The past few months have been tough for India’s departing consul general in Dubai from working to contain the spread of coronavirus in the community to repatriating thousands seeking to return home.
Vipul, who uses one name, said his focus in the early days of the outbreak was addressing the anxiety of millions of expatriate workers.
"When you are responsible for serving 2.7 million people, then it does become challenging. Our biggest task was to deal with their fear of contracting the infection," Mr Vipu, 47, told The National a few days before his departure to New Delhi where he will take up a post at the Ministry of External Affairs.
Indians make up the largest group of 3.5 million in the UAE of which least 2.7 million live in Dubai.
The warmth with which we were received both by the Emirati and the local Indian community, those are memories we will always cherish
“In the initial days a lot of people who got the virus did not know how to deal with it.
"We had to take help of the entire community and health authorities so people were able to get to hospitals in time," he said, referring to the social workers and volunteers who assisted authorities during community testing drives.
"The UAE leadership greatly helped take care of everyone.”
More than 130,000 have returned to India and in the coming weeks another 40,000 will board planes operated by UAE, Indian carriers and Vande Bharat or Salute India government-led services.
"When we started the Vande Bharat flights, the consulate had to soothe them, deal with grievances, organise flights and be at the airport," he said.
“The credit has to go in large part to UAE authorities who were at the forefront and ensured this was done in a very orderly manner. The help of the community was also very valuable to us.”
Tens of thousands of Indians are headed home with registrations for repatriation crossing 500,000. Mr Vipul said this would change in coming months.
"People are leaving with the hope that they will come back,” he said.
“We got a huge number of registrations but we are discovering a lot of people don’t want to go back with economic activity resuming.”
The test ahead for the consulate will be supporting the unemployed after companies shut down because of the pandemic.
Construction and jewellery companies have sent workers to India on early or unpaid leave as a temporary measure.
“The challenge that will remain is the economic downturn and taking care of workers who might be out of jobs,” Mr Vipul said.
“Hopefully once the covid situation gets over, people will get back to the UAE and resume their jobs.”
During a busy three-year stint, Mr Vipul was often seen outside his wood-panelled office talking to Indian workers who approached the consulate and engaging with those in distress.
He guided blue-collar workers brought to the UAE after being duped by unscrupulous agents and led an effort to assist thousands during the 2018 amnesty period, when residents without legal documents were permitted to legalise their stay or return home without fines.
There have also been several high-level visits including several by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, federal and state ministers during his tenure.
He described his tenure as ‘exciting’ because of the level of engagement between the two nations.
“There are so many things happening in this relationship, you are always on your toes and always have something new to do,” Mr Vipul said.
“Friendship is written all over the UAE and India relationship at the national level and also between the people. Our ties have deep, historic roots.
“Our partnership will continue to go on a high growth path. Whether energy, food security, investment, infrastructure or new areas like space or artificial intelligence, our two countries will continue to work together.”
He hopes to stay in touch with the Emirates having built strong links with its people.
“The warmth with which we were received both by the Emirati and the local Indian community, those are memories we will always cherish,” he said.
“There are several things that are unique like hearing many older Emiratis speak in Hindi. We will always remember their friendship.”
His family will miss the multicultural fabric of the emirate, particularly his young daughter who remembers the names of UAE’s Rulers.
“She started school here and true to the Dubai spirit, she had kids from around the world in her class. That is something we are going to miss when we go back to Delhi,” Mr Vipul said.
“Everyone in the world gets mesmerised with Dubai, the buildings and the living standard.”
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
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Company%20Profile
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Brief scores:
Huesca 0
Real Madrid 1
Bale 8'
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
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Sweet%20Tooth
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Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Barbie
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The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
Results
2.30pm: Park Avenue – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Rb Seqondtonone, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash
5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Dir: Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson
3/5
match details
Wales v Hungary
Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
RACE RESULTS
1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1hr 21min 48.527sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 0.658sec
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 6.012
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 7.430
5. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Ferrari) 20.370
6. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:13.160
7. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India) 1 lap
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) 1 lap
9. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) 1 lap
10. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) 1 lap
11. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1 lap
12. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren) 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1 lap
14. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber) 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 2 laps
16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso) 3 laps
MATCH INFO
League Cup, last 16
Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)
More on Quran memorisation:
THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
WIDE%20VIEW
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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
