Mira Singh on her Expo 2020 Dubai fame: 'My life has changed'

Mira Singh, the young star of the Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony who is only 11, says she has been inundated with more offers of work ever since her appearance at the spectacular show on Thursday.

“I am speechless. My life has changed a lot since the opening ceremony,” she tells The National. “I didn’t think it would be so big and the fame would be like ‘wow’.

“I’ve been receiving a lot of offers, projects and commercials. I’ve also got the UAE National Day 50th celebrations so I might be doing that too.”

Read the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai

Dubai-born Mira Singh played the part of a young girl whose journey creates the Expo story at the heart of the show. All photos: Expo 2020 Dubai
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli with Mira Singh during the Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony.
The story of the opening ceremony show was told through the eyes of a young Emirati girl, played by Mira, who represents hope for all people.
Unsure of her path forward, Mira she is presented with an ancient golden ring by a wise elder, played by Emirati actor and playwright Habib Guloom. The ring, based on a 3,000-year-old artefact, is both a symbol of the UAE's past and a future built on connection.
As the young girl makes her journey though our ideal world, representing sustainability, mobility and opportunity, she grows in confidence and is rewarded with the golden seed of humanity.
Mira Singh's part in the opening ceremony was described by its creators as “a young local girl observing the challenges of today and representing hope for the future”.
On stage at Al Wasl Plaza, Mira's role included climbing a ladder during a dazzling sequence that showed the creation of the world.

Born in Dubai to an Indian father and a Belarusian mother, Mira, who has been modelling since she was 6, has also seen her popularity rise on social media. Her Instagram account, which had a little more than 1,000 followers before the Expo ceremony, now boasts more than 10,000.

But Mira says she was “really nervous” before the show began on Thursday.

“There were so many famous and important people and I didn’t want to let anyone down,” she recalls. “But I was also very excited because I really love performing on stage.”

Mira featured throughout the 90-minute show, playing a young girl who is handed a golden ring – the inspiration for the Expo 2020 Dubai logo – and whose journey kick-starts the Expo story. She also danced on stage and guided Grammy-winning Italian singer Andrea Bocelli, who is blind, to the stage for the evening’s final performance.

Mira Singh with Andrea Bocelli on stage. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

“My favourite part of the show was the moment the garden starts and the ghaf tree grows and the flowers start to bloom,” she says.

Besides Bocelli, Thursday night’s ceremony also featured performances by British pop star Ellie Goulding, American singer Andra Day, Saudi superstar Mohammed Abdu, Emirati sensation Ahlam Alshamsi, Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo and Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

Emirati stars Hussain Al Jassmi and Almas performed the Expo 2020 Dubai theme song This is Our Time, along with Lebanese singer Mayssa Karaa.

Held at the Al Wasl Plaza dome, the centrepiece of the Expo, the ceremony also featured more than 1,000 performers and dancers. Meanwhile, Oscar-winning Indian composer AR Rahman’s all-women ensemble, the Firdaus Orchestra, comprising 50 musicians from across the Arab world, provided much of the evening’s music.

Mira says there were “thousands of girls” at the audition in August, and they were then whittled down to a final three, before she was selected.

Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony star Mira Singh has been modelling since she was 6. Photo: Mira Singh

"At the audition, we had to enact the part where the grandfather gives the girl the golden ring. So I auditioned with another actor and I guess they liked me and chose me,” she says.

A 7th grade pupil at JSS International School in Jumeirah Village Circle, Mira says she’d like to be a full-time actress “and also do modelling and commercials”.

She also loves to sing and dance, is trained in the Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam, and attends ballet and piano lessons weekly.

The younger of two children, Mira says her parents, mom Svetlana and dad Jitendra Pal Singh, are her biggest supporters.

“All my life my parents have [supported me] and encouraged me in everything and it’s been a lot of help from them,” she says.

Singh, a businessman who moved to the UAE in 1995, says he was elated watching his daughter on stage on Thursday night.

“I have not had this kind of reaction ever in our lives and we’re just so proud,” he says.

Scroll through the gallery below for more pictures from the Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony:

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

SQUAD

Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Mamo

Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

Based: Dubai, UAE

Number of employees: 28

Sector: Financial services

Investment: $9.5m

Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors.

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry

Rating: 2/5

SQUADS

UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan

Nepal
Paras Khadka (captain), Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Pradeep Airee, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Sundeep Jora, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Basant Regmi, Pawan Sarraf, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh

if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).

'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

In post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, hope turned into despair – but wheels are beginning to turn again

Bristol statue provides UK with a 'Saddam Hussein moment' in Black Lives Matter protests

While you're here

Bryant Harris: What Joe Biden did during his first week as US President

Kareem Shaheen: Omar Alghabra outshines the racists who malign him

Kareem Shaheen: Canada is failing those who bear its greatest Covid-19 burdens

Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Other key dates

Finals draw: December 2
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020

Main report

Ten years on, the UAE's stateless people reflect on how life has improved and on the challenges ahead

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')

Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry

Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

What are the main cyber security threats?

Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.

Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi

From: Dara

To: Team@

Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT

Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East

Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.

Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.

I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.

This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.

It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.

Uber on,

Dara

Cultural fiesta

What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.

'Panga'

Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta

Rating: 3.5/5

GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

Mira Singh on her Expo 2020 Dubai fame: 'My life has changed'

The young model was the star of the spectacular opening ceremony on Thursday night

The&nbsp;five&nbsp;pillars&nbsp;of&nbsp;Islam

The five pillars of Islam

SQUAD

COMPANY&nbsp;PROFILE

What can victims do?

Emergency

SQUADS

if you go

'The worst thing you can eat'

Avatar: Fire and Ash

While you're here

Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya

Other key dates

Main report

MATCH INFO

UPI facts

The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry

What are the main cyber security threats?

Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi

Cultural fiesta

'Panga'

GIANT REVIEW

The five pillars of Islam

COMPANY PROFILE