On a sweltering afternoon in Nardipur village, in India’s western Gujarat state, a group of men sit in a public park discussing routes and different ways to migrate to Canada and the US.
Most of their relatives and friends are settled in the North American nations.
The men, between the ages of 22 to 37, are inspired by their lives and are determined to relocate – legally or illegally – to the countries at any cost.
“This is a trend. Everyone from Gujarat goes abroad. In my village, 3,500 people are living in foreign countries. If I don’t go, then I will be left behind,” Vishal Patel, 29, one of the men, told The National.
“We are all educated, so if it happens legally, then good; if there is no chance, then we will see what to do. The plan is to take citizenship in Canada and then move to the US,” he said, elaborating on his plan.
Gujarat, located next to the Arabian Sea, is one of the most prosperous states in India, but people have been emigrating for decades to the Middle East and North America.
American dream
However, this has come under the spotlight recently following cases of several people taking risky and illegal routes to attain the American dream.
Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has a strong entrepreneurial and business culture but, of late, it has had to deal with a brain drain.
Every year, thousands of people from the state migrate to western countries, with the US the most favoured.
As many as 1.5 million people of Gujarati origin live in the US, followed by the UK, Canada, and Australia, according to media reports.
The first wave of immigrants reached the US in the 1960s. They were mostly doctors and engineers, followed by another wave of migration comprising students and relatives of those already settled.
Most immigrants were Patels, who were a traditionally agrarian community but ventured into businesses and opened motels, further paving the way for their relatives and friends in a third wave.
Gujaratis own about 53,000 motels worth a combined $40 billion, or 42 per cent of the US hospitality market, according to the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.
However, new immigrants are diversifying their businesses by opening grocery stores and food chains, attracting the services of recently arrived immigrants, including those who entered the country illegally.
Greener pastures
While it helps businesses to employ cheap labour from India, for people back home, immigration provides an opportunity to live in the US and earn more, Raj Patel, 22, another villager from Nardipur, told The National.
He runs an ice cream parlour in his village and makes 15,000 rupees ($180) a month but says the money is not enough to make ends meet.
“I live with my mother and grandmother. My father died of Covid. How will we survive on 15,000 rupees? There is no stability,” he said.
According to government data, Gujarat’s unemployment rate stood at 1.7 per cent, compared to the national average of 3.1 per cent in 2023, a figure many critics dispute.
The state's 2021-2022 per capita income was 277,000 rupees ($3,300), according to the government, also higher than the national average of $2,393.
But Raj Patel, a graduate in the arts, said he was unable to find a well-paying job that encouraged him to migrate to Ontario in Canada, where his aunt runs a smoothie chain store.
“The main reason is to earn money. Here, we face struggles to get jobs and earn decent salaries. There is no guarantee that the business will survive next month. But our relatives and friends give us job security and dollars,” he said.
‘Donkey Route’
Barely 7km away from Nardipur is Dingucha, a prosperous area described as the “village of NRIs” (non-resident Indians) as more than 80 per cent of the families have settled abroad, a government official told The National.
In 2022, Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishali, 37, their daughter Vihangi, 11 and son Dharmik, 3, travelled to Toronto.
Days later, they were found dead in Manitoba, about 20km away from the border, as they attempted to enter the US illegally with the help of smugglers during a severe winter.
Last year, a chartered flight with 303 passengers headed to Nicaragua was stopped in France. French investigators later said the passengers, including 100 from Gujarat, aimed to make it to North American nations through illegal routes.
The incidents highlighted the scale of illegal immigration in the state.
Many aspiring immigrants find it difficult to secure legal work permits in the US and Canada, owing to their poor educational and financial backgrounds, as well as their inability to speak English.
Many try to bypass the procedures and opt for riskier options such as the “donkey route”, where they trek through a chain of countries in South America to reach the US.
The well-oiled agents charge up to 8.5 million rupees for one person and up to 15 million rupees for a family of four, including plane tickets and transport up to the US border.
“I am going through an agent. I am just waiting for his call. I sent my cousin to Kentucky two years ago. Now he is arranging money for my family,” said Kismat Jansari, a father of one.
Mr Jansari, 37, is unfazed despite the incident at Manitoba and, instead, blamed the Patels for their desperation.
“It was not the agent’s fault; it was the family’s fault. It was too cold and yet they rushed to cross the border. We don’t think negatively,” he said.
“We are not bothered about getting caught. It is one life. If we fail, we will live here. But we will take one chance,” he said.
Cracking it young
The trend of moving abroad has caught up with the state’s young population who are lining up at local coaching centres to train for entry exams to study at foreign universities. Many hope this will help them sidestep immigration woes.
Varun Sharma, who runs the Foreign Education Club, a training and consultancy firm in Mehsana district, said they were witnessing an increase in the number of applicants joining their English language courses to secure admissions in foreign universities and settle abroad.
“More youngsters want to study, work and settle there. It is mainly because of freedom, exposure and more career opportunities,” Mr Sharma said.
But he said that the desire to move abroad was so high that even younger students are willing to risk their lives by opting for illegal immigration.
“Out of 10, five students will ask us if we can send them [illegally]. It could be because of money or time as the proper process takes two to three months to clear exams and get university admission but agents promise them one month,” he said.
However, many are cautious after the death of the Patel family.
“I know many people in our village who have taken the donkey route, but it is too risky.”
“I would rather study and then start a business legally,” said Dilip Kumar Chaudhary, 24, who is preparing for a study visa in Canada.
Sanchez's club career
2005-2006: Cobreloa
2006-2011 Udinese
2006-2007 Colo-Colo (on loan)
2007-2008 River Plate (on loan)
2011-2014 Barcelona
2014–Present Arsenal
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
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What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Mobile phone packages comparison
SPECS
Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 306hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500
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Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
Correspondents
By Tim Murphy
(Grove Press)
SPECS
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
