Dr Shamsheer’s team distributes Dh1 million in aid, helping a worker’s daughter pursue her dream of becoming a nurse.
Dubai: Emotional accounts have emerged as aid was distributed to the families of seven workers killed in a crash on Dubai’s Emirates Road last month, as part of a Dh1 million humanitarian relief initiative announced by UAE-based Indian expat business leader Dr Shamsheer Vayalil.
The tragedy shattered the hopes of several families, most of whom had arrived in the UAE only months earlier, when the minibus they were travelling in collided with a truck that had stopped on the road following an earlier accident.
Representatives of Dr Shamsheer, founder, chairman, and CEO of Burjeel Holdings, travelled to rural Telangana and Uttar Pradesh in India, as well as Mullaitivu in Sri Lanka, where grieving families shared deeply emotional accounts of the victims.
The parents of one of the workers had already lost other sons in a road accident a decade earlier, while the parents of the youngest victim, aged just 23, spoke of how they had placed all their hopes in him. In other families, children are now left with uncertain futures, with their education, healthcare, and prospects for marriage previously dependent on their fathers’ support.
The crash claimed the lives of seven workers, including six Indians and one Sri Lankan national. Under the humanitarian relief programme, each bereaved family is receiving Dh100,000 (₹26 lakh). Dr Shamsheer’s office also said additional support for children’s education is being assessed and will be coordinated directly with the affected families.
Grief in Telangana
The Indian victims hailed from Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. In Telangana, visits were made to the families of Saleem Sayyed Hussain, Abdul Rafiq Abdul Raheem, and Thirupathi Gollapally Chandraiah.
Saleem Sayyed Hussain, 51, is survived by his wife, Sayyad Goreebee, and three children. Family members said he had travelled to the UAE around two-and-a-half months earlier to build a better home and support his children’s education. With one of his children facing health challenges and his elder daughter’s marriage plans underway, the family is now struggling to come to terms with the loss and uncertain future ahead.
The parents of Thirupathi Gollapally Chandraiah, 23, the youngest of the victims, spoke about the hopes they had placed in their son, who had travelled to the UAE for the first time around seven months ago.
He used to call home and speak about adjusting to life and work abroad, including the challenges of outdoor labour. His mother broke down in tears when the family received the aid team.
A father’s double loss
The family of Abdul Rafiq Abdul Raheem, 37, is also grappling with deep uncertainty. He is survived by his wife, Raziya Begum, and their young daughter, Rida Fathima.
Relatives and villagers remember him as a warm and helpful person. The family has lived in a rented house for several years. His father, Abdul Rahan, who had already lost two other children in a road accident in Telangana in 2015, said the family is now struggling to rebuild its life.
A daughter’s dream
In Uttar Pradesh, visits were made to the families of Abdul Rasheed Zakir Husain, Markandey Chauhan Bhajjan Chauhan, and Mohammad Saqib Liyaqat Ali.
In Mau, the family of Markandey Chauhan Bhajjan Chauhan, 39, recalled his long years of work in the Gulf and the hopes he held for his children. He is survived by his wife, Sarswati Devi, and three children, including 17-year-old Ankita Chauhan, who recently completed Grade 12.
During the visit, Dr Shamsheer spoke with the family over a video call. When Ankita expressed her desire to pursue a BSc in Nursing, he assured her of support, saying, “We will support you to complete your education. Study well and complete the course. We will be happy to bring you here after that. Markandey ji will be remembered every day through you.”
One last journey
At Kopaganj in Mau, the family of Abdul Rasheed Zakir Husain, 38, said he had left home just two months before news of the accident reached them. He is survived by his wife, Farida Khatoon, and three young daughters.
“He had told us this would be his last journey abroad to find a job, and that once he returned, he would not go again,” said Mohammed Aamir, his wife’s brother. Abdul Rasheed had hoped to rebuild his life at home using the savings earned in the UAE.
The family of Mohammad Saqib Liyaqat Ali, 31, in Bijnor said he had travelled to Dubai for the first time around eight months ago after working as an aluminium fabricator. He had hoped to support his mother and sisters, even as his family encouraged him to return if he could not find suitable work. However, he chose to stay on, believing that life in the UAE would eventually allow him to secure stability for his family.
Care beyond borders
Support also extended to Sri Lanka, where a representative from Dr Shamsheer’s office travelled from Colombo to Mullaitivu to meet the family of Samuvel Rengasami, 34, the sole breadwinner. His wife, Rajarathnaraja Jeevarani, and young daughter are now left facing an uncertain future.
Speaking about the outreach mission, Hafiz Ali, Director at VPS Health, said the visits were carried out to ensure assistance reached families with dignity and care.
“We met the families on behalf of Dr Shamsheer to convey that they are not alone. Their loved ones worked in the UAE, and this support is a message that the community here remembers them and stands with their families. The education support for the children will also be taken forward in close coordination with the families,” he said.
Injured workers supported
Financial assistance has also been extended to nine injured survivors, in coordination with the workers’ employer, with allocations based on the severity of injuries and recovery needs. Among them, eight are Indian nationals, including three from Uttar Pradesh, two from Rajasthan, and one each from Kerala, Telangana, and Bihar, while one injured worker is a Nepali national.
Four survivors received the support in the UAE, three others currently in India had the funds transferred to their accounts, and two critically injured workers undergoing treatment in a Dubai hospital also received the assistance directly, Dr Shamsheer’s office said.
