Qatar is full of expatriates from all corners of the world. Every expatriate comes here for a better life and most of them benefit from it. But a select few go beyond better, becoming examples for others to follow.
Nazerath Charles from India is one of them.
Charles’ progress in Qatar is a success story that is often repeated amongst the South Indian community in Qatar.
A former Indian Navy official, Charles hails from Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu state and came to Qatar 38 years ago. Community recently got a chance to catch up with him about his experiences.
Sitting in the office of Exblowra Trading and Contracting Services Company – which he founded in 1995 – Charles speaks about his early life in the coastal town of India. “I am the son of a fisherman. My parents had 11 children, nine boys and two girls. I fall at number seven. I was fortunate to attain a good education, became an electrical engineer and joined the Indian Navy.”
Sharing the story of how he came to Qatar, Charles says, “The day I left the Indian Navy, I took a flight to Qatar – January 17, 1979. I was hired on a ship. I told my wife that I am going to Qatar for just one year. And here I am – it has been 38 years. It is a long story. My family, my relatives, and a large number of people from my area have come to Qatar. I have been instrumental in bringing them here.”
He remembers, “When I landed, I found Qatar to be like a tiny little fishing village. It was more or less similar to my native town. In all these years, Qatar had made progress at an amazing speed. No other country I believe has achieved so much in a similar period of time.”
He is all praise for the treatment he got at his first job. “My ship-related work lasted 10 years. They always said that I was the best. I had a very productive time with them. One fine morning I told my employer that I wanted to start a company of my own. He gave me the go-ahead.”
He notes, “I actually started my small company in 1990 with seven people. The number of employees reached 70; then, 700; and then, 7,000. It started off as a manpower company. I provided workforce to hundreds of companies in Qatar from across the world. So far I have brought in over 25,000 people to Qatar.”
He adds, “It was in 1995 that I also started a trading and contracting business. I started obtaining contracts for different projects and then subcontracting them. ”
The expat businessman speaks very highly of Qatar. “Whatever I have achieved, I am thankful to God and Qatar for that. Had I not come to Qatar, I would not have been able to serve my people back home and the expatriate communities in this country. With the steady progress of Qatar, my company also grew. I found no problem in doing business in Qatar. The laws of the country are very clear and helpful for the business community. If you follow the laws, you will never find any problem here,” he says.
Charles says, “I was born in India but I got everything else in Qatar. Qatar is a land full of opportunities. If people have courage, determination, and resolution for hard work, they can do wonders here. This country does not fail you. All you need is to be focused, keep learning, and keep looking straight. If India is my homeland, Qatar is my home.”
The soft-spoken Charles considers humbleness, honesty, and determination as basics for being successful in Qatar. He notes, “People come to me for advice, guidance, and for help. I tell them if you want to live and work in Qatar, you have to be very patient and honest. Correct your mistakes in a humble way and do not be emotional. Do not look right or left, look straight.”
The Indian businessman, who owns a luxurious house in The Pearl and a yacht, says that he has done a lot for his people back in India. He says, “When I started bringing people to Qatar from Tamil Nadu, I realised that they lacked in education. I thought that education is going to be key for their success in Qatar. So I set up Stella Mary’s College for Engineering, a B.Ed college for training teachers, a CBSE school, and a high school in my native district. I also have other businesses in India where I employ educated people. I also bring graduates from these institutions to Qatar, if they want to.”
Charles also takes initiatives in offering his support to all expatriate communities in Qatar. He says, “I am ever ready to help out expatriates from all communities, especially from South Asian countries. I always advise young people not to ask for fish, but to learn how to catch one.”
RECOGNITION: Nazerath Charles receives an award from R Sreelekha, the first Indian police officer from Kerala, on behalf of the Kerala Chamber of Commerce. The first edition of the Golden Achievements Awards Doha was held in town recently.
