# Dubai's 'beautiful body needs to have strong soul'



## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

*Dubai's 'beautiful body needs to have strong soul'*









"HongKong, Singapore and other places happened, but Dubai is the happening place now and we are in the middle of everything. This is an exciting time for all of us and I do not have any plans to relocate, although I have businesses in many places," says Ajay Sethi, Chairman of 7to9.

Dubai: "Dubai is like a beautiful body without a soul. We are trying to implant soul in it by launching new entertainment channels and adding colours," this is how Ajay Sethi, the man behind Channel 7to9 TV channel, describes his latest venture.

His company, ADL Holdings is behind a new film channel, Channel 2 Movies, which will soon be launched in Kenya. Sethi will make a formal announcement of this channel in Dubai next week.

He will also launch a new 24-hour television channel in Dubai that will reflect the culture and lifestyle of the expatriates, who represent 85 per of the UAE's nearly five million population. This could become part of the E-Vision package, he said.

An announcement is expected to be made during the forthcoming International Indian Film Academy festivities that takes place next week.

This, Sethi says, will help develop a sense of belonging to many expatriate families who crib on the lack of cultural and theatrical practices and facilities.

With so much construction, Dubai, many people feel, is becoming a concrete jungle, lacking greenery, culture and life.

"The city of Dubai has almost everything. Yet, you feel something is missing. This is why most expatriate do not have a sense of belonging to this city," Sethi, who built his fortune through trading, is currently diversifying his business.

"However, this is going to change, as expatriates are now buying and are allowed to own properties, something that was unthinkable when I decided to settle down in this town in 1993. I did not have second thoughts on settling down here, when I came to know of the government's master plan surrounding Dubai.

"HongKong, Singapore and other places happened, but Dubai is the happening place now and we are in the middle of everything. This is exciting time for all of us and I do not have any plans to relocate, although I have businesses in many places."

Sethi, who had a humble beginning in trade in automotive products in Kenya and East Africa, moved to Dubai in 1993, sensing its future growth and opportunity.

He later extended his empire by supplying products and services to Iraq under the UN Food-for-Works programme in the 1990s.

Currently he is diversifying into real estate and electronic media and television channel. He has recently launched a new terrestial television channel with the Kenyan government for Kenya's 40 million population.

Sethi is currently developing a 40-storeyed tower in Jebel Ali, AJ Tower, with an investment involving Dh235 million. This is besides a number of other projects in India, Dubai and Kenya, totalling Dh375 million.

AJ Tower will have a built-up area of 400,000 square feet and will serve the growing demand for office space in Jebel Ali Free Zone.

He says, with the development of new cultural facilities, like Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, the emirate is filling a natural gap in its development masterplan.

"These will infuse life and soul to this fast growing city and will make our living a much more happy experience as the city of superalitves is also a melting pot of cultures," he quips.

Despite his exposure to the media, the handsome 40-something wants to remain behind the camera.


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## Bikes (Mar 5, 2005)

Nice,nice,nice! Hope he builds art cinemas too


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## dubaiflo (Jan 3, 2005)

and would someone open a thread for the 40F tower


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