(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Sexagenarian Purush Kumar is one of the handful Indian expatriates who witnessed the official function of the Union of the Emirates on December 2, 1971, at the Union House (then known as Al Dhiyafah Palace) in Jumeirah. Kumar secured an entry to the flag-hoisting event thanks to his job at the Her Majesty British Political Agency Headquarters in Dubai.
"I'm really proud that I was a witness to the first flag hoisting of the UAE," he told Khaleej Times from his Deira office.
"It was a Friday and the function began around 10.30am," recollected Kumar, who was just 21 years old then.
Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum inaugurating the new municipality headquarters on December 8, 1979
Hailing from the south Indian state of Kerala, Kumar was working as a trainee at the old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in erstwhile Bombay when he received a job offer from the British High Commissioner's office in Delhi as a steward to the last British Political Agent in Dubai Sir Julian Bullard.
Unlike many early migrants, who sailed from India to the UAE shores in steamers and launches, Kumar was first flown in to Bahrain where the British Army had a headquarters of the Trucial States. From there he took the journey to Sharjah by military aircraft. About 30,000 people of mixed nationalities were living in Dubai then, as per British statistics, Kumar said.
With an initial salary of QDR1,500 (Qatar-Dubai Riyal), Kumar was soon put in-charge of most works at the BPA office and residence. "The current British Embassy building was built for our office then."
Generator-powered lamps and food from the British cuisine made Kumar's life different from that of many of his compatriots in Dubai.
His boss noticed his English typing skills and made him in-charge of the archiving works at the office. There began his close association with the history of the Trucial States and later the newborn UAE. "I was the one who typed the captions for all the photographs that were stored at the archives," said Kumar, who still keeps a collection of hundreds of original and copies of photographs.
"When the BPA withdrew power in 1970, we were given one year's full salary in advance and accommodation to continue during the transition period under the assistant of BPA till the end of 1971."
Photographic treasures
"I was young and had not realised the real value of photographs taken then. It was just out of some impulsion that I decided to keep some of them safe with me," Kumar said, as he showed the collection of the old black and white pictures.
Pictures of old buildings in Dubai such as the Dubai State Telephone Company, and events like the 1968 graduation ceremony of the Dubai Police are still fresh in Kumar's collection, which, he claims, has not been exposed to outsiders.
The Petroleum Development Trucial Coast building in 1949
A photo of Dubai's first police chief Jack Briggs, who headed the police force before His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took over the charge from him, is among the collection.
The one picture he holds close to his heart is that of Sir Bullard with the late Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Six days after the Union was formed, the Dubai Country Club was established, where Kumar was appointed as the chief steward after his stint with the BPA.
"I was the founder employee of the club, which was first of its kind with a nine-hole golf course and other sporting facilities in the history of the UAE."
While working there, Kumar became the first Malayali to set up an electronic shop in Dubai: Shaja Electronics in Naif area.
During his tenure at the club till 1977, Kumar befriended the then Deputy Labour Minister Ghanam Ghubash from whom he leased a commercial printing press in Sharjah in 1983. Later he ventured into the publishing industry and played an instrumental role in publishing many books for the municipalities of Sharjah and Dubai.
Currently, he is preparing a book titled 'Dubai -Where the World Meets', which is due to be released in a year. Having done extensive official mapping works for Dubai Municipality, Kumar has seen the exponential growth of the emirate from close quarters.
"God has blessed this country in abundance and its leaders have had a great vision for its prosperity. I'm so proud that this country has grown up with me and thankful to all officials and Emiratis who have helped me all through the years," said Kumar, who makes it a point to join the Dubai Municipality's Flag Day and National Day celebrations every year.
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