Shantanu's Blog

Database Consultant

April 17, 2004

 
Indian Express
Mumbai Newsline
April 18, 2004

The businessman of the year in the US is a Mumbai boy who remembers Santacruz, Bollywood and his roots.
By Ketaki Ghoge

The story begins in the late 1930's, in sadri, 150 km from Udaipur. Abdeali Sadriwalla didn't have a paisa in his pocket, but migrated to Mumbai anyway.
Forty year later, his son did likewise. Having lost his father as a 15 year-old boy, Abbas Sadriwalla migrated from Mumbai to Miami, the United States of America, with $100 in his wallet and a commercial pilot’s license That was in the 1970’s.
Cut to 2004. The 50 year-old Bohri Muslim from Mumbai has just received the Businessman Of The Year award from the National Republican Congressional Committee, with President George W Bush playing guest of honour.
Sadriwalla, who started out with furniture stores, is now a big name in wi-fi technology and speciality chemicals. He owns four companies and employs thousands of people in Miami. His ambition? To be the key international player in wi-fi technology.
With an American wife and two children plus a ‘best father’ award in tow, sadriwalla is living the Great American Dream, and inspiring ambitious turks back home.
For Sadriwalla’s family in Santacruz-his brother and his family still live here – the family’s eldest son is an example to be quoted often to the kids.
And not without reason. Sadriwalla built his empire, brick by brick, on his own – all he had was a matriculation degree and nothing by way of inheritance except a home and close family ties.
Always an all-rounder, little Abbas was the family’s technical wizard. From dismantling old ovens and putting them back together to inventing formulae for rubber products, he “had it in his genes”, as sister Sheherbenoo Babuji says. She lives in Detroit, but was visiting family last week.
But Sadriwalla could also reinvent himself, like when technology nudged out his pager business. He just innovated and moved with the times.
Says Aun Aezjaz, sadriwalla’s brother, “I am his link to Mumbai, he doesn’t want me to migrate. He wants to channelise his business here in his hometown.”
In an e-mail interview, Sadriwalla reminisces about his childhood in Santacruz. “It was a charming suburb, where all neighbors shared one another’s festivals and joys. I try to come as often as I can to India – I don’t want my children to lose their roots.”
Not surprisingly, another vivid memory of the city for Sadriwalla is of tinseltown, of Mohan Studio opposite his father’s factory. He still remembers watching the shooting of Mughal-e-Azam. And what a good time he had.

His Empire:
Chief executive of V link Solutions, a wi-fi infrastructure solutions based in fort Lauderdate is the only company in the US to offer a full menu of wi-fi software and hardware solutions. It counts 160 big totels and hospitals in the country as its clients.
Chief executive of V Link Hospitality Technologies, a backend software platform for V link. It provides products that ease housekeeping hassles.
Chief executive of Moonrise Systems with its star net kiosk product, Netstop
Chief executive of Liquiguard Inc., a speciality chemical that has excellent water proofing qualities for electronic circuits and leather goods.

Archives

June 2001   July 2001   January 2003   May 2003   September 2003   October 2003   December 2003   January 2004   February 2004   March 2004   April 2004   May 2004   June 2004   July 2004   August 2004   September 2004   October 2004   November 2004   December 2004   January 2005   February 2005   March 2005   April 2005   May 2005   June 2005   July 2005   August 2005   September 2005   October 2005   November 2005   December 2005   January 2006   February 2006   March 2006   April 2006   May 2006   June 2006   July 2006   August 2006   September 2006   October 2006   November 2006   December 2006   January 2007   February 2007   March 2007   April 2007   June 2007   July 2007   August 2007   September 2007   October 2007   November 2007   December 2007   January 2008   February 2008   March 2008   April 2008   July 2008   August 2008   September 2008   October 2008   November 2008   December 2008   January 2009   February 2009   March 2009   April 2009   May 2009   June 2009   July 2009   August 2009   September 2009   October 2009   November 2009   December 2009   January 2010   February 2010   March 2010   April 2010   May 2010   June 2010   July 2010   August 2010   September 2010   October 2010   November 2010   December 2010   January 2011   February 2011   March 2011   April 2011   May 2011   June 2011   July 2011   August 2011   September 2011   October 2011   November 2011   December 2011   January 2012   February 2012   March 2012   April 2012   May 2012   June 2012   July 2012   August 2012   October 2012   November 2012   December 2012   January 2013   February 2013   March 2013   April 2013   May 2013   June 2013   July 2013   September 2013   October 2013   January 2014   March 2014   April 2014   May 2014   July 2014   August 2014   September 2014   October 2014   November 2014   December 2014   January 2015   February 2015   March 2015   April 2015   May 2015   June 2015   July 2015   August 2015   September 2015   January 2016   February 2016   March 2016   April 2016   May 2016   June 2016   July 2016   August 2016   September 2016   October 2016   November 2016   December 2016   January 2017   February 2017   April 2017   May 2017   June 2017   July 2017   August 2017   September 2017   October 2017   November 2017   December 2017   February 2018   March 2018   April 2018   May 2018   June 2018   July 2018   August 2018   September 2018   October 2018   November 2018   December 2018   January 2019   February 2019   March 2019   April 2019   May 2019   July 2019   August 2019   September 2019   October 2019   November 2019   December 2019   January 2020   February 2020   March 2020   April 2020   May 2020   July 2020   August 2020   September 2020   October 2020   December 2020   January 2021   April 2021   May 2021   July 2021   September 2021   March 2022   October 2022   November 2022   March 2023   April 2023   July 2023   September 2023   October 2023   November 2023   April 2024   May 2024   June 2024   August 2024   September 2024   October 2024  

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?