From real estate to real meaning in Dubai

Namrata Vaswani

It was a sunny afternoon in Dubai when, cruising along the lengths of Sheikh Zayed Road, a young and ambitious Namrata Vaswani embarked on a new chapter in her life on March 6, 2006. Recalling the moment when she held an offer letter in hand and new dreams in her eyes, she calls this moment "the first seed of many memories to cherish".
Today, she is an experienced real estate professional who has worked with some of the major developers in Dubai, including Emaar, Al Futtaim, and Al Ghurair. "I have seen Dubai evolve through the scale models," Namrata chuckles.
She did find her work a bit challenging at times, as it requires her to communicate with multiple clients. "A practical attitude and valuable experience helped me resolve any such issues issues," she adds.
But what she considers being the true diamond of her crown, is her leap from sophistication to simplicity. Keeping up with appearances in Dubai seemed like a gravitational pull to her initially. Like many of her peers, Namrata too lived the life of a socialite who took pride in being a bona fide victim of the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) phenomenon. With time, the dichotomy between marking an attendance and enjoying an experience seemed to narrow down for her.
"How I got to where I am now has been a circuitous journey. Amongst many insights from life, meditation has proved to be the most notable catalyst for my steady congruence with happiness," states Namrata.
Deeds done for the self are gone with the self, but the deeds done for others remain, she believes. Caring for underprivileged children and those with special needs are a part of her monthly routine now, informs Namrata. Dubai has been an inspiration to her, and she credits this beautiful city a lot for helping her spread compassion.
After receiving so much from this city in terms of growth and abundance, she wants to reciprocate the inspiration that she has accrued here. A little detail she wants to share with us is that she has been working on her personal blog, and hopes to touch the lives of many needful people, in a positive way through it.
Interviewed by Gaurav Achipalya (intern at Khaleej Times)
gaurav@khaleejtimes.com

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