India’s ambassador to UAE reflected on a tough year with “light at the end of the tunnel” in an address to mark his country’s 72nd Republic Day.
Pavan Kapoor said he hoped to welcome back more Indian residents who had to leave during the pandemic.
It is estimated that 1.3 million Indians left the Emirates last year, in one of the largest repatriation operations, and many were affected by job losses.
Since then, Indian officials said more than one million travelled back to the UAE, and more hope to soon. Permission is required from the federal immigration authority.
I still remember the days when outside these very gates we had hundreds of people standing and asking for help
“I know there are a lot of people wanting to come back here and resume their jobs or get back to their friends and family,” Mr Kapoor said in a speech broadcast online.
“They are awaiting ICA approvals. We are working closely with the UAE government authorities to see how we can assist.
“We will take up every such case that is brought to our notice.”
Mr Kapoor spoke of the immense strain he witnessed when many people lost jobs last year.
He hoped that many would return as the vaccination campaign is expanded and the economic growth improves.
Low-key virtual meetings were held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on Tuesday instead of the colourful parades annually organised in schools across the Emirates.
Republic Day marks the anniversary of India adopting its constitution in 1950.
Mr Kapoor described 2020 as a difficult year during which “people have endured and suffered a lot”.
Workers queued outside the embassy and consulate to get on flights home.
“There was a lot of pressure. People were not sure what to do, people wanted to head back home but the skies were closed,” he said.
“I still remember the days when outside these very gates we would have hundreds of people standing, saying we want to go home or asking for other help.”
He said efforts by community associations and officials helped support those in need.
A senior Indian minister recently said more than 1.15 million Indians had returned to the UAE in the past seven months but about 150,000 Indians have not yet come back.
“We hope as the economy picks up, more people will be able to come back, resume their jobs and livelihood,” Mr Kapoor said.
The leaders of the UAE and India have worked together to ensure food security and healthcare for all since the beginning of the pandemic.
“Right from the beginning of the pandemic, leaders of both sides have spoken to each other on a regular basis and co-ordinated policies,” he said.
“We have in two areas made sure that our contact is enhanced and our co-operation is increased. These are the areas of food security and health care.”
Despite a shutdown of international travel in March to stem the spread of Covid-19 in both countries, air space was kept open for food supplies to the UAE.
The UAE supplied medical kits to India and New Delhi sent medicine to the Emirates during the early months.
Hundreds of nurses and critical-care specialists also flew in from India to support handling of Covid-19 patients in the Emirates.
The ambassador encouraged all Indians to have the vaccine to fight the pandemic, and to stay safe after being inoculated.
“We have to make sure that even after getting vaccinated we don’t let our guard down,” he said.
“This is still a bit way off but there is clearly light at the end of the tunnel.”
At a function in Dubai, Dr Aman Puri, India’s consul general, said the community was privileged to live in a country with one of the most successful vaccination programmes. Authorities in the UAE aim to vaccinate 50 per cent of the population by the end of March.
He expressed “gratitude to the UAE leadership for their vision, compassion and care extended to the very large Indian community of almost 3.3 million in the UAE”.
Dr Puri also called on the community to join a recently launched programme to retrain blue-collar workers in the UAE and teach them basic computer skills.
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa sent a message of congratulations to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind for Republic Day.
Messages were also sent by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dr Azad Moopen, founder and chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, urged Indians to build on the lessons of 2020.
“While Covid-19 brought our lives to a grinding halt last year, it has also brought forth resilience and strength,” he said.
“In healthcare, despite the tremendous pressure that it put on the system, it has acted as a catalyst for technology and research-led progress, much faster than what it used to be before the pandemic.”
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Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
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- Established in 2016
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- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
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3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Grubtech
Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi
Launched: October 2019
Employees: 50
Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Makerah, Adrie de Vries, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Hazeme, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap | Dh85,000 | 2,200m
Winner: AF Yatroq, Brett Doyle, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Shadwell Farm for Private Owners Handicap | Dh70,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Nawwaf KB, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Treasured Times, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
