UAE: Newly elected official KNRI forum UAE President and Chairman of Fortune Group of Hotels, Praveen Kumar Shetty in association with well-known pride of Karnataka, philanthropist Ronald Colaco hosted the first ever historical KNRI-UAE business meet with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Fortune Park hotel, Dubai Investment Park on Saturday, April 29 evening.
The event was attended by many well-known business community Kannadiga invitees along with KNRI-UAE Office bearers and was a successful affair.
Ronald Olivera as Master of Ceremony welcomed CM Siddaramaiah, Ronald Colaco, Praveen Shetty and all the dignified members of KNRI Business Executives to the business meet and elaborated on the event. CM Siddaramaiah was honoured with flower bouquet by Praveen Shetty and later other distinguished guests, Dr. Arathi Krishna, the Vice President of NRI Forum Govt. of Karnataka, Shri. Govindaraju, Ex-MLA Shri. H. Srinivas, MLA MoideenBava and other dignitaries were welcomed with flower bouquet. Philanthropist Ronald Colaco was also later welcomed with flower bouquet by Praveen Shetty.
CM Siddaramaiah later inaugurated the event with the traditional lighting of the lamp along with Ronald Colaco and Praveen Shetty.
Praveen Shetty rendered the welcome speech and thanked all those who have wholeheartedly come to the event and also mentioned special thanks to the CM for accepting his invitation. He also thanked Ronald Colaco for supporting him in this historical event.
Later Philanthropist Ronald Colaco beautifully introduced honourable CM Siddaramaiah with step by step chronological narration of a humble person’s true story from his early days to the current position, how he ambitiously surpassed with double jump in his career all through and became a leader of the Kannadigas. He then said that he was proud to say that CM Siddramaiah is closely known to him all these years and he respected him as a true leader.
The evening continued with introduction of all those invited Kannadiga NRI business community people who one by one introduced themselves to the audience as well as CM who was carefully listening all through.
CM later thanked Praveen Shetty for hosting such an event and thanked all those Kannadiga NRI business people for attending such an event. He then repeated some of his briefings of the previous day’s KNRI-UAE inauguration speech and said that it may educate those who have not attended the historical event. He requoted the words of the famous Kannada poet Kuvempu “Wherever you live, however you live be a Kannadiga anytime – Yelladuruiru, Yenthadaruiru, Yendendigu nee Kannada Vagiru “.
While briefing that Karnataka now has become No. 1 investment friendly state for Indians and also No. 2 as friendly investors state for foreign direct investments, he promised full cooperation and support with legal assistance to all those investors in their ventures in Karnataka. While welcoming new investors he said that Karnataka government has started the Pravasi Bharatiya Conference which identifies the ‘Varshada Kannadiga’ and honours the identified business man of the year with the award every year. He also briefed on the NRI Forum, Karnataka’s slogan ‘One State – Many Opportunities’ and said that Karnataka is the IT hub of the world with the state contributing over 40% of the IT Exports of India. He added that the GDP of the state grew at 5.3% v/s 5% of India’s GDP and Karnataka is the ideal location for hi-tech industries like aerospace, automobiles, IT and BT. He proudly stated that Bangalore is the Silicon Valley of India and Karnataka is the knowledge hub of Asia. The pamphlet distributed by the NRI Forum Karnataka states that Karnataka ranks 5th in India for growing vegetable crops, it is the largest producer of Floriculture, Spices, Aromatic and Medical Crops and Fruits, is producing 70% of India’s Coffee, 3rd state in India’s Sugar production and major scope for agri-exports, animal husbandry, poultry, milk and fisheries in record.
It was followed by an question answer session wherein some of the NRI Kannadigas raised few valuable questions to which the CM responded politely with acceptance. Hafiz Saifulla, CEO of Zhumino Group of Companies highlighted on the vegetable exports from India which is banned due to the poor methodology. He said that we should work on providing Indian farmers with value-added solutions so that our products will have a high importance while on export market comparing the situations of those exports from other friendly states. He stressed that Karnataka should follow the methodology of Europe and set standards for Karnataka based perishable products. Answering to his question Siddaramaiah invited him to raise this issue directly with him so that he will work on real solutions to this issue.
There were various other questions including providing spaces in some of the Industrial Zones and/or granting special zones for KNRI’s in those specified zones. Dr. Kaup, one of the respected member also stressed on giving permission for the foreign educational institutes and Universities to open up in Karnataka so that our own Kannadiga students will get some attractive opportunities to opt their higher studies in Karnataka instead of going to Europe.
CM shared and responded that there is a link created by the government for all the queries one may have and NRI Kannadigas can any time log in to it to know better Karnataka. He confirmed that his government is looking into all the grievances of Kannadigas worldwide and will be more than happy to address each and every issue one may have. While taking it forward into a complaint free state of India, he assured all assistance to the really required Indian Kannadigas in whatever issues they may have in the development of the Karnataka State.
Ronald Olivera concluded the evening with vote of thanks which was followed by sumptuous classic dinner hosted by Fortune Group of Hotels.
Broadway Events headed by Joel Crasta supported both the KNRI-UAE main event & the Business Dinner event with sound, light and photographs professionally.
