A look back at the Dubai Sheikh Mohammed grew up in as he celebrates his 74th birthday

The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai was born on July 15, 1949

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, was born in Dubai on July 15,1949. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, is celebrating his 74th birthday this week.

Born on July 15, 1949, Sheikh Mohammed grew up in the Al Maktoum family home in Dubai’s Al Shindagha area. The house was modest by today’s standards and had limited electricity. The family often slept in one room, sharing a fan.

The Al Shindagha neighbourhood on the banks of Dubai Creek. Reem Mohammed / The National

This was in a Dubai before the oil boom. It is difficult to imagine it now, without its high-rise landscape and reputation, but in this edition of Timeframe we try to explore the emirate as it was before Sheikh Mohammed became Ruler of Dubai.

When Sheikh Mohammed was born, Dubai was still reeling from the crash of the pearling business, when Japan began producing cultured pearls.

An oil exploration contract signed in 1937 guaranteed royalty payments to Dubai, but the emirate was still almost three decades from the first oil find because the project was delayed by the Second World War.

During this time, notable members of the community would meet at the daily majlis of Sheikh Mohammed’s grandfather, Sheikh Saeed, who was Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed, who famously had a close relationship with his grandfather, would often be sitting at his side. The majlis provided key insights on governance, especially during trying times, and served as a foundation to the future ruler’s education.

Al Ahmadiya School, the oldest semi-official school in the Emirate of Dubai. Paulo Vecina / The National

He began studying Arabic and Islamic studies when he was four, and began his primary education in 1955 at Al Ahmadiya School in Deira. Founded in 1912, the school was restored in the mid-1990s and now functions as a museum. Classrooms are accessible and feature the old desks and chairs where many Emiratis, including Sheikh Mohammed, studied in the early to mid-20th century.

Sheikh Mohammed also learnt falconry and hunting from an early age, as well as horsemanship, which he continues to support through the Dubai World Cup and the Al Maktoum family stable Godolphin.

Sheikh Mohammed continued his education in Dubai, first at Al Shaab School and then Dubai Secondary School, where he was in the graduating class of 1964-1965. By then, Dubai had already began its transformation. It had become a bustling centre in the gold trade. The Dubai Creek, which had long been the lifeline and centrifuge of Dubai’s economy now had a bridge crossing it. The runway of Dubai Airport would be built in 1965, and within a year, oil was discovered offshore. This field was named Fateh, or good fortune. The city's population would grow exponentially within a decade. A new terminal building would open to greet travellers in 1970.

With oil revenue being dependable from then onwards, Sheikh Rashid began developing Dubai’s infrastructure. One of his first major projects was the establishment of Mina Rashid, or Port Rashid. It would signal the beginning of a trade infrastructure that encompassed roads, bridges, schools and hospitals.

The Dubai Cruise Terminal at Port Rashid in 2010. Stephen Lock / The National

Sheikh Mohammed assumed his first public position upon returning to Dubai after his studies in the UK in 1968. He was appointed as Head of Dubai Police and Public Security. He also became Minister of Defence, becoming the youngest in the world to assume the position. He still holds the role to this day.

That same year, the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Rashid met in a desert camp to discuss the establishment of a federation between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed accompanied his father during the meeting, which would become the stepping stone to the formation of the UAE in 1971.

DXB Lounge in the 1970s. Photo: Dubai Airports

In 1977, Sheikh Rashid formed a committee to oversee Dubai Airport. Sheikh Mohammed headed the committee, beginning Dubai’s transformation into a tourist destination and aviation centre.