United Arab Emirates

- VINOD MENON, BOARD MEMBER, SRI SRI UNIVERSITY, ORISSA

My four-day tour of the United Arab Emirates was indeed pleasant, considering that, there was good rain a week before my arrival. The weather was pleasant, the summer had not officially begun. So, we may call it spring. Massive shopping malls and a number of mosques can define the landscape of urban United Arab Emirates. World-class roads and the best of cars connected me to the most urban areas in the country, mainly Abu Dhabi and Dubai. King Zayeed road is the Highway connecting the two cities. Within Dubai is the technically advanced Metro rail mode of transportation. The pristine desert and golden beaches are the geographical sites where the oil story began. The affluence and opulence of this country is amazing. Almost every citizen seems to be involved in some sports activity. Outdoor games such as football, volleyball and basketball are common. Water sports are beginning to attract attention. Golf, camel and horse racing, and motor sports are popular. Food courts, recreations and entertainment are available almost within fifty kilometers radius of the residential areas. All this makes the United Arab Emirates a world-class destination for tourists.

The kings, Sultans and all the leadership must be acclaimed for such vision and ability to implement. Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other cities in UAE are thriving and flourishing in severe desert conditions. Among sand storms and extreme weather conditions, the people in UAE have constructed a country that can bag all awards and rewards. The skyscrapers and other infrastructure development brought opportunities for about half a million workers from India. UAE has workers from over one hundred countries.