Kasargod District, KERALA / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES :
Dubai :
A regular face at car parades, Hameed chooses Dubai Crown Prince’s photos to decorate his car this time.
His craze for displaying distinctive car decorations during UAE National Day celebrations has been hitting headlines for many years. Indian expatriate Iqbal Abdul Hameed has done it once again.
This time, the young businessman came up with a special design dedicated to Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, on his Rolls-Royce car that caught all the eyes at the National Day parades organised by major police stations in Dubai.
An ardent fan of the Crown Prince, Iqbal chose special photos of Shaikh Hamdan from his childhood till date to decorate his car.
Married to an Emirati, Iqbal said his wife helped him select Shaikh Hamdan’s pictures.
“We have selected memorable pictures of Shaikh Hamdan’s life, especially the ones that show his adventurous nature and love for sports,” he told Khaleej Times.
“I decided to get his photos designed in the shape of UAE postal stamps for this year’s car decoration.It took a couple of months’ preparations to get the car ready with this design,” said Iqbal who has won accolades for his car decorations for the past seven years.
While the luxury cars’ both sides have been splashed with the young prince’s pictures this time, the car’s bonnet features the portraits of the UAE President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as well as His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Images of the UAE flag, Martyr’s Day’s emblem and emblem for the Spirit of the Union on the 44th National Day have also been used. A regular invitee at the car parades of Dubai Police, Iqbal won appreciation at the parades organised by four police stations this week. The photos of his car have also gone viral on social media.
“I am so glad and proud that the Emiratis and expatriates appreciate my efforts in this. This is just a small gesture from my side to show how much I love and feel indebted to this country that has given me everything including my life partner,” he said.
“I have travelled to many countries in the world. But I have not seen any other country that has embraced so many nationalities and cultures with both hands like the UAE has done.”
Chairman of Alia Al Hathboor Group, Iqbal has been seen as a cultural ambassador among Emiratis and Indians here.
Hailing from Kasaragod district in south Indian state of Kerala, the entrepreneur has been known for his charitable activities as well.
sajila@khaleejtimes.com
source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> National Day 2016 / sajila@khaleejtimes.com / December 02nd, 2015