DUBAI // Backstage in the dance room of the SmartIDOL competition, the finalists were sitting anxiously waiting for the show to begin. Others were adding last-minute touches and practising their routines.
At the the Sheikh Rashid Auditorium last night at The Indian High School Dubai , an audience of hundreds gathered to watch the 12 finalists, six singers and six dancers, perform.
Ramesh Yerupula, 24, said he was very happy to have made the finals.
“I have been dancing for five years and was very excited when I heard about this competition,” said the Indian. “I hope I win, and if I do I will give the prize money to my family.”
Launched in 2013 by the non-profit organisation SmartLIFE, the competition provides blue-collar workers with an entertainment outlet and an opportunity to showcase their talents. About 600 people had started the competition.
The first prize in each category, dancing and singing, is Dh5,000, with Dh2,500 for the runner-ups.
Anup Kumar, 22, came from Abu Dhabi to Dubai to take part.
“I am shocked that I have made it this far in the competition, but I am so excited,” said the Pakistani who has been singing since he was in the ninth grade.
“When I heard about SmartIDOL, I thought why not try my luck?”
Jafar Siddikbasha, 26, also couldn’t believe he made it to the finals.
“I am really happy about this, and I love to dance,” said the Indian. “I am also excited about possibly winning the prize money.”
The father of one said he sent all of his earnings to his wife back home.
For Pakistani Muhammad Ammar Saeed, 26, it is the second time he has taken part in the competition.
“I have been singing for more than 14 years, and it is my passion in life,” said the dnata employee. “Even if I don’t win, I am happy to be given this opportunity to sing in Dubai because my father back home is very religious and didn’t think singing is appropriate.”
However, Mr Saeed’s parents were pleased to hear about their son’s success in the competition and were rooting for him. Also in the final 12 were four Nepalese women from the same labour camp. When told about SmartIDOL, they decided to form a dance troupe.
“To be part of this event brings us joy and, if we are to win the prize money, it will go to our families to rebuild our homes that were destroyed in the earthquake,” said Diya Bista, 25. “We are thankful that our families are alive and well, and that is what is important.”
Kalyan Chakravarthy, the show’s creative director, said the aim of the competition was to bring together the blue and white-collar communities.
“We wanted to make it appealing to the white-collar community as well, and this is why we did it in the [school] this year.” He said next year the event would take place outdoors and would be bigger and better. “We want people to be aware and know that there are so many talented and skilled people in labour camps.”
He said that so many of the competitors had moving stories and that some were not allowed to sing or dance in their home countries. “There is a lot of positivity in the camps,” he said. “We filmed in the camps to show the kind of atmosphere and happiness there is there, too.”
Bijimol Chalamma, 39, took first prize in the singing category, while Aasman Tamang, 25, was the dance winner.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
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General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
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Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Pathaan
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The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
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Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
