The Rotary Club of Adliya hosted H. E. Abdulnabi Al-Sho’ala in their weekly meeting in which the twice ex-minister discussed the high impact of India and Indians is on the Kingdom of Bahrain specifically and the Gulf generally. 86% of the Club’s membership attended the evening, along with many other Rotarians and guests, special amongst whom was Rotarian Ms. Peri Deeb from the Rotary Club of Alexandria & Nozha.

H. E. Al-Sho’ala explained in detailed numbers the constitution of Indians in Bahrain and how they, in their various skills and professional qualifications added huge value to the progress and economy of this country, as well as adding positively to the social fabric in Bahrain. He explained that from a total population of approximately 1.1 million people, approximately 420,000 are Indians. He gave examples of the trades they were involved in, which was eye opening to those present. For example, he said that 550 were chartered accountants – stating that due to this, and the addition of other chartered accountants from other nationalities – Bahrain probably enjoys the highest per-capita of chartered accountants to citizens in the Gulf, if not the world!

The Indian’s vocations in Bahrain didn’t stop at being chartered accountants of course, but he emphasised that they are involved in just about every facet of life here, from building the buildings, to caring for the population medically, to cleaning our streets to tailoring and beyond.

He explained that even though that their foreign transfers now is approximately BD 1.5 billion annually, with the government’s expectations of doubling the population by 2030, expatriate labour of which Indians constitute the majority will also double, leading to an expected foreign currency transfer to reach or exceed BD4 billion by then.

That money, he was at pains to explain, is not “lost”, but a fair value for the expertise and hard work expended by Indians to maintain and further develop the Kingdom.

Speaker’s Bio

Mr. Abdulnabi Al-Sho’alastarted from very humble beginnings, he toiled long and hard at not only establishing himself, but also helping in taking care of his family, having lost his father at 9 months old. By necessity he had to devise new and creative ways in cutting a path for himself, never shying away from opportunities presented to him.

The turning point of his life happened by accident when he recognised an opportunity in adversity. Discovering that a medical trip accompanying his step-father to India would extend beyond what he initially anticipated, he decided to seek further education, and as the prestigious St. Xavier College in Bombay was accepting new enrollments, he boldly strode in his suit and briefcase past the hordes of hopefuls to demand a direct audience with the principal. By virtue of him being a little older than other applicants, his attire and demeanor, he gained an audience with Fr. D’Cruz, the ultimate result of which was his acceptance into that university.

Upon returning to Bahrain, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an attaché, a position he held for just under a year, giving way to the call of his entrepreneurial spirit and his establishment of Gulf Public Relations, which was the nucleus of a multi-faceted business empire.

Business success wasn’t enough for Mr. Al-Sho’ala though; driven by a sense of duty to give back to his community, he strove to be in a public office to do so. This drove him to challenge people’s perceptions and stand for a seat on the board of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, riding on the promise of much needed change, and a younger infusion to what was a stagnant board. He was elected with the highest margin of votes ever to that point.

After serving for three terms ending with him becoming the 2nd vice-president, he was appointed to the consultative Shura Council. Three years after that he was asked to step up and lead the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs as Minister, and thence on to becoming a Minister of State.

He returned to the business world once his tenure was completed and he now once again leads the various enterprises of Al-Fanar Holdings to greater heights, which now encompasses twenty companies catering for everything from regional investments, financial, industrial, trading and service sectors.

Mr. Al-Sho’ala is undoubtedly a great success story and an incpiration. He is indeed the embodiment of the Bahraini Dream.

Ladies and gentlemen, the lasting and positive impact India has had on Mr. Al-Sho’ala is common knowledge, especially as he is now the head of the Bahrain India Society; what is also known is his tangible and deep understanding of that sub-continent and its impact on many other economies. He did not subscribe to the derogatory attitudes some have had about that great country, in fact quite the opposite, he saw ready opportunities which could be applied for the benefit of this Kingdom specifically, and the surrounding region in general.

The Club was privileged to hear some of Mr. Al-Sho’ala’s thoughts and experiences on this sphere relating to Bahrain, being the freest economy in the Middle East and India, the fastest growing free market democracy, and has also touched upon his own personal experiences which we as a country and people can benefit from.