yusuf
Hamied’s life. After spending
half a century with the Indian
pharmaceuticals firm Cipla founded
by his father in Mumbai, Yusuf has
retired as managing director at the
age of 76. He champions affordable
medicines and Cipla, of which he
remains a non-executive chairman,
makes a range of generic medicines.
Yusuf, who spends his time between
Mumbai and London, is worth £1.26
billion.
Hospitality giant Dr Jasminder
Singh, 62, holds 106th position
through his Edwardian Hotels group.
He has a fortune of £836 million,
up by £409 million from last year.
His group owns a chain of 14 luxury
hotels in Britain under the brand
name of Radisson Edwardian.
Jasminder was born in Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania in 1951 but his
family moved to Kenya. He arrived
in Britain from Nairobi in 1970 to
be an accountant and later entered
the hotel business with a relative.
Edwardian was established after he
bought the interests of his uncle.
After qualifying as a Chartered
Accountant, he founded the
Edwardian Group in 1977 and led
it to join with Radisson in 1993 to
become the Radisson Edwardian
Hotels group. He was honoured
with a Doctorate by the University
of Stirling. The Queen awarded an
OBE to him in 2007 for services to the
British hotel industry.
NRIs Ranjit and Baljinder
Boparan have a lot of worries on
their plate. Though worth £700
million, recent concern over traces
of horsemeat is expected to have an
impact on their 2 Sisters food group,
notes the Sunday Times report. Their
West Midlands-based company is
valued at £600 million.
The couple, both 46, have
other business interests including
the Harry Ramsden fish and chips
shop chain and real estate property
investments.
Navin Engineer arrived in Britain
from Kenya in 1969 with £75 (Sh.
9,500) in his pocket and a burning
desire to work for himself. His father
worked in the Kenyan civil service for
many years.
To support himself while
studying pharmacy, Navin worked
at a Wimpy burger restaurant in
Oxford Street of London. He owned
14 pharmacies but wanted to climb
the ladder even higher. With his wife
Varsha, he founded Chemidex, a
pharmaceutical wholesaler, in Surrey,
specialising in branded and generic
medicines. They are worth £620
million and rank 145th in the list.
Raj Matharu and his brothers
Harpal and Tony have made their
fortune converting empty offices
into hotels and are now enjoying the
fruits of their efforts. Valued at £555.3
million, their company Globalgrange
operates 15 hotels in central London
with sales of £108.3 million.
Naresh Goyal, who owns
Jet Airways, is worth £515 million,
though the Sunday Times values the
carrier at £625 million. His planned
sale of 24% stake to the UAE national
carrier Etihad in a $300 million
deal has aroused a lot of interest in
aviation circles. Goyal lives between
London and Mumbai.
July - August 2013
53
DIASPORA
Kenyan-born brothers Bhiku
and Vijay Patel have a true ragsto-riches tale. They were brought
up in poverty in Eldoret, western
Kenya. Vijay came to Britain at the
age of 16 with £5 in his pocket and a
secondary school education. He took
some menial jobs to pay through his
high school and College of Pharmacy
education in Leicester.
The brothers built a multimillion pound business empire,
supplying medicines to hospitals
and pharmacies through their
pharmaceutical company Waymade
Healthcare. Last year the company
had a fortune of £450 million. They
employ 700 people with a turnover
of £280 million.
This year’s Rich List has seen
a dramatic 71 per cent fall in their
estimated fortune, now valued at
£130 million following the sale of
some parts of their Essex-based
pharmaceutical business. Last
October they sold Amdipharm to a
private equity firm for £365 million.
But the Patels have not forgotten
India. They fund charity projects in
the land of their ancestors.
The Uganda-born Jatania
brothers – George, Vin, Danny
and Mike – are worth £400 million.
The Jatanias have slipped down the
Sunday Times Rich List following the
sale of their Lornamead business.
They are in the 224th position on
the list because their fortune of
£760 million plummeted by £360
million last year. They own a property
portfolio worth £220 million.
The Jatanias made their fortune
from toiletries largely by acquiring
unwanted brands from bigger
multinationals such as Yardley and
Vosene. Their grandfather had
emigrated from Rawal in Gujarat to
East Africa in the early part of the last
century and was eventually joined in
Uganda by his family. They arrived in
Britain in 1970.
Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia fled
Uganda with his family during the
1972 exodus when the dictator Idi
Amin threw out Indians. Sukhpal
was 13. He grew up in London and
worked on stalls in Liverpool Street
and Petticoat Lane markets selling
small items. He developed a keen
interest in the automobile industry
and at 18 was offered a chance to
buy Highway Autos, a car parts shop
in north London that had gone into
bankruptcy. He borrowed £5,000
Rags to riches tale of Vijay and Bhiku Patel of Waymade.
54
from his family and got a bank loan
to start Euro Car Parts in London in
1978.
After that there was no looking
back. His company, headquartered
in Wembley, north-west London,
became the largest distributor of
aftermarket car and van parts in
the UK. It established 132 branches
nationwide serving 98 per cent of
the UK’s population. It has an annual
turnover of £400 million and over
5,300 employees serving some
120,000 commercial customers.
Ahluwalia sold his company
to the US multinational giant LQK
Corporation of Chicago for an initial
sum of £225 million with a potential
increase of £55 million in earn outs.
He continues as managing director
of Euro Car Parts even after its sale
to the US car parts giant, which
is the world’s largest supplier of
automotive parts.
The Sikh is worth £300 million
and ranks 277th in the Rich List.
Shiraz Tejani ran a successful
coffee business in Uganda before
being forced to flee Idi Amin’s
regime. In 2012, Tejani and his
family were worth £150 million in
the 2012 Rich List. Their fortune was
generated through the Leicesterbased LPC Group, the UK’s largest
independent manufacturer of
tissue-based products. The company
was established in 1980 originally
to supply local shops with paper
products and tissues. At one time
it employed 1,200 workers. The
successful firm was sold to the
Sofidel Group in a £120 million deal.
This year the Tejani family’s interests
have gone down the scale of the Rich
List to the 572nd position because of
their other loss-making assets, says
the report.
Firoz Kassam earned his £214
million fortune from his hotels and
property businesses. The Tanzanianborn 58-year old businessman was
valued at £217 million last year and
Ravi Ruia (right) and his brother Shashi
lost £3 million from his assets. He
made his fortune buying run-down
hostels and hotels and was paid by
the Government to house homeless
and asylum seekers.
Kassam is the former owner
of Oxford United FC spent £25
million in 2012 to buy the 1.6 acre
Hornbeam estate in Hampstead
which he plans to turn into a
Billionaire’s Row.
He owns the multi-million
pound luxury hotel and spa with an
18-hole championship golf course
at the historic site of Heythorp Park.
The Heythorp Park Hotel Golf and
Country Club has a total of 287
bedrooms.
NRI Moni Varma arrived in
Britain from Malawi many years ago.
He founded Veetee Rice and rose
among the ranks of millionaires.
Today he is worth £212 million.
He plans to float Veetee with an
estimated £200 million price tag,
which will catapult him from his
current 373rd position.
Another Malawi Asian family,
Rashid and Aziz Tayub are also
celebrating their presence in the
First published in 1989, the annual Sunday
Times Rich List is a definitive guide to wealth
in Britain and Ireland. It is compiled by Philip
Beresford. This year’s Rich List has ten billionaires
and 44 millionaires from the Indian sub-continent
and British Asians from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
and Malawi, among other nations.
Rich List. They are worth £210 million
through their Poundstretcher retail
chain and Crown Crest property and
distribution company in Leicester.
London-based Diwan Rahul
Nanda has made his money offering
business services. After successfully
running Tops Security Guard in
Mumbai, he set his eyes on the
British company Shield Guarding. He
is worth £187 million.
Money is big business for Firoz
Tejani of Lenlyn Holdings. The
foreign exchange expert is worth
£120 million through his forex
operations in London. His company
has sales of £831 million, netting a
profit of £12.1 million.
Shamlal Puri is a veteran
British journalist, broadcaster,
authorand press photographer,
is a Contributing Editor of TII.
He has worked with the media
in Europe, Africa, Asiaand the
Middle East. His novels ‘Dubai
on Wheels: The Slippery Road to
Success’and ‘Triangle of Terror’
(Diamond Books) are acclaimed
bestsellers. His nextnovel ‘The
Illegals’ (Crownbird Publishers)
will be published this year.
He has travelled to more than
100 countries in an illustrious
journalistic careerspanning
30 years. His work has been
published in more than 250
magazines,newspapers and
journals around the world.
July - August 2013
55
Healthcare
Al Zahra Hospital
PAEDIATRIC ENDOCRINE DISORDERS
NEW TREATMENT IN AL ZAHRA
Q. What is Paediatric
Endocrinology?
Endocrinology is the science
of circulating and locally acting
hormones, the glandular system
which produces them, their roles
in health and disease. Paediatric
endocrinologists provide treatment,
diagnostic and laboratory analysis
in a range of humoral and metabolic
conditions of infants, children and
young adults.
Q.What does Al Zahra offer?
A comprehensive and best
standard of care for children and
young adults with endocrine
problems including consultation,
hormonal tests, hormonal and other
treatments, patient education,
follow up and monitoring of various
conditions including:
Type 1/Type 2 Diabetes,Growth,
Obesity, Thyroid, Pubertal
disorders, Hypoglycaemia, Pituitary
and Adrenal, Bone and Lipid
Metabolism.
Q. Why is it important to
correctly diagnose and treat these
conditions by an expert?
Paediatric endocrinology is a
highly specialised field dealing with
complex organs that control intricate
actions like maintaining body energy
levels,reproduction,growth and
sexual development, responses
to stress and bone physiology.
So it is extremely important that
abnormalities of these sensitive
mechanisms are accurately
diagnosed and appropriately treated.
Q. Can you give a brief
overview of some of the
conditions managed?
Dibetes Mellitus (DM):
Diabetes occurs when the
pancreas, a gland behind the
56
stomach, does not produce enough
of the hormone insulin, or the
body can’t use insulin properly.
Symptoms include passing more
urine frequently, drinking too much
water and weight loss, weakness and
lethargy, often present for weeks
before diagnosis. About ¼ present
with “Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)”,
a serious form being very unwell,
sometimes in “coma”. It is important
to recognize these symptoms early
and seek medical advice.
Two Types of Diabetes:
Type 1 DM : Pancreas makes
very little or no insulin-most often
seen in children, can occur at any
age. It is treated with synthetic
insulin with different modes of
action using various devices
including pump.
Type 2 DM- Recent increase
because of increase in obesity
among children. Obesity leads to
insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes is
treated with oral agents.
Diet and physical activity are very
importantin controlling diabetes.
Growth Failure
Includes conditions like Short
stature, Growth hormone deficiency,
Turner’s etc which can be due to
hormonal deficiency and is treatable
Pubertal Problems:
Puberty is a process during
which children go through physical
changes to develop into adults. The
2 conditions commonly seen and
treated with hormones are:
• Precocious puberty: early onset
leading to reduced final height
and early periods in girls but often
an underlying etiology like brain
abnormalities.
• Delayed puberty:can be
constitutional or due to hormonal
Dr K. Gupta, Al Zahra Hospital
problems or genetic causes
Thyroid:
Thyroid is a gland situated in the
neck producing a hormone called
thyroxine which is very important
for brain development and other
important metabolic functions.
Abnormalities include:
• Hypothyroidism, underactive
gland with decreased metabolism
and may be present from birth
(congenital hypothyroidism) or
appear later during childhood,
adolescence or adulthood (acquired).
• Hyperthyroidism,overactive
gland with increased metabolism
due to autoimmunity.
Both need prompt treatment
Adrenal :
Adrenal gland is situated on
the top of the kidneys producing
hormones cortisol(stress),
aldosterone (salt retaining) and
androgen (male sex hormone).
Various genetic defects can lead to
problems in production of these
hormones,usually presents with
ambiguous genitalia in females and
salt amnormalities in males. Prompt
diagnosis and treatment is vital
Pituatary :
Pituitary, the master gland is
situated in the midline of our brain
producing various hormones which
control other glands in our body.
Deficiency or excess of one or more
of these hormones may occur and
again prompt treatment is essential.
July - August 2013
57
REAL ESTATE
COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL INDIA RESEARCH
Bengaluru Residential Market
HEAT’S UP
O
ver the last two
decades, Bengaluru has
cemented its position
as the leading IT/ITeS.
destination amongst
top Indian cities. In 2012, Bengaluru
commanded a 30% market-share
of all of the commercial (office) real
estate absorbed across the top seven
cities (Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune,
Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata).
Bengaluru’s commercial absorption
share was greater than Mumbai and
Delhi NCR. The increase in jobs has
been the primary growth-driver
for residential real estate. The city’s
population is expected to exceed 12
million by 2020, as compared to 8.5
million in 2011.
Now of course the city
is experiencing a surge in
investors buying real estate.
In spite of increasing prices,
the city still is comparatively
affordable compared to other
major cities such as Mumbai
and Delhi. With its higher rental
yields and favourable currency
exchange rates, Bengaluru is
emerging as one of the most
promising markets in the country
for Residential investment.
Moreover, the professional
approach of developers is
also providing much needed
comfort to investors as well
as end users. Considering the
demand potential, it is not only
Bengaluru-based developers that
are investing, but many national
level developers are also entering
in this market.
The government is also
actively participating in the
58
Colliers Picks:
“The latest Colliers International research unvails top
investment destination in Bengaluru (Bangalore)”
Population in Millions
Office Absorption in Million sq ft among major 7 cities in India
Favorable exchange rate (INR/USD) 1 $ = INR 56.45
Pebblebay luxury Condominiums by the Advantage Raheja Group
Samruddhi Realty projects Lake Drive and Mystic Wind in Banglore
economic growth of the
city by undertaking various
infrastructure projects, such as
elevated expressways, signalfree roads, modernization of
the international airport and
development of metro and mono
rail.
Central - This micro-market
includes areas such as MG Road,
Langford Road, Richmond Town,
Lalbagh Road, Vitthhal Mallya Road,
Residency Road and Fraser Town.
Currently most development in this
area is in the form of independent
bungalows; most of the activity
involves the redevelopment of
bungalows into luxury apartment
schemes. We anticipate increased
redevelopment activity in this
market in near future. Residential
sales price in new developments
range from INR 18,000- 30,000 psf;
and ready to move in apartments are
available in the secondary market
typically in the range of INR 14,00026,000. The return potential is high
because of restricted supply due to
paucity in land availability.
Off Central – The off-central
micro-market comprises locations
like Indiranagar, Jayanagar,
Koramangalam Malleshwaram, JP
Nagar and RajajiNagar. In the recent
past the market witnessed largescale residential development with
many more still in the pipeline in
locations such as Old Airport Road,
Koramangala and Vivek Nagar.
Proximity to the CBD, excellent social
infrastructure and limited supply of
quality space are the key reasons for
good performance of this micromarket. Capital values here are in
the range of INR 7,000-18,000 psf
depending on location.
PERIPHERAL MARKETS
Recently, peripheral markets
such as the Outer Ring Road (ORR),
Whitefield, Bannerghatta Road,
Old Madras Road (OMR) North
Bengaluru, Hosur Road, Mysore Road
July - August 2013
59
REAL ESTATE
and Kanakpura Road emerged as
promising residential locations. The
planned development, affordable
prices, proximity to the IT/ITeS hubs
is the key factors driving demand
in these areas. IN the peripheral
markets, Colliers tips the most
promising residential micro-markets
to be North Bengaluru, ORR and
Whitefield.
ORR – Outer ring road stretch
can be divided into three markets
including Silk Board Junction to
Bellandur, Bellandur to Marathalli
and Bellandur to Sarjapur Village.
The residential development along
ORR, from Silk Board Junction to
Bellandur, is primarily in the form
of HSR layout promoted by BDA
with the presence of a few private
developers. While residential
development in the other two
markets (Bellandur to Marathahalli,
and Sarjapur Village), is dominated
by private developments in the
form of apartments. An active IT/
ITeS industry is the key demand
driver in the ORR area. Recently,
Sarjapur Road has experienced
increased buyer interest because
of its easy accessibility to the outer
ring road, the most preferred IT/
ITeS destination in Bengaluru. This
micro-market witnessed numerous
launches during the last year.
Currently capital values in this micromarket are in the range of INR3,5005,000 per sq ft.
Whitefield – Established as
IT hub back in the 1990s, this
micro-market caught the fancy of
both office and residential buyers
over the last decade. Residential
development is primarily in the
form of apartments and villas.
The villa developments are
primarily located on Varthur and
Whitefield Roads. Capital values
are in the range of INR3,00010,000 per sq ft.
North Bengaluru – North
Bengaluru has emerged as a
60
Colliers Picks:
“the most promising residential micro-markets to
be North Bengaluru, ORR and Whitefield.”
BENGALURU
Embassy Grove - luxury villaments overlooking the KGA golf greens
favourite destination for retail
HNI and NRI investors after the
commencement of the Bengaluru
International Airport in 2008.
Development in this region is
primarily in the form of apartments
for mid-range buyers, while villa and
row-house developments are also
abundant in the luxury category.
Hebbal, Yehlankha and
Hennur Roads, located in
the north-east region of
Bengaluru, have emerged as
popular affordable investment
destinations. Their connectivity
to the CBD and the IT/ITeS
catchments in north-east
Bengaluru and affordability
are the key drivers in this
area. Capital values in these
micro-markets range between
INR 4,000–9,000 per sq ft. In
the north-west region along
Tumkur Road, Yeshwantpur has
started gaining interest among
residential property buyers. The
upcoming metro and elevated
expressway developments and
the access-controlled corridor
on Tumkur Road have stimulated
growth in this region. Capital
values for residential apartments
range between INR 4,500-6,000
per sq ft.
Old Madras Road – Ideally
located between Whitefield and
Bengaluru International Airport,
this market gained traction with the
commencement of the international
airport. Residential development is
in an affordable range at INR 2,5009,000 per sq ft, and its proximity to
the Central micro-market makes it an
ideal residential location.
Hosur Road – The NH-7 stretch
that connects Bengaluru with the
town of Hosur has emerged as the
most active region for mid-range
residential apartment development.
This region has gained traction due
it’s to proximity to Electronic City,
which houses many IT giants like
Infosys, HCL, HP, Wipro, Genpact
and Siemens. Capital values in this
micro-market range between INR
4,000–5,000 per sq ft.
Mysore Road – Located in
West Bengaluru, Mysore Road,
July - August 2013
61
BRINGING A DREAM
TO LIFE
B
Raheja established the Raheja Group, cementing
its reputation by ensuring trust, quality and
integrity at every step and inspiring his children
and colleagues to do the same. Decades later Mr. B
Raheja’s son, Mr. Deepak Raheja, continued in his
footsteps evolving the company into The Advantage
Raheja Group. Mr. Deepak Raheja, along with his sons,
Mr. Aditya Raheja and Mr. Shiv Raheja, has infused the
company with a dynamic mix of old age values
strengthened with modern ideals such as superior
aesthetics and world-class engineering technology.
Together the father and son team build on Mr. Deepak
Raheja’s vision to develop living and working spaces
that are self sustaining, environmentally responsible,
culturally advanced, lifestyle focussed and timeless in
appeal. After high end residential and hospitality
projects such as JW Marriott, Park Plaza, Windemere,
Toscano, Brookhaven, and many more, built under the
banner of B Raheja, Pebble Bay is The Advantage Raheja
Group’s flagship project.
The foundation stone for Pebble Bay was laid as far
back as 2007 when Mr. Deepak Raheja started to dream
of creating a space so fantastic that it would become the
new address for luxury living. And in 2012, that dream
came true. Pebble Bay was awarded the best luxury
project in India, and in Karnataka, by the prestigious
“CNBC Awaaz Real Estate Awards.”
recently started gaining traction. This
industrial hub has a lot of potential
for residential development and is
expected to witness the infusion of
more affordable housing projects
in the near term. Currently capital
values are in the range of INR 3,2004,200 per sq ft.
62
Kanakpura Road - Kanakpura
Road, in South Bengaluru, continues
to attract buyer interest due to
availability and affordability, being in
the price bracket of INR 2,500-3,000
per sq ft. The region has witnessed
an appreciation of approximately
15-20% over the last twelve months,
and developers have now started
Spread over 11 acres of prime real estate at Dollar’s
Colony (Rajmahal Vilas 11), this premium residential
compound of six high-rise towers features all the
indulgences of a resort with all the comforts of a home.
A haven in bustling Bangalore, this pearl of tranquility is
situated in serene surroundings. Yet it’s close to
important destinations in the city. Pebble Bay offers quick
access to major IT Parks, International Schools, Hospitals
and Shopping Malls.
Modelled after the world’s most fabulous resorts,
Pebble Bay features 80% open space, 8 swimming pools,
as well as a host of indoor and outdoor recreation
facilities such as a meditation garden, a fully-equipped
gym, a cricket pitch, a children’s play area and a Banquet
Hall.
And though Pebble Bay may be the stuff of dreams, it is
very much a reality as well. The well-designed, thoughtfully
planned and tastefully appointed 3 BHK apartments,
4 BHK apartments, 4 BHK duplexes and 4/5 BHK
penthouses are ready for occupation. These high end
apartments range from 2770 Sq ft to 6375 Sq ft with
options of pool facing and sports area facing flats starting
from Rs 3 Crore.
Designed for those who dream of an unforgettable
experience of luxury, Pebble Bay offers residents a
lifetime of bliss.
launching higher mid-segment
products in the price range of INR
4,200-4,800 per sq ft.
By arrangement with Colliers
International.
July - August 2013
63
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July - August 2013
65
CA’s ADVICE
PREM KARRA
Capital Gains
on Residential
PropertY in India
What is construed as a
Residential Property in India?
Properties which are generally
used as Residences by Individuals
and those in which there are no
commercial establishments are
construed as “Residential Properties”.
These could be apartments or
individual villas.
How would one establish that
the property is a “Residential
Property”?
In every City or Town the
Local Corporation or Municipality
will be assessing all properties
for assessment of taxes. In such
assessments the taxes will
depend on whether the property
is one of a residential nature or
a commercial nature. So for the
purpose of establishing that the
subject property is a residential
one it will be imperative to have
the tax assessment completed as a
residential property.
What are the types of Capital
Gains on sale of Residential
Properties?
There are two types of Capital
Gains that can arise on sale of
Residential Properties. These are
Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) &
Short Term Capital Gains (STCG).
How are these distinguished?
LTCG arise on the sale of
residential properties which are
owned and held by the Individual or
HUF for a period MORE than 3 years.
STCG arise on the sale of residential
66
Prem Karra is a
Fellow of the Institute
of Chartered Accountants of India with 35
years in practice. He
was a financial advisor to Ten Sports, and
studied at Madras
Christian
College High School
and Vivekananda College, Chennai
properties which are owned and
held by the Individual or HUF for a
period LESS than 3 years.
What is the Capital Gain?
The difference between the
“Selling Price “ of the Residential
Property & its “Cost” as computed
by the prescribed rules will be the
Capital Gains and according to the
period of holding will be subject to
either the LTCG tax or the STCG tax.
Is there any concession for the
period of holding of the residential
property by the seller? Are there
any other deductions available?
Yes .Firstly there is the cost of
“Acquisition” which the seller would
have incurred to buy the property.
This cost will be enhanced based on
the indexation available which will
depend on the period of holding.
This indexation called the “Inflation
Cost Indexation” is benchmarked on
the base being 100 in the year 1981.
EXAMPLE- “A” purchased
a property in 1981 for Rs.20
Lakhs. He sells in the financial
year 01-04-2013 to 31-03-2014.
His indexed cost will be “Cost in
1981*Indexation/100”which will be
20*939/100 ,so the indexed cost for
LTCG computation will be Rs.187.80
Lakhs. The Indexation is given out
by the tax department on a yearly
basis and the indexed value for this
financial year 2013-14 is 939.
Besides the indexed cost as
computed above one can deduct all
expenses pertaining to the sale such
as Legal Fees, Brokerage & other
incidental charges.
What is the rate of taxation?
For LTCG tax on residential
property where it is held for more
than 3 years before the date of sale
the rate of taxation will 20% plus the
applicable surcharge.
Are there any exemptions
available whereby the taxes can
be minimized?
• The Person on the sale of the
residential property acquires another
residential property within 2 years
from the date of the sale of the
original property.
• The Person on the sale of the
residential property constructs
another residential property within 3
years from the date of the sale of the
original property.
Gains Bonds by the National
Housing Board or the Rural
Electrification Corporation.
• Investment in shares of eligible
companies before the due date of
filing of returns subject to certain
conditions.
Are there any other conditions
to be complied with?
• The residential property/
deposit into the Bonds acquired as
mentioned above will have to be
held by the Person for a minimum
period of three (3) years.
• The time prescribed for
acquisition of residential properties
post the sale of the original asset
has a few conditions. The amount
earmarked for the acquisition of
the New Residential Property will
have to be deposited into a separate
bank account called the “Capital
Gains Savings Bank Account”. This
deposition will have to be made
before the last date for filing one’s
income tax returns i.e. 31st of July
every year.
llustration:
• A sells a residential property on
1st October 2012.
• This falls within the financial
year 1-04-2012 to 31-03-2013.He has
to file his IT returns for this financial
year by the 31st July 2013.
• For various reasons he has
not been able to buy/construct
a residential property out of the
capital gains emanating out of the
sale of the original asset(sold on
Oct.1st 2012).
• In such a case he will have
to deposit the sum of money he
proposes to use for purchase ( before
30th September 2014-2 years} or
construction(before 30th September
2015-3 years) in the Capital
Gains Deposit Account. As and
when the person requires money
prospectively for the said purchase
/construction he will be permitted
to withdraw from this account and
it will be construed as investments
for the purpose of availing the tax
exemption.
• If the entire consideration
received is not invested in a new
residential property or the Capital
Exemption Deposits proportionate
tax will be levied.
a) Short Term Capital Gain
The difference between the
Sale Consideration minus the
abovementioned costs & the
purchase cost of the residential
property will be the Short Term
Capital Gain on the transaction.
No benefits such as Indexation ,
Investment in other properties/
deposits are available for claiming
any exemption and the tax rate will
be as per the slab applicable for the
person.
It would be advisable to consult
an Advisor while entering into sale
of properties and get advise as each
transaction is unique to itself.
If you have any queries for
investing in India please email:
[email protected]
July - August 2013
67
MULTIPLIERS
FRANK RAJ
HOW DO ORDINARY PEOPLE
SUCCEED IN THE GULF?
Azim and family: Wife Afreen, daughter Asmeena (R)
sons Afraaz (L) Aariz
Diaspora Indians with hard
work, dedication and the right
breaks are achievers who
achieve a quality of life that is
not easy to obtain in India.
TII interviews three people
who travelled different roads
to success.
O
ne of the most fascinating
things to observe in the
Gulf is how ordinary
people achieve success.
They may not make the big time but
they own a house or two; educate
their children abroad, travel to
different parts of the world and live
well. They have definitely broken out
of the many challenges everyone
from India wants to escape from.
When and if they return to India
after their sojourn in the Gulf, they
are people whose lives will have
changed considerably.
68
Mohd Azim Khan - tough for the middle class
IT SPECIALIST
43 year-old Mohammed Azim Khan
is a computer whiz from Guntoor
in Hyderabad, whose father was
in government service working
in the Andhra Pradesh Electricity
Board. One of three children from
a middle class Indian family, Azim
was fascinated by computers ever
since his high school days and took
it seriously enough to do something
about it. Displaying considerable
maturity in his youth, he obtained
a PGDCA qualification from Apple
Information Technology in parallel
with his B.Com degree from Nizam
College.
After working at several IT
related jobs in India, Azim did a four
month crash course in IBM training
to qualify for a job in Saudi Arabia to
join Golden Grass, one of the largest
peanut producers in the Gulf. A UK
managed company, he worked there
for three years from 1993, gaining
valuable international experience.
“Middle class families in India
I have seen that earning
money in India is not easy.
I needed an immediate
multiplication.”
go through a lot of suffering,” Azim
remembers.“ I have gone through
lots of issues in India. I am the eldest
in my family and I have a younger
brother and sister. My father had a
limited income, we could not get
enough funds for a better education,
a better house etc. India has lots of
challenges and it was not a happy
experience. I have my sentiments
and I can still say India is the best,
but you cannot ignore the hard facts.
I have seen that earning money
in India is not easy. I needed an
immediate multiplication.”
In Saudi Arabia Azim was paid
5,000 Riyals, which in those days
was big money. Nonetheless Azim
recalls the challenges. “I had a lot
of responsibilities, my father had
retired, my brother was in college
and my family needed money. I have
been their main financial support
from 1993 up to now.”
Born and raised in an open
society like India, Azim was not
comfortable with Saudi Arabia’s
conservative society and its many
restrictions. Relatives in Dubai
encouraged him to move and when
he decided to get married in 1997,
he took a one month visa for a stopover in Dubai.
His qualifications and experience
quickly paid off. The Al Naboodah
construction company offered him
a salary of AED 7,000 with a fully
furnished house but required him to
join their IT department immediately.
Given only ten days to start work, he
signed up and went to India to find
a bride. On the eighth day he met
his wife Afreen, got engaged on the
ninth day and returned to Dubai a
married man on the tenth day.
Azim worked as a programmer
till 2003 and when he developed
diabetes possibly as a result of
the sedentary nature of the work,
he decided to quit programming,
opting instead for operations. He
quit Al Naboodah in 2007 and
joined Emirates Steel in Abu Dhabi,
who recruited him because of his
networking experience, offering him
a pay package that most expatriates
would envy.
His family has grown to include
his daughter Asmeena (13), and sons
Afraaz (10) and one year old Aariz.
Azim is comfortable with how things
have turned out for him in the Gulf.
“If you go out of your country, you
get used to the other country. You
gain exposure to different cultures
and you try to adapt as best as you
can. Most of the things which you
dream about having in India are
easily available in Dubai,” he says.
Azim’s first priority was sending
his parents on their pilgrimage to
Mecca, and then getting his sister
Born and raised
in an open society
like India, Azim was
not comfortable
with Saudi Arabia’s
conservative
society and its
many restrictions.
Gopi (R) with his sons Vivek & Vijay
married, after which he was ready to
settle his own family. He has bought
a house in Dubai from which he is
getting a good return, enjoys regular
travel with his wife and kids and his
collection of fine cars.
Azim has always been quite
single-minded,“My motive was to
make as much money as quickly as
possible. To gain something you
have to lose something. What I have
lost are friends, and being with my
family and relatives in India. It is so
much more of a social environment
back home; I miss the love and
affection of family and relatives,” he
reminisces.
SALES & MARKETING
Gopi K.Unnithan (56) came to the
Gulf from Adoor, Kerala when he
was 29 years old, heading first to
Muscat and subsequently ending up
in Dubai.
Gopi who has a brother and
three sisters is number three in the
hierarchy and comes from a teacher’s
family. “My father is a teacher, my
sister is a teacher, my brother and
his wife are college professors. I
graduated in Mathematics from the
University of Kerala, got a Bachelor of
Education from Bangalore University
and then moved to Jabalpur for an
MSc in Mathematics,” he explains.
But Gopi was not keen on
teaching and a friend helped him
find a sales and marketing job in
Oman. “I was single, I was flexible
and I wanted to travel. I worked
for nearly three years in Muscat,
getting around AED 1, 200 with
accommodation, a car and food. He
wasn’t satisfied with his salary but
he wanted to get out of India and
took it as a challenge. “I wanted to do
something different from my family
members,” he recalls.
When a better opportunity came
up in Dubai, Gopi moved and he has
been here for 29 years with the same
company. “Intercare started me off as
a Sales Executive with a salary of AED
3,500 and all other benefits.” He has
grown with the company, and now
manages business development for
chemicals and exports.
Gopi who prefers to invest
only in real estate, owns homes
in Trivandrum and Cochin as well
as Canada, but he thinks the best
investment he made is the education
of his two sons Vijay and Vivek.
They finished school from Modern
High School in Dubai and moved to
Canada for college. 21 year old Vijay
is completing a degree in Mechanical
Engineering at the University of
Toronto and 18 year old Vivek studies
at BITS Pilani in Dubai.
While his wife Sheela is seeing
their son Vijay through college in
Toronto, Gopi prefers to work in
Dubai. “My age and lack of Canadian
experience was not in my favor, and
July - August 2013
69
MULTIPLIERS
Manoj and Lekha (R) awith their daughter Meghna
I don’t think I could fit in there,” he
admits.
Gopi feels that coming to the
Gulf didn’t change his fortune so
much as develop his life in the way
he wanted. His initial plan was to
go back to Kerala, educate the kids
there and lead a comfortable retired
life. “Even if you work in India life can
be rewarding; my brother who is a
college professor has a nice house
and his kids are well educated. In
some respects he is better off – I
may have a little more money and
property, but I am away from my
home, my family, my parents and
I struggle with that,” he points out
candidly.
His boys are keen to stay in
Canada and Gopi is undecided
about his future plans, still toying
with the idea of doing something
in Dubai before finally returning to
Kerala. “I have some rubber estates,
some paddy fields and it would be
a pleasure doing that in the village
where I was born,” he speculates.
CIVIL ENGINEER
Manoj Nair(42) is the typical Gulf lad
whose parents made it possible to
live a carefree life in India and not
be too concerned about the harsh
reality of finding a career. In 1993
he had started working in Cochin
after getting his Diploma in Civil
Engineering from Karnataka and
came to Oman for a short holiday
with his parents. His father had
worked in Bahrain and Oman for
almost 20 years. Manoj lived with
his aunt (mother’s elder sister) in
Kottayam and studied in Bangalore
after high school, while his younger
brother lived with his parents in the
Gulf.
“I was just about 23, I had a
Yamaha RX100 motorbike and I
was quite happy back home with
a salary of Rupees 2,500 + food
+ accommodation and 10 litres
of petrol. My parents and I were
separated for a long time as they
were working in the Gulf. After a year
into my first job they wanted me
to visit them in Oman so I planned
a short visit. I was quite content
working in Cochin for a firm called
Coastal Foundation but my father
suggested I look for a job in Oman.
He was an Engineer heading an
Electro Mechanical contracting
company called MED as their GM at
the time.”
Initially Manoj’s reaction was a
big no. He had not even prepared a
CV, but a friend of his father’s pushed
him to try for a job and he looked
up the Yellow Pages, and a couple of
consultancies recommended by his
father. Reluctantly he posted about
25 CV’s just to convince everyone
that he had tried, but his real
intention was to get back to India.
Manoj recalls, “After another
week into Oman life, which really
did not attract me, I got a call from
a company called Swissboring from
Dubai. They were in the same field
as my piling company in Cochin,
besides doing other foundation
related works. A job was still not a
priority as far as I was concerned,
I was just keen on going to Dubai
because my closest sister, my aunt’s
daughter with whom I had been
raised, was married and settled
there.”
Some people they say have
greatness thrust upon them, so
it seems it is also with prosperity.
Manoj explains, “Swissboring offered
me AED 3,000 + accommodation
and a company called Bauer in Abu
Dhabi offered almost 30 % more. In
those days sharing accommodation
was available in Dubai for AED
500, whereas Abu Dhabi was quite
expensive. The post offered was
the same, so I chose Dubai mainly
because my sister was there. It was
a good move, within a year I was
earning almost double of what I was
offered to start with.”
Two decades later, Manoj is still
with Swissboring, and today he is in
charge of the Piling Division, with
a company that used to be 1,450
strong before the recession.
For a young man whose
obsession was to return to Kerala,
life in Gulf has been quite satisfying.
“Initially I wanted to complete
three years and get the hell out of
Dubai,” admits Manoj. But Dubai was
booming and running from project
to project Manoj hardly got time to
think about going back home. The
Wafi Mall project was the biggest
challenge thrown at him, he also
worked on the American Hospital
project. One year into the business
he learnt the tricks of the trade.
Slowly he started realizing the
advantage of working in the Gulf.
“Those days in Kerala you could not
imagine drawing Rs. 40,000 a month,
which I was easily earning over here.
Living simply, I was saving quite a
bit of money, there was no time for
doing anything else.”
Passionate about traveling and
riding his bike around Kerala, Manoj
had no time to think of marriage
until a friend’s sister introduced him
to her classmate Lekha in their
B.Ed program. Initial reluctance gave
way, he got engaged and married
Lekha after six months. “I was
expecting my promotion in a year’s
time and I told Lekha that I would
get her to Dubai in three months.
But I got a studio flat and brought
her to Dubai in three weeks,” he
remembers. They have been married
now for 13 years.
Manoj has bought half an acre
in Kottayam about four years ago.
It has appreciated nicely from only
Rs.50,000 per cent to about Rs. 5
lakhs per cent, located only about
three km from the city. His personal
goals are modest, he wants to make
Manoj with his 50 cc gasoline plane
sure his wife and daughter are happy
and to ensure a good education for
Meghna who is twelve. With no plans
to go anywhere but back to India,
Manoj worries about what he will do
sitting at home. Both his parents and
Lekha’s have built homes for each of
them. “Even if I have to stop working
today, I have enough to support
my family without any pressure,”
he says, “I am really grateful for the
opportunity of working in Dubai.”
Manoj was incharge of his
high school Science Club and has
a passion for electronics, wireless
communication, solar energy and
aero modeling. He bought his first
plane for AED 4,000 about six years
back, assembling the kit himself.
Now he flies a 50cc gasoline plane
that cost him AED 15,000 after he
crashed an AED 10,000 model. “This
is the only adventurous investment
I have made,” he grins. With a bunch
of friends he has acquired three acres
in Kerala to set up an aero modeling
club.
and publisher.
70
July - August 2013
71
EAST - WEST
ZENIFER KHALEEL
INDIAN WOMEN: WESTERNIZED
BUT NOT WESTERN
Jonia Mathew-supportive parents
Simmi Chopra Lall-embracing life
hen I read this quote from
American author Diane
Mariechild,
‘A woman is the full circle. Within
her is the power to create,
nurture, and transform,’ I figured
inadvertently, she must have meant
the Indian woman; especially the
transformation bit.
The growing consciousness to
the world around her, coupled with
the influence of media and western
culture have greatly transformed
the lifestyles of the average Indian
woman. Higher disposable incomes
have changed the once price
sensitive ‘Nari’ to become femme
extraordinary.
The conflict rises between the
usage of the term western and
westernization especially in relation
to Indian women. If she dons a pair
of jeans, drives a sporty car and
has a jet setting career, is she really
ignoring her intrinsic Indian culture?
Westernization is merely adapting
a set of attributes which have made
western women stand apart from
their counterparts on a global forum.
Education, determination, career
orientation and ambition being
foremost amongst these.
Most Indian women, especially
those living outside India have
chosen to adopt a few of these
powerful qualities in order to
conform to global citizenship.
The thin line between holding on
to Indian values and culture may
transgress certain limits in this
process. The underlying question
here is; have certain values which
have been the essence of Indian
women been compromised in this
metamorphosis? Apparently not, as a
few savvy Indian women will tell you.
W
72
Carving a niche
Jonia Mathew is a young socialite
from Abu Dhabi who was born
and brought up in the vibrant city
of Mumbai. “My parents always
encouraged me and my sisters to
be independent. We were given
freedom to pursue our dreams and
supported strongly in our ventures.”
One sterling example Jonia states,
is her practicing Taekwondo as a
sport and winning a gold medal at
the All India level. “All my relatives
were dead against it but my parents
were very supportive throughout.”
Similarly, not only were they taught
to drive but also to change tyres
and perform minor repairs. “When it
came to clothes, we were allowed to
wear fashionable western outfits as
long as they were modest.” she says
Currently, Jonia is functioning
as the Hon. President of the Indian
Ladies association (a prominent
socio cultural organization based in
Abu Dhabi for the past 37 years) She
is also a board member of the Abu
Dhabi Indian school. In her fourth
term as president, family values
still rule supreme for this urbanite.
She wouldn’t sacrifice her quality
family time for any of her myriad
social activities. She considers her
husband Mervin as her chief mentor
and staunch supporter in all her
endeavors.
“There are many western
attributes I have adapted, like
organization, planning, punctuality,
If she dons a pair of
jeans, drives a sporty
car and has a jet setting
career, is she really
ignoring her intrinsic
Indian culture?
respecting rules, freedom and
acceptance of opinions. I have
noticed that although many of
us are much more educated than
our western counterparts we lack
these qualities.” she points out. She
believes her modern upbringing has
helped her to hold the reigns of the
prestigious Indian Association and
bring about changes in the life of
Indian women in Abu Dhabi.
Simmi Chopra Lall believes if
there is one thing that every woman
on this planet adores, it is the feeling
of being cherished. She is absolutely
blown over by the fact that her
husband cares for her and protects
her. “He treats me like a real lady all
the time. For instance, he always
holds doors open for me and lets
me go first. I think it is a very Indian
attribute” claims Simmi. Born in
Punjab but raised in the US, she lives
by the principle of embracing and
enjoying whatever life sends her way.
Simmi is a yoga instructor and
Reiki master certified by the Yoga
Alliance of America. Currently living
in Abu Dhabi, she is enjoying the
warm and hospitable nature of the
capital and its residents. “At times
though, I am completely ignored and
my opinion simply does not count
since I am a woman”. For a business
woman who has served on the Board
of directors for Walt Disney as well
as NALED, this comes as quite a
surprise.
Once at a party, she was also
jovially referred to as a terrorist,
for the simple reason that she was
raised in America! Occasionally, she
is advised to change her style of
dressing.
“Random strangers come up to
me and insist that I should wear a
hijab as they think I’m Lebanese and
not Indian.”
But these are very negligible
flaws in her magnificently
convenient life. She keeps iterating
that acceptance and enjoying the
ride, is the only key to happiness.
Kitty Sathia who moved to Abu
Dhabi from Sydney, Australia, enjoys
exhibiting her ‘Indianness’ to the rest
Dorothy Theresa Pinto-fine balance
of the world. She has balanced her
modern lifestyle with basic Indian
traditions like the combined family
meal time. All festivals and functions
are celebrated with great pomp
and grandeur, the desi way. “I have
lived in many cities and everywhere
I have conducted activities like
social service, fashion shows, coffee
mornings etc. Alongside, I have
also initiated Paath groups, and
celebrated the festivals of all Indian
communities”
“Being Indian, for me, is to
uphold my identity in a multicultural
society. I adore the way family is
treated in India and the respect
that we bestow on one other. I have
made a conscious effort to inculcate
these values in my children”
Best of both worlds
Most Indian women, who have
set up a career and want to raise
a family, will find themselves in a
mental turmoil over priorities. While
their male counterparts can walk
away from this dilemma, the women
are put in the line of fire by society, if
they tend to focus more on career.
Dorothy Theresa Pinto (nee
D’Souza) has managed to strike a
fine balance between both priorities.
She is the co-founder of The Royal
Institute for Music and Arts, (in
Abu Dhabi) which is certified by
the Associated Board of the Royal
Schools of Music (London) and
Kitty Sathia-family values
The Trinity College (London). She
staunchly believes that change is
very important in life. “With this
in mind, I have opted to retain the
plus points of both cultures and
apply them as much as possible.
From western women, I learnt to be
independent, grab life by the horns
and live it up while you can. Eastern
traditions have taught me to be
strong and anchored to faith, belief
and responsibilities.”
Exposed to the West, she gained
the strength needed to allow her
children to travel and study abroad,
make their own career decisions
and strive to be individuals and
independent thinkers. However, as
an Indian mother, she reinforced
the need to maintain strong family
ties, the importance of playing their
role in the family, and above all the
importance of knowing God.
As far as her attire is concerned,
she chooses to wear whatever the
situation demands. ‘It would be very
weird if I went to a gym draped in
a sari, wouldn’t it?” she jests. “While
western outfits are a lot more
practical for daily use, eastern attire
provides an ethnic and elegant
look. The rest of the world finds
our costumes exotic and I’m proud
to wear a sari or a salwar when an
occasion calls for it. But more than
the attire one dons, I believe that
July - August 2013
73
GOING BACK
SHYAMOLA KHANNA
EAST - WEST
Ruchi Gupta- accept and reject
Heena Hemnani-adaptability
the attitude and confidence of the
wearer factors in most of its charm.”
Ruchi Gupta is practical about
living in a world, where any rational
thinker must sometimes question
certain actions especially if they are
religious customs and traditions
carried on for generations in Indian
culture.
Ruchi who moved to Abu Dhabi
13 years ago, is no exception. “The
outcome of it is to accept what
you want and reject what doesn’t
make sense to you,” she states. She
is currently working as an academic
advisor for grades 10 & 12. Being
a true Indian woman at heart and
living in a western influenced society,
she tries to strike the best possible
balance.
“A western outlook has helped
me to connect with the current
generation including my students
and children. It has enhanced my
personality, boosted my confidence
and my attitude to life. Certain
aspects of a western outlook that
I couldn’t adapt to was eating
non-veg food, wearing daring and
revealing outfits and indulging in
alcohol and smoking. I find myself
more comfortable at home rather
than going out for late night events
alone.”
“I have adapted to wearing
western clothes that maintain my
dignity. Earlier, I believed that jeans
and pants were not appropriate for
girls. Now I find myself wearing those
most of the time. Nonetheless deep
within I am very Indian. Earlier, when
I visited my native city of Allahabad,
talking in English and making eye
contact with the elderly back home,
was not appreciated. I was taunted
for being an “Angrezi Mem.” Now I
carry only traditional clothes that
make others feel comfortable and
connect easily with me. It gives them
the feeling that I m still the same
simple person they knew.”
Heena Hemnani
Throughout the world,
western culture is responsible to
a great extent for bringing about
development and change in social,
economic, educational and scientific
frontiers. And our desi women have
realised the impact it has made in
their lives. But they cherish Indian
pride in its heritage, diversity and
most of all its uniqueness.
Heena Hemnani is a business
woman who runs her own
readymade apparel shop in Abu
Dhabi. She hails from Mumbai and
chooses to live life the way she
wants, without offending anybody
else.
“Adapting to a western outlook
does help us progress in life but the
problem is that we are forgetting
the fine aspects of our culture. In the
19 years I have been in Abu Dhabi,
westernization has made me more
independent, bold and smarter
than ever before; but I am also
very traditional at the same time.
However I wouldn’t have got the
confidence to run my own business,
if I hadn’t adopted a western
outlook,” she admits.
Being married into a conservative
family where western attire was
never worn before by a daughter-inlaw, was a challenge. But a woman’s
biggest strength is her adaptability.
“I believe I have used circumstances
to my best advantage without
compromising my basic Indian
identity as a loving wife and mother.”,
says Heena.
The voices of all these women
resonate with one single sentiment.
While they enjoy the freedom of a
western outlook, they are essentially
Indian at heart. There are no true
cons of being Indian or western,
except of course holding extreme
views on anything. Too much of a
western or too much of an eastern
mindset can lead to a loss of identity.
Like most other aspects of life, the
advantages come from striking a
balance. Most Indian women have
managed to master this art of fine
balance and know how to reap
the benefits. And whatever their
circumstances or lifestyles may be,
they are not willing to compromise
their inherent Indian identity.
Zenifer Khaleel is a freelance
writer based in Abu Dhabi.
happy TO BE BACK
Many Indians living abroad dread the prospect of returning to India. TII
meets a few who are happy they went back home.
Amitabh Bagchi (R) at his son Kisho’s rice ceremony
“I chose to come back to India
because I wanted to live in India
and because it was clear to me that
I did not want to live in the US,” says
Amitabh Bagchi ( 37) a published
author of two well received works of
fiction in English.
A professor in Computer science
and Engineering at IIT, Delhi,
Amitabh tudied at Johns Hopkins
University and also worked there for
a while. In 2005, the job prospects
for academic jobs in the US were not
bad but he decided to come home.
Teaching at IIT is something he
always wanted to do…even as a
youngster. Studying for his BTech in
Computer Science and Engineering
from IIT Delhi back in 1996, he used
to tell his family that he would love
to teach at his alma mater. So he
was not bowled over by the glitter
and glitz of the American dream that
lures almost every young computer
whiz kid’s heart.
Amitabh admits that IIT, Delhi is
the best place for him. “In college I
had realized that I had an academic
temperament and so it was best for
me to try and get into teaching and
research in an academic setting.
Since I was not keen on leaving India,
or Delhi, the natural choice of career
for me was to work at IIT Delhi. It was
the only place in Delhi (at that time)
where I could do the kind of job I
wanted to do.”
That he found his soulmate
Ratika in Delhi and is a father of a
two-year- old adorable son just
completes the picture of happy
domesticity. Periodically he appears
on talk shows on TV and impresses
audiences with his clear view of
things social and political.
Sasmith(45) and Padmaja(42)
Reddi are sitting pretty in Vayupuri,
Secunderabad, a beautiful green
verdant colony which is reminiscent
of the Virginia (USA) home, they left
ten years ago. Their two girls Sasya
(15) and Sriya (12) are happy playing
in the garden while the parents talk
to me.
Sasmith is an army ‘brat’ who
Sasmith, Padmaja and their daughters
Sasya and Sriya
grew up all over the country and
then became a software engineer. He
went to do his MS at the University
of Maryland and after finishing
worked with the university for a
while. Then over a period of 16 years
he worked for various companies
before deciding to come back home.
He married Padmaja in ’94 and their
two daughters were born in the US.
“The US gave me an interesting
overview of so many different
cultures and many diverse
backgrounds. This gave me a
broader perspective on life, people
and lifestyles and I learnt to accept it
all. The other great realization I got
was that there is no substitue for
hard work. Hard work is recognised
and appreciated. As far as creature
comforts go, there cannot be a
better place to live than the USA —
there are no hassles of power cuts,
water, or traffic congestion !”
Padmaja was the starry eyed
bride who fell in love with the
Virginia countryside—“it was all so
74
July - August 2013
75
GOING BACK
Sasmith and Padmaja- uncomfortable with US laws on raising children
And although they have
no regrets they do have
plenty of frustrations —
Leela finds it very tough
to deal with the unruly
traffic.
lush and green and so beautiful.
All my neighbours were white
Americans and they were very
friendly and helpful. Later, in other
places we had a mixed bag.”
Why come back home?
Sasmith says, “Our parents were
getting older and it was getting
more and more difficult for them to
travel the long distance. Besides both
Padmaja and I had often spoken
about it and we were in agreement
about coming back to India.”
Padmaja spoke, “I like their
education system and would have
loved my kids to carry on there.”
Sasmith explained, “Our older
daughter had turned six and the
younger one was just three; If we
had to shift we had to do it soon or
the kids would have rebelled. You are
in a different country and a different
place…when the kids start school
the cultural differences and the
different value systems come home
to roost! The kids find it difficult and
as parents we find it even tougher.
Besides I was not happy about the
76
US law which allows the state to
intervene in the way parents bring
up their kids--- a friend was put
behind bars for ‘aiding and abetting
a crime’ — their son had come home
and told them that the teacher had
punished a child and the parents had
not informed the police.
“Another friend had invited us
over for dinner and we found his son
at home with a burn mark on his lip.
He said that in a freak accident at
the barbecue the night before, the
hot spatula had touched the child.
Now if the child had gone to school
and told the teacher that his father
“had burnt him”, he would have been
hauled up. So he kept the child at
home for a couple of days till the
burn mark healed.”
“ I had never been exposed to
this kind of intervention by the state
and I found it difficult to accept. A
few other incidents like these and we
were quite sure that the US was not
where we wanted our kids to grow
up.”
The Reddis returned to India in
2004. Sasmith’s last job in the US
was with Idirect and he came to
India with the mandate of starting
their Asia office. He set it up and
then after four years, broke away to
work in another start up where he
continues. Padmaja has turned into
an entrepreneur lately with her play
school which is doing well.
Anything they miss? Any regrets?
Both Sasmith and Padmaja
vehemently deny having any
regrets. Padmaja misses the public
amenities like the parks, libraries
and swimming pools. She was very
comfortable with driving in the US
but finds driving in Hyderabad a
nightmare.
“I completely agree with
Padmaja,” say Leela and Raja, aka KS
Nair, her scholarly husband agrees
too. After spending some 16 years in
the West Indies, UK and Africa they
have been back in Secunderabad
now for nearly 10 years. And
although they have no regrets they
do have plenty of frustrations —
Leela finds it very tough to deal with
the unruly traffic
“ We like going for plays and
concerts and stuff like that all
of which happens only in the
hi-tech city , Madhapur and
Gacchibowli area, From our home
in Secunderabad—and I would not
live anywhere else!—to drive to that
side of the city is so disheartening.
At the end of a long day, we just
give up and sit at home! Better that
than brave the traffic. I have driven
everywhere we have lived in---- Raja
was always travelling and I had to do
a lot of things by myself. Now it has
become very difficult.”
Both Raja and Leela are Air
Force brats and once again, have
grown up all over the country. Raja
is one of the early whiz kids who
raised the bar with dual degrees
from IIT and IIM and brought Indian
genius onto the world stage. At
54 now, he is probably one of the
youngest management consultants
with Deloitte. A published author of
a well received book on the Congo
war--suitably titled “Ganesha’s
Flyboys: The Indian Air Force in the
Congo 1960-62,” Raja penned a
detailed study of India’s first military
participation in a UN operation.
And in spite of the fact that he is
not a ‘fauji’, his book clearly has the
underlying current of pride in his
nation. This feeling is reiterated in
his conversation where he cannot
hide his enthusiasm about all that
has been happening in India in the
last 20 years.
Raja says: “I was always interested
in travel but I never wanted to
emigrate. Deep in my heart I
knew that as a younger person I
could make a better impact in a
developing country rather than in a
developed one. My work with Price
Waterhouse Coopers in Zambia gave
me a number of challenges. In fact
we were doing things there which
we could easily duplicate here and
save money for the state.”
He spoke of the creative ‘jugaad’
which is so typical pan India and
which is only now being understood
by the rest of the world. ‘In the mid
90s when I came back to India for
a spell of 10 months, I worked for
a chemical engineering company
where we had regular visitors from
the US and UK and other European
countries who were astounded
to see what we were doing with
“jugaad’— things they could not
imagine doing.”
The seed was planted and
through the 90s Raja saw the
excitement and intrigue that India
was generating . At the same time
his work in Zambia , Tanzania and
Botswana was equally exciting
and Raja had an important role to
play in the various sectors of the
government. He gave in to the
emotional tug and decided to
relocate. Leela was very clear—she
had to settle down in south India ,
although Raja was apparently quite
okay with living anywhere in India.
Leela got her way and returned
with Valmik, their son, in 2003 to
settle in Secunderabad, where her
parents continue to live and her
house was under construction. A
Priya & Parag Toley-’teething troubles’
He spoke of the
creative ‘jugaad’ which is
so typical pan India and
which is only now being
understood by the rest of
the world.
year later Raja came back and joined
Deloitte.
There are no regrets about
coming back home, but there are
some frustrations. Those apart,
Leela feels that her biggest gamble
was with Valmik and she is glad she
brought him back when she did.
He joined the International School
where Leela teaches special children.
Valmik took tabla lessons and
learnt to enjoy the company of his
grandparents and his cousins. He is
now doing college in the UK but gets
all nostalgic about ‘bandi chaat’ and
“Paradise ka biryani.”
Parag and Priya Toley
Parag and Priya Toley have just
come back to India last month. After
a short spell in Hyderabad, which is
where Parag’s parents live, they have
moved to Ahmedabad where Parag
has joined the prestigious Indian
Institute of Management for an MBA
in Finance.
Parag comes from an
engineering background and started
his career in software but went on to
gain domain expertise in Finance. His
goal is to create smart investment
products for the masses that don’t
burn a hole in their pocket with
excessive fees.
After completing his graduation
in 2003 he began working in the
financial software development
division for an MNC in Hyderabad.
Within a span of six months he got
the opportunity to work onsite for a
client in New York.
He arrived in the United States
in early 2004 and lived and worked
there until early 2013. During this
span of 9 years, Parag switched
careers from software to finance. This
was also when he got married.
Having worked and lived in
New York City, Parag calls it the
‘greatest city in the world’, for most
of his stay in the USA. He worked
simultaneously for his degree of a
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
and achieved his goal of breaking
away from software into finance. He
obviously did well as his company
promoted him and sent him to
London to set up and head a brand
new team. Later he began working
for a private asset management firm
in Michigan in 2011.
Parag says, “For the most part
my wife Priya and I were really
comfortable with our life in the
States, and while we did speak of
returning to India at some point,
it didn’t really become a serious
discussion until the birth of our son
in 2012. “
Why did they choose to return
home to India?
July - August 2013
77
INVOLVED
DEEPA BALLAL
GOING BACK
Parag says, “Well having kids does
change your life, and we fully
realized this with the birth of our son.
The United States, is undoubtedly
one of the best countries in world,
but I think the big question for us
was that with an existing 30 year age
difference between our son and us,
were we ready to throw in cultural
differences into the mix?”
“Our son is lucky enough to be
blessed with not only grandparents,
but great grand parents on both
sides. We wanted our son to
experience that too. My wife and I
have had long debates about our
move back, and initially she wasn’t
ready to make the move so quickly.
Things holding us back were the
quality of life, children’s education,
great jobs, good money. But we
considered the pros and cons, spoke
to a lot of friends who had gone
back home , even those who had
moved back and then returned again
to the USA. In the end we felt like we
wanted to give home a shot.”
It’s only been 3 months since
they have come back and there are
lots of challenges, but they would
qualify as “teething troubles”—
something that comes with any big
move or change in life. Besides, they
insist that they did not come with
any preconceived romantic notions
of how wonderful life was going to
be in India.
Priya says, “ While a lot of things
are irksome, there is joy in familiarity,
and more importantly it makes
me happy to see our son enjoying
himself, and getting undivided
attention from his entire family.”
“It’s too early for us to say
whether its working out or not.
We’ve taken the plunge and I guess
only time will tell how it will all work
out.”
For now both Priya and Parag
plan to make the best of their
decision. Parag will be at IIM for the
78
DO SOMETHING
FOR India
Tilottama Bandhopadhya -overqualified as an engineer
next year. Only after they settle down
into their own home and into a job
will they know whether this was
worth the transition.
In the above stories there is a
common thread— that of youth, a
clear vision of the future and the
goals that would make the young
professionals happy. Amitabh
knew very early in his youth that
he had to return to IIT to teach
while Ajay discovered for himself
that the US of A was not where he
wanted to live because it did not
suit his temperament. Parag is more
family oriented and is back on an
experimental basis.
Tilottama Bandhopadhya (25)
is an Air force kid, a daughter of a
fighter pilot who has been brought
up to believe that she can do
anything that she sets her heart on-- and she set her heart on being a
power engineer like her grandfather.
After her Bachelor of
Engineering(B.E) in Electrical
and Electronics Engineering at
the Visveswaraya Technological
University (VTU) Bangalore,
Tillottama went on to do her Masters
in Power Engineering from the
University of Sydney.
When she came back to India in
2012, she joined Beroe Inc , a market
intelligence firm early this year to
gain some work experience, to her
dismay she finds she is overqualified.
Tilottama says, “The power
scenario in India has not changed
much. It is not that there is a lack
of prospects in India. The attitude
of hiring women engineers for core
jobs, needs a sea change.”
She was getting some job offers
in Australia which were actually
paying better than what she is
getting in India . However, since her
student visa was expiring she had to
come back.
“ I have decided on going back
since it is more of a waiting period
for me till I get my permanent
residency (PR) sorted out and get
some valuable work experience from
India,” she says.
The bottom line
Gopal Banerji, a senior consultant
living in Singapore now for the
last 25 years, says, “ If one has to
constantly struggle for basics like
electricity and water, then it is very
difficult to survive in India.”
The fact is there are still enough
bravehearts who return to the
country and want to live out a
dream. Everyone is not gunning
for money alone—there are other
factors that bring home the PIO and
the NRI who feels the need to give
something back to the country.
Through it all there is also
the need to be with family—the
quintessential Indian trait where
parents, grand parents and ‘grander’
parents all thrive on the seamless
coming together of the various
generations .
Shyamola Khanna is a freelance
writer based in Hyderabad.
“If some 80 years ago, two
NRIs, Gandhiji and Nehru,
on returning home, could
help throw off the yoke of
the mighty British Empire,
surely the modern NRI can
lend a helping hand to
make a difference. If given a
chance, the NRI will become
a metaphor for change.” Excerpt from The Hindu, Feb 1,
2005 by Prem Kumar (an NRI
based in North America).
I
am among the kind of NRIs for
whom India is a mere getaway
from the heat in Dubai. India is
a place to visit relatives, attend
numerous weddings, hunt for
property (or maintain existing ones),
or a shopping haven for things we
miss.
But there exists another set of
NRIs for whom the association with
India is more selfless. The appalling
living conditions and stark poverty in
many cities and villages which most
of us ignore has made these people
go that extra mile and do something
about it.
Driven by passion and armed
with loads of dedication and a
willingness to see the change
by being the agents of change
themselves, they march forward on a
lonely untrodden path and as Robert
Frost wrote, that probably makes all
the difference. Similar to the story
of the girl who saved starfish by
throwing them back from the beach
into the sea one by one. These NRIs
to begin with had no lofty ambitions.
They just began their solitary efforts
to make a difference to some but
ended up inspiring so many.
Jasmine Kothari (Dubai) - Carries old
clothes for the poor in Delhi.
Collecting the Clutter
Meet Jasmine Kothari, an expat
living in Dubai for the past four years.
She and Amit, her businessman
husband, travel to India every year.
Prior to every visit she clears the
clutter in her wardrobe. Old clothes,
shoes, socks, school bag, sweaters,
scarfs are not thrown away but
neatly packed and taken to India.
“Once I land there, I distribute it
to the servants, watchman, the
doodhwala, istriwala etc. And if there
is still anything left, my motherin-law takes it to our village in
Rajasthan for people there,” she says
matter-of-factly.
“The joy I saw in the watchman’s
eyes when he got to wear Amit’s
old shoes, was overwhelming,” she
remembers. Today her arrival is
much looked forward to every year
by all the impoverished souls in and
around her house in Delhi. No doubt
one man’s clutter can be another
man’s treasure.
Pencilman of UAE
Seconding these very thoughts is
Venkatraman Morthy, a Dubai based
chartered accountant who runs a
business solutions firm along with
his wife Neela. “Think twice before
throwing anything into the bin,” is
his mantra. For the last four years he
has been collecting one of the very
basic tools of education, Pencils. In
many houses this very tool may be
strewn all over the floor, thrown into
drawers and eventually discarded.
Why? Because there are so many
lying around?
Venkatraman ( Dubai) - The “pencilman” of UAE - helping poor students
The joy I saw in the
watchman’s eyes when he
got to wear Amit’s old shoes,
was overwhelming,” she
remembers.
With inspiration coming from his
friend Rahgavan and realizing the
life changing experience a poor child
would have with a few extra pencils,
Venkatraman started a campaign in
2009 to collect pencils to distribute
to rural underprivileged schools in
southern India. From1,000 pencils
today he sends around 50kg of
uniforms, books and crayons every
month to different states.
“Thanks to the drive the famine
of pencils has ended in many schools
for the poor today,” Venkat recollects
what a teacher in one of the schools
had to say. In his view the campaign
not only aims to eradicate the dearth
of this ordinary stationery item but
also helps save the environment too.
“A tree can make 172,000 pencils.
Hence by effective distribution of
pencils, we can even save trees,” he
explains. By involving many schools
in Dubai, today Venkatraman Morthy
has literally been nicknamed the
Pencilman of UAE. And the kids are
July - August 2013
79
INVOLVED
Aishwarya Mantha (US) - Founder of Cradle India Foundation Right - the day care
centre for kids of women working in the unorganized sector.
high. Some uniform skirts are short
more than happy to know that if
and not worn by village girls, hence
not Superman or Spiderman they
they are sent to schools in the city,”
at least get to see the Pencilman.
says Neela of the efforts put in to
“I am a mere facilitator, the nodal
make the drive more meaningful.
point. The awareness among people
Children at Cradle India Foundation
The tiny room where all the school
has inspired so many to contribute.
supplies have been neatly sorted
My friends even offer me their
as per age and the areas where it
warehouses to store the cartons,” he
“The mothers feel
would be distributed, one finds
adds.
empowered
and work
a
set
of
French
textbooks
neatly
Coming up with new ideas is
stacked. “Oh! These will go to Tunisia,” more efficiently knowing
nothing strange to Venkat. Last
their children are safe.
pat comes the reply. Hence today
year he decided to gift a cow to a
Venkat’s role of bridging the gap
needy family in Tamil Nadu on the
between the needy and the provider
condition that they sell the milk to
has not only crossed borders within
the nearest school at a subsidized
in Hyderabad is Aishwarya Mantha,
India but also across continents.
rate. “This way the family can add to
a mechanical engineer based in
His website education4all has
their income while the school kids
Houston. Four years back her visit
information of all the organizations
can enjoy a nutritious milk porridge.
to India drew her attention to
he is associated along with
Even if the milk man adds water, at
something that left her thoroughly
numerous photos and media
the end of the day if it helps him rise
disturbed. An ironing lady near her
updates. His wife and two children
above the poverty line, I think it’s
house had tethered up her younger
support him in this campaign
worth it,” he says laughingly.
child with a nylon cord, as she was
whole heartedly. “The only thing
Passionate about his efforts he
not in a position to leave her work
my daughter complains is the lack
accepts no donations and bears
and tend to her. “The mother was
of space in the Honda CRV for she
all the expenses of shipping the
trapped in a state of helplessness
jostles for space with cartons around
consignment to India. As a shrewd
and frustration. Dealing with her
her,” says Neela laughingly. “ To begin
bean counter he does make a
job of ironing clothes, doing her
with it was a small thing. We never
thorough background check of
household chores, fighting her
expected it to grow this big,” she
all the NGOs he works with. He
husband’s indifference to her and
adds with a smile. “ From wanting to
personally meets them and ensures
her daughters, and the guilt of not
giving and never expecting anything
everything is properly distributed.
being there for her children, were
in return, has made me a better
“At least a mail has to come from
pulling her down and leaving her
human being,” says a modest Venkat.
the concerned authorities,” he notes.
devastated,” she recollects. She noted
The Aish Effect
Mere collecting and dispatching to
that the woman’s kids too resented
Another NRI who draws immense any sort of affection that was shown
various NGOs is not how he works.
satisfaction and considers herself
“When we got sweaters from the
to them. “The urge to do something
lucky for being equipped with
Winchester School, Dubai, we sent
for the women and the kids was so
resources to help underprivileged
them to a school in North India,
strong that, it felt more as a duty to
working women and their children
where it is more cold and the need is
alleviate their situation. And not
80
Tanya Pinto ( R) - A global citizen, Tanya was born in India, raised in Dubai and Australia and then moved to Dallas, Texas,
after graduating with First Class Honors from Curtin University in 1998. In 2006, Tanya took a sabbatical from her fast-paced
job in advertising and decided to volunteer at Mother Teresa’s orphanage. The experience was life-changing and Tanya decided
to create her own charity to help vulnerable children. The charity is called “Baal Dan” which means “Donation to Children” in
Hindi.
to convince the mothers to send
doing anything or just plain ignoring
their children to the center. It took
it seemed very wrong to me,” she
Baal Dan has provided
me about a month to gain their
admits.
aid
to almost 3,000
trust. Strangely, they are willing to
Thus with the initial support and
children.
expose their children to the worst
funding from her husband, Ajish
of the environment but they are not
Potti, extensive ground work, help
okay with letting their kids out of
from childhood friends and running
“Donation to Children” in Hindi) to
sight. In addition they would only
around government offices she set
help these vulnerable children.
trust someone from their class not
up The Cradle India Foundation. TCIF
“It feels both amazing and
a woman coming from a well to do
gives free day care service to children
humbling to have helped children
family. Only after seeing me every
below five years of age whose
who are in need and it is very
day trying to convince them they
mothers work in the unorganized
fulfilling to know that a child can
finally gave in,” she adds.
sector. “The mothers feel empowered
have proper access to shelter, food,
With an efficient team back in
and work more efficiently as they
clean water and an education, “says
Hyderabad and help coming from
are assured that their children are
Tanya.
volunteers, today Aishwarya is busy
well taken care of. To the child,
Baal Dan has raised over
juggling her office work, tending to
ample care, nutrition and the right
$850,000 in just seven years through
her
five
year-old
son
and
of
course
environment is provided to ensure
her efforts and that of countless
raising awareness and funds for her
they join their schools better
volunteers. The charity has provided
foundation
in
the
US.
equipped to interact in a competitive
aid to almost 3,000 children. From
The
Baal
Dan
Charities
social environment,” says Aishwarya
2006 to 2012, its work and presence
In
2006,
when
Texas
based,
Tanya
However public apathy was
was focused on India alone. “This
Pinto
took
a
sabbatical
from
her
fastthe biggest hurdle she faced head
year, the charity will expand to
paced
job
in
advertising
and
decided
on. “People refused to rent their
provide aid in other parts of Asia,
to
volunteer
at
the
Mother
Teresa’s
premises for a centre that catered to
Africa and America utilizing the same
orphanage
in
Kolkata;
she
never
the so called “low-class” people, for
efficient and transparent model
imagined
it
would
be
a
life
changing
that matter any “NGO,” she recollects.
of vetting grassroots partners and
experience.
Moved
by
the
plight
of
But on the brighter side she met
providing clear, impactful aid,” says
so
many
orphans
and
street
kids,
she
people who came forward to help
a confident Tanya. However the
decided
to
create
her
own
charity,
her by all means.
journey was no cakewalk. “Finding
“Baal
Dan”
(which
means
“The next challenging part was
July - August 2013
81
TRIBUTE
INVOLVED
AMITA SARWAL
Ashir T ( Australia) - Skill Foundation in UP - Provides life skills training to kids
from 5yrs to 17 yrs. Both Ashir and his wife organize charity parties and collect
funds for the foundation run by his Father in law. They collectively tailor the syllabus and courses to equip underprivelged kids come up in life. Children can be
sponsored.
with his wife Shalini, has seen not
trustworthy partners on the ground
to work with and also raising funds
through word of mouth, were the
initial bottlenecks,” she confides.
Numerous awards have followed
Tanya, her speeches have moved
people to tears. Never to rest on her
laurels she travels extensively each
year to audit the work and provides
proof for donors through her
website, annual reports and over 60
videos on You Tube. Ask her what
keeps her going? “I am following
my passion to help children in
need. This is what I love to do,” is the
instant reply.
The Skill Foundation.
“I will do it sir” – A phrase that
echoes in some of the remote
villages of Bihar comes not out
of some cantonment training in
progress, but from children who
have braved harsh winters and
summers in thirst of knowledge
to attend classes run by the Skill
Foundation, a not- for -profit
organization focused towards
providing education and life skills to
underprivileged children in India.
“We started off with a small
organization in Patna and then
expanded to a few villages in Bihar.
This year we are planning to open
a small school in Uttaranchal,” says
Melbourne based Ashir, who along
82
just the foundation grow but the
confidence swell among kids since
its inception.
Till date the organization
has attracted hundreds of
underprivileged children because
it blends modern and traditional
teaching techniques to create an
engaging environment for children,
who spend a large part of their afterschool hours at the Foundation. It
uses the Foundation’s proprietary
methodology of ‘Nine Skill Mantras’
and yogic techniques to help
children learn English. According
to Shalini this has helped children
discover their dream and the will to
pursue it.
“It was started by Prem Verma
(Shalini’s father and founder
trustee) and in 2007, we joined
this foundation as trustees after a
couple of years,” says Ashir. “We both
share 20% of our income towards
this charitable organization and are
actively involved in expanding the
organization as our motive is not to
send kids away for the lack of funds,”
he adds.
Using technology to their
advantage, they reach out to their
friends through social media such
as Facebook for funding and during
weekends, they work remotely over
Skype to engage with kids and share
their knowledge. “A few years back,
Ashir and Shalini -Skill Foundation
we came up with the concept of
‘Sponsor a Child’, which is popular
among our friends. Sometimes,
we also organize charity dinners in
Melbourne, which generates funds
for the organization. Every year, we
spend 2-3 weeks at the foundation
to help with their Annual Day
Celebrations and planning for next
year,” explains Ashir.
With many more projects in the
pipeline, all these people tirelessly
pursue the same basic idea of
throwing one starfish at a time back
into the sea. They change one life at
a time and today so many lives are
blessed.
Somewhere in this world an
affluent mother is consoling her child
who is continuously demanding
more dresses, more toys and more
video games saying, “look at those
kids in the slums...They don’t even
have enough to cover themselves,
they play with broken tyres and
twigs and look you are still unhappy
with what you have!”
The early lessons on
contentment for every child has
been to look at the underprivileged
and murmur a silent prayer within,
“Thank you God for I am born lucky.”
But today many NRIs are rewriting
this story. They aspire to make every
underprivileged individual, young
and old reap some of the benefits of
a good life.
Deepa Ballal is a freelance writer
based in Dubai.
SHABANA AZMI:
Acknowledged,
Awarded, Abiding
Activist
A
t a one-to-one with
Shabana Azmi in
Singapore, the 62 year
old actor speaks about
her commitment to the
stage, celluloid and her NGOs.
TII: From the Padma Shri
in 1988 to the Padma Bhushan
in 2012, which is the most
meaningful award you have
received?
Shabana Azmi: First, obviously, the
Gandhi International Peace Award
(2006) by the Gandhi Foundation
which I received at the House
of Lords in London, awarded by
renowned actor Vanessa Redgrave.
I feel honoured being the only
Indian to have received it. Previous
recipients include the Dalai Lama
and Desmond Tutu.
Second, at the Bicentennial
celebrations of International Human
Rights in Paris in 1989, President
Mitterrand of France honoured 16
women, including Mother Teresa and
Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta
Menchu – and to be one amongst
them was a great honour.
And, third, the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Cesar Chabez Rosa Parks
Visiting Professorship (2002) by the
University of Michigan conferred in
recognition of my contribution to
arts, culture and society. All of these
are inclusive of movies, and also for
the work I do outside of the industry.
In India, obviously getting five
National awards of which three are
consecutive, is unmatched – except
by my own husband (Javed Akhtar).
He also received five National
awards, three in a row, and the
Padma Bhushan in 2007. So now we
are Mr & Mrs Padma Bhushan!”
TII: In March 2012 you became
the first Indian actor to receive
the Proclamation by the City of
New York honouring you for your
contribution to cinema.
SA: I was quite surprised that
they had chosen me. It started
when the 40th New York Film
Festival (NYFF) honoured me with
a Retrospective of my work in 2002.
NYFF only holds Retrospectives
of film directors and I was rather
pleased to be the first actor ever
selected.
The Proclamation also
recognised my work as a social
activist, acknowledging my work
with slum dwellers, empowerment of
women and the girl child, and issues
“In India, obviously
getting five
National awards
of which three are
consecutive, is
unmatched – except
by my own husband
related to public health’.
TII: What are the recent movies
you have done?
SA: My most recent movies are
Deepa Mehta’s ‘Midnight’s Children,’
an adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s
1981 novel; Mohsin Hamid’s ‘The
Reluctant Fundamentalist’ (2007)
with Mira Nair. In both I have
significant though not very big parts.
Then there is Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Matru
ki Bijlee ka Mandola.’
I worked with Deepa in the
trilogy ‘Fire’ (1996), ‘Earth’ (1998),
‘Water’ (2008), she is an actor’s
director who knows what she wants
and will coax you, cajole you, do
everything in her power to remove
blocks and make it possible for the
actor to flow.
“Mira Nair and I have wanted to
work together for years. When she
July - August 2013
83
TRIBUTE
“Mira Nair and I have
wanted to work together
for years. When she
approached me saying,
‘Shabbo Rani, I need you
in this film’, I responded
with, Finally, ‘akal aa
gayi?’ (has sense finally
dawned on you?).Without
waiting to hear what role
she was offering me, I
accepted.”
approached me saying, ‘Shabbo Rani,
I need you in this film’, I responded
with, ‘Finally, akal aa gayi?’ (Finally
sense has dawned upon you). I
accepted without waiting to hear
what role she was offering me.”
TII: Do you do exactly what the
director says, or make suggestions
about direction?
SA: I used to be very involved,
but growing older now I let the
director follow his vision, because
ultimately cinema is a director’s
medium. It is a collaborative process
where actors hog most of the
credit because they are visible on
screen but we know that it is the
technicians working behind the
scenes who enhance the actors’
strengths and hide our weaknesses.
Your performance is dependent on
the writing, the direction, and your
co-stars. When you look into your costar’s eyes and he or she is telling the
truth that makes it so much easier to
react because acting is really about
reacting. On the other hand, theater
is an actor’s medium, because in
spite of all the rehearsals, on stage
the actor is finally on her own.
TII: Your trysts with the stage:
Do you feel that in ‘Kaifi Aur Main’,
84
Shabana receiving the Proclamation of the City of New York
Gandhi Peace prize at the House of Commons London w ith Vanessa Redgrave
Javed was the best choice to do
justice to Kaifi Sahib’s role?
SA: Yes, in ‘Kaifi Aur Main’ I
don’t think any other professional
actor can portray my father as well
as Javed has done, because he
comes from the same background
as Kaifi. Both are from UP, there
is an UP tehzeeb that just cannot
be replicated. It has to be in your
DNA. The humour is the same, the
interests are the same, the world
view is the same. Whether Javed
would like to perform more as an
actor is really a choice he will have to
make. But he is very comfortable in
front of the cameras and a very good
anchor and host.
TII: ‘Broken Images’ is a lethal
combination of talent – Girish
Karnad, Alyque Padamsee and
of course, you – and technical
wizardry.
SA: I took on ‘Broken Images’
because I found it very challenging
technically – to play against myself
and a pre-recorded image, which
I did in the first, one take of 44
minutes. Normally what happens in
theatre is, if you were to miss a line or
a beat your colleague fills in for you.
Here it is a pre-recorded image, so
I don’t have that liberty at all. One’s
focus has to be really sharp and you
cannot miss a cue. The movement
of the eyes (on screen) have to be
matched with that of a live person.
Then they must look similar but not
identical, so even the accent I have
used as a live character is a little
more subtly Indianised than the
recorded image’s accent. The play
is an intense one hour focus. The
tension in the pit of one’s stomach
is absolutely necessary for an actor,
because the minute you take it easy
you are bound to make mistakes.
One of the great challenges
was while performing in Rohtak
(Haryana). It was such a mad
moment. I don’t think it’s ever
happened in theater. Forty minutes
before I went on stage I was
informed that only 20 per cent of the
audience understood English so I
would have to deliver the dialogues
in Hindi. I turned cold but gathered
myself and actually did the entire
script in Hindi, simultaneously
translating as I went along, focusing
sharply not to miss a cue. When I
told Javed after the show what I had
done he said “Please don’t tell me,
I’m going to have a heart attack!”
Frankly, I surprised even myself and
don’t think I will be able to repeat
it – but such unpredictable situations
in a live performance make it so
thrilling.
TII: Your NGOs....
SA: Javed says I am genetically
engineered to not staying still. I am
on a plane every other day, hopping
around wearing various hats –
theatre, films, seminars, NGOs etc.
The Mijwan Welfare Society
(MWS) (www.mijwan.org) is an NGO
founded by my father Kaifi Azmi in
his village in 1993. He believed in
focusing on the empowerment of
the villages where 80 per cent of
the population lives, with a focus on
the girl child, to make real progress.
Mijwan was such a small village in
Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh,
that it didnt even have its own pin
code. It is now on the world map.
Designers Manish Malhotra and
Anita Dongre are getting all their
chikankari embroidery done from
our girls. The school has 100 per cent
results. The girls learn English and
personality development through
Skype under the aegis of the USbased Ann Foundation.
Mijwan has become a replicable
and scalable model for the kind of
development that we need to see in
our villages. The Centre is on its feet
and it intersects very well with my
work in Mumbai with Nivara Hakk
(The Right to Shelter). We work for
the rights of slum dwellers and have
resettled 50,000 people for free. The
government must provide land at
subsidised rates for the economically
weaker sections otherwise the
problem of slums will never be
solved. That is the work that I now
need to take to the next level. As a
Nominated Member of Parliament
(NMP) I have influenced the National
Slum Policy.
TII: And, finally, on yours and
Javed Akhtar’s terms as NMPs.
SA: First, I must mention it is
historic and extraordinary what
Javed has done as an NMP. He got
the Copyright Amendment Act
unanimously passed in Parliament
– the only such instance. It is going
to set right all the injustice that has
been meted out to film lyricists and
music composers where their rights
were taken away unfairly by music
companies.
Fali Nariman, a professional
lawyer, and Javed Akhtar are the only
two people who have managed to
do that, which is huge. Because my
father, Kaifi Azmi, for instance, got
500 rupees to write ‘waqt ne kiya kya
haseen sitam’ (Geeta Dutt sang for
‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ with music by SD
Burman,1959). Fifty years later the
song plays on the radio every day
in some part of the country, and my
father gets nothing for it. But now all
that will change.
As Shekhar Gupta of The Indian
Express said that is why every six
years the President puts 11 people
who excel in their fields as nominees
as they bring about laws which make
their industry a more conducive
place to work - laws, which the
government might not have the
political ramifications to put in place
on their own.
(Photos courtesy Shabana Azmi)
Amita Sarwal is a freelance writer
based in Singapore.
July - August 2013
85
GUPTARA GARMAGARAM
PRABHU GUPTARA
Lies, Myths
and Magic
I
have just watched, on
YouTube, a charming young
man explaining to a class of
youngsters that we Indians
are very brilliant – so brilliant
that we had worked out, centuries
before anyone else, and even put in
a secret code in one of our scriptures,
the value of “pi” (which, by the way,
has nothing to do with the recent
film but rather to do with the ratio
of a circle’s circumference to its
diameter).
You will easily find many people
like that young man telling you that
we had come up with the concept of
zero, discovered and worked out the
speed of light, invented chess and
stainless steel, and built the largest
and best cannons and ships in the
world.
While we can and should be
impressed with such things (insofar
as they are true – there is some hype
around), I have one question after I
hear such things.
The question is: so what?
All these wonders did not stop
our culture degenerating to such an
extent that tiny bands of foreigners
could virtually walk in and colonise
us.
The fact is that brilliant technical
advances can take place at the same
time as massive moral degeneration
in society (as we see in our own
time, especially in the West) – and,
unfortunately, technical advances
cannot preserve a civilization
when morality and society have
86
degenerated beyond a certain point.
That should be obvious to
anyone prepared to think even a
little.
What worries me is that such
speakers usually move seamlessly
from facts which are definitely
established, to things that may be
true, to things that are, as far as we
can make out at present, definitely
not true, and therefore mere myths.
Then they make a little jump and
blame the British for all that is wrong
with India now – which is a bald lie
(the British did many horrible things
in the first phase of their presence
in India, and they continued to
exploit us economically but they did
many good things and they left us
in a condition from which we could
certainly have built up a country as
good as any in the world). Blaming
the British for what happened two
generations ago becomes the lie by
which we try to evade responsibility
for all that we have ourselves done
wrong in the nearly 70 years since we
became independent.
So such speakers mix truth
with myths, and with lies. But the
worrisome thing is that they then
move on to magic: they suggest
that, in order to regain our lost
glory, all that we need to do is
learn meditation or yoga or some
such thing (and perhaps join some
revivalist Indian organisaation or
other).
If only life was that simple.
All these wonders
did not stop our culture
degenerating to such
an extent that tiny
bands of foreigners
could virtually walk in
and colonise us.
Blaming the British
for what happened
two generations ago
becomes the lie by
which we try to evade
responsibility for all
that we have ourselves
done wrong in the
nearly 70 years since we
became independent.
Yoga and meditation are of many
varieties, but there is no quality
control possible in any of them.
If anyone claims enlightenment,
there is no foolproof test to tell the
charlatan from the self-deceived,
or one who is possessed by a good
spirit from one who is possessed
by an evil spirit. Our revivalist
organisations are good and bad, just
as you will find Ayurveda helping
lots of people but also not helping
others - and the whole of Ayurveda
is now so totally commercialized as
Sexual abuse,
financial chicanery, and
political shenanigans
happen just as much in
BJP rule as in Congress
and in all our regional
parties.
to have become an industry, just
as our revivalist organisations have
also become an industry. Let us not
forget that sexual abuse, financial
chicanery, and political shenanigans
happen just as much in BJP as in
Congress and in all our regional
parties.
That young man’s appeal to
“discipline” can become a slick
way of making us subservient
and mindless. If we want to build
ourselves up, and build up any
society or any nation, it cannot
be on the basis of lies, myths and
magic, but only on the basis of truth,
righteousness and love.
Truth requires unpicking what
is untrue (because truth, in our
world, does not come unmixed with
untruth).
Righteousness requires a
constant effort to fight what is
wrong – in our own hearts and
spirits, but also in our families, in our
friendships, in our communities and
in the wider nation and world.
Most of all, what is required is
love, because the pursuit of truth
and righteousness can become hardhearted like flint and, as everything
which is untrue and wrong is plucked
out, it can make the whole landscape
dead and dry like a desert.
It is love which heals, forgives,
soothes, nourishes, and enables us
to grow – whether as individuals, as
families or as societies.
Such love has to be tough – it has
to occasionally discipline, rebuke and
even chastise, or it is no love at all
but mere indulgence.
The difference between mere
indulgence and real love is precisely
that indulgence lets everything pass,
while love builds on truth and right
to enable us to grow and flourish.
That young man had charm.
Perhaps he even had love. If only we
could all replace lies, myth and magic
with truth and righteousness.
Prof. Prabhu Guptara has written
the above in an entirely private
capacity, and none of the above
should be related in any way
to any of the companies or
organisations with which he is
now, or has been associated in
the past. His personal website
is www. prabhu.guptara.net He
blogs at:www. prabhuguptara.
blogspot.com
July - August 2013
87
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
SP JAIN
GULF MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
trailblazing business school
with a passion for innovation
the first of its kind in the region
College of Allied Health Sciences under Gulf Medical
University to start Master of Clinical Physical Therapy
The College of Allied Health
Sciences (CoAHS) under the Gulf
Medical University (GMU) has
been producing skilled Physical
Therapists ever since its inception
in the year 2000 to serve the
community. A total of 132 Physical
Therapists have graduated
from the first 8 cohorts of the
Bachelor of Physical Therapy
Program. The curriculum is well
formulated to meet the demands
of the profession and a dynamic
evidence based approach is
employed. The program is listed in
the EMRO-WHO website.
S.P. Jain - The only foreign educational institution to be accredited by Australia
S P Jain School of Global
Management is the only foreign
institution to be formally accredited
by the Department of Education
and Communities, New South
Wales, Australia. It is an Australian
Business School ranked among the
top hundred in the world (Financial
times Global MBA Rankings 2011
and 2012).
SP Jain has campuses in
the three vibrant cities of Dubai,
Singapore, and Sydney and is world
renowned for its global business
programmes across these three
cities. Its programme portfolio
includes the Bachelor of Business
Administration (BBA), Master of
Global Business (MGB), Master of
Business Administration (Global), and
Master of Business Administration
(Executive).
As a trailblazing business
school with a passion for continuous
innovation, S P Jain is radically
changing global business education
88
through a revolutionary paradigm
named Business Education 2.0.
Business Education 2.0
The next time you are taught a
lesson in risk-taking and confidence
building, you may find yourself
in Sydney – aboard a surfboard,
battling the waves and tasting
the sea. The Professor of World
culture at S P Jain School of Global
Management explains, “ This is
business education 2.0 – taking
students out of the confines of the
classroom to learn ‘out in the field’,
through exposure and observation.
While business education 1.0 focuses
mainly on imparting theoretical and
conceptual business knowledge ,
business education 2.0 is far more
holistic – equipping students with
not just the technical skills, but also
the practical and social skills.” Prof.
Weber is a German national and an
alumnus of the universities of Oxford,
Cambridge and Beijing.
At S P Jain, business
learning takes a unique track. One
degree – three cities and in these
cities – Dubai, Singapore and Sydney
– students learn first-hand about the
diverse business programme. It offers
them the opportunity to understand
three very diverse business practices
and cultures.
BBA students at S P Jain spend
their first two years in Singapore
and Dubai and the final two
years in Sydney; while the MBA
students spend four months each
in these three cities , as part of their
accelerated one-year programme.
This unique experience of multicity
– multicultural immersion opens
up a student’s mind to a plethora of
opportunities.
The Tertiary Education Quality
and Standards Agency (TEQSA),
Australia accredits all S P Jain
programmes and students are
conferred with an Australian degree.
Highlights of the existing BPT
program are:
Curriculum is approved and
students are eligible for the licensure
process in many countries. Students
gain patient care experience
throughout the program.
Pre-clinical training in state of
art laboratories. Clinical training is
organized in many specialty centers.
Specialist faculty involved
in teaching basic sciences, preclinical and clinical subjects Upon
graduation students can pursue
higher education or enter clinical
practice following licensure.
Summer training postings and
clinical experience develops skills
and confidence to enter professional
practice. Keeping in line with the
mission of the university the college
has developed a Master’s Program
for offering in September 2013
subject to accreditation by the CAA,
MOHESR.
The Master of Clinical Physical
Therapy (MPT) is a two year program
Gulf Medical University students
which will provide specialist training
for practicing therapists.
Highlights of the course are:
A systems-based practice
oriented Post-graduate education in
Physical Therapy, Hands on training
in state-of-the-art bio-mechanics
and ergonomic laboratory facilities.
Student centered curriculum
emphasizing evidence based
practice.
Upon successful completion
graduates will be able to :
Administer advanced
rehabilitative procedures for
patients.
Improve advanced clinical skills
in all areas of Physical therapy,
Improve their career prospects.
Undertake research in Physical
Therapy Sciences.
CoAHS, GMU is also developing
courses to produce a wide range
of healthcare personnel including
Medical Laboratory Technologists,
Radiology Technicians, Nursing
Personnel, Optometrists,
Nutritionists and Dieticians, Surgical
and Anesthesia Operating Room
Technicians, Speech and Hearing,
Health Information Managers.
The Bachelor of Health Sciences
Program is a four year undergraduate
program.
Highlights of these courses
are :
A unique curriculum with
opportunities for practicing patient
care skills in the safe environment of
the Simulation Center that houses a
mock operating, labor room, x-ray
facilities, laboratory and pharmacy,
nursing stations, both inpatient and
outpatient settings.
GMU Physical Therapy students
undergo their Clinical Training and
Internship at GMC Hospital, Ajman,
Iranian Hospital- Dubai, City Hospital
– Dubai, Sharjah Old People’s Home
– Sharjah, Elderly Nursing Home Ajman, and the Ajman Rehabilitation
Centre for the Disabled. This ensures
that they are exposed to a wide
variety of clinical conditions and well
prepared for their profession. GMU
Physical Therapy students also use
the Advanced Simulation Centre
where they are trained in Basic Life
Support and CPR Courses.
July - August 2013
89
INVESTING
ASHA IYER KUMAR & JUGNU SALWAN
HOW SAVVY ARE
INDIAN INVESTORS?
A
ccording to Suman
Bery, Director-General
of the National Council
of Applied Economic
Research (NCAER),
New Delhi, “Households in India
increasingly need to look to financial
instruments to meet their asset
accumulation and old age goals.
Yet the pattern of financial asset
accumulation is relatively primitive
indicating a need for much greater
awareness of the role that specific
financial instruments can play in
reducing financial vulnerability and
enhancing financial security.”
Non Resident Indians to
some extent probably share the
investment habits revealed by
NCAER and Max New York Life’s2008
India wide survey of 60,000
households. It showed that Indians
do not plan for a long-term future
and keep away from investing in
long-term instruments though they
save for long-term goals such as
emergencies, education and old
age. ‘How India Earns, Spends and
Saves’ revealed that this phenomena
is not just confined to just poor
or middleclass households, but is
prevalent in rich households too.
Most Indians prefer keeping 65
percent of their savings in liquid
assets like bank or post office
deposits and cash at home, while
investing 23 percent in physical
investments like real estate and
gold and only 12 percent in financial
instruments.
For getting secure return on
their earning, 51 percent of Indians
put their savings in the banks while
36 percent of households prefer to
keep cash at home. The investment
90
UAE based Indians
are risk averse and have
critical gaps in their
financial and retirement
planning according to a
recent study.
in post offices and other guaranteed
return schemes and plans gets
minor part of total savings. Only 5
percent of family put their money
in post offices, while 2 percent buy
insurance policies and 0.5 percent
invests in equities.
Interestingly, though life
insurance is among the most popular
financial instruments (about 78
percent of the households are aware
of life insurance), yet only 24 percent
of households have a life insurance
policy. The ownership is 38 percent
among urban households but a low
19 percent among rural households.
According to the study, 83
percent of the households surveyed
saved for emergency, while children’s
education (81 percent) was the
other key priority. While only 69
percent households saved for oldage financial security, 63 percent
households said they kept aside
money to meet future expenses like
marriage, births and other social
ceremonies.
The study also notes that nearly
47 percent households saved to
buy or build a house and a similar
percentage saved to improve or
enlarge their business. Only 22
percent households saved to buy
consumer durable and 18 percent
Chris Divito, CEO, Standard Life International Limited
Mathew Kurian
for meeting expenses towards
gifts, donation or pilgrimage.
Salaried class households, which
constitute only 18 percentof the
total households in the country
“accounted for greatest proportion
of savings” and are the cream of
urban India, agriculturists with land
are the richest in rural areas.
“The highest savings (in terms of
per household) are in the 56-65 age
group where savings are Rs.21,196
per household, or 25 percent of the
annual income,” the study notes.
The two main factors responsible
for higher savings with growing
age, according to the survey, are
motivation to save and the need to
meet old-age requirements. And
persons in the 56-65 agegroup, keep
the bulk (57 percent) of their savings
in liquid assets, with surplus funds
invested in shares and debentures.
A recent study of Indians in
the Gulf has been carried out by
the nearly 200 year old UK firm
Standard Life, Standard Life is a
leading provider of long term
savings and investments to around
ten million customers worldwide.
Headquartered in Edinburgh,
Standard Life has around 8,500
employees internationally and was
established in 1825. Standard Life
is a leading long term savings and
investments company, and opened
its Dubai office in November 2012,
offering retail investors including
NRIs access to India funds and
other products through financial
intermediaries.
Standard Life’s report is the
first ever of its kind in the region. It
studied the saving, spending and
investment behaviour along with
general aspirations of nearly 300
NRIs across the UAE. With 44% of
respondents depending on family
members for financial advice, the
report revealed that many NRIs do
not seek professional advice for
financial planning. Amongst the
respondents seeking expert opinion
for financial planning, 21% rely on
NRI financial advisers, 18% trust
their bank, and 10% turn to non-NRI
financial advisers.
According to the Standard Life
NRI (Non Resident Indian) Wealth
Study, UAE based Indians have
critical gaps in their financial and
retirement planning. Risk aversion
and lack of professional advice is
leading to critical gaps in financial
and retirement planning amongst
UAE based Non Resident Indians.
• 75% expect their children to
look after them during retirement
• Only 10% invest in any
retirement plans
• NRIs focus on relatively illiquid
investments like gold and property
Chris Divito, CEO, Standard
Life International Limited (DIFC
Branch) noted: “It is really interesting
to see that many NRIs trust family
members instead of professionals
when seeking expert advice for
financial planning. Our survey found
that on average, NRIs allocate some
70% of their disposable income
towards savings and investments, so
it is clear they have a strong savings
ethic. If this pro-savings approach
were to be supplemented with
expert advice, then they could reap
the benefits of professional financial
planning for a more secure future. In
this context, it would be encouraging
to see professional financial advisers
engaging more actively and building
trust with the NRI community who
are a significant part of the UAE
society.”
Their study also indicated that
there is a home bias when it comes
to financial products, with 64% of
respondents’ preferring offerings
from Indian companies. Looking
into the spending behaviour of NRIs,
the research revealed that the top
five expenses for the respondents
were children’s education, rent,
miscellaneous household bills,
holidays/travelling and health
related expenses. Out of all these
expenses, children’s education
appeared to be the most important
priority for 91% of the respondents.
With the Sharada Chit Fund
Scam in India and the Sunfeast
Infotech debacle in Dubai,
thousands of average Indians
have been stripped of their
life savings, a majority of them
middle class expats. The uncanny
similarity in the two cases throws
up many critical questions about
the investment habits of Indians,
and TII tried to get some insights
from financial experts. Mathew
Kurian (FAIQ Award - Chartered
Insurance Institute, London), an
independent Financial Adviser with
the largest Brokerage in the U.A.E.
and Janet RoshanD’mello, a Quality
professional with a Six Sigma and
Process Auditing background, and 12
years of banking experience in India
and the UAE, share their views.
Mathew Kurian believes there is
no lack of investment opportunities
for those who are financially savvy,
but one must be patient and content
with the returns. The danger is in
seeking quick money. A carefully
built portfolio will fetch returns
in the long run, although not at
the bizarre rates that fraudulent
companies offer. Whether it is in
stocks, mutual funds or a bank
FD, it pays to be patient. For those
with low risk appetites, traditional
instruments are the best options,
especially in a volatile atmosphere.
“No company in the present
economic scenario can offer 40
percent returns, unless it is a
Ponzi scheme. Do not borrow to
invest in such dubious schemes.
It is not only the middle class or
lower income groups that fall
prey to the temptations of greater
returns. The only difference is that
a business man is aware of the risk
and is probably prepared to lose,
should things go wrong, whereas,
for a middle class individual it is an
aspirational inducement. In trying
July - August 2013
91
DANUBE
INVESTING
to leverage his modest income,
unaware of the risks, he borrows
money and invests in schemes that
offer unimaginably high rates of
returns. When the scheme goes bust,
he is devastated and left with huge
loans.”
For Janet Roshan D’mello the
criteria for making an investment
decision is a considerable degree
of Safety, Return and Liquidity. “Of
these, I consider Safety as the most
important aspect. I usually do a precommitment check to understand
the investment scheme, the people
behind it and their past record. Apart
from this, I think any investment
should have a purpose and a target
of performance. My expectation
from an investing opportunity is that
it should provide a reasonable return
along with high liquidity. I would
not stretch myself beyond a point.
I would classify my risk appetite as
‘Moderate’ since I would not like to
venture into investment options
which are very risky. I would rather
prefer lower proceeds, my motive
NEHA BHATIA
Janet Roshan D’mello
being steady returns and secured
capital.”
Janet thinks people don’t take
a proper, methodical approach
towards investments, and their herd
mentality goes by what it hears
and ends up at the bottom of the
curve. Moreover, investment related
matters are not discussed openly
within the family. Decisions are
based on an individual’s perspective.
“Many Indian women are not
savvy about these matters and
don’t get involved in investment
decisions. Women also tend to invest
in groups, influenced by neighbours,
close friends and relatives. A lack of
understanding of good investment
principles affects their investment
decision and they end up believing
what their group recommends. There
is certainly a greater need for women
to understand the fundamentals of
money management, and it is time
that they came out of their domestic
shells for this purpose.”
She advocates more education
on money management and
investment principles could perhaps
be sponsored by corporates as a
CSR initiative. Investment education
should be part of the education
system much earlier than it is.
The fact that even well-educated
and informed people end up losing
money in fraudulent schemes
reiterates this basic principle.
PEOPLE DON’T LIKE TO SEE OUR
FACE IN THE MORNING
I
Everyone does not want to work as
pallbearers, only the few who have a
feeling for their religion. I am interested
in this work and will do it as long as my
physique permits. It is a sentimental
thing and not for money. For this work
you need a strong heart. Like after
placing one body in the tower, you have
to go in again with another body and
92
Danube Group’s genteel MD speaks to
TII about the combination of family,
career and cricket that his life is.
Asha Iyer Kumar is a freelance writer
based in Dubai, Jugnu Salwan writes
from New Delhi.
TII’s Hall of Fame
was an acrobat in my youth
- exercising and everything.
Those days you had only a
handcart and when the old
pallbearers could not pickup the
body, young people like me helped
out. We received Rupees 10 each
time but in those days Rupees 10
seemed like Rupees 10,000.
Now You See Him : Anees Sajan
Anees Sajan - relationships are integral to business
you see that the vultures have taken the
first body.
I don’t know what my son will do. He
is only 16 years old. I teach him about
our religion, the rules and regulations
and how to pray. He himself likes to go
to the Fire Temple especially during
exam days. So he is interested. Nature
will take its course. He is not ashamed
to tell his friends that I am a pallbearer.
Now the attitude has changed but some
people in the community still don’t
like to see our face in the morning. Like
some women on seeing me will pull
away their sari as if I will touch them.
Homi Cooper, Parsi Pallbearer, born
Mumbai, 1920.
TII’s Hall of Fame features India’s
elderly, great, interesting and unusual
men and women. Excerpted from
the book: ‘Ageless Mind and Spirit,’
by Samar and Vijay Jodha. www.
agelessmindandspirit.com
TII: How has your career graphed since Danube
was formed?
Anees Sajan: I went to Kuwait at the age of 18, in
1990. I didn’t like it much. Fresh out of college, I found
it very dull. I missed my friends, the lifestyle back home
etc. But my brother decided to call me to work with him
so I could be under his aegis, but I never really enjoyed it.
Fatefully, after Saddam Hussain’s invasion, I was back in
Bombay – very gladly, if I may admit.
TII: What followed after your return home?
AS: I joined a direct selling job with Eureka Forbes.
My memories of my first client are intact – she was very
friendly and warm – almost as though she wanted to
purchase a water purifier immediately! – and I considered
that a great start to my career. Aquaguard purifiers cost
about Rs. 6,000 at the time, and I’d more often than not
meet my target of a-sale-a-day. I’d attribute this to my
good fortune – being given a posh locality helped my job.
I’d be lying if I said my sales skills took me forward. Luck
plays a role – that motivates you.
TII: You did eventually end up in Dubai though.
What led to it?
AS: My brother came to Dubai in the end of 1992,
and it’s been a learning curve since. I was the second
employee in the company, besides a clerk who worked
with us. Compared to what you see today, it was a very
small office in Deira. I may sound emotional here, but
this is what reminds us of where we have come from.
I’ve always maintained a step behind my brother.
He’s brought me up since I was eight years old, and share
a father-son relationship. He initially called me to Dubai
so I could aid him at work while simultaneously being
guarded by him. He wanted someone from the family at
the time. I was 20, then, and not entirely “serious” about
a career. But he taught me the value of discipline and
hard work. That if I ever was to run my own company, for
instance, I’d have to be in office on time – 8 AM, not 10
AM.
TII: Rizwan Sajan is often looked at as the face
of the family and company in Dubai. What has your
relationship with him been like?
AS: My brother imbibed in me the attitude needed
for success, and Adel too – it makes us proud to
work with him. He’s like the Godfather of the family –
everyone loves him! His trademark million dollar smile
goes a long way in charming everyone around him.
Importantly, it’s his never-say-die attitude that inspires
us everyday. During the Kuwait invasion, there was a
period of two months when we had to suspend business
operations. But even at the time, my brother never sat
idle. We’d sell oil on the road. Why, I even ran into a
local policeman once on the job. Similarly, we’d deliver
telegrams from Kuwait to Basra (a city in Iraq). We’d carry
the messages between various Indian families stranded
in the war. These incidents are proof to us that he never
gave up, and he’s a direct inspiration to me. I owe my
identity today as the Managing Director of Danube to
July - August 2013
93
BUZZWORD
DANUBE
traders. My job involved new product
procurement. My experience in
Bombay at Eureka Forbes helped
me create relationships – an integral
ingredient to any business. Clients
like to work with business persons
who provide impeccable service;
factors such as price and experience
are secondary. My brother would
harp on this point – never run away
from a client, provide them the best
would wonder what was worth
waking up at 3 AM for! I started
the indoor-cricket team in 1996.
16 years down the line, our good
performance is the secret to our
sustainability. I used to play for the
team before age caught up! I only
remember our 7 defeats in the last
16 years, and I hold that as proof
of our capabilities against worthy
opponents.
Anees Sajan with Peter Drinnen of the Danube Lions
after-sales service possible. That has
helped us grow from an employee
count of 2 to 2,000.
We’re blessed with great
employees. Any employee from
blue-collar to white can easily reach
me or my brother at the office. There
were days when some of our staff
left during Dubai’s economic boom
for higher-paying jobs, but returned
in pursuit of their long-term goals.
Our employees have been the pillar
of strength for us. Everything in our
company is transparent, and we
don’t hide facts from any employee.
We hope they grow with us.
TII: The Sajans are a known
cricket-loving brood, but your
formation of the Danube Lions
took it a step forward. Would you
agree?
AS: Cricket has been my passion
since our 1983 World Cup victory,
I was perhaps 11 at the time. I was
obsessed with listening to the
radio commentary from matches in
Australia and England – back then
in a studio flat in Bombay, my family
94
match is over. Carrying a grudge
never works. My team was formed
from varied corporates, in fact. They
were all incredibly supportive of our
decision to “buy” certain players, and
for those I knew personally, I reached
out to myself.
TII: How has living as an expat
in Dubai been so far?
AS: The first thing my brother
did in the city was take me to
Rizwan & Anees with diplomats at the Danube-Diplomats cup
TII: How did Danube Lions
evolve into an outdoor team?
AS: It was during a press
conference announcing Sunil
Gavaskar as our brand ambassador
for Danube that the idea of an
outdoor cricket team was first
planted in my mind. With our players’
commitment and the grace of the
Almighty, we have made it to the
knock-out stage of all tournaments
– a wonderful record for a new
team, I believe. This has been
possible largely because of the 100%
commitment of our players.
TII: Does playing against
Danube’s contemporaries affect
your business relations?
AS: I’ve learnt quite a bit in these
eight months with the outdoor
team. There is undoubtedly a sense
of competition when two market
opponents take to the field, but it
boils down to the importance of
relationships, eventually. I believe
that if you maintain a healthy
rapport off-field, the cricketing
tussles cease to exist once the
Kamat Restaurant for a dosa! That’s
when I knew I wasn’t going to miss
home much – the food, the cricket,
Bollywood, everything’s right here!
And most importantly, our business
too, and the rulers of the country have
been kind. The more we travel, the
more we realize how much we love
Dubai.
TII: What are your future plans
for Danube and Danube Lions?
AS: Market lows or not, Danube
has always capitalized on the variables
it functions in. I hope we continue to
do business with the same values and
our feet firmly planted to the ground.
As for Danube Lions, I hope my team
reaches the top by playing some
solid cricket, and I’d be very happy if
my players from various ethnicities
could go on to represent their homecountries or UAE on the international
level.
Neha Bhatia is a Dubaibased journalism graduate who
gleefully writes about everything
Indian – food, cricket, and politics
Giordano
wins Emerging
Market Retailer
2013 Award
Giordano beat top
retailers across the
globe.
Giordano, the fashion retailer
for everyday essential wardrobe,
clinched the “2013 RLI Emerging
Market Retailer of the Year” award
in the recently concluded Global
RLI Awards held in the National
History Museum in London. The
recognition adds to a long list of
accolades received by Giordano from
prestigious award-giving bodies
internationally.
Giordano beat three other
international nominees short-listed
Ishwar Chugani receives the 2013 RLI Emerging Market Retailer Award
from many entries across the globe,
as it has demonstrated a robust and
growing retail format and essayed its
role in the development of emerging
economies where it operates.
Receiving the award from Jayne
Rafter, Publisher of RLI (Retail and
Leisure International) were Dominic
Irwin, Giordano International’s CFO
and Ishwar Chugani, Managing
Director of Giordano Middle East FZE
and Executive Director of Giordano
International.
“This award recognises
Giordano’s efforts in delivering not
just quality products but innovative
and creative retail entrepreneurship,”
said Chugani.
Just in May 2013, Giordano was
ranked 19th by Forbes Middle East
Top 100 for making an Impact in the
Arab World.
Sukh Sagar: A Household Word
Truly representing the
eclecticism of Indian cuisine,
Sukh Sagar has been a household
name for more than fifty years.
One of the most popular
restaurant chains from India,
Sukh Sagar outlets are spread
across UAE, Qatar, KSA and will
soon be in North America. From
nostalgia evoking snacks such as
Pav Bhaji and Masala Dosa to a
full course lunch and dinner. Sukh
Sagar serves all kinds of meals in a
relaxed ambience.
At Sukh Sagar, the dishes
range from all regions of India
and are fused with Oriental,
Continental and Middle-Eastern
flavours and influences. Each dish
is cooked in the authentic way,
perfected by years of experience and
the staff will be more than willing to
help you make your choice.
More than just satisfying your
hunger to fill the stomach, Sukh
Sagar aims to gratify all the senses
and aspirse to nourish mind, body
and soul of those who enjoy good
food. For the health conscious,
the original recipes have been
customized.
Karama
JBR
JLT
: 04 3967222/91
: 04 4370188
: 04 4543050
Sukh Sagar in JBR Dubai
Qusais
: 04 2593388/99
Catering & Sweets : 04 3237012
INDIA.UAE.QATAR.CANADA.KSA
www.sukhsagar.com
July - August 2013
95
BUZZWORD
SONY EXPANDS 4KTV LINE-UP WITH NEW 65 & 55-INCH MODELS
Dubai
Dolphinarium
Dubai Dolphinarium is the only
dolphinarium in the Middle East.
Visitors get up close and personal
with graceful bottlenose dolphins
and playful northern fur seals at
the action-packed live shows. Twice
per day weekly and three times per
day at weekends the interactive
extravaganza showcases the
amazing animals’ astounding skills.
Watch in wonder as the dolphins and
seals dance, sing, juggle, play ball,
jump through hoops and even paint.
The 6pm dolphins and seal show is a
musical & illusion production ‘Pirates
of the Dolphinarium’ featuring Max
Stevenson the master Illusionist.
For an experience of a lifetime
you can swim with the dolphins
as part of a group or in a private
session, this is so popular that
advance booking is essential!
Dubai Dolphinarium
Dubai Dolphinarium is also
home to the UAE’s only mirror maze.
The maze is a dizzying labyrinth
in which visitors are challenged to
find their way through a baffling
and disconcerting maze of mirrors,
finding themselves disoriented in
a bewildering network of endless
corridors achieved by a complex
arrangement of reflecting glass.
Once within the mirrors, they won’t
be able to work out which way to
go and will have to use their senses
of touch and adventure to work out
the way.
Phase one of an extensive
refurbishment of the Dubai
Dolphinarium means that the mirror
maze is housed in an under–the-sea
themed hall, visitors walk under a
giant wave with jumping dolphins to
be greeted by an array of aquatic life.
For more information and
to book tickets visit www.
dubaidolphinarium.ae
A passion for Design at Al Ghurair
in quality education for young aspiring interior
University: Pride
designers at an affordable price
The Interior Design Department
at Al Ghurair University (AGU)
seeks through its program to instill
passion, nurture talent and develop
skills within each student. “Our
program provides rigorous hands-on
practice while encouraging students
to unleash their creativity,” explains
Dr. Wael Rashdan, Head of the
Interior Design Department.
The Bachelor of Arts in Interior
Design at AGU is one of many
programs that are fully accredited
by the UAE’s Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research.
The quality of the graduates of
AGU’s Interior Design Department is
well recognized by the community.
96
For example, AGU’s students won
the CEO’s Prize at the Danube
Competition-2012, organized by
Danube, the leading Construction,
Building Material, and Home Interiors
Company, in partnership with the
Association of Professional Interior
Designers (APID).
AGU’s students enjoy studios,
workshops and labs equipped with
the latest technologies located in a
conveniently located campus with
outstanding facilities. “Our students
are really spoiled, they have access
to the latest technologies” brags Dr.
Ahmed El Shakhs, Assistant Professor
of Interior Design.
Asked about what they
Hiroyasu Sugiyama MD Sony MEA and Vishesh Lal Bhatia CEO Jumbo Electronics at the launch of the new Sony 4K TV line-up
Following the release of its highly
acclaimed 84-inch 4K LED TV, Sony,
announced the expansion of its 4K
TV line-up with the launch of the
65-inch and 55-inch screen sizes.
Featuring four times the resolution
of Full HD (3,840 x 2,160 pixels), the
series delivers the most immersive
home entertainment experience,
with the highest picture quality
regardless of the content or source.
Speaking at the launch press
conference, Hiroyasu Sugiyama,
Managing Director, Sony Middle
East and Africa, said: “Last year we
introduced the first 84-inch Sony 4K
LED TV in the UAE and it was very
successful. In the Middle East, we
sold the largest number of 84-inch
4K televisions in the world outside
of Japan. UAE was one of the key
contributors to this record sale. I
THE OBEROI
OPENS IN
DUBAI
Al Ghurair University
appreciated the most at AGU,
the students gave completely
different answers, appreciating
the individualized attention, small
classes where they worked closely
together. The internship was very
valuable as it allowed students to
secure jobs even before graduation.
“For me, interacting with such a
diversified and talented group of
people will remain an unforgettable
experience” said one student.
The Oberoi Group announced
the opening of The Oberoi, Dubai.
Located at The Oberoi Centre, The
Oberoi is a contemporary luxury
hotel that embodies height, light and
space. The hotel overlooks the iconic
Burj Khalifa and each of the 252
rooms and suites have floor to ceiling
windows which afford spectacular
views of the city’s skyline. The hotel
enjoys a central location and is a
few minutes drive from downtown
Dubai and the Dubai Mall. “We are
pleased to present The Oberoi, Dubai
which offers the highest standards
The Oberoi Dubai
of luxury and hospitality. The
opening of the hotel is significant
for us. A number of Oberoi Hotels
have been consistently recognised
as amongst the best in the world.
I am confident that The Oberoi,
Dubai will continue this tradition.”
said Mr. P.R.S. Oberoi, Executive
Chairman of The Oberoi Group. Mr.
would like to thank all our customers
for this.”
“While sales greatly exceeded
our expectations, we realise that
an 84-inch television is not for
everyone. We would like to extend
the joy of owning this amazing Sony
4K experience to a much wider
range of customer base and I am
tremendously excited to introduce
the new 65-inch and 55-inch Sony
4K LED televisions that will deliver
the stunning 4K viewing experience
at a more accessible price point”, he
added.
Best-ever picture quality,
whatever the source
The new 4K BRAVIA TV
incorporates ‘4K X-Reality PRO’;
Sony’s proprietary super-resolution
high picture quality engine
optimized for 4K LED TV. The upscaling capability of the BRAVIA 4K
TV is a first-of-its-kind in the industry
and a unique customer benefit from
Sony.
Karim Bizid, General Manager of
The Oberoi, Dubai added, “With the
opening of The Oberoi, Dubai we
offer discerning business and leisure
travellers an oasis of tranquility with
service which is warm, caring and
personalised. In keeping with the
Group’s pioneering tradition. The
Oberoi, Dubai will have seamless
in-room check in, 24 hour butler
and Les Clefs d’Or concierge
services Restaurants include UMAI, a
contemporary Pan Asian restaurant,
NINE7ONE, an all day dining
restaurant, which offers the best of
world cuisine and ANANTA, an Indian
specialty restaurant. Legendary
service delivered by attentive and
caring team members will make
The Oberoi, Dubai the preferred
choice for discerning business and
leisure travellers to the United Arab
Emirates.
July - August 2013
97
WINNING
FRANK RAJ
HAVE YOU FOUND
YOUR MIDDLE ‘C’?
“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.”
- Albert Einstein
Ever heard an out-of-tune piano? The
piano’s strings have been allowed to fall
out of tune and as a result, the keys are
no longer synchronized. Normally, the
keys on a piano represent the different
notes of a musical scale. But without
proper tuning, they’re nothing more
than random notes cobbled together. To
hear them played together, it just sounds
chaotic. A band, choir or orchestra works
the same way. If the instruments or
voices haven’t been adjusted to play in
the same tone, they’ll sound no better
than an out-of-tune piano.
A musical tuning fork’s job is to
establish a single note that everybody
can tune to.
I recently read in a Max Lucado
column about Lloyd C. Douglas, author
of acclaimed novels like Magnificent
Obsession, The Robe and The Big
Fisherman. While attending college he
lived in a boarding house with a retired
music professor who lived on the first
floor. Douglas would stick his head in
the door and ask, “Well, what’s the good
news?” The old man would pick up his
music tuning fork, tap it on the side of
his chair and say, “That’s middle C. It was
middle C yesterday; it will be middle C
tomorrow; it will be middle C a thousand
years from now. The tenor upstairs sings
flat. The piano across the hall is out of
tune, but, my friend, that is middle C!”
Lucado says you and I need a middle
C. A still point in an ever turning world;
an unchanging reliable source who can
98
still the storms that we encounter, show
the meaning of life, help us overcome
and be our middle ‘C’ !
A world map published by the
National Geographic Society has this
notation: “Earth’s mass is 6.6 sextillion
tons.” And what supports all that weight?
Nothing.
The planet we inhabit spins on its
axis at 1,000 miles per hour as it hurtles
through space in its orbit around the sun.
Isn’t it amazing that such a fact
remains unnoticed in the midst of our
daily concerns about our health, our
relationships, and how to pay the bills?
Do you know who supports the
weight of the earth as it hangs in mid-air?
If you really do, you have found your
middle ‘C.’
Muhammad Ali is considered the
greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.
He won 56 of his 61 professional fights
and knocked out 37 opponents. His
most famous catchphrase was, “I am the
greatest!”
Ali was travelling in an airplane
once when the flight attendant came
down the aisle to make sure that all the
passengers had their seatbelts fastened.
When she got to Ali’s seat, she asked
the champ to buckle up. The big guy
remarked jokingly, “Superman don’t
need no seatbelt!” The flight attendant
was equally quick in her thinking and
replied, “Superman don’t need no
airplane, either.” Ali obediently fastened
his seatbelt.
The greater our success, the greater
the risk of us thinking too highly of
ourselves.
Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle
observed, “Adversity is sometimes hard
upon a man; but for one man who can
stand prosperity there are a hundred that
will stand adversity.”
Scottish writer Oswald Chambers
wrote, “Sudden elevation frequently
leads to pride and a fall. The most
exacting test of all to survive is
prosperity.”
There are people who learn to see
their successes as a gift, and there are
people who puff up with pride and
think it is their own achievement. There
is only one true source of all success,
all advancement, all blessing. If you are
fortunate enough to have a good mind
and you have sound health, if you live
in a place with plenty of opportunity, if
you have acquired a good education, if
you’ve had the right breaks that helped
you progress, then you have much to be
grateful for - and no cause for arrogance.
You didn’t achieve success; you received
it as a gift.
If each of us learns to voluntarily
humble ourselves, our Maker doesn’t
have to teach us the all important lesson
of abandoning our pride.
From my own experience it is better
to learn humility voluntarily, than have it
taught to us!
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
and publisher.
July - August 2013
99

LAVASA : Can Ajit Gulabchand Build More New Cities For India?

Transcription

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