e-Migrinter

8 | 2012 Regards sur les migrations sud-asiatiques

Qatar’s “White-collar” Indians

Radhika Kanchana

Édition électronique URL : https://journals.openedition.org/e-migrinter/597 DOI : 10.4000/e-migrinter.597 ISSN : 1961-9685

Éditeur UMR 7301 - Migrinter

Édition imprimée Date de publication : 4 April 2012 Pagination : 45-58 ISSN : 1961-9685

Référence électronique Radhika Kanchana, « Qatar’s “White-collar” Indians », e-Migrinter [En ligne], 8 | 2012, mis en ligne le , consulté le 20 mai 2021. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/e-migrinter/597 ; DOI : https://doi.org/ 10.4000/e-migrinter.597

Tous droits réservés n°8 2012 45

Qatar’s "White-collar" Indians

Radhika Kanchana

he paper is a descriptive Differences in character, composition narrative of the Indian and size of the expatriate group might reflect T the structural and current conditions in the expatriates in Qatar, respective host countries. Oman, Bahrain covering two aspects. One and the UAE today show a more dimension highlights the profile of entrepreneurial and mature Indian expatriate the Qatari Indian community presence than in the other three Gulf primarily in the white-collar nations of Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, occupations and the second partly because the former were historically dimension explores some of the involved in sea trade with the coast of India. For this text, Qatar as host country to the differences of the group, in Indian community is explored. It has one of comparison with its counterpart in the highest per capita incomes in the world the United Arab Emirates (UAE). and an economy primarily dependent on its The basis for the work is a two- impressive reserves in oil & natural gas 1 month fieldwork done as part of reserves (Per capita- $81,963, GDP- $111 doctoral research in late 2009 (15 billion; In contrast, the UAE’s share is per capita- $49,995, GDP- $253 billion)2. It was days in Qatar and the rest in the a perception that the Indian community in UAE). The region of Gulf Qatar is insignificant - that was proven Cooperation Council (GCC) wrong after the fieldwork. The holding of collectively has a significant the 2nd Non-Resident Indian Global population of Indians in its total Summit in Doha in March 2010 could be size of foreign migrants. All the cited as a testimony to the group’s expanding visibility here (the Summit also countries share the practice of launched NRI Institute, Qatar Chapter). importing labour, extensively from the 1970s since the discovery of oil The paper is an effort to throw some and the rapid development in the light on the dominant group of Indian region. However, it is relevant to expatriates in Qatar, given that limited understand that the individual literature exists, and to share a part of the ongoing research project. In the context of member countries (namely Saudi existing dearth of formal migrants’ rights Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and charges of labour exploitation in the Kuwait, and United Arab region, much media and research attention Emirates) do not have the same on the expatriates in the West Asia-Gulf typology with regard to the Indian- states is almost exclusively devoted to the migrant group. blue-collar segment. As a result, there is a missing discourse on the other sections of the expatriate population and a general prevalence of the mistaken image of a Gulf

1It is claimed to hold the world’s third largest reserves of natural gas. CIA World Fact Book. 2International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, April 2010. 46 n°8 2012

migrant, to be a blue-collar worker. The reasons4. The GCC Islamic countries do not paper expands the story to beyond the permit naturalization options and follow a image. The “white-collar” classification is Jus sanguinis principle for citizenship. The chosen for focus, within the larger Indian Indian expatriates in the Gulf, apt to be expatriate cluster mainly because during the termed “contract workers”, experience fieldwork, this sector was personally certain disadvantages compared to their perceived to be more prominent in Qatar counterpart NRIs from the other regions: compared to the “business” category that they seem to lose certain rights both in their was found to be important in the case of host and their home countries because of UAE in an earlier fieldwork. Some their supposed transient stay abroad. The comparison is used with the Indian population of Indian expatriates in the GCC community in the UAE, so that it could be countries is neither insignificant nor always useful to observe the nuances in the “temporary”. The Indians are estimated at characteristics of the expatriates in the two close to 5 million in the entire Gulf region. host countries, and to recognize some of the Despite their residence sometimes stretching underlying factors responsible. For example: over multiple generations, they necessarily as to why in Qatar, it demonstrates a wider hold Indian passports. The remittances to professional-representational class and in the India are also significant (nearly $15 billion)5 UAE, it shows a more mature community and it is one of the factors to finally win strength and a larger entrepreneurial class. them attention from both the host-GCC Finally, it is a curious fact that whereas the nations and home nation-India, albeit on the Asian expatriates and particularly, the opposite interests (it is capital flight to the Indians are widely visible participants in the former, versus capital gain to the latter). local economy and society of the host countries in the Gulf, yet they are “invisible” The majority of the Indian expatriates in the official and public discourses. There is are engaged in the blue-collar sector, owing a significant size of the expatriate population to the local market demand needing mass that has lived in Qatar for many years, but labour for the scale of construction and the halo of temporariness existing around development projects initiated after the oil the “foreign migrant”, shrouds them from boom in the region. The profile is currently being acknowledged in the public domain, as expanding, partly in response to the also being participating “residents”. changing economies in the region and partly reflecting the maturation of the expatriate Background note community. The economic criterion of job opportunity and the currency differential is a The Indians living in the Gulf primary reason for the migration of Indians Cooperation Council (GCC) countries differ to the oil-rich Gulf nations. Geographical somewhat from the generic grouping of proximity is another affirmative factor Non-resident Indian (NRI3) that is usually favouring migration in this direction, with applied to the population of overseas current migration having foundations in the Indians. In common usage, the NRI label is loosely applied to also include individuals of Indian origin who have naturalized or 4Individuals who have become citizens of another become citizens in the countries where they country could apply for official status that grants have migrated either for work or other them certain rights- either Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) (introduced since a few years). 5Quoted from an article on a recent Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Survey that indicates that in 2009, 3By official definition, it refers to Indians living remittances from the Gulf region, form nearly 30% outside India for more than 183 days (6 months) in of the total remittances to India nearly matching the the year. same from the North American region. n°8 2012 47

historical trade and socio-cultural links unofficially. The 2010 Census puts the total between India and the Gulf region. population of Qatar at 1,696,5637. Hence, at nearly 25% of Qatar population, the Indians Qatar perhaps witnessed several are a significant group and arguably the trends with regard to the composition, largest among the expatriate population in number and settlement pattern of its the country, followed next, by Pakistanis and expatriates, in parallel to the trends in its Bangladeshis. Although Qatar’s expatriate national development. After the population comprises nationalities from independence in 1971 from being a former diverse regions, the South Asians dominate British protectorate, Qatar’s leadership it at the moment (see Bruslé in the same change in 1995 to the current Sheikh Hamad issue). The expatriate-native proportion is bin Khalifa al Thani, saw its capital shifted approximately 60:40, indicative of the from Al Bida to Doha and the introduction prevailing imbalance. It is especially skewed of liberal and “pro-development” policies. in the labour force: “Qataris encompass only The economy and new industrial 7.6% as opposed to the 92.3% foreign labor development expanded to clusters in Doha, force”, as per a Labor Force Survey Al Khor, Mesaieed and Dukhan, where conducted by the Statics Authority in today the expatriate residential locales also October 20078. tend to concentrate. Past trends in the increase or decrease of the expatriate Indians in the construction and the population/composition in Qatar, reflect low/unskilled/unorganized sector form also specific periods of successful policy between 60 to 70% of the group and the rest action. Expatriates recall the deliberate hike are divided between the professional and the in rents (cited as steep as 600% during business categories that we here, term as the 2005), when there was a resultant flight of a “white-collar” occupations. However, the bulk of the expatriates who could not afford profile has expanded or shown change from to keep up. A noticeable change in the the earlier decades, where the “blue-collar” nationality-composition of the expatriate segment was significantly more dominant. workforce, within the fairly recent period of For reasons discussed in the subsequent 3-4 years, is also cited. The GCC has a sections, the Qatar-Indians enjoy relatively common policy to achieve “demographic less security and freedom than for example balance” in their population, including in the their counterparts in the UAE, but can nationality of their expatriate groups. The nevertheless be broadly counted as a shift to Sril Lankan, Nepali (see Brusle in the community doing well. same issue) and Southeast Asian labour force such as Filippino and Vietnamese There are numerous socio-cultural and seems to have happened at a quicker pace in professional associations, schools, Qatar compared to the UAE. These restaurants, clubs and other organizations in examples show that there have been periodic Qatar representing the Indian community. trends over the previous decades and that Owing to the stricter restrictions in place, policy action in Qatar with reference to the their active social and cultural life is expatriates has been particularly effective. however, much subdued. The country is said to follow “zero tolerance” policy when it Profile of the Indians in Qatar comes to deviance from the rule for instance, regarding religious expression. The The Indian community in Qatar is community boasts a number of public currently estimated at close to 500,0006 personalities. However, it is less visible and numerous compared to the other Gulf

6A media quote in 2008 mentions the population to 72010 Census (Government of Qatar). be 420,000. 8http://www.qsa.gov.qa/eng/index.htm. 48 n°8 2012

countries: a local respondent opines that them, was either born or raised in the “the Indian community is the weakest in country and have begun their careers as well Qatar”. To list from the professional as families in their host country. It is to be domains they most represent in Qatar, the noted that this group exists. It is beginning Indians are: engineers, medical professionals, to be visible as pursuing jobs and as students media professionals, information technology enrolling in the few but fast-mushrooming (software/hardware), teachers, chartered higher education institutions in Qatar. accountants, managers, architects and other. The service industry in particular hence, is Having observed the expatriate supplied and manned principally by the pool community in the UAE on a previous of Indian manpower – “talented, multi- fieldwork, the Indian expatriate community skilled and cheaper”. in Qatar was found to be relatively different. In a broader sense, the divergence could be The larger sub-group among the explained as a factor of the host Indian population in Qatar is South Indian environments in Qatar and the UAE. The in origin (as in most GCC nations). Kerala- nature of the economy, the historical state9 alone allegedly represents more than context, the policy atmosphere and the 50% of the migrants10 and the others are resolve of the ruling authority are some of generally from the states of Andhra Pradesh, the variables defining the respective Tamil Nadu and Goa. From the rest of character of the expatriate population. For a India, it is predominantly from Maharashtra, better perspective, it might be constructive Punjab and Gujarat with newer flow of to use some comparison with the UAE to workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. describe the Qatar-Indian expatriate While it is essentially a male-dominated- community. migration, one could hazard a proportionally larger number of females in the Indian Qatar is primarily an oil-based population in Qatar unlike in most other economy, whereas the UAE (especially GCC countries, because the white-collar Dubai) additionally boasts a larger expatriates are in a better position to bring commercial and a diversified economy. In families 11. On the occupational side, they are this sense, the requirements of the oil and mainly found in the medical sector as nurses gas industry in Qatar seem to have dictated and related professions and also as the relative consolidation of a larger white- housemaids and secretarial staff. However, collar expatriate class comprising the skilled relatively more women working in the and professional workers (and a smaller professional/working category might be entrepreneurial class) compared to the UAE found in Dubai. that shows a far wider diversity in its expatriate composition. The expectation at An overlooked segment commonly, is the start of the fieldwork in Qatar was to the second or the third- generation youth in find a less significant Indian expatriate the wider expatriate population in Qatar. community but it was proved false on the Not all the working expatriates are “fresh” ground. Qatar showed a group with its own migrants. An increasing number among strong characteristics although smaller in most ways (in size itself, the Indian 9All Indians are generically clubbed as “Malabaris”. population in the UAE is nearly 1.75 Malabar refers to the northern and Muslim- million12). To demonstrate certain segments dominated region of Kerala, from where the earliest or key aspects of the community, the and largest migration from the state is claimed to following section uses selected cases: occur. 10Estimated by Indian embassies in the GCC. 11The official salary to be eligible to sponsor family 12Projects, UAE Department of Naturalisation and members to live in Qatar is 7000 riyals (roughly 1360 Residency, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry euros). of Labour. n°8 2012 49

The entrepreneurial segment is of Qatar, the representation of Indians is emergent visibly limited in size, diversity and number. Some factors explain the relatively emergent The big Indian business names and nature of the expatriate entrepreneurship in public personalities do not exist in the same Qatar at the moment. 1) In Qatar, there is scale or spread in Qatar like it is found in the less business activity outside its oil & natural UAE. The expatriate entrepreneurship in gas resource-related industry. In the UAE on the Qatar is “emerging and growing” in contrast other hand, the national economy is far to the “long/and securely-established” more varied and bigger and only Abu Dhabi category that could be applied to the UAE has more secure oil reserves (Dubai’s choice case, indicative of the community’s visibly of an aggressive diversification policy is an high participation in the private sector here. important factor). 2) A transparent and pro- Because of the restrictive Kafala system business legal environment is weaker or lacking in (sponsorship)13, most «expatriate-run» Qatar, whereas they were cited as among the businesses are found under the partnership main attractions for the bulk of Dubai’s category (the company name has an expatriate entrepreneurs in the interviews. In extension of “WLL” meaning With Limited Qatar, the With Limited Liability (WLL) Liability; the term used in UAE is, “LLC” provision implying reasonable protection to meaning Limited Liability Company)14. In the the expatriate entrepreneurs in the local business scene in the UAE, expatriate background of the Kafala system, is only a enterprise is significant, after the top section fairly recent introduction (around six years of companies that are inevitably state/ruling- old). The almost complete dependence of families-owned, representing very large the expatriate enterprise in Qatar, on the capital investment and those followed by the goodwill of the local sponsor/partner, thus big multinational companies. In Dubai, the it makes it a highly risky and discouraging Indian participation could be said to business environment. As a businessman represent over 50% in the private sector- expresses, although there was usually some ranging from the unorganized sector, the form of written agreement, ‘‘unless a free zone enterprises, to the bigger contract is actually registered in the court, it enterprises. However, in the business sector is quite useless having the document’’. He mentions his good fortune of having a trusted sponsor and that it might not be the 13In the GCC region, it regulates the entry and stay of the migrants and restrict the ownership of property case for many others. In the UAE, the legal or kind. By extension, no expatriate could own a contract was a common practice and the business license. Any business activity must have at expatriates expressed confidence in the least 51% investment by the local sponsor or kafil access as well as the fairness and (the figure could differ among the other GCC states). transparency in the legal recourse. 3) The On paper, the local “owner” has the share but in reality the kafil’s participation is limited to the ‘‘fee’’ absence of a prior expatriate merchant community paid to him by the expatriate “partner”. In most like in the case of UAE- current evidence in cases, it is an annual agreed amount (this practice is Qatar does not show significant earlier or particularly true in the UAE). In contrast to UAE, it continued presence of traditional Indian was noted that in Qatar, the kafils generally took more mercantile families, similar to that found in participation in the business with an actual investment and share in profits and there was more some of the other GCC countries. Selected interaction between the expatriate businessman and examples of a few prominent ‘‘Indian’’ his sponsor. businesses: 14The official figures do not indicate expatriate entrepreneurship as the businesses are necessarily listed in the name of the local partner-sponsor (whether it was the name/goodwill or if there was an actual monetary investment). In most cases, the expatriate-entrepreneur is found designated as the “Managing Director”. 50 n°8 2012

Seashore Group of Companies South America, Sudan and India. He is a well-known philanthropist and was [Mohamedali E.S] conferred several recognitions such as Based in Al Khor and started in 1989, “Pravasi Bharatiya Samman’’ in 2006 and the Seashore Group of Companies is one of the older “Padma Shri” national award in 2009 by the and popular Indian ‘‘managed’’ businesses, Government of India for “out-standing and among the largest multi-faceted contribution in the field of Social Service” engineering and contracting conglomerates including housing projects for the slum- in Qatar (majorly into construction, dwellers in his Kerala hometown. An active industrial manufacturing, mining and figure in the Indian community socio- minerals, oil and gas, power and utilities, welfare activities in Qatar, he also acts as the retail, services and transport). Mohmedali director of the expatriate welfare association, E.S is the Managing Director with the Qatari NORKA ROOTS and the Infrastructure sponsor/Group Chairman Saeed Salem Al Kerala Ltd (INKEL) set up by the Mohannadi. Mohamedali is a Kerala-origin government of Kerala apart from a range of businessman with stakes in more than a business interests in India. The Group is dozen businesses and more than 3,000 also into petroleum services, fuel bunkering, employees in his companies and is also transports, heavy equipment, bakery, Car recognized for his community outreach and Care, plastics and trading enterprises in support to the needy expatriates. At the alliance with Al Misnad Transports and foundation-stone laying occasion of the Trading and the Group Chairman is Saeed company’s new venture, the then Indian Salem al-Mohannadi. Ambassador George Joseph commended on the Indian-managed group setting up a steel The brief accounts show that the plant in Qatar as a ‘‘symbol of growing Indian enterprise in Qatar is also represented Indo-Qatar friendship’’. in the large conglomerate category, often with extension into diverse areas. Similar As per local rumour, the company was examples of successful Indian appropriated by the sponsor in the past for a entrepreneurship are the Al Baraha Group, brief period but was later restored. Although Transmedia International (TMI), Teyseer not very common, such cases showcase the Motors, Gulf Lights. In addition, a few of insecure atmosphere for expatriate- the business leaders are also community entrepreneurship in the country, where there leaders although also not at the scale as is an unusual reliance on the goodwill of the represented in the UAE. A majority of the sponsor. Perhaps it is for this reason on the big players in the expatriate-business field positive side that, unlike the UAE (kafala-fee appear to be of Keralite origin (like the relationship), there would necessarily seem above two cases) although it is a mixed to be a greater trust relationship between the picture15. To name examples of the others: sponsor-expatriate partners in Qatar. Teyseer Motors (Punjabi), Al Sulaiman Jewellars and Watches (Maharastra-Azim Behzad Group Abbas); a small but emerging number, from Andhra Pradesh including the Diplomat [CK Menon] Group, the Prominent Group are also Established in 1983, the Doha-based indicative. Unlike the UAE or Oman, where Group is mainly focused in fuel Sindhi and Gujarati traditional merchant transportation by land and sea. Also of families continue from their historical Kerala-origin, CK Menon is the Managing trading presence in the local societies and are Director of the company and has commercial interests stretching across the 15During the fieldwork, the larger research focus at GCC and the Middle East, Europe, USA, the time was on the expatriates from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. n°8 2012 51

currently found well-entrenched (like the engineers, scientific researchers, technical Jashanmal National Company, Uncle’s Shop, experts and the managerial and Bhatia Brothers, Gulfar Group), it is not administrative personnel. The supporting clear if Qatar has had similar such presence professional sectors have also developed to in the earlier decades. At present, it would have a strong presence of Indians like the seem marginal. Late Mulchand Assandas medical and health sector - doctors, nurses Kanjani was perhaps an example of such and other staff; the teaching and education older merchant class (businessman and sector - with teachers at the school level to founder of ICBF mentioned in subsequent higher institutions; the Chartered section), in whose name the local Kanjani Accountants and auditors; the software and awards for services to the Indian community hard ware IT support professionals; and the in Qatar are instituted. Unsurprisingly but journalism and media-related sector. Finally, not as a necessary condition, Muslim names the rising construction and development appear more numerous among the sector is emerging as important, employing a successful businessmen that perhaps attest growing number of Indian professionals. In the critical importance of wasta16 and having response to the demands of this sector, there local contacts for the start and the growth of is also a dominant presence of construction an entrepreneurial venture, at least in the engineers, architects, project managers and past, and religious affinity might comprise a other real estate related supply-skill groups. contributory factor. The professionals-white-collar Indian The sectors of concentration of the expatriates are a publicly visible class in the expatriate businesses are mainly in the Qatari society. They are dominant as service industries linked to oil and gas consumers and clients in the market place in petrochemical field. There is also a wide addition to being the service-provider group representation in the fields of Retail, across different sectors. They are principal Transport, Jewelry, Textile, Trading, and customers in the shops and Malls, the public Education among the others. Finally, as the places like the museums, parks, etc. A rise in entrepreneurs themselves assert: “in the their presence is also noted in the up-scale examples of the expatriate businessmen in residential colonies/villas supposedly meant Qatar… we have all worked our way up the for the “white” expatriates (e.g. American, hard way” (meaning, often starting with European) and the native Qataris. In salaried jobs in Qatar and not, with prior addition, large residential colonies of some business backgrounds) - hence, the expat- biggest employers like Qatar Petroleum, entrepreneurs of Qatar are more the Qatar Gas, RasGas, QAPCO, QASCO, “locally-grown” kind. QAFAC, Q-Chem and others, show significant expatriate composition. The professionals-category among the Indian expatriates is The Ras Gas residential colony in Al Khor highly visible is one such example, where there was an opportunity to spend two days and observe the expatriates and their social life. It might The primary demand comes from the not be an exaggeration to quote that the oil and gas industry that has attracted and Indian expatriate group represented nearly absorbed the dominant mass of the 70% among the residents and the expatriates professionals and skilled manpower from in general might comprise almost 90% as a India. The occupational pool ranges from proportion. The residents were mainly managerial executives, technical and other 16It means using influence through connections or administrative staff and their families. Other contacts, and the practice is predominant in the Gulf dominant expatriate groups appeared to be region. 52 n°8 2012

of Pakistani, other Middle East and businessmen. Local commerce is vibrant European/American origin. Wide range of with mainly the Indians participating. The facilities from schools, commercial complex, local fish market is an example. Regular clubs and sports facilities were housed leisure activities of the Indian residents within the colony providing for the comfort included Cricket and other hobby groups, and needs of the resident employees. Among weekend getaways or get-togethers at the the schools were an International School clubs/resorts coming up along the beach- following the British curriculum and another side. following the Indian stream (with CBSE- national syllabus). The social clubs evidently Among the main concerns for the had majority expatriate membership. The Indian resident-expatriates in Al Khor expatriates of different nationalities do not involved the children’s education after seem to mix much socially but rather kept to school level. It involves preparation to send their national groups and to their own social the kids back to India for secondary and associations with specific exceptions in tertiary educations, coupled with the certain sports teams. wife/spouse’s regular visits/or prolonged periods of stay in India to accompany the The Indians generally organized children. Therefore, concern regarding the around region - and language-based aside, otherwise many express that “life is affiliations (like it is found outside the good” and that for the family life, it is the colony, and also mirrored in the UAE). It most comfortable quality later education and was noted that the Malayalees (from Kerala) the future careers of the children whether in and the Telugus (from Andhra Pradesh) India, the Gulf or abroad dominated the were the dominant groups followed by discourses. A less articulated challenge was Punjabi and Tamil communities in the about the career promotion of the expats to colony. Arang was one of the Kerala higher posts. It was widely shared that no associations that showed a broader range of expatriate generally reaches the highest activity and mass in membership compared positions irrespective of experience or merit to the Telugu one that was found to be more and seem reconciled that this was the writ of an inner-group with activity largely limited to the land. “In any case, we know who the real social get-togethers and entertainment. One boss in our office is”: often, the native “All-India” grouping, Bharathi, celebrated Qatari in the top executive position only programmes with a larger scope and national nominally heads the actual work front. events/festivals (e.g. Independence day or However, it was shared that more Qataris for a specific cause). A larger section of the are seen in the offices in the recent years respondents both male and female, including secretarial staff as a result of the expressed contentment about living in Qatarisation (nationalization) policy. The Qatar, in terms of their social life, the challenges of living’ – in fact, this security, comforts and facilities of residing in respondent who later went to work in the a well-equipped colony and free from the US/Canada chose to return to Qatar for the bother of “unnecessary troubles and issues” stated reason. One of the deterrents (of the outside world). In the past decade, identified with the option of returning to there was widening activity outside the Ras India was concern regarding re-absorption Gas colony in Al Khor town, majorly into the more competitive Indian job represented by the Indians - the growth of a market. Gulf experience is generally not commercial market that includes ethnic perceived at home as value-adding to the shops, and new residential areas with choice professional profile. Another reason given of cheaper accommodation, etc. There is was that the “wives don’t prefer it” currently a proposal to set up a new (appreciation of the freedom of being international Al Khor school by Indian independent from family; the comfort of n°8 2012 53

facilities). In a sense, the RasGas Al Khor R. Seetharaman colony was an “insulated” world for the resident-expatriates. He represents a rare example of an Asian/Indian expatriate achieving a top The blue-collar employees of the executive position till date in any sector in company lived outside the colony in labour Qatar and is referred to as a phenomenon. camp quarters usually in difficult conditions, He is the current CEO of Doha Bank (since many of whom additionally do odd 2007), the largest private commercial bank in jobs/housework for the families inside the Qatar. As a banker, he won several colony on their off-days and are mainly distinctions awarded, “Best CEO in Middle Nepali or Indian. Fewer number of Indian East Banking Industry 2008” during the 5th residents expressed awareness of the Leading CEO Summit. First starting his conditions in the camps outside the career about 25 years earlier in Oman as a colony/involvement in support/voluntary Charted Accountant, he has become a activity to help the workers. Assumedly, symbol of the Indian expatriate success in other big companies have similar residential Qatar not only as an international expert in colonies. his professional field but also as an extremely articulate and worldly- Community leaders or sophisticated individual in the broader public personalities tend to be public and social life of Qatar- in a certain from the professional segment contrast to the more stereotypical image existing of a self-effacing Indian expat. Unlike the UAE, where the community leaders in the limelight almost Dr. Mohan Thomas necessarily represent the entrepreneurial segment, it is a different scenario in Qatar. A doctor by profession, Dr. Mohan For example, current personalities most Thomas Pakalomattom finds frequent referred in the local media and across the mention as among the prominent Indians at community in the UAE are Yousuf Ali of the current moment. A former gold-medalist EMKE Group, BR Shetty of NMC from the prestigious All India Institute of Medicals, Mohan Jashanmal of Jashanmal Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, he is Group, and more – they are all business claimed as the first ENT (Ear, Nose and leaders and with money/fame/influential Throat)-specialist in Qatar. He is currently a clout. Compared to the UAE, a lesser leading practitioner with prior experience of entrepreneurial participation is observed working with the Ministry of Interior for a among the community and the decade in the 1980s. He is a popular entrepreneurs have a lower public profile in community leader holding positions as the Qatar’s economy and society, at least at the current President of the Indian Community moment. In Qatar, popular personalities are Benevolent Fund and the Indian Medical those known in their professional Association and also as patron of several occupations and for their participation in socio-cultural associations. Chairing the community activity. The late KC Varghese church construction committee, he is also had working experience with QTel and Gulf seen to be instrumental in securing the land Times (in Telecommunications sector and grant and the permission to build the Indian later as freelance journalist) over three Church in Qatar. In July 2010, he has been decades of living in Qatar and was conferred the Knighthood of Saint Gregory- considered an “unofficial ambassador” Chevalier by Papal Order in recognition for because of his popularity. Examples: his efforts toward the Syro-Malabar Christian community especially in the Gulf region and the church. Significantly, Dr. 54 n°8 2012

Mohan Thomas also has several business in Qatar, concessions to a more visible ventures in Qatar to his name- the current socio-cultural representation might also Chairman of the popular Birla Public School emerge. (BPS), the Director of Global Auto Spare parts and more. Among his philanthropic On the one hand, the associational life and business activities extending to reflects the more nascent statuts of the Kerala/India, he heads a non-profit Indian community in Qatar-Indian charitable organization and Care Foundation community in the background of local curbs in Kerala and is Founder-Director of Kochi on it. On the other hand, it also projects a International Business School. community with certain strengths. The following examples demonstrate the strength These notables are considered the of the community and also the strength of public spokespersons and the civilian its professional composition. ambassadors representing the Indian expatriates in Qatar. Their professional ICC and ICBF background in most cases remarks on the prominence of this segment, in terms of Under the patronage of the Indian their influence in the Qatari Indian Embassy in Qatar, the Indian Cultural community. Centre (ICC, established in 1993) and the Indian Community Benevolent Fund (ICBF, The associational life is relatively established in 1984) act as the official bodies restricted yet strong representing the Indian expatriates. The ICC has around 108 community associations The number, scope and diversity of registered with it and its activities are mainly the collective associational activity of the concerning the socio-cultural needs of the Indian expatriates is smaller compared to the community, whereas addressing the welfare vibrant parallel case found in the UAE. It is needs of the underprivileged and the a common feature among the GCC distressed Indians is the domain of ICBF. countries to restrict the associational Both have a Chief Coordinating Officer representation of the expatriate communities nominated by the Embassy and function to only one official organization for each independently under a Managing nationality for their socio-cultural needs. In Committee. In the UAE, in Dubai alone, close to 1 000 Indian community practice however, the expatriate 17 communities generally have multiple associations are estimated to exist and with organizations. This is also the case with the a far greater diversity in activity than that Indian group. The umbrella association found in Qatar. registered with the Indian Embassy in Qatar (ICC) or with the Indian Consulate in Dubai Art of Living (AoL) (ICWC), acts as the host to numerous expat- organizations affiliated to it. The The outfit was disbanded in the recent arrangement could symbolize either an period (2007-08) and the key members were ingenious alternative to the local legal allegedly expelled within a short span of restrictions or a natural evolution by an about two days. The case is selected as an increasingly consolidating expatriate example of the firm official crackdown in community. In the UAE, the story is of a Qatar, on any overt religious expression strongly established associational life; in (other than the state religion of Islam). The Qatar, it is a smaller and emerging picture. government supposedly acted on the news This might be reflective of the stricter policy environment in Qatar. Like the introduction 17The number is much higher than the official figure of WLL status to enterprises is fairly recent registered with the Indian Community Welfare Committee (ICWC). n°8 2012 55

that there was congregation and religious religious leader from Kerala was curtailed ceremony (bhajan or group singing of during his visit to Qatar18. A few Indian religious songs). As per an unconfirmed Muslim entities operate with lesser account, notice was given and the visas restriction and are directly approved by withdrawn of many as 200 members (many Qatar government like the Indian Islamic from the Al Khor community where the Association and the Qatar Indian Islahi information was received). The local law Centre. prohibits public congregations, wherein any gathering of more than 12 persons requires IEI and the IMF-Qatar police permission. Similarly, it is also deterred to engage in public fund-raising The Institution of Engineers of India, except through the Qatar Red Crescent Qatar (IEI-Qatar Chapter) and the Indian organization. However, public events could Media Forum-Qatar (IMF-Qatar) are two be organized with the mandated permission good examples of active and representative from the police and from the concerned professional associations. They attest to a Embassy and requires a certain security considerable presence of the Indian presence. Examples exist however, when expatriates in the professional-segment. The prominent community individuals with former was established as an Overseas permission have hosted ceremonies/cultural Chapter in 1991 and as per its claim: “with events (like the Diwali puja or Dandiya dances) more than five hundred engineers or raised funds (like toward the “Indian associated, the (IEI) Qatar Chapter is the Church”). At the time of the fieldwork, the largest professional body functioning in warning was fresh in the memory of the Qatar at present”. The IMF is also popularly expatriates about the limitations on their known as the forum for the Indian activity, due to the recentness of the AoL professionals in the print and electronic event, the speed of the crackdown and the media domains that actively conducts regular expulsions. Yet, it is also remarked that it meetings among the fraternity and around was the advent of a particularly conservative 4-5 seminars annually. Numerous similar Minister of Culture that is witnessing stricter professional organizations exist such as the rules (change noted especially since 2000). Institute of Accountants and Financial professionals in Business (IMA) and the In contrast to Dubai, where a temple Indian Medical Association and Indian for the expatriates following the Hindu faith Doctors Club-Qatar Chapter. Other entities has been functioning since decades (and a mainly catering to the professional class such Gurudwara for the Sikh-followers inside the as Toast Masters’ Club are popular. complex), in Qatar there is none. A temple- like Dharmalayam allegedly existed earlier, A point again to note is that a which is currently either shut down or significant majority of the membership in functioning less publicly. However, the the community associations seems to be government has lately given permission for drawn from the white-collar professionals, the establishment of a Church that now and a smaller minority from the seems to house around 25 smaller churches entrepreneurial background. In Dubai, the representing different denominations within entrepreneurs had a greater presence than the same premise termed the “Church seen among Qatar’s associations. Complex”. A respondent shared his belief that the “Christian faith was better tolerated” in the kingdom (than Hinduism); another expatriate shares that, “even the Sunnis cannot make functions openly” citing 18Qatar follows the Wahabi school of Islam. Among the example of how a popular Sunni the GCC countries, it is closer to Saudi Arabia in its practices. 56 n°8 2012

The young-second-generations The most recent trend shows the express rooting/local affiliation younger generation preferring to return to Qatar in spite of the future-uncertainty A few interviews with the younger element. In addition, their express choice of generation expatriates born and/or brought Qatar rather than any GCC country up in Qatar revealed some interesting trends. demonstrates that economic opportunity In both the sites for fieldwork in Doha and was not the sole factor. It also reflects their Al Khor, interactions with the second- affinity to or/and confidence in their future generation individuals who were currently within the host country where they grew up. working in Qatar or pursuing higher The presence of family members in Qatar education, revealed the youth expressing a and pre-existing contacts might also be a preference to stay in Qatar. They felt a criterion. greater affinity for having grown here. Some of them had most of their higher education Two other trends are the in India (secondary school, graduate and mushrooming of Indian higher educational post-graduate) 19 and chose to return to work institutions/businesses in Qatar – new ones in Qatar and start a family. A few others or the extensions of Indian branches (e.g. were currently pursuing education in Madras Management Training Institute India/elsewhere abroad, but had plans to Doha) and the enrolment of a miniscule but look for a job in Qatar. It is a surprising increasing number of expatriate children of Indian origin in Qatar’s educational trend because until recent years, the popular 20 destination for careers and for immigration institutions (like the Qatar Foundation ). for the “Gulf-kids” was understood to be The latter tended to be highly expensive and the “West” symbolising attractive locales intended to cater to the offspring of Qatari or the Western expatriate. However, especially for their liberal societies (mainly 21 the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe and presence of a number of Indian students Australia/New Zealand). It was because points to not only that the expatriates are citizenship or naturalisation was almost increasingly able to afford the expensive impossible under the current laws in the education, but also that are willing to invest host-Gulf countries hence, immigration to in their children’s education and their the greener West was the eventual project futures, locally rather than with a deliberate commonly encouraged by the expatriates for eye toward India or elsewhere. their children. Choice to return to India for career/life advancement has generally been a lesser occurrence, in the pursuit to achieve 20Qatar Foundation’s campus called the Education upward social mobility. And in general, as City, currently hosts the largest enclave of American reflected in the personal interactions with universities’ branches outside the USA: Virginia both groups, the second-generation did not Commonwealth University, Weill Cornell Medical have the same identification with their College, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon « home-country » like that expressed by their University, Georgetown School of Foreign Service and Northwestern University. Recent addition of parents. other international institutions include HEC Paris and University College London. 19The expatriates are generally obliged to send the 21The student profiles living in the campus hostels children abroad for higher education (either India or attached with some of the institutions give some elsewhere). Two reasons: first, the absence of quality evidence. The number also includes students from higher education institutions within the Gulf till India (from the more affluent sections), choosing to recent years. Second, the local laws allow the parent enroll in the prestigious international and also Indian to sponsor residence in Qatar to a child only up to a educational branch institutions in the Gulf region. certain age, roughly until the secondary education Reasons include physical proximity compared to level (up to marriage in the case of girls). There is an studying in the USA or other popular destinations exception if the child is independently admitted in a and also the tougher competition faced in India, for local college/university. example, to acquire admission in select disciplines. n°8 2012 57

Conclusion manpower and the preference to stay increasingly demonstrated by the Like its title suggests, the paper second/next generation-expatriates. describes the Indian community in Qatar, focusing particularly on the segment mainly engaged in professional occupations. The expatriate population also comprises a prominent white-collar-professional class, in Radhika Kanchana extension to the stereotypical categorization PhD candidate in Political Science/ of the Gulf expatriate as “blue-collar Doctorant en Sciences Politiques labour”. The “white-collar” manpower was Sciences Po, Paris. found to be relatively more influential and [email protected] visible in the Indian community in Qatar as a whole. In the Emirates, there was more vibrant participation of the Indians in the private sector. The reason why it is so that the “white-collars” stand out among the Indian community in Qatar is a mix of several factors: Qatar’s principal oil and gas Bibliography industry demands skilled and professional workforce. As a richer and a less diversified Ali, Syed (2007) Go west young man: the culture economy, Qatar does not have the incentive of migratin among Muslims in Hyderabad, India, to be responsive to nurture the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 33, entrepreneurial ventures of the expatriates N°1, pp. 37-58. nor does it embody a range of opportunities Buxani, Ram (2003) Taking The High Road, like the UAE does (especially Dubai); The Dubai, Motivate Publishing, 248 p. Indian community is relative newer or Davidson, Christopher M. (2007), The Emirates younger in Qatar and experiences a less of Abu Dhabi and Dubai: Contrasting roles in secure position in the host society (in Dubai, the International System, Asian Affair, Vol. 38, the Gujarati/Sindhi-origin Indian merchants N°1, pp. 33-48. had a prior or settled presence). Further, Davidson, Christopher M. (2005) The United Qatar has a stricter and resolute policy Arab Emirates: A study in Survival, Boulder and atmosphere and hence, it restricts the socio- London, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 333 p. economic-cultural vigour of the expatriate Gardner, M. Andrew (2008) Strategic community. Thus, the Qatar-Indian Transnationalism: The Indian Diasporic Elite in community has a somewhat different and a Contemporary Bahrain, City & Society (American miniature profile compared to that of the Anthropological Association), Vol. 20, N°1, UAE. Yet, the Indian community in Qatar pp. 54-78. nevertheless projects strength on its own Hvidt, Martin (2007) The Dubai Model: An terms and it currently shows to be resilient. outline of key components of the development There appears a consolidating trend, given process in Dubai, Centre for Contemporary Middle the sustained demand for expatriate East Studies, University of Southern Denmark, Working Paper N°12, 30 p. Jain, Prakash C. (2005) Indian Entrepreneurs in the Gulf Countries: Some Case Studies, India Quarterly, Vol. LXI, N°4, pp.123-142. 58 n°8 2012

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