I was born in Muharraq, into a family with strong values, both from religious and business perspectives.

My father was engaged in trade between India and the Gulf. My father’s brothers and my grandfather were seafaring captains -‘Noukhidheh’ of big ships. They were very strong, tenacious and adventurous. They weathered many difficult conditions as they sailed to and from the Indian Ocean during a time when ships were not automated and lacked the sophisticated equipment of today.

My mother hails from Oman. She is a benevolent matriarch and taught us the strong values that we carry to this date.

I spent a lot of my holidays in Fujairah. It was such a life defining period for me as I imbibed true Arabian and family culture. One vivid memory is when we visited Dubai from Fujairah. Those days, the center of Dubai was the Al Ghurair Centre and it was surrounded by the desert. Frequently we embarked on journeys to Dubai in an old Bedford car and it took us all of 10 – 15 hours to complete the journey. Half way we broke journey in the night when we would sleep under the car, covering ourselves with blankets and having the heat of the engine to warm us for a few hours!

 The Dubai of today has changed completely and bears no resemblance to the earlier days! But the nostalgia still remains in my heart, as I relive those fleeting moments in my mind’s eye.

 I completed my secondary school in one of Bahrain’s best schools - Al Hedaya - which was the first government school in Bahrain and was established in 1919. I was an avid football player while at school.


Look out for more writings from Adnan from time to time