UAE-based Indian expat social worker dies back home

Dubai: Rich tributes have been paid after an Indian expat social worker and businessman in Dubai died back home on Tuesday evening.

Sayyed Shahul Hameed Maliga Thangal, a UAE resident for 30 years and a veteran community volunteer in Dubai, died after a battle with cancer, a family member told Gulf News. He was 53 and is survived by his wife and three children.

Thangal breathed his last while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mangaluru, Karnataka, said his relative, Sayed Jafar Kumbla.

From Kumbla to Dubai

A native of Kumbla in Kasaragod district, Kerala, Thangal first arrived in the UAE in 1996, initially living in Abu Dhabi before eventually making Dubai his home, according to his friend Ismail Arikady.

He spent nearly a decade working in a private company in Abu Dhabi before striking out on his own, building a document clearing business from the ground up in Dubai.

He held key positions within the community group, Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), and Malabar Kala Samskarika Vedhi, an arts and cultural forum in Dubai, and was a dedicated volunteer with Satisfied Souls, a community volunteering group.

Loss to the community

For those who knew him, Thangal was not defined by his business achievements but by an extraordinary willingness to show up for people, quietly, consistently, and without expectation of recognition.

"He was someone who never raised his voice or created trouble," said Iqbal Hatboor, a close friend of 25 years. "He used to support people unconditionally. We used to talk almost every day and worked together on many community volunteering initiatives and cultural programmes. His death is not just a personal loss. It is a loss for several hundreds of our community members."

Hatboor recalled video calling Thangal just hours before he died. "I couldn't bear the sight of him on his hospital bed. He was someone who stood by me through the thick and thin."

He said Thangal had recently opened a beauty parlour in Ajman. “He invited my wife to do the inauguration. We were also in the process of launching a new real estate venture,” he added.

Ramadan volunteer

Thangal used to be a regular a volunteer with Dubai Police and Satisfied Souls to distribute iftar meals during Ramadan. However, he could not be active this Ramadan like earlier and had to fly home when his health deteriorated, recalled Jafar.

Ismail Arikady, who has known Thangal since they were young, said: "We grew up together and continued our friendship here in the UAE. Along with our mutual friend Ashraf Karla, the three of us worked together for a charitable trust in our hometown for years. He was an integral part of it."

"He was friendly with everyone, irrespective of their political allegiance," he added.

The Dubai KMCC Kasaragod District Committee and the Manjeshwaram Constituency Committee both issued formal condolences, describing Thangal as a selfless servant of the community whose compassion was felt on both sides of the Arabian Sea.

Salam Kanyappady, Dubai KMCC Kasaragod district president, noted that Thangal had been an office bearer while living in Abu Dhabi and remained an active member after relocating to Dubai. “We have lost a good human being and a community volunteer,” he added.

Thangal's funeral was held back home on Wednesday. A memorial prayer will be organised tonight at the Al Ghurair Mosque in Naif area of Dubai.