Book chronicles achievements of Asian expats

DUBAI: Twenty-five Asians coming from different backgrounds and orientations, who have chosen to live in the UAE while also adhering to their family values, have been honoured through a book launched in Dubai on Monday evening. Their worth-emulating lives have been spun into the Young Asian Achievers book by UAE-based journalist Meraj Rizvi. At the launch, Rizvi said “a lot can be learnt” from these young men and women, between the ages of late 20s and 40, who continually transform “adversaries into opportunities” by continually looking back to where they came from. “They are goal-oriented and family-oriented,” said Rizvi, adding that the 25 have shown that the UAE is a place where anyone can achieve his purpose and make great contributions. To illustrate, Mohammed Emadur Rahman, Al Haramain Perfumes Group of Companies sales and marketing director said, “On weekends, my father would make it a point to tutor me about the nuances of business and market.” Meanwhile, fashion designer Furne One shared: “Opening my first showroom in Dubai was a major milestone, one that I will always be proud of.” Rizvi said there are plans to put up another book chronicling equally inspiring lives of other expatriate achievers across the country. More than half of the 25 achievers the book highlights are Indian expatriates, but it also focuses on entrepreneurs representing Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Bangladesh. The Indian expats include: A. Rizwan Sajan, Danube Group founder and chairman; Abdulla A. Ajmal, Ajmal Perfumes general manager; Amit Dhamani, Dhamani Jewel Group managing director; Ashish Mehta, lawyer; Ashish Panjabi, Jacky’s Electronics CEO; Beena Soni, fashion designer; Faarah Mehta, journalist; Dr Hitesh Bodani, Bond Investment Group Holdings founder and chairman and Kulwant Singh, Lama Group LLC managing director. Others mentioned are: Narain Jashanmal, Jashanmal National Company-Newspapers, Magazines & Books Division general manager; Natasha Gangaramani, Al Faraa Properties director; Rihen Mehta, Rosy Blue executive director; Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Lifeline Group managing director; Soniya Kirpalani, filmmaker and cultural and social activist; and Uma Ghosh Deshpande, Queen Bee Production founder and TV anchor. Meanwhile, those from Pakistan are: Byram Javat, Uniworld FZE chairman and Mian Mohammed Munir, MIH Group Middle East CEO. The book also focuses on achievers from other parts of Asia including the Philippines:  Furne One, fashion designer; Manuel Mike Perito, Oman Insurance Company-Risk Management Unit senior manager; and Mary Jane Alvero Al Mahdi, Geoscience Testing Laboratory.