For a common man from India, born in a remote village of Kerala to parents of average means, it is literally a rags-to-riches story. After completing his basic education in his native village he qualified in engineering and set sail for the Gulf like thousands of other Indians in search of gold and glory.

His first port of call was Dubai in 1971. The following year he was picked up by an ambitious Omani, Sheikh Salim Saeed Al Araimi, to work for him in Oman. Since then the two have worked hand in hand, weathered many a storm together and established the supremacy of Galfar as a world-class company with dozens of subsidiaries encompassing Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Yemen, Bahrain, Brunei and India. Their quest for further success and glory continues.

In 1972, the year Dr. Mohamed Ali joined the group, Galfar was a small company with five members of staff and no capital. But enterprise, inspiration and ambition to make it big egged him on.

It was this dedication and respect for dignity of labour that took Dr. Mohamed Ali from one successful venture to another and today he heads a company with a strength of more than 10,000. The key to his success has been his sincerity and humility. Even to this day he relates to people in this company, his innumerable relatives and friends in the same humble and warm manner and he is always there when needed.

He wears all his laurels lightly and is at the same time comfortable and unassuming among the great and mighty as well as ordinary folk.

The Bharatiya Pravasi Samman conferred on Dr. Mohamed Ali is in recognition of his services rendered in Oman as well as in India. His business in India is proof of his love for his motherland. The Engineering   College, the Medical College and the Indian School in Oman reveal his concern for education in Oman. Among the several institutions that he has established and funds in India are the Muslim Education Society; the CSM Central School, the P.M. Foundation, Cochin and the Social Advancement Foundation of India, of which he is treasurer. These institutions are engaged in the noble and necessary task of transforming the backward sections of communities into a society competent in every respect in the present world, upholding ethical and religious values and achieving excellence in social, educational and economic spheres through intellectual dynamism.

(Written by Dr. Humayun Zafer Zaidi for the 'Times Of Oman' Our sincere thanks to Dr. Humayun Zafer Zaidi, for allowing us to publish this article in our school's website.)