Shekhar Patni
Indian jewellery magnate, Shekhar Patni gets his long-term UAE visa Image Credit: SUPPLIED

DUBAI: Indian jewellery magnate in Dubai Shekhar Patni of Jewel Trading gets 10-year UAE visa.

Billionaire businessman Shekhar Patni, managing director, Jewel Trading LLC, a company dealing in gold and silver received his 10-year UAE residency visa on Sunday.

Patni received the new residency permit on Sunday from the General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). He received his passport with the long-term visa from the office of Major-General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri.

In an email statement to Gulf News, Patni expressed his happiness and gratitude to the leaders of UAE for providing him with the 10-year golden visa. “This is yet another step by the leaders of UAE to make the country a preferred destination for investors. I am extremely grateful for this recognition,” he said.

“I am happy to belong to a very special group of residents who have been privileged to get this honour. I started my life in the UAE with a meagre salary of just Dh400. This wonderful country has helped me establish my business in gold, diamond and silver jewellery.”

Sharing his rags to riches story in the UAE, Patni said: “We have enhanced our business over the years by starting a wholesale division and increasing our retail presence for better customer relationship. What makes us stand apart is the fact that most of our diamond jewellery is handcrafted. While the market is flooded with machine-made diamond items, we bring in the novelty factor with our specially designed pieces."

Jewel Trading LLC started its operations in the UAE in 1991 with a retail branch in the Dubai Gold Souk. Today the company has seven outlets and one wholesale division located in the UAE. The jewellery company mainly caters to Arab wedding designs in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar etc., specializing in bridal sets.

Since May 22 other businessmen have received their new stamped visas. Vasu Shroff, chairman- Regal Group of Companies, Khushi Khatwani, managing director, Khushi Group of companies & Al Nisr Cinema Film, Rizwan Sajan, chairman of Danube, Lulu chairman M.A. Yousuf Ali being some of them. Others such as Ram Buxani, Dr. Azad Moopen are also on the coveted list. Yesterday Dhananjay Datar, chairman and managing director of Al Adil Trading, which trades in Indian spices received his long-term visa.