Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed: A vision that lives on
The late ruler Sheikh Rashid is hailed as the architect of modern Dubai
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1971: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, join other emirate leaders, officials, and media representatives as a British diplomat reads the document proclaiming the Union and declaring the UAE’s independence.
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Iconic photograph of the father of the nation Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (right) and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Noor Ali Rashid
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Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, shares a light moment with Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.
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May 27, 1981: During the first GCC Summit, held away from the plenary hall, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, sits with King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
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Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, then Ruler of Dubai, greets Queen Elizabeth II during the inauguration of the Dubai World Trade Centre in 1979. The landmark event marked Dubai’s emergence as a rising hub for global commerce and innovation.
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Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum with Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, during a banquet hosted in her honour at the Guest Palace in Dubai in 1981.
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Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, welcomes Zia ul-Haq, President of Pakistan, to the UAE. The two leaders are seen admiring a pair of falcons during the official welcoming ceremony in 1981.
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Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum greets the French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing upon his arrival in Dubai during an official visit to the United Arab Emirates.
Gulf News archives
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Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, with Margaret Thatcher, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, during her visit to the UAE. The meeting reflected the strong ties between the two nations.
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Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct.
Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action.
Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya.
His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011.
He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.
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