This year the billionaire pledged to donate half his fortune to charity, but his relationship with Ramadan began when he moved to the UAE decades ago
“When I signed up to the pledge some time back, I didn’t know it would come through in Ramadan. Obviously I am very happy – I deem it a blessing from Allah,” said BR Shetty, the UAE billionaire who founded, among other well-known companies, NMC Health.
He was referring the recent news that he has joined The Giving Pledge — an initiative launched by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, his wife Melinda and business magnate Warren Buffett in 2010. It is a commitment by the world's wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.
The fact that his application was formalised during Ramadan has made it even more special for Indian-born Hindu BR Shetty. “I am glad it came in the month of Ramadan, the month of giving,” he said.
The businessman is among 14 UAE philanthropists who have pledged half their wealth to support good causes around the world, and he joins the likes of fellow health care billionaire Dr Shamshir Vayalil of VPS healthcare.
Mr Shetty draws inspiration for his charity initiatives, in the UAE and India, from Ramadan and the values of compassion and kindness the holy month represents.
“Although I am a non-Muslim I know the value of fasting,” he says. “In Hinduism we have our own fasting ritual. My mum used to fast every Monday. It helps us to empathise with the hungry and the poor, too.
Mr Shetty began to fast for Ramadan when he landed in Abu Dhabi decades ago.
“I practise Ramadan,” he says. “I used to fast regularly for over two decades and would feel really happy about it.
“I used to feel healthy while fasting, but for more than 10 years now I have had diabetes and I can’t fast any more. But I restrict my food. I have always believed fasting is good for body and mind.”
Contrary to the perception that fasting takes a toll on the body, Mr Shetty believes it helps people to be more active.
“When you fast, you don’t feel like drinking water,” he says. “You get that extra energy and strength. Therefore, fasting is prescribed by all religions. I enjoy fasting. It also detoxifies the body. I had clear skin when I was fasting regularly.”
Mr Shetty is a much sought-after guest at iftar gatherings organised by Indian expatriate community groups.
“I attend iftars regularly,” he says. “I also go to the Crown Prince’s Court almost every night. The thing I like about it is the sense of brotherhood and discipline.
“Do you see this type of discipline in any other community? Nobody observes you but still you fast. Nobody is forcing you but you fast. This is the beauty of Ramadan. It makes you self-disciplined and self-determined.”
The holy month also brings to life his memories of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father.
“I still remember the day he passed away,” Mr Shetty says. “It was the 19th day of Ramadan. When he died, I lost everything in the world. He was the world’s leader. When he passed away, we were all taken aback.”
He credits part of his success to the generosity of the Founding Father.
“Nobody can match his benevolence,” Mr Shetty says. “Sheikh Zayed called me to his majlis one day and offered me a passport. He thanked me for the contribution I made to this country, especially in health care.
“Sheikh Zayed was the one who laid the foundation stone for our pharmaceutical factory. He blessed the factory and visited the factory site in Mussafah three times.
“When the building of Neopharma [the first pharmaceutical plant to be built in Abu Dhabi] was suggested, he called me to the palace. He said you have built a factory nobody could ever dream of.”
He becomes emotional as his memories travel farther back in time.
“Four decades ago, I came to Abu Dhabi with the intention of clearing the loan I had taken out for my sister’s wedding,” Mr Shetty says. “I didn’t have anything except my sweat. I started as a medical salesman.
“There were no jobs for pharmacists in the country then. In fact, I was the first outdoor salesman in the country. I ended up selling butter cookies, Nido [instant cream] powder, telephone directories, advertisement poles and other things.
“Once I cleared the loan, I tried to fulfil the dream of the Founding Father. One day I saw Sheikh Zayed speak about quality health care at affordable prices on black and white TV. He was giving free medical treatment to people, but more needed to be done.
“When I left my country my mother had also asked me to take up a service-oriented business. I decided that I should do something about it. That’s how the journey of NMC, the first private medical centre, began.”
This article was first published in www.thenational.ae
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Bengaluru, Mar 29: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday said there are no leaders other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah who can solve all the problems at the national level.
At the same time, the JD(S) patriarch underlined the need for better coordination between his party and BJP to achieve the target of winning all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.
JD(S) joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in September last year. As part of the seat-sharing deal in the State, BJP will contest in 25 constituencies and the JD(S) in three.
Noting that the role of former Chief Minister and BJP stalwart B S Yediyurappa was very important, Gowda said he must forget whatever had happened in the past "because the time is very short".
"Our opponents are so strong. Don't think that we are going to win all the 28 seats unless and until we forget what all had happened in the past and our differences," the 91-year-old said at a coordination meeting of the two parties here.
Stating that "other than Modi there is no leader in this country", Gowda said he knows each and every corner of the nation having served the country as Prime Minister for a decade.
"Only Modi and Shah are the two leaders who can solve all the problems at the national level," the nonagenarian leader said.
Gowda cautioned the BJP and JD(S) leaders against taking the Congress lightly as, he claimed, the Mallikarjun Kharge-led outfit has "huge financial resources."
"In the present Congress government (in Karnataka), money reserve is one of the major areas for them. Can you challenge? Entire Bengaluru and every department are in the hands of one leader. It is not easy to challenge the Congress resources. Not so simple," he said.
According to Gowda, no one knows how much money has been pumped in by the Congress in Mandya from where his son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is contesting as the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate.
"Today this so-called Congress is only in four states and the money has to be supplied from Karnataka. The president of AICC (Kharge) is from Karnataka. Please understand. It is not so easy (to win the election)," he said.
To highlight the "resource mobilisation" by the Congress in the Lok Sabha election, Gowda said never ever in the history of Karnataka 94 MLAs are holding the position of cabinet rank (including by way of holding positions as chairpersons of various state-owned boards and corporations.)
He also lashed out at Siddaramaiah for his statement "where is JD(S) in the state?"
"I will prove that 91-year-old Deve Gowda has the strength to demonstrate where the JD(S) is. I will not be scared. I don't have any fear," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Yediyurappa expressed confidence that the BJP-JD(S) alliance will win all the 28 seats.
Yediyurappa also hit out at the Congress government for allegedly stopping all the development works.
"There is nothing much to say about this government. People have lost their trust in it. Its coffers are empty and development works have come to a halt," he added.