Why Dubai-based Lovraj Talwar is not your 'typical' Indian expat businessman from the yesteryears

Gulf News

From being on Emirates’ maiden flight to setting social trends, Talwar boasts many firsts  Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3ocEZoJ  See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV  #UAEnews #Dubai #India

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00:00It was a challenge for me. I wanted this chance from the family to dip into the family resources

00:07and establish a business here and hopefully make it succeed.

00:14We started our businesses in the UAE in the mid-70s. This was a personal challenge for me.

00:20I was, of course, very young in those days. Came from a family which was well-established

00:26and settled and used to lead a life of comfort. So to come to the desert for no real valid reason

00:39at that time, I thought I have to do something because everything that was happening in Bombay

00:44was the creation of my father, my grandfather and the rest of them. So my contribution was minimal.

00:53So I thought this gave me an opportunity where I can actually try and do something more independently

01:00and show my family that I have done my own bit for the whole group. It took me

01:08quite a lot of convincing for my seniors that I should be allowed to take this plunge

01:16and try and set up a business in the UAE. It took me about six months of brainwashing.

01:23Please come with me at least for a day. It's not as bad as you might think it is.

01:28You haven't heard of it but it's there and there is potential. So we must, I want to be given a

01:36chance to do this. So it was a challenge for me. I wanted this chance from the family to dip into

01:43the family resources and establish a business here and hopefully make it succeed. Who knew?

01:51In the early days nobody knew what was going to happen but all went as per plan and the rest is

01:57history. Early days we used to live in Sharjah because we put up our factory in Sharjah and

02:02Sharjah was the place in those days. Sharjah was more developed. Everything was concentrated in

02:08Sharjah and then came the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, one of the highlights of our earlier years

02:15in the UAE. Those were some of the best years of our life in the UAE. No matter how luxurious

02:22Dubai has become now but those fun days had their own charm. We were fortunate to be invited

02:29on the inaugural flight of Emirates Airlines. It was real fun because to walk through the Dubai

02:36airport without scot-free, without any restrictions, we were going as guests

02:44of the ruling family. I became at home here and as time goes on, one gets

02:50settled wherever one is. Up to today when my wife and I take a flight in any part of the world

02:58and we are catching the flight back to Dubai, the very first thing we hit upon is the Emirates lounge.

03:06The minute we see that, we say, oh God, thank God we are home. Now we are safe and sound from all the

03:11other commotion that's going on in the city. You know, we feel so relaxed. So, just seeing

03:18the Emirates sign gives us that comfortable feeling.

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