Ashraf Thamarassery’s phone rarely stops ringing as he accepts yet another call from someone who has lost a loved one and needs his help returning their body home.
He helps them fill out the necessary forms and apply for clearance to repatriate the body to grief-stricken relatives.
Very little changes in terms of work hours during Ramadan for the Indian national but he is grateful to be able to pray for longer intervals during the holy month.
"Before Ramadan or during Ramadan, it's always busy. On regular days I don't get any time to eat when I'm working, I only eat with my family at 11pm. But the good thing is that this month I can read the Quran more. Also during Ramadan, I break roza (fast) with the police and customs officers because they all know me," said Mr Thamarassery, better known as Ashraf bhai or brother.
On a normal day he travels between different emirates sorting out permissions needed from police, hospitals and the mortuary.
“The difference during Ramadan is that I can’t drink water so towards the evening my throat becomes dry because I have to keep talking to people. But it’s not difficult once you get past the first few days,” he said.
When Mr Thamarassery moved to the UAE in 1999, he set up a garage and auto repair shop in Ajman.
A year later after assisting two labourers unaware of the procedure to send their father’s body to India, he realised that dozens of workers struggled to negotiate the paperwork.
He still runs the car repair shop with his brother but focuses on philanthropic work.
“I never take fees from anyone. I just help them out. I have sent bodies back to families in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and also to the US, UK, Europe and African countries,” he said.
Over the past 18 years he has helped repatriate more than 4,700 bodies to 38 nations from labourers weighed down by debt, wealthy industrialists and recently Bollywood movie star Sridevi.
Mr Thamarassery’s phone rang off the hook in February as people called multiple times daily to check on the documents delaying the release of Sridevi’s body from the mortuary.
“There is a process that needs to be followed and nothing can change that so until we had all the papers, it could not leave here,” he said.
The Bollywood star died on February 24 in Dubai after a family wedding in the UAE. Police said she drowned in a hotel bathtub after losing consciousness and termed her death accidental.
“It does not really matter whether the person is famous or not. In the end everyone grieves the same way. The family just want to take the body home. They want the body with them in their own country whether it is a poor person or a rich businessman,” said Mr Thamarassery, who lives in a flat in Ajman filled with awards and certificates honouring him for his philanthropy.
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In some cases, he has accompanied coffins home when the family lives in a remote village without the means to arrange for transport. Indian community members often chip in to take care of the expenses for embalming and transport.
“The wife and children cry until the body reaches. Once it reaches home, they are relieved and my load lessens too,” he said.
Mr Thamarassery prefers not to dwell on the sadness that he encounters daily. The sorrow on the faces of mourners gathered in groups outside the hospital and mortuary does not drain him.
He lives by a simple logic that this is his duty. The focus on prayer and helping the needy is what he looks forward to during Ramadan.
“I see death every day, but I can’t always worry about what I’m seeing. Ramadan is a time I think about a lot of things, about life,” he said.
“I just want to make a difficult time easier for people.”
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Not Dark Yet
Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer
Four stars
Virtual banks explained
What is a virtual bank?
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.
What’s the draw in Asia?
Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.
Is Hong Kong short of banks?
No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year.
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