They travelled to the Gulf to build lives back home - a journey to the Indian villages of seven crash victims
A generation ago, the first men from villages in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh left for the Gulf. Most departed because of a letter from someone who had gone before, or a rumour from the tea shop, or just knowing that someone from the next village had gone and had come back with something to show for it. They didn’t really know what to expect. They went anyway. Many of those men later returned. But…
A journey across villages in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh was undertaken to show support to the families of seven Indian workers who died in a crash in Dubai in June 2026. These workers had previously traveled to the Gulf to build better lives back home, using their earnings to fund homes, education, and weddings. Despite the crash, Burjeel Holdings chairman Dr Shamsheer Vayalil announced a financial support program for all seven affected families.
The delegation, led by Vayalil's head of communications, traveled to meet those families to assure them they were not forgotten. The relationship between the Gulf and these villages, developed over four decades, is a vital part of everyday life. Workers return with achievements like finished houses, better schooling for children, and improved family welfare.
The workers' families maintain this connection, with sons and daughters aspiring to join the workforce abroad. In every village visited, houses were built in stages, with funds sent by workers employed in the Gulf. One family's story, that of Markandey Chauhan's, was particularly poignant as his daughter's education was fully paid for by Dr Vayalil, a promise made a generation ago and kept today.
The bond between the Gulf and these villages is not just about financial transactions but a deep understanding that working in the Gulf offers opportunities for a better future.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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