Dubai: The Indian community in Dubai celebrated the remarkable contributions of Vasu Shroff with the inaugural Vasu Bhai Shroff Global Award, in an evening that underscored the strong ties between India and the UAE. The event, held at the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm, was part of the Global Bharat Festival (GBF) and attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE’s Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence on 26th May, 2024.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan praised the enduring friendship between India and the UAE, highlighting the significant impact of the Indian community on the UAE’s development. Addressing a distinguished gathering of Indian business leaders, professionals, and diplomats, Sheikh Nahyan noted, “Indian professionals and business people have come to the United Arab Emirates, bringing their expertise and acumen and contributing immensely to our national development efforts.”
He emphasized the UAE’s policies of openness and inclusion, which have made it a global hub attracting talent and investments from around the world. Sheikh Nahyan credited the leadership’s vision for transforming the UAE into “a destination for smart, persistent, and innovative people with grand ideas.”
The Vasu Shroff Global Awards ceremony honored notable individuals from India for their excellence in various fields and decades of community service. With the theme “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” the event celebrated the shared values of pluralism and multiculturalism that bind India and the UAE in their pursuit of global peace and prosperity. Vasu Shroff, an esteemed Indian businessman and chairman of the Regal Group, was recognized for his contributions to the Indian diaspora in the UAE. He was previously honored with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the Government of India in 2017.
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Chandrashekhar Bhatia, chairman of GBF, expressed the purpose of the award, stating, “This award is an effort to recognize outstanding individuals and celebrate remarkable contributions to humanity, fostering international relations, and philanthropic endeavors. We will continue this award to encourage and recognize more individuals and their efforts.”
The award recipients represented a wide array of sectors, including business, professional, and philanthropic fields. Among the honorees were Mirza Al Sayegh, Shyam Bhatia, Vivek Oberoi, CA Ankur Aggarwal, and Dr. Nitin Seth. Shaneer N Siddiqui, Managing Editor of The Brew News, one of the awardees, remarked, “This is a great honor for me, and the life and struggle of Vasu Bhai is an inspiration for us. This award will inspire many other Indians to achieve big and contribute to the UAE, which is an example of tolerance and co-existence.”
The Vasu Bhai Shroff Global Award ceremony not only honored individual achievements but also strengthened the bonds between the Indian community and the UAE, fostering a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration.
