In India, we have a concept of Janmabhoomi, and Karmabhoomi.
Janmabhoomi is where one is born, where you are a citizen of, the passport you carry.
Karmabhoomi is where you work, where you earn a living…
India is my Janmabhoomi, and the United Arab Emirates is my Karmabhoomi.
I came here sixteen years back, with hardly anything in my pocket, but with a dream in my eyes. At that time, I had thought of staying here for 3-5 years, saving some money and then going back to India.
It was not an easy path, there have been many challenges along the way, but something about the city made me stick on.
And now, sixteen years hence, I am still here, now an entrepreneur, building businesses and helping others build theirs.
Yes, I worked hard, put in my blood and sweat, faced difficulties and overcame them. But the city played a large part in where I am today.
Dubai is known all over the world now, but how many people know the story of Dubai? How many people know that this was a small village in the 50s, and then rose steadily to build one of the world’s greatest cities?
When people come here, they visit the Burj Khalifa, the Atlantis, the malls, the desert safaris…but every nook and corner in Dubai has a story to tell. You can see it, you can feel it – the thirst to achieve something, the ambition to grow and show the world it’s true potential.
Yes, the infrastructure is exceptional, the standard of living is on par with the west, yet focusing on just those aspects will make you miss out on the true essence of Dubai.
This is a city that is full of skyscrapers, but higher ambitions, of malls and shopping but also of trust that cannot be bought…this is a city of dreams, but of those who build it, and it is a city of riches, but of the richness of the heart.
This city has given me all that I have, and not just money, but a family. I have made my friends here, I have made my life here. And this is why, when Dubai gears up to welcome the world, me, and everyone else who lives in Dubai, are excited about you coming to see us.
No, it is not just His Highness who welcomes you, it is not just Emiratis who welcome you, but every man, woman and child in Dubai welcomes you this October.
To come and visit us, spend time with us, know our story, and see how one can turn dreams into reality.
We all stand hand in hand, all 180+ nationalities who reside here, to welcome you to OUR CITY. We are proud to be living in Dubai, and we welcome you to stay here as well. We have all built this city, in our own small ways, and we all cannot wait for you to come and see what a good job we have done…
And so, on this occasion, I would like to personally invite all our clients who stay outside Dubai, to come and visit the Expo 2020. Our company, 10 Leaves, will sponsor a day’s pass* for you. So that you can experience the Expo, as a small gift from our side.
This is our time…This is our world…Namaste and Ahlan wa Sahlan!
*an unlimited pass to the Expo 2020 for one person for one day in October.