Indian expat in UAE dies ahead of daughter’s wedding, community in grief

Abu Dhabi: An Indian expat and long-time community volunteer in Abu Dhabi passed away suddenly on Tuesday morning, just weeks before he was scheduled to return home for his daughter’s wedding. The news has left the community in deep sorrow, with several shops in a mall in the capital closing in tribute.

Anwar Sadath Mukkunnoth Hussain, 52, collapsed and died in the washroom of his shared apartment in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of June 11, according to his cousin Noushad Mihraj.

“He was full of life and talking about his daughter’s wedding to everyone,” Noushad told Gulf News.

“Just the night before, we spoke for over an hour about the arrangements,” he recalled.

Anwar was a partner at a shop selling women’s accessories and cosmetics in Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre. He was well-regarded by both expat and Arab business owners, shopkeepers and regular shoppers.

“Even Arab shopkeepers nearby recalled how he often spoke about his daughter’s upcoming wedding,” Noushad said.

According to flatmates, Anwar had been active and cheerful on Monday, chatting with workers at the shop until midnight. After dinner, he went to bed as usual. The apartment, shared with friends and employees who described themselves as "like family," remained quiet into the early morning.

However, a flatmate from the adjacent room found the washroom engaged around 5.30am. When it remained shut for a long time, the flatmates became concerned. When checked, they realised Anwar was not in bed. Fearing something was wrong, they broke open the door and discovered him lying on the floor.

He had apparently collapsed and suffered a minor head injury in the fall. However, the cause of death has been found to be a heart attack, said Noushad.

“I don’t think he had any history of diabetes, BP or cholesterol. He regularly went for checkups, especially after his brother passed away from a stroke here in Abu Dhabi five years ago,” Noushad said.

In a heartfelt show of respect, 15 shops in Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre closed their shutters on Tuesday. Several residents and business owners gathered to pay their respects.

Originally from Uduma in Kasaragod district of the south Indian state of Kerala, Anwar had been living in the UAE since 1996. He initially worked at his uncle’s shop in the old Abu Dhabi Souq before moving to Baniyas and eventually becoming a partner in the current business.

A dedicated community worker, Anwar served as the treasurer of the Uduma Panchayat Unit of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) in Abu Dhabi, a prominent social welfare organisation supporting the Indian diaspora.

He is survived by his wife and four daughters. His eldest, a 22-year-old graduate, was set to get married on August 9. Anwar had planned to travel to Kerala in the first week of July to begin preparations and had already started inviting friends and relatives via WhatsApp.

“He was so excited about the first wedding in the family.  He kept talking about it to everyone at the shop and in the community,” Noushad said, his voice breaking.

Anwar’s family in Kerala, including his elderly mother, is reportedly heartbroken. KMCC volunteers, including Noushad, are supporting the family with the repatriation procedures which are likely to be completed on Wednesday.