Indian expat recalls his five decades with Dubai aviation
A MAGICAL JOURNEY FROM DUBAI AIRPORT TO RUNNING A FLYING SCHOOL
As a college boy, Indian expat Mundarath Muralikrishnan Nair, known as MMK Nair, was fascinated by aeroplanes as they whizzed past like a speck in the sky.
He ended up working in an airport and later running a flying institute, thus becoming part of five glorious decades of aviation in the UAE. Serving in the finance department of Dubai Airport from its inception, Nair had a remarkable growth in his career till he retired as the Director of Finance after 40 years from April 1970. He continued to be in the aviation sector in the UAE as managing director and shareholder of Emirates Aviation Services, the premier flying school in Dubai established in 1989.
He completes 51 years in the UAE when the country is celebrating its golden jubilee.
Hailing from Kerala, Nair graduated in commerce and later did a diploma in Airport Finance and Economics from Loughborough University, London. And it was in March 1970 that he landed in his city of dreams.
Life here in those days was not very easy with minimum facilities. The air-conditioner was a luxury. There was no public transport and no proper road between Dubai and Sharjah.”
MMK Nair | Dubai resident
Air-conditioner a luxury
“Life here in those days was not very easy with minimum facilities,” Nair recollected. “The air-conditioner was a luxury. There was no public transport and no proper road between Dubai and Sharjah.”
He said people could not enter Sharjah during high tide in the present area between Al Mulla Plaza and Al Khan. “Very few people had private cars and those cars used to be mostly Land Rovers and Austins. Currency notes were in Riyals and coins in Dirhams.”
He recalled Dubai Airport staff being transported in Ford pickup trucks. “There was an immigration border post at Jebel Ali where passports were checked to allow entry into Abu Dhabi,” Nair said, while walking down memory lane.
Journey with Dubai Airport
When he reached Dubai, Nair said, the airport was run and managed by a UK firm called International Aeradio Limited (IAL). “They provided complete operational services like air traffic control, meteorology, communications, airfield maintenance, electronics and fire services. I joined them in April 1970 as an accounts clerk. From then on, there was no looking back.”
His dream, his passion of getting a job related to aviation or airports, started taking shape. “I was honoured to be one of the signatories of Dubai Airport, being the only Indian expatriate allowed to do so back then.”
Working with the legends
Nair said he was fortunate to see several times the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum during his official visits to the Ruler’s Office. “When the Department of Civil Aviation was formed, Mohi-Din Binhendi became the Director General of Civil Aviation and I was reporting directly to him. I learnt a lot under his able leadership and guidance. Later on, it was my privilege to work directly under Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the President of Civil Aviation, Dubai, who has proved his amazing vision to the aviation world.”
‘Dubai made me what I am’
In recognition of his 40 years of dedicated services in the Dubai Airport, Nair has been granted the UAE’s prestigious Golden Visa. “I am forever grateful to this country and to the visionary and dynamic leaders of this peace-loving nation. Dubai has given me everything and has made me what I am today and I owe everything to this place.”