UAE is a nation made up by the whole world! This is not an inaccurate way to describe the evolution of the emirates, since people from all over the world converge here to seek their fortunes and bring their professional dreams to fruition. The story of Narain Sawlani is truly representative of the UAE growth story; as are the stories of Vasu Shroff and Firoz Merchant. Their interactions with Gulf News reveal some truly remarkable journeys from modest Indian lives to super successful businesses in the UAE. In a sense their growth trajectory has been the same as that of Dubai itself.
When he boarded a steamship to Dubai five decades ago to come to the UAE, Narain Sawlani was just about 20. When he came in 1958, it took five days aboard the ship to get from Bombay to Dubai. This was a time when Dubai itself was a far cry from the swank, sparkling metropolis it is today. In a sense, Narain Sawlani and UAE’s growth stories have mirrored each other. As a keep photographer, he managed to capture some memorable stills of Dubai as it was all those years ago. When he came, Dubai was a city of 50 thousand where 20 thousand were Indians. Sawlani now heads the multimillion dirham Radiant Traders and Royal Gardens Centre and is considered one of the pillars of the community in the UAE.
He was a school dropout from a Mumbai chawl before he found his way to Dubai. His was a life of extreme poverty that forced him to leave school in class 2. Firoz Merchant learned about estate brokerage working with his father from the age of 14. His marriage to Rozina and a honeymoon to Dubai changed his life. It left him with the desire to go into the jewellery business. When he came to Dubai in 1989 they were six to a room. Today Merchant is the founder and chairman of Pure Gold Group – with 157 stores and a presence in 12 countries. He is also a well-known philanthropist and one of the well-known, respected members of the expat community.
The story of Vasu Shroff is another fascinating story with humble beginnings. It was his grandfather that first came to Dubai way back in the 19th century. Shroff joined his family textile business and earned Rs. 100 a month in 1952. It was like living in a village in those days with no electricity and water scarcity. He set up Regal Traders, which sold plain saris for Rs. 18 and ‘Nylex’ saris for Rs. 25. Today, Shroff is one of the people credited with the shaping of Dubai in the last few decades. His company is well-known for being the chairman of the India Club, managing old age homes and the Meena Bazar temple as well as a school and blood bank.
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