44 yrs on, I never felt out of place here
Dubai is a land of opportunities and where hard work is always rewarded, says Satish Gadoya, chairman of Gadoya Holdings. He is the pioneer of the brand in UAE and has crossed the journey in four decades now with his sons taking over the reigns of the business operations.
Gadoya’s journey in the Gulf started when he was just 22 years old, that was when he landed in Dubai in 1973. “I came here by a ship as one of my uncles lived in Oman and I always had in mind that one day even I have to go to some Gulf country to work. I cannot completely recall my first day in the UAE. However, I remember that I had sea sickness. But the moment I reached the shore, I really liked Dubai and never felt out of place.
“My first job was with a construction company in Hatta. I got to know that there were openings so walked in and luckily I got selected. My first salary was Dh450. I kept a portion of my first salary with myself and I sent the rest of it to my father in India. I also had privilege to serve the Union Defence Force-UAE for sometime.”
Hailing from a family of businessmen in Gujarat, Gadoya reminisces that setting up a business was a very smooth process and he did not face any major challenge. The only criteria to set up business then was that local partners were required and he found that in a friend who worked with him for the UAE defence. Thus Gadoya Holdings began its journey in 1979, as a humble 10-member company.
He shares further that the UAE market was very welcoming in olden days and there was almost no competition and even if it was there then it was not as intense as it is today. “Now the situation is somewhat like survival of the fittest. The competition is growing every day and you have to be on your toes to survive and excel in the market. Earlier every day came as new opportunity and now it seems that every day comes with a new challenge bringing out the best.”
He attributes his success to his wife and said: “My wife encouraged me to start a business and she is the motivation behind all my success stories. Life has been amazing to me, especially in the UAE. This place has made me what I am today. Of course, God has been kind to me and my parents played a very crucial role in my success. But I must accept that this place also gave me whatever I dreamt of.
“It gave a safe environment for my family, peace of mind and ample opportunities to grow and excel in life. The golden rule that I follow is, be honest in every situation of life. Be it professional or personal.”
Gadoya is a great admirer of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He shares he would love to travel to Orlando and Florida; and is great fan of the golden era movie Baiju Bawra. He advises that anyone coming to the UAE must be ready to work hard and remain sincere and focused towards their goal. There is nothing which you cannot achieve here. There is no short cut to success and hard work is the only key.
“I was very determined to make my career in the UAE and I always had my eyes on my destination. The UAE was a new place for me when I arrived, so many things fascinated me and many came as a pleasant surprise. I was never disappointed with anything. I focused on my goals so never had time for disappointments,” he said.
sandhya@kahleejtimes.com
I came here by a ship as one of my uncles lived in Oman. I cannot completely recall my first day in the UAE. However, I remember that I had sea sickness. But the moment I reached the shores of Dubai, I really liked the place. I also had privilege to serve the Union Defence Force-UAE for some time.” Satish Gadoya, Chairman of Gadoya Holdings