Maghanmal Pancholia - One of Dubai's oldest expatriates

If you are an early riser, you can see him on the roads of Jumeirah. A 77-year-old, tall, willowy man, surprisingly alert and agile for his age, he hits the road at 5 am sharp for a two- to three-hour walk.

Along the way, he stops to pluck a few flowers which grow by the wayside to make a spiritual offering. That's the way Maghanmal Pancholia, one of Dubai's oldest expatriates and a distinguished businessman, likes to prepare for a busy day.

Once he returns from his walk, it's time to head for office - a routine he has unfailingly followed for most of his life here.

Quite like the precious heritage site of the Souk Banian in Bur Dubai, where he has spent most of his working life, Maghanmal, endearingly called Maghaba, is a respected old-timer of an industrious past that laid the foundations of modern Dubai.

Sixty years ago, when he arrived as a young man of 17 to join his father's business in Dubai, he had no clue that this was his destiny. From helping build a modest joint family business in gold, currency exchange and textiles, he turned into a spokesperson for his community, was responsible for bringing electricity to Dubai, laid the foundation for the Indian High School and threw down roots that now run deep and firm in the country.

Going back seven decades of a life full of action, commitment and involvement is not an easy task. Some memories make Maghaba misty-eyed and wistful...