Rags-to-riches men with a heart

Bread man of Kenya
A native of Timbdi in Jamnagar, Fulchand Gada emigrated to Kenya in 1912 at the age of 14. He started a store there. Today, Bimal Shah, his grandson, runs `Broadways' ­ the biggest bread-making company in the East African nation ­ at Thika, 50 km north of Nairobi. The company produces more than 250,000 loaves of bread every day .
Shah is proud of his heritage as an Indian Kenyan and strives to preserve his legacy .He told TOI that his father started the bakery and sold bread in nearby towns and villages.“In 1958, the family started its first plant and they have four today . We have also set up a flour mill for our own supply. We have assimilated into to the local population and will strive to contribute to Kenya's development,“ said Shah. The extended family celebrated 100 years in Kenya in 2012, and more than 100 members -who are now spread across the globe -participated.
Shah, who visits the state frequently, says a Gujarati never forgets his roots. “The qualities of compassion and community welfare will never be forgotten. Today, we conduct pro grammes in the slums around our plants, have set up charitable trusts for healthcare and education and have donated land for schools and social institutes. I am happy with India's progress and would love to be part of the success story,“ he said.
Hotelier with a heart
To describe Manhar Rama as a hotelier based in the US would not be comprehensive. Rama's is a rags-to-riches story , about chasing one's dreams, which then extended to fulfilling others' dreams and the greater good.
Born in Malawi, his parents sent him home for lack of a good school. He learnt to work farms while pursuing his education and became an engineer.His pursuit of a good life took him the US for higher studies. To raise the tuition, he worked 9-to-5 at the public works department while taking civil engineering classes at night.
“I am an accidental hotelier. My brother got a rundown motel to run on lease, and I was there to help. I then realized that the sector was going to be a goldmine and dived in,“ he told TOI. Today , the his group has 40 properties with 6,250 rooms across the US.Rama was also instrumental in setting up the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and was its first president.
Mall-maker of the Gulf
MA Yusuff Ali, is described as the `Dhirubhai Ambani of the Gulf ' by his friend Bharat Shah, who was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman this year. The moniker is apt considering his phenomenal rise in the infrastructure business in the Gulf. One of the richest Indians outside India, Ali is the managing director of a 4.5 billion dollar conglomerate, LuLu Group International. The brand now has 10 major malls across the Gulf, along with other properties and interests.
A native of Thrissur in Kerala, Ali has done everything under the sun, including selling pressure cookers in Gujarat. His fortunes changed in the 1970s when went to Abu Dhabi to join his uncle's business. In 1990, he set up the `Lulu Hypermarket' and captured part of the emerging malls business in the UAE.
The achievers
Dr Kamlesh Lulla
Director of NASA's university collaboration and partnership office said it is symbolic that he got the award. “Being a native of the state, it is a special feeling getting recognition here. While I have been working in the US for more than 25 years, there is no feeling like coming home,'' he said.
Mahendra Mehta
Is a Uganda-based businessman.
Juhi Chawla, Bollywood actor and his daughter-in-law, was among the guests. Mehta said: “Our family went to Uganda to seek fortune in 1904 and has seen a number of ups and downs. But by our indomitable spirit and hard work we have emerged strong with every challenge.“
Mala Mehta I s founder of IABBC Hindi School Inc in Sydney and spearheads the Hindi movement in Australia.
“Due to community efforts we have been able to include Hindi in the national curriculum from this year.
The language will be taught among other subjects from class I to XII,“ she said.
Nandini Tandon
Is a native of Lucknow and vice chairman of El Camino Hospital in the US. “The award is for all the girls of UP who dreamt big and achieved it. The award will help me work with greater enthusiasm and get more investment from NRIs,“ she said. A Silicon Valleybased investor in life sciences and healthcare, she has helped many innovators build companies.
Ashraf Parakunmummal
Has sent more than 2,000 bodies to India and 37 other countries, over two decades. The 40-year old is a native of Kozhikode in Kerala. Ashraf said: “In the UAE, the migrant community is huge and many have no one to take care of their last rites. I realized this while helping a woman get her son's remains back to India.“