Dubai: An award has been instituted in memory of veteran Dubai-based Indian businessman and Chairman of the ITL Cosmos Group, Dr Ram Buxani, who passed away at the age of 83 on July 8.
An announcement to this effect was made at a large gathering held in Dubai on July 12 to celebrate Buxani’s life and contributions to the community over the past six decades in Dubai.
Chandrashekar Bhatia, Chairman of the Global Business Federation (GBF) Middle East, who made the announcement, told Gulf News: “We are honoured under the patronage of Dada Vashu Shroff to announce the Dr Ram Buxani Memorial Award in memory of Ram Buxani.”
He said, “The award is a tribute to the importance that Buxani attached to education. It will not necessarily be limited to those directly serving in educational institutes, but also to those who have made a difference in whatever field they are in. We will be divulging the eligibility criteria and other details soon.”
He said the award will be given away in two categories beginning with the ‘UAE’ category this year. “We will add the ‘International’ category in due course,” he added.
The community gathering was attended by several representatives of the Government, family and friends of Buxani, who paid rich tributes to his “eventful, adventure-filled and inspirational” journey.
Indian Ambassadoir to the UAE Sanjay Sudhir said, “Buxani was one of the most prominent Indians in the UAE. With his passing, the Indian community has lost a guide, pioneer, role model and mentor. He will always remain an inspiration for generations of Indian who call the UAE their home. He was a phenomenon who always thought ahead of his times. His entrepreneurial spirit was fully in sync with the spirit of Dubai.”
Consul General of India Satish Kumar Sivan said he had greatly benefited from his interactions with Buxani. “He was a kind, sincere and warm person, full of life. I was struck by his mental agility and his anecdotal abilities. He valued time, both his and others’...The community and I have lost a true mentor.”
In a special gesture, Sivan, who reached out to his predecessors over the past six decades to get their tributes, read out the messages of six former consul generals of India.
One of Buxani’s seven grandchildren, Himakshi Shastri, also spoke of how her ‘Nana’ (maternal grandfather) was her biggest idol, mentor and cheer leader.
Touching upon his “golden rule” of never to compete or copy, but to create, she said, “My Nana truly created a beautuiful legacy. He loved what he did and did it with immense love. Let’s always remember his infectious smile, his generous heart and his innovative mind.”
