Pallikere Abdulla Ibrahim Haji (6 September 1943 – 21 December 2021) was an Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist based in the United Arab Emirates. He had investments in the education,[2] automotive, and jewellery industries.[3][4] He was the chairman of the PACE Education group, founder and vice-chairman of the Indus Motor Company,[5] and the co-chairman of Malabar Gold.[6][7][8]
P. A. Ibrahim Haji | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Pallikere Abdulla Ibrahim[1] 6 September 1943 |
| Died | 21 December 2021 (aged 78) Kozhikode, Kerala, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Parent(s) | Abdulla Ibrahim Haji, Aysha |
| Awards | Pravasi Ratna C H Award Garshom International Award 2017 |
Ibrahim was a recipient of the Indian government's Pravasi Ratna award in 2015.[9]
Early life
editIbrahim was born on 6 September 1943, in Pallikkere, in Kasaragod in the modern Indian state of Kerala, to Abdulla Ibrahim Haji, a textile merchant, and Aysha. He attended the government Mappila LP School, and later the Kottikulam Government Fisheries High School. After completing his schooling, he pursued his diploma in automobile engineering in Chennai.[10][7][11]
Career
editIbrahim emigrated to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in 1966, traveling in a boat from India.[9] He started his career in the UAE working in the automotive spare parts division of Austin Car distributors, which was owned by Ali Bin Abdulla Al Owais, for a salary of 400 riyals. Speaking later about his beginnings, he would recount that he lived in the Oonth Bazaar (transl. camel market) neighborhood of the city, sharing a room with 10 other men. He later moved to the Al Ras neighborhood.[12] He started his entrepreneurial journey in the UAE in 1974 with his own garments business before branching into cosmetics. In 1976, he expanded into the trading business, starting Century Trading Company and later into the jewellery business.[13][14]
Ibrahim ventured into the education space in 1999 by setting up the PACE Education Group. The group operates schools and colleges in India, the UAE, and Kuwait, with over 20,000 students from over 25 countries.[2][15][11] He also operated schools in Kerala, including the RIMs International School and the Manjeri Pace Residential School, and five other institutions in Mangalore, in Karnataka.[9] He was also the co-chairman of the Malabar Group, a retailer of gold and diamonds, and the founder and vice-chairman of the Indus Motor Company.[16] He was a director of the Muslim Printing and Publishing Company, the publishers of Chandrika the mouthpiece of the Indian Union Muslim League.[9]
Ibrahim was also the co-founder of the India-Arab foundation in 1981, in advance of the then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi's visit to the UAE.[17] He also drove many of his charity and community development initiatives through his trust. He was known to have driven a campaign to have international flights operate out of the Calicut airport. Ibrahim received the UAE Golden Visa in 2021 in recognition of his services to the country.[18]
Death
editOn 11 December 2021, Ibrahim suffered a stroke in Dubai. He was then moved to Kozhikode in an air ambulance, before dying on 21 December 2021, at the age of 78, at Aster MIMS hospital in Kozhikode.[11][19][20] His funeral was completed at Najmul Huda Arabic College Madrasa in Vettekode, Manjeri.[21]
Honours
edit- Board of Governors of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, the affiliation body for technical education in Kerala, India.[22]
- C H Award in memory of C. H. Mohammed Koya, former Kerala Chief Minister of Kerala[23]
- Pravasi Ratna (SEP-2005) Awarded at the NRI Global Meet[24]
- Garshom Lifetime Achievement Award 2017[25]
- K. Avukader Kutty Naha Memorial Award 2013[26]
- K.S. Abdullah Memorial Award 2016 Presented by Kasaragod KMCC Sharjah Committee[27]
- Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa (Hon. D.Litt.), by the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya[28][29][30]
References
edit- ^ "Directors of Indus Motor Company Private Limited". www.zaubacorp.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ a b "PACE delivers high standards of education with reasonable fees". Khaleej Times. 24 March 2016. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ "Malabar Gold ropes in local celebrities, industrialists for flagship store in Chennai". Hindu Business Line. 26 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ "Malabar Gold: From Rs50 lakh to Rs22,000 crore in just 20 years!". 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ "Indus Motors Company". Retrieved 18 September 2017.
- ^ "P. A. Ibrahim Haji: Executive Profile & Biography". Bloomberg. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ a b "Man With Many Hats". New Indian Express. 9 January 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ "Dr P A Ibrahim Haji". UAE Malayali Directory. Archived from the original on 30 April 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d "P. A. Ibrahim Haji passes away". The Hindu. 21 December 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ "About Chairman – PA College of Engineering Mangalore, PACE". www.pace.edu.in. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ a b c ലേഖകൻ, മാധ്യമം. "വൈവിധ്യം നിറഞ്ഞ സംരംഭങ്ങളും സജീവമായ ജീവകാരുണ്യപ്രവർത്തനവും; ഇബ്രാഹിം ഹാജിയുടെ വേറിട്ട വഴി". Madhyamam. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ Zakir, S. M. Ayaz. "Renowned Dubai businessman Dr PA Ibrahim Haji shared his journey days before fatal stroke". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ "PA Ibrahim Haji, educational entrepreneur and founder vice-chairman of Malabar Gold, dies at 78". OnManorama. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ "Businessman, philanthropist PA Ibrahim Haji passes away | Kozhikode News". The Times of India. TNN. 22 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ Sathish, VM (29 October 2011). "New education group to target Indian expats in the Gulf". Emirates 24/7. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ Gokulan, Dhanusha. "Veteran Dubai businessman Dr PA Ibrahim Haji of Malabar Group dies in India". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Leading UAE businessman PA Ibrahim Haji dies at 78". The National. 21 December 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ "Remembering Dr PA Ibrahim Haji: Indian salesman who rose to business tycoon in UAE championing education and charity". gulfnews.com. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ Saseendran, Sajila (21 December 2021). "Prominent UAE-based Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr PA Ibrahim Haji passes away". gulfnews.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ Rizvi, Anam (21 December 2021). "Leading UAE businessman PA Ibrahim Haji dies at 78". The National. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ Gokulan, Dhanusha. "Tributes, condolences pour in for late Dubai businessman Dr PA Ibrahim Haji". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Dubai-based NRI named governor of new varsity". 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ "Ibrahim Haji chosen for CH award". 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ "Pravasi Ratna award to Dubai-based NRI businessman P.A. Ibrahim Haji". The Hindu. 2005.[dead link]
- ^ "Dr. P a Ibrahim- Garshom Lifetime Achievement Award". Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ "ഡോ. പി.എ. ഇബ്രാഹിം ഹാജിക്ക് അവുകാദര്കുട്ടി നഹ സ്മാരക അവാര്ഡ്". Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
- ^ "കെ എം സി സി ഷാര്ജ കാസര്കോട് ജില്ലാ കമ്മിറ്റിയുടെ കെ എസ് അബ്ദുല്ല അവാര്ഡ് ഡോ. പി എ ഇബ്രാഹിം ഹാജിക്ക്". Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
- ^ "The Assam Tribune Online". www.assamtribune.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya". www.ustm.ac.in. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "Honorary degrees for David Syiemlieh, 3 others". The Shillong Times. 12 February 2019. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.