Good bye Mr Buxani, the guardian of expatriates in the UAE

By K.R. Nayar

Attending the funeral of someone so dear to every expatriate in the UAE was painful. Ram Buxani, who passed away on Monday (July 8, 2024), has been one of the UAE’s leading businessmen. He was not merely a businessman but a guardian of almost every expatriate. As I joined the walk with his mortal remains towards the electric crematorium at New Sonapur, I knew it was the final part of his historic journey in the UAE, which began as an 18-year-old in 1959. Many showered rose petals onto his body, and I felt that each petal was saying thank you to a man who took the ‘High Road’ and inspired many. His autobiography was rightly titled “Taking the High Road.”

 

Ram Buxani... the man who always greeted everyone with a smile 

Buxani’s presence in the UAE gave the feeling of a protector for every expatriate. Many of those whom I spoke to while waiting at the crematorium said that whenever they felt down and out or thought it was the end of the road for them in their profession or business, a call to Buxani was enough to get them back on the road to success. So one can imagine how painful it must have been for many to witness the end of that man’s journey.  Buxani started as an office clerk at International Trader Limited (ITL) and rose to become the chairman of Cosmos ITL Group.

 

Buxani lost his father when he was only five years old. He boarded a steamship from Mumbai in 1959, and the ship anchored off the coast of Dubai on a rainy day. He was ferried ashore through rough seas in a small boat. Dubai then was nothing but a desert with no electricity and even running water. He had just IRs 5 in his pocket and started with ILT for a salary of IRs 125.

 

Ram Buxani with a group of budding photographers from Shutter Bugs Creative Forum as the Chief Guest for their exhibition

I often wondered how he managed the time to attend so many social gatherings and talk to so many people. On November 23, 2023, at the Indian Consulate auditorium, we sat together for three hours at a musical concert. Just a few weeks before he passed away, he had climbed the stairs of a building without a lift to address youngsters and narrate to them how Dubai was when he had arrived and the meteoric rise of this country.

Ram Buxani at Sucheta Satish's concert to enter Guinness Book of World records singing in 140 languages 

Buxani was a dear friend to my brother K P Nayar, who was then a journalist with Khaleej Times. The first time I had lunch in a fancy restaurant was with Buxani in the 1980s. When he heard from my brother that I had come to report for AP and BBC for the Sharjah Cricket tournaments, he hosted this lunch at the revolving restaurant in Hyatt and talked at length about cricket. He religiously read my reports, even from the recent ICC 2024 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, and often made comments.

 

Ram Buxani with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam 

Freddy Sidhwa, a veteran cricketer and businessman who was at the funeral, said: “He always made sure to stop and chat with me, however busy he was at a function. It is that personal touch that made me come here to say goodbye to him.” Buxani’s memory has always amazed me. During many of our conversations, he has recalled names and even details of my family members. Indian Ambassadors and Consul Generals move on with their postings, but for many, he was their unofficial representative who could be consulted on numerous issues.

 

Buxani was the first among the businessmen to sponsor sports events. We frequently interacted when he used to organize the Sharp-Cosmos UAE Open Snooker Championships about 15 years ago. And whenever we met, he always wanted to know from me how to make the tournament better. Legendary cricketers knew him well, and Sunil Gavaskar, whom I informed about his passing, expressed his deep sadness. Buxani features in many of the photographs in Shyam Bhatia’s cricket museum, since he would attend all UAE cricket award functions held there.

 

Ram Buxani with Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan 

In 2004, he received his doctorate for his thesis on “Governance of Dubai: The influence of tribal tradition in decision making, especially in the critical period of the development of the city-state”. He leaves behind an important message: “The UAE is my University; if you can pass university, then you can lead a successful life.”

Ram Buxani with Swami Tejoamayananda of Chinmaya Mission and 

Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan ... Buxani would always give me a call when his talks were planned  

Once during a casual conversation at his residence, Buxani shared his philosophy of life: “My philosophy is to do good, irrespective of the outcome; life is a divine gift – cherish it and empower others to gain the best out of it.” As the doors of the crematorium closed, I knew it was the end of the journey of a man whose aim was not only to achieve whatever he wanted to but also to empower others to get the best out of life. Goodbye, Mr. Buxani. Thank you for being an affectionate guardian with that infectious smile.