It has been more than 80 years since Maghanmal Jethanand Pancholia first disembarked at Dubai creek. The city, then a vital trading centre without infrastructure, is now a modern commercial hub. Pancholia looked back on those days, when the then Ruler of Dubai, His Highness the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, laid the foundation for modern Dubai, with nostalgia.
Members of his Thattai community first came to the Emirate 200 years ago. “I have records,” he says. “They go back 135 years. We were a large family. I had four brothers and four sisters and we all used to live together with my uncles and their children.”
After getting married in 1943, Pancholia used to shuttle between Dubai and Karachi, and later Bombay. His first visit to Dubai was in 1942, when India was rocked by the Quit India Movement. As colleges in India were closed, Pancholia decided to join his father in Dubai. “We lived in what was called a gurfa (home in Arabic), a small rented room by the creek in Bur Dubai. Our main business was trading in exchange. Gradually, we expanded into textiles and foodstuff, watches and electronics.”
Life was very difficult during those days, he admits. In fact, we used to often wonder why the elders in the family had ever decided to come and live here, said Pancholia. Lack of roads, electricity and scarcity of water made life tough for 19-year-old Pancholia, just out of college.
“The Ruler, Sheikh Rashid, was a nice and simple man who was very accessible. We visited him regularly in the Majlis and also at his house. When he returned from Iran after his shikar (hunting trips) each year, we would pay him a courtesy visit.”
Pancholia along with a few other businessmen invested in a 1MW generator which supplied electricity to the residents of Bur Dubai.
In 1960, Sheikh Rashid set up the Dubai Electricity Company. Pancholia was made a director on the Board, a position he held until 1980, when DEC was nationalised. In the 1960’s he was also appointed on the Board of Directors of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The British Political Agent nominated him to the Al Maktoum Hospital Board as a representative of the Indian community.
“It was Sheikh Rashid’s vision which brought about changes in Dubai. His efforts all went towards creating more facilities here and once the dredging of the creek – Dubai’s lifeline – was under way, things started changing rapidly,” said Pancholia.
“Sheikh Rashid’s efforts all went towards keeping Dubai abreast of the rest of the world. He followed his own vision and we often could not understand some of the steps he took. However, I must admit they do make a lot of sense now. The measures laid the base for all major projects that followed.”
The decision to make the creek navigable needed a lot of money. Pancholia remembers that a meeting was called at which Sheikh Rashid, the British Political Agent and a few merchants were present. “We agreed to assist in the project which we did – and interest bearing bonds were issued to us. But after two years we got our money back because Kuwait started helping Dubai. Goods began landing safely, the primary requirement of trading and the creek started humming with life,” he said.
Since the Indian Post Office used to be in Sharjah, Sheikh Rashid donated a plot for the post office in Dubai.
Today, Dubai has the best communications network in the Middle East, if not in the world, said Pancholia. This, he believes, is one of the reasons why businesses have been so successful here. “He always helped businessmen and had a solution to their problems,” he said. “It was the will of Sheikh Rashid which helped develop Dubai,” added Pancholia. “And whatever and whenever the opportunities came, he would grab them.”
The intention of the Rulers has always been to make Dubai an international centre for trade, finance and tourism, believed Pancholia. The downside to this has been the rise in the cost of living. But Pancholia is very optimistic. “We as merchants are confident of Dubai’s future and the Rulers. We know that Dubai is the most prosperous business centre in the entire Middle East.” In the last 50 years, he said, there have been ups and downs. But a downturn is inevitable after every boom.
“Our generation has lived through difficult times. There were practically no modern facilities but we knew we had to tread the tough path. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth; we started everything from scratch, we worked very hard and everything was a challenge to overcome but we had the satisfaction of having achieved it. That is how it was in the old days. Today we have a push button society and everything is readily available in Dubai. Rapid modernisation surely brings change.”
“The Rulers knew what they are doing and I feel everything is moving in the right direction. The Government of Dubai is exploring possibilities beyond our imagination and coming forward with extraordinary plans to boost trade, tourism and business here. In those days, we were the only community to come to this part of the world. There was nothing to do here and no amenities. Today, Dubai is known the world over.”
He put it succinctly: “The city’s strength is that it gives a sense of confidence about its future.”
