“Gemini Property Developers, a boutique real estate developer, was main sponsor of the second edition of Women Excellence Awards, recently held in Dubai, to honour Indian women who have achieved role-model successes in various fields in the UAE.

Several Indian women were awarded for different categories in a glittering ceremony held at Emirates International School, Jumeirah, Dubai.

The award is inspired by the UAE’s initiatives about women empowerment when HE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, approved three months of paid maternity leave for Dubai Government employees early this year.

The UAE also has eight women ministers, one of the highest female representation in the cabinet in the region. Mona Al Marri, Vice-President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said there are about 23,000 businesswomen running investments estimated at Dh50billion.

Advocate Bindu Chettur, current president of Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC), received the award for leadership and women empowerment in the UAE. She received the award from Sudhakar Rao, Managing Director of Gemini Property Developers.

“Encouraging women is part of our business philosophy. We are pleased to support the initiatives that recognize and appreciate human talent and inspire others to excel in their fields. Gemini Property Developers promotes honest and sincere initiatives and our business is backed by strong ethical and moral principles,” Sudhakar R. Rao, Managing Director of Gemini Property Developers, sponsor of the event, said.

“Women represent about 50 percent of the GCC population. However, they make up only 25 percent of the region’s workforce. They have a long way to go and we are there to support them in their race for excellence. We at Gemini Property Developers, give equal opportunity to women to excel and contribute to the society.” Sudhakar added.

The UAE has enabling environment – being one of the safest places for women to live and work – that help women to succeed, that comes from the visionary leadership.

Dr. Yasmeen Shereef Ul Mulk, chairman of Mulk Healthcare, was awarded for her contributions to medical science.

Gulf News Senior Reporter Sajila Saseendran won the award in the field of journalism. She received the award from Dr. Nawab Shafi Ul Mulk, co-owner of Kerala Kings cricket team along Neeraj Agrawal, head of Chancery and Consul (Press, Information, Culture) at the Indian Consulate in Dubai and Sudhakar R. Rao, managing director of Gemini Property Developers also gave away the awards

Actress and RJ Nyla Usha, wellness expert Smitha Prabhakar, young fashion designer Apeksha Binoj, gynecologist Dr. Mini P.G., environmentalist Dr. Jaishinimol Bharghavan, architect Dina Murali and veteran teacher Lilamma are the other awardees.

The winners received a statuette in teakwood and marble shaped like a thumbs-up sign blending with the face of a woman.

Vasanth Kumar, director of SVK Media Dubai, which presented the award with the support of IBPC, said the award has been instituted to honour the excellence of women from various states of India living in the UAE in different editions.

Editors’ Notes:

The UAE is top destination globally for Indian migrants, with over 2.8 million (2017) Indians living there, according to UN estimates. They constitute around 27% of the total UAE population – around half a million – are from the South Indian state of Kerala, followed by Tamil Nadu state, according to estimates by the UN.

The 12 Keralites millionaires in UAE are worth nearly   Dh73.46bn   ($20 billion), and form 26 percent of the Top 50 list of Richest Indians with an estimated wealth of nearly Dh220.38bn  ($60bn), reflecting the southern Indian state’s growing influence in the regional economic scene.

Around 20% of Indians in the UAE are white collar professionals. India and the UAE enjoy cordial relations, due to shared history, trade and commerce.

With 14 wealthy non-resident Indians, the UAE is the most preferred destination for immigration, followed by 10 in the UK and eight in USA, according to the China-based Hurun Global Rich List 2017.