Anu Agarwal
Living green and financial responsibility are learnt at home
I think it's very important to save regularly throughout life.
The more you want, the more you should look at the need to save. You have to be disciplined about following a budget. It's a lesson that should be instilled in children early, but it's not just a matter of telling them about the need to budget and save. They need to see you doing it.
I'm from India. My husband, Sharad, and I moved to Dubai in 1989. Our children were born here and we consider this our home.
I have a background in computer science. In 1996, my husband and I gave up our jobs to launch Cyber Gear, an e-marketing company that provides internet services to businesses. The internet had just come to the UAE back then and there was not a lot of awareness of how it worked or how pervasive it would become. There were a couple of tough years. We had two young children and a lot of outgoings, so we kept dipping into our savings.
I had doubts, but my husband is very optimistic and determined and after 2000 things really took off. We started with just the two of us and now we have a staff of 17.
Two years ago, I wanted to do something different, something on my own. I looked around and zeroed in on the emerging eco-industry. In January 2009, I launched Ekotribe (www.ekotribe.com), a wholesaler and distributor of eco-related products for the Middle East. I have always been conscious of looking after the planet and, as well as wanting to start something for myself, I wanted to give something back.
This took care of both sides. The business was started from scratch. I invested about Dh500,000, most of which was used to buy products.
Our clients are a mix of private businesses and government agencies. The first year of business was much better than expected and everything we earned was put back into the company.
We're a three-person team. It's a small set-up, but I'm willing to work hard. It's a long-term vision. When you're an entrepreneur, you have to have passion and a vision.
In November, spurred on by the success of Ekotribe, I launched the Green Ecostore (www.greenecostore.com), an online retail store for eco-friendly products.
The Green Ecostore has a different range of products to Ekotribe, so again it took a substantial investment of Dh500,000.
It's a lot, but being an online retailer does keep the costs down and minimises the carbon footprint.
As a family, we've always been careful about our impact on the environment. I've always been willing to spend a bit more to get eco-friendly products. As well as doing the right thing, it makes you feel good to know you're doing something. We live in an area with the largest (carbon) footprint per person in the world. With climate change being such a big issue now, people are starting to become more environmentally aware.
The response to the Green Ecostore has been terrific.
I'm getting a lot of hits on a daily basis and people are spending seven to eight minutes browsing, compared with an average one or two minutes a hit on most sites.
But it's going to take a while before people realise our site has useful and practical products and is not a hippie gimmick.
I have experience with online marketing from Cyber Gear, but the Green Ecostore is a different audience. We're targeting women and school kids. I believe that living a green life, like savings, is something that is learnt at home.
I'm an army officer's daughter, so I travelled quite a bit growing up.
My father was on a government salary, which was not a lot and I watched my parents always being very careful with their money and sacrificing things for my brother's and my education. I would see them saving, budgeting and being very disciplined.
I was taught if you wanted something big you had to budget and save and work towards it. I try to instil the same ethic in my children. But it's not so easy with this generation. They see things and want everything. I try to be strict, but it's a struggle, especially with my son.
I finished high school in Washington in the US, then went on to study computer science at George Mason University in Virginia. I followed that with a master's degree in computer science .
After completing my master's degree, I returned to New Delhi. I was 23 and started work at International Data Management (the former IBM), where I met my husband.
We were married and left India soon after to move to Saudi Arabia in 1989, where my husband had been offered a job in sales.
There were no opportunities for women in Saudi back then. I got a job in an American school teaching computer science and a year later we moved to Dubai.
During our first couple of years, there was a lot of spending. We were young and on our own for the first time. But after our first child was born, we started an education savings plan. I'm very glad we did because it has made it very easy to pay for all their schooling, including college fees for my 20-year-old daughter, who is studying accounting in Boston.
I think you have to save regularly.
I've tried to instil this in my children. I tell them not to go over the top, that there's a time for everything. Life doesn't come all at once.
* As told to Jane Williams
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
THE%20SWIMMERS
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Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on animal trafficking
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdited%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Idries%20Trevathan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hirmer%20Publishers%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The five pillars of Islam
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
HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
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Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The years Ramadan fell in May