What began as a modest initiative of 250 meals per day has now expanded into a full-scale Ramadan operation.
For the past 22 years, Sudhakar R. Rao has called the UAE home. He has witnessed Dubai transform from a city where the Burj Khalifa was still an excavation site into the global metropolis it is today. Throughout that journey, however, one thing has consistently stood out to the 66-year-old: the spirit of Ramadan.
This year, Sudhakar, together with his brother Prabhakar and daughter Aishwarya, is continuing to honour that spirit. The trio, who run Gemini Group Real Estate Developments, are on a mission to distribute 30,000 iftar meals to labourers across Dubai.
“We have been doing this for the past five or six years,” Sudhakar told Khaleej Times. “Initially, the numbers were smaller. This year, we are providing 1,000 meals per day for all 30 days of Ramadan.”
From 250 Meals to a Full-Scale Operation
What began as a modest effort of 250 meals per day has now expanded into a full-scale operation. For Sudhakar, however, the scale matters less than the sincerity behind it.
“What matters most to us is reaching the real labour camps and supporting the labourers in need,” he emphasized. “My brother, my daughter and I personally ensure everything is in order and that the food is of good quality. We carry out this initiative with complete sincerity — whatever we do, we do it religiously.”
The family makes it a point to visit the labour camps multiple times throughout the month, not just to oversee the meal distribution, but also to connect personally with the workers.
“We go to make sure that people feel good,” Sudhakar said. The response has been heartwarming, with camp supervisors even sending personal messages to thank the family for their efforts.
For Sudhakar, who began his business career at 26—first in the oil and gas sector and now in real estate—the act of giving isn’t tied to any religious obligation; it is entirely personal. When asked why this work is so important to him, he paused.
“I don’t have an immediate or direct answer,” he admitted. “But we feel good about it. There’s no compulsion from anyone. It just comes spontaneously.”
That spirit of giving extends beyond Ramadan. “When the Pulwama attack occurred in India in 2019, we donated a significant sum to support the victims’ families,” he recalled.
Although Sudhakar has stepped back from the daily demands of the office, he remains active across his business interests in the UAE, Oman, and India. Yet during Ramadan, his focus is entirely on the community around him.
