For many Indian expats, the UAE has always been a second home. Since the 19th century, Indians have been coming to what is now known as the UAE, in search of new opportunities, and subsequently contributed to its progress and prosperity. Today, when it comes to assessing the achievements of the UAE since its formation in 1971, the contribution of the Indian diaspora can hardly be overlooked.
Many Indians landed in the UAE in the 1950s and 1960s, mostly armed with nothing but determination and entrepreneurial zeal. They went on to realise their aspirations, and passed on the mantle to the next generation in due course of time.
The generation of Indians who either came much later — in the 1980s and 1990s — or were handed down a great responsibility by their parents who had settled here, are the ones now emerging as the brave new face of the Indian diaspora. Here’s a snapshot of some of them, whose dreams were big and achievements bigger.
Dileep Kumar A.V., CEO, Heilbronn ContractING llc
Dileep Kumar A.V., 41, from Kerala, credits the UAE for what he is today. “This is a place on earth where no hard work goes unnoticed and the country provides equal opportunities to everyone,” he says.
A civil engineer by profession, Kumar came to the UAE in 1991 and founded Heilbronn Contractors in Dubai in 2002 to contribute to the city’s infrastructure, property development and property investment sectors. Since then, the company has handled some of the emirate’s most iconic projects including the Emirates Rugby and Cricket stadiums, the Burj Khalifa, Mall of the Emirates, Madinat Jumeirah and Al Maha Resort.
Kumar built his company from humble beginnings into a strong competitor in the regional market and fulfilled his ambition in less than a decade. His achievement is truly a story that inspires.
Kumar believes that the current generation of youth can achieve anything. “Young entrepreneurs are changing the face of global business every day. They are incredibly hard working, innovative, flexible, socially conscious and know how to inject fun into workplaces yet be high-performing,” he says.
“Dream big, believe in yourself and be confident in whatever you do. It is important that you identify your strengths and weaknesses and work accordingly.”
That is Kumar’s advice for people who want to explore their entrepreneurial sprits. “Have viable business concepts, as this helps you achieve your goals and transform your dreams into reality,” he says.
Karim F. Merchant, CEO and MD, Pure Gold
When Firoz G. Merchant arrived in the UAE from Mumbai more than 20 years ago and began a humble jewellery business,nobody thought his company would become one of the leading jewellery chains in the region, with 85 stores across the Middle East and India.
Today, Firoz’s son Karim F. Merchant, 29, the young CEO and MD of Pure Gold, is busy taking the company founder’s vision forward and attributes the jewellers’ stupendous success entirely to the UAE.
“We started our first shop in Dubai and since then have expanded into other markets in the GCC and in India. The UAE has been the single most important contributor towards making Pure Gold Jewellers what it is today,” Karim says.
A believer in old-school business ethics, Karim considers himself an extension of the values and principles of his father. “I may be different from my generation because my thinking and beliefs are very similar to those of my father. I believe my core strength is being conservatively aggressive, rather than just aggressive, in my approach and that is what sets me apart from other entrepreneurs of my generation,” he says.
He considers the UAE an ideal place to realise one’s dream of starting something new, but adds a note of caution: “Today’s generation feels they are the ‘know-it-all-generation’, which
makes them lose their competitive edge. It is very important to listen first and speak and act later.”
Shivani Pandya, Managing Director,Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF)
The young Managing Director of DIFF believes that the social and business environment of the UAE plays a key role in the success of young expatriates. “The visionary leadership of the UAE allows individuals to be dynamic in their approaches and constantly innovate and come up with new ideas and projects. Here, the key is delivery, and for any motivated person there is an opportunity to create something new or to be a part of something new,” says Shivani Pandya, 37.
Pandya came to Dubai in 2000 and was part of the evolution of Dubai Media City. Her last job before moving base to Dubai, as the General Manager of one of the branches of United Studios Limited, a subsidiary of UTV Motion Pictures, gave her enough exposure in the media industry. She has been associated with DIFF since the project was conceived in 2003, and was appointed the festival’s managing director in 2006. It is Pandya’s responsibility to create DIFF’s strategy and objectives and also to ensure that it delivers on its promises and commitments.
“We celebrate excellence in cinema, and use film as a medium to increase cultural understanding. At the same time, we are also looking at development of the local and regional film industry,” Pandya says, explaining the reasons why DIFF has managed to garner a great deal of recognition as a festival of repute in the region in a short span of time.
Meher mirchandani and Riddhima whabi, Fashion Designers
Eclectic designer duo Meher Mirchandani and Riddhima Whabi, both 29, have already established themselves as a brand to reckon with in the burgeoning UAE fashion industry. Their association with the UAE goes back to the 1980s, when their families moved to the country from Mumbai.
In 2002, the two childhood best friends got together and launched their first label Affascinare, which is now sold at Mumbai Se and Iconic in Dubai. The premium fashion label Meher and Riddhima was launched in 2007.
Proud to be one of the first few fashion labels originating from the UAE, the designs of Meher and Riddhima speak volumes about the cultural exchange between the UAE and India.
“Affascinare is a brand developed to satisfy a wider consumer base of different nationalities and age groups of the UAE,” says Riddhima. Their designs reflect their traditional roots and cultural base in India and the fervour of the Middle East.
Acknowledging the role of Dubai in kickstarting growth in the fashion industry and also opening up avenues for young and talented designers, Meher and Riddhima have ambitious plans for the future to consolidate their positions as the UAE makes its mark on the global fashion stage.
Rizwan Sajan, Chairman of Danube Building Materials
Self-made industrialist Rizwan Sajan, 46, Chairman of Danube Building Materials, came to Dubai in 1992 after leaving his job as a salesman in the construction sector in Kuwait. In Dubai, Sajan took up a job at a hardware store on a monthly salary of Dh1,500.
With savings of Dh88,000 and the experience that he gained during his eight-year stint in the construction materials industry in Kuwait, Sajan started his own company in Dubai in 1993. From an initial inventory of just two products, Danube today sells a range
of 25,000 products under one roof and has also diversified into retail operations under the brand name Danube Buildmart.
For Sajan, the ingredients for success are “taking calculated risks, adapting to advancements in terms of consumer behaviour and embracing technological changes.” And luck and hard
work too.
“One should never be fully satisfied with what he has achieved and should always strive to achieve more. With this mindset, success will automatically follow.”
Padma Coram, Partner, Talent Brokers
Think of big concerts and entertainment acts in the UAE — Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, Shah Rukh Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Amr Diab — and the person responsible for bringing them to you here is Padma Coram. The co-owner of the Talent Brokers, a leading entertainment and event management company in the UAE, Padma is a familiar name in showbiz circles in the UAE.
Padma came to Dubai in the mid-1980s to join Emirates Airlines as a member of its cabin crew, much against her parents’ wishes. Coming from a traditional south Indian family, it was not easy for Padma to settle down in a foreign country and create an identity for herself, let alone develop a successful career in the entertainment industry.
“The UAE to me is the new America. If you can dream, you can achieve, and here, anything is possible,” says Padma.
True to her motto, she did achieve what she dreamt of. It was during her stint with MTV and Channel V — she was part of the launch team of MTV and Channel V Middle East and Pakistan — that she realised where her true potential lay.
After handling a couple of other assignments in the United States, Richard Coram, then the sole owner of Talent Brokers and now her husband, offered Padma a partnership in the
company. It was a deal Padma could not turn down. It was how her journey began.
Today, she can boast of a series of achievements in a rewarding career, organising major live concerts, giving Indian and Pakistani talent huge exposure internationally and bridging the gap between India and Pakistan culturally, while establishing Dubai as well as Abu Dhabi as major venues for international concerts, and above all, running an all-woman office.
Biju Jayaraaj, CEO, Artaaj
The mantra for success, according to Biju Jayaraaj, 40, is hard work. “Success in business is driven by several factors, some of which may or may not be under our control — the one thing which is absolutely in our hands is the amount of effort we put into any task.”
Jayaraaj landed in the UAE in 1999 after a brief stint in Oman. After trying his luck in the automobile and events industries in the Middle East for several years, Jayaraaj finally took the plunge in 2003 to realise his entrepreneurial urge and launched Artaaj from a home office.
Today, Artaaj operates as an event management company and also as an integrated marketing consultancy with offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In the past seven years it has successfully managed more than 1,000 projects for over 350 clients throughout the Middle East and the Levant, including the successful lifestyle exhibition, Big Boys Toys.
Jayaraaj attributes his success to the thriving business environment and infrastructure of the UAE. “With a high standard of living, the UAE is a great place to live in, attracting a large pool of talent from across the world, which allows companies like ours to achieve steady growth.”
