jawahart oman 2014

5/22/2018 Jawahart Oman 2014

1/46

Super achievers of the Sultanate

2014

Supported by


2/46

Painting on Peepal leaves is considered one of the oldest and most coveted form of art. This intricate painting of

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has been done by artist and art acionado, Sandesh S Rangnekar.


3/46

TheHuman element is the

maker of arenaissance and the

builder of a civilizationHis Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said


4/46

deskIt takes a special breed of people to think and do things di fferently and consistently succ

at it; especially those who experience repeated success in many areas of their life throug

their lifetime. These handful of people make success seem like a breeze but little do pe

know about the hardships that they undergo.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Saids dynamic leadership for 44 years has created a pe

environment for people from all walks of life to pursue their interests and desired go

As a result, we have a generation of achievers who have led the way in diverse elds

emerged as role models for those around them. Jawharat Oman has been tracking

success journey of extraordinary achievers like these, the efforts they have taken to reach

pinnacle of success, the difculties they faced in reaching their goals and the vision to b

on their laurels.

No matter how diverse their goals or crafts, these super achievers share many distinguis

habits and characteristics that set them apart from the rest. Intelligent Persistence is

such trait we found common among them. Dedication and blind persistence are two v

different things. Instead of doggedly using the same ineffective tactics, super achievers p

and try to tackle the problem from a different angle they know how to work hard, but m

importantly, how to work smart.

Our super achievers are also driven by a sense of Community. They know they c

achieve success on their own. Instead, they must galvanize a group of people around t

idea or goal. Teamwork, or having an ecosystem of supporters, turns out to be criticvital for success. Finally, the third trait that we realised is that they are Constantly Evolvi

Consistently learning and adapting to the environment around them is what keeps th

achievers at the top of their game.

Jawharat Omans journey in facilitating these super achievers began in 2011. Today,

the fourth edition out, we are glad to say that we have featured over a hundred Jew

From fashion and photography to sports and technology we have chronicled the succ

journeys of some truly incredible people.

The fourth edition of Jawharat Oman showcases 27 super achievers. Once again, they

a set of diverse individuals with proven achievements in their elds of specialisation

they have certain common binding traits the thirst to go beyond the ordinary and ach

their goals despite challenges in their paths. They are individuals who have risen above

ordinary to become champions in their chosen elds.

We hope you too will be inspired by their stories, just as we have, while writing them.

And of course, we do realise that there are plenty more individuals out there, whose sto

are equally important. We would like to continue featuring more Jewels in our forthcom

editions and cover those who we might have missed out this time. If you have a succ

story that makes you a Jawharat Oman or you know someone who has blazed a trail

share the details with us and let us work together to highlight the role models to inspire a

generation of Jawharat Oman.

TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A YELLOW WOOD,

AND SORRY I COULD NOT TRAVEL BOTH

AND BE ONE TRAVELER, LONG I STOOD

AND LOOKED DOWN ONE AS FAR AS I COULD

TO WHERE IT BENT IN THE UNDERGROWTH;

THEN TOOK THE OTHER, AS JUST AS FAIR,

AND HAVING PERHAPS THE BETTER CLAIM,

BECAUSE IT WAS GRASSY AND WANTED WEAR;

THOUGH AS FOR THAT THE PASSING THERE

HAD WORN THEM REALLY ABOUT THE SAME,

AND BOTH THAT MORNING EQUALLY LAY

IN LEAVES NO STEP HAD TRODDEN BLACK.

OH, I KEPT THE FIRST FOR ANOTHER DAY!

YET KNOWING HOW WAY LEADS ON TO WAY,

I DOUBTED IF I SHOULD EVER COME BACK.

I SHALL BE TELLING THIS WITH A SIGH

SOMEWHERE AGES AND AGES HENCE:

TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A WOOD, AND I-

I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED BY,

AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

ROBERT FROST

FROM THE


5/46

EDITORIAL SUPERVISION

AKSHAY BHATNAGAR

GHALIB AL FORI

KHALFAN AL RAHBI

NAWAL AL HAJRI

SUSHMITA SARKHEL

Translator

MOSTAFA KAMEL

ART

Creative Director

SANDESH S. RANGNEKAR

Sr.Designer

SHAMEER MOIDEENDesigner

KHOULA AL WAHEIBI

Principal Photographer

RAJESH RAJAN

Photographer

BASIM AL MAHARBI

Illustrations

SANDESH S. RANGNEKAR

PRODUCTION

Production Head

RAMESH GOVINDRAJ

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

AVI TITUS

ADITI MEHTAJACOB GEORGE

RAHUL RADHAKRISHNAN

Assistant Manager - Business Support

RADHA KUMAR

CORPORATE

Chief Executive- SANDEEP SEHGAL

Executive Vice President- ALPANA ROY

DISTRIBUTED by

UNITED MEDIA SERVICES LLC

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written

permission of the publisher. The publisher does not accept

responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person or organisationacting or refraining as a result of material in this publication. We

accept no responsibility for advertising content.

Correspondence should be addressed to

UNITED MEDIA SERVICES LLC,

PO Box 3305, Ruwi, PC 112, Muscat,

Sultanate of Oman,

TEL: 24700896 Fax +968 24707939

Copyright 2014 United Press & Publishing LLC

[email protected]

Super achievers of the Sultanate


6/46


7/46

Buthaina Al Mahruqi

Dr Fatma Al Kharousi

Budoor Al Riyami

Hanadi Al Zadjali

Safa Al Mukhaini

Marwa Al Habsi

Hazar Al Zadjali

conte

nts


8/46

Lubna Al BalushiHasan Ali Jawad Mahmood Al Fori

Maimuna Al Sulaimani

Nashwa Al Kindi

Mohammed Al Araimi Mohammed Al Mahrazy

Muzna Al Brashdi Naaifa Al Obaidani

conte

nts


9/46

Rayan Al Mujaini

Salem Al Busaidi

Talal Al Fori

Rumaitha Al Busaidi

Sami Al MoharbiDr Salman Al Hajri

Eng Zahir Al Naamani

Nof Al Zadjali

conte

nts


10/46

Any attempt at Human Resource Development should start with dening value. If a cou

needs to progress, it is amply evident that in todays world, managing a nations human ca

effectively cannot be taken out of the equation. Human resources development has b

dened as empowering people by fostering the contributory capacities that they can brin

the improvement of their own quality of life and that of their families, communities, enterpr

and societies. And today, this must become the centre of coordination and development of

nations growth strategy because, lets face it, everything boils down to people.

As a nation, we have come a long way in realising this. Sound In-Country Value (ICV) strateg

although primarily spearheaded by the oil & gas industry has had a spill-over effect in vari

other sectors. Omanisation, training & development, localised sourcing of goods and serv these are just some of the aspects which businesses are beginning to look into in orde

maximise benets for the country. It is in our best interest to foster environments for learn

and capacity building at the individual and organisational levels for their involvement will pla

important strategic role in the advancement of the Sultanate.

I have always maintained that no business can ourish and sustain if the local communities

the surrounding environment do not benet from it. We, at Al Watanyiah United Enginee

& Contracting, strongly believe in operating within a balanced business framework and

strategies for sustainable livelihoods must be grounded in local communities. Many of

projects outside of Muscat run through several towns and villages. We contribute to the lo

communities by employing as many locals as possible; provide various opportunities such

hiring of equipment from local individuals or companies; and have an over-all perspective

is compatible with the Sultanates economic, social and environmental development.

The future belongs to societies that can organise themselves by learning and acting on wthey have learnt. Now is the time to move from generic manpower planning to a broa

synthesised approach based on open systems thinking and tandem participative processe

THE HUMAN PERSPECTIVE

VIEWPOINT

Dr. Hamed Hashim Al Dhahab

CEO, Al Watanyiah United Engineering &

Contracting


11/46

The oil and gas industry is the engine for national growth and is in a unique position to d

lasting economic prosperity and social progress under the guidance of His Majestys leaders

Those in the sector only succeed if the communities in which they operate succeed and

means delivering jobs, training, investment and expertise which will ensure the Sultanate an

citizens share in the benets of hydrocarbon exploration and production.

In-Country Value is the way to achieve this. ICV is dened as the total expenditure retained

country that can benet business development, contribute to human capability building stimulate productivity in the Omani economy. In short, its about products made and serv

provided by skilled Omanis in Oman.

ICV is all about transforming lives and giving Omanis the help they need to help themselves,

creating sustainable employment opportunities and training programmes for citizens, in line

His Majestys wishes.For it to work, it needs the support of all our stakeholders employe

government, customers, contractors, vendors, suppliers, academia, media and, of course

wider community a genuine collaborative effort among operators and a willingness to sus

change. One of my colleagues once correctly said: ICV is a marathon, not a sprint and perh

one without a nish line. There will always be room for improvement or areas to address

the ultimate aims of expanding the domestic skills base, creating real and rewarding jobs

taking the Omani economy to the next level are surely worth pursuing.

This is an exciting time because there are so many different initiatives taking place at

moment within our industry. Real momentum is building towards our aim of creating 50,Omani jobs by 2020 and unlocking a US$64 billion which could be retained in Oman if we

develop a strong base of skilled and committed Omani companies and a national workforc

service the oil and gas industry.

Since 2011 PDO and its contractors created more than 10,000 jobs and training opportuni

awarded contracts worth more than US$3.1 billion to locally registered rms and launc

a welding training scheme for hundreds of Omani jobseekers which will qualify them to

highest internationally accredited level.

We also spearheaded a new Oman oil and gas industry ICV strategic blueprint with the Min

of Oil and Gas which has initially identied 53 business opportunities in our sector for Om

companies to exploit.

The strategy is geared towards enabling Omani manufacturing and service rms to compet

a global level by introducing common industry standards and approaches so that everyb

is competing on a level playing eld without compromising on health, safety and environm

general business principles, quality, commercial or technical considerations.What is at st

is the need and desire to develop a competitive and sustainable local supply market, ma

through increasing the competency level and productivity of the local workforce. Its impor

to point out that this policy has been fully supported by the Government at all stage

underlining the point that joint commitment and partnership between private and public sec

are fundamental ingredients for success. We need to get to the point where ICV is embedde

every contract and becomes part of our national DNA. If we succeed in oil and gas, then the

absolutely no reason why the model cannot be adapted and replicated in other sectors so

Oman becomes a byword for economic, commercial and social excellence.

DELIVERING OMANIEXCELLENCE

VIEWPOINT

Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi

External Affairs Director

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)


12/46

Young people in any country represent the future of that country. They have a vital rol

the development of the country. There are many ways that youth can contribute to natio

development. Striving for excellence is one of them! Excellence is to do a common thing in

uncommon way. Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking m

than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more t

others think is possible.

To secure the future we must engage the younger members by speaking to them about thi

that matter most to them like innovation, engagement and collaboration.

Oman has a tremendous opportunity to attract the young generations to upcoming jo

business opportunities and industries. However, to help youth see how the profession is lead

the way on matters of integrity and value, we need to engage with them effectively to cre

and promote the values, visions and principles of countrys strategies. Bringing such you

onboard the development wagon becomes the responsibility of those in authority. Howe

our youth need to be supported and encouraged by the government, the private sector, the

society, the community and their parents.

Heading a non-governmental organisation that has big interest in youth, offered me a g

engaging platform with them. I have seen young volunteers, businessmen/ women

employees with outstanding level of creativity, positive energy, commitment, and leaders

to survive in the market. However, transferring knowledge doesnt come without nourishin

rightly at the initial stage the seed. Youth will surely play an active effective role if given the r

soil. With the right environment they will ourish beneting themselves rst before beneting

nation that they nurture in. I do believe that any young Omani if given the right base with rincentives (nancial, educational and others) and a clear path to building a career, will dea

be outstanding and will produce unexpected results.

From my point of view, we can inspire younger Omanis by imbedding in them the values

doing everything right! Anything worth doing, is worth doing right. Doing it right needs search

nding, collaborating, testing, engaging, evaluating etc. Let them do all that and keep doing

until the end - with continuous guidance and follow up.

ENGAGING YOUTH IS KEY

VIEWPOINT

Shaima Al Lawati

CEO, Oman Road Safety Association

(ORSA)


13/46

Ashraf Al Asmis journey with poetry began at a very young age. Al A

remembers the days when he would write poems and show them to a c

family member for feedback. Id show my writing to him and he would tel

about patterns of rhyme and syllabic pulse, something that Arabic poet

famous for. Back in the day I did not know much about rhyming schemes

after his guidance, I decided to go back and read up on it. That is when

discovered the intricacies of Arabic poetry and began incorporating the b

tenets into his work. Since then, Al Asmi hasnt looked back.

Currently, Al Asmi is working as a Material & Corrosion Engineer at the Ra

Harweel Project for Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) but poetry

remains his true passion. I feel like an adventurer moving from one plac

another or like a feather drifting in the wind poetry makes you feel like t

he says.

AlAsmi who was Headof the KhaleelLiterature Group(2008and2009) as

as head of the Classical Poetry Committee (2007) at Sultan Qaboos Unive

I may write about the journey of my soul, about our beloved country, abo

tear that trickles down a childs face or tears of nostalgia onan oldmans face. I write aboutthings whichmove

published by the Arab Publication House, Lebanon. The book was not only supported by the Ministry of Herit

and Culture but also garnered a lot of attention from the literary community in Oman. The accolades he has

are ample testament to his talent. He has won the Rashid bin Humaid Award for Culture and Science twice; ca

third at the Gulf Level at the 7th Cultural Week poetry competition; and won multiple gold medals at competit

on regional levels.

poets can really portray what they actually have in their hearts and minds and that takes a lot of hard work

dedication, he explains. Al Asmi uses words as a vehicle to bring feelings and emotions into being and is tr

hard to create his own identity and style of poetry . Poetry truly has no limits or boundaries. I want to develop

own style and be known for writing high quality poetry. Today, there are numerous poetsand authors, butvery

nurture the true spirit of poetry, and leave a legacy for posterity.

POETIC HUES


14/46

Asya Al Jabri, Marwa Al Habsi and Safa Al Mukhaini, or Team Thrizers as they are popularly known, has done

country proud. Last year,they wonOmans National Champion of Imagine Cup2013,and went on to represen

Sultanate at the Imagine Cup 2013 Worldwide Finals that took place in St. Petersburg, Russia in July 2013.

Team Thrizers from the Higher College of Technology competed with Project ReadX an app that assists child

with Dyslexia. Says Asya, ReadX is a windows 8 application built using Microsofts Visual Studio and Window

assessment and determines whether the child actually has Dyslexia and allows him/her to practice his/her read

skills. The app also has a special log-in for parents to keep up with the progress of their child.

The story and motivation behind developing the app comes from a personal place for the Team. One of our te

They all thought the issue would be solved as the boy grew up. Fortunately, the team member was and stil

make the connection and took him to the center where he was diagnosed with Dyslexia. Thus began their jou

to help children with learning disabilities and consequently, the development of ReadX.

Well, our dreams for the future are similar to anyone of our age; to have a vibrant and prosperous future, howe

we all had an inner dream, which was to use the massive and impressive advancements in technology to h

disadvantaged children. However this dream was only fully realized when we participated in the Imagine C

competition.

Today, these young women have not only proved themselves as competent IT professionals but have gone a

way in dispelling stereotypes about Arab women on a global scale. Marwa who is also a big admirer of Sh

Sandberg (and had the opportunity to meet and interact with her in a convention in the United States) s

Imagine Cup was a true learning experience for us. Multicultural experiences lead to intellectual understanand mutual respect, and the competition served as a platformfor us to show the worldthatOmani women too

be as enterprising and competent as anybody else.

This was also the reason behind why their team was called Thrizers. We live in a region where men are domi

in most areas of society. Although this is gradually changing, women are still reluctant to present their ingen

andcreativity. Thetrio collectively decidedto name themselves Thrizers- which means threegirls - to encou

THE IT CROWDAsya Al Jabri, Safa Al Mukhaini and Marwa Al Habsi, are the brains behind the

revolutionary Windows 8 application ReadX


15/46

From avant-garde installations to traditional calligraphic prints, the wor

Budoor Al Riyami has long incorporated elements of a surreal nature. One l

at her work and youll be enamoured for life. Not only does her work comp

images of haunting beauty but also relect a maturity that goes well bey

her years.

Born in 1977, and a graduate of Sultan Qaboos University, Budoor was brou

up around art. Drawing is perhaps one of the irst things any child learns,

says. When we are children, we draw lines even before we learn how to

Even as a child, I remember sitting beside my father with a pencil and a scra

paper, drawing shapes and trying to rediscover the world around me. In fact

father was my irst art teacher.

In 2008 Budoor won the Grand Prize at the 13th Asian Art Biennale, with

innovative video installation work entitled The Peak of Burning, which was

of the few artworks on display, portraying modern technology. Like most of

work, The Peak of Burning also engages in political, societal, and psycholog

spaces using a proliic mix of wit and woe. Speaking about her prize-winn

work Budoor says, I tried to feature the ongoing crisis in a chaotic world. R

now, so many places in the world are ravaged by war not for any noble cause but for political and busin

interests. Humanity, peace and rationality are under constant threat.

She also participated in The Circle Show in 2005, and 2007, which as an exhibition forum, has taken the lea

encouraging new types of art in Oman, and the Gulf. Currently, Budoor prefers photography, and video installa

art, while continuing to experiment with paint, and sculpture. Much of her art has a surrealist lavor, I like to t

elements from my surroundings and place them in an environment that is completely dierent from wha

expected. I do this in order to excite viewers and generate ideas, thoughts and dialogue.

The iconic artist has always taken unorthodox paths to reach the center of what it means to be human and a

to stir viewers sensibilities with her work, whereby, she encourages her audience to interpret art through t

own eyes, and react accordingly. I have always been inspired by human and social themes. My work is inspired

self-experiences that are then translated into colours and shapes. Budoor also believes that we should adopt,

experiment with science, and modern technologies.

BUDOOR AL RIYAMI

ARTIST

NOVELTY ACTBudoor Al Riyami is an artist whose interdisciplinary practice

incorporates multiple media, including lm/video, installation,

photography, and text

I have always been inspired

by human and social themes.My work is inspired by self-

experiences that are translatedinto colours and shapes


16/46


17/46

Today, Buthaina Al Mahruqi is most recognized by the general public as

woman whod joined Robert Swan on his Leadership on the Edge program

to Antarctica in 2013. We caught up with her, a year after her ambitious jour

to ind out more

Buthaina recalls her initial interactions with Zeena Al Towayya the irst Om

woman to make the journey to the White Continent back in 2012. Althou

knew about 2041 and Robert Swans eorts in raising environmental awaren

about Antarctica, I was hesitant to actually do something about it. I wasnt s

if I had it in me. But meeting Zeena completely changed my mind. In fact, w

she irst broached the topic with her husband and her parents, even they did

take her idea seriously. After winning a place in the 2013 expedition to Antarc

Buthaina set to work out on securing sponsorship for the programme. On

received the conirmation, I was determined to see it through. After knoc

on endless doors she inally managed to gather the required funds for the(with Petroleum Development Oman where Buthaina is currently emplo

as a Business Analyst pitching in nearly half of the fee). When I inally

my husband about it, his jaw dropped on the loor, recalls Buthaina. S

done it! After two years of dreaming about it and months of training prio

her departure, she was inally embarking on what promised to be the greatest adventure of her life. I think w

people place many barriers in our minds. The biggest obstacles in our lives are the ones weve placed in our min

We create perceptions about certain things and convince ourselves that its how life works. We need to face

fears and challenge those boundaries thats when you realise what this life truly has to oer.

Speaking of perceptions, Buthaina also feels that her presence in the trip helped alleviate perceptions pe

have about Arab women in general. During the trip, many people were surprised to learn about my backgro

and the lifestyle of women in Oman. There are people still out there who have a very narrow understandin

what role women play in societies in the Middle East. But I think, slowly but surely that is now changing. For

weeks, Buthaina journeyed across the White Continent as part of the 2041 International Antarctic Expedit

designed to increase awareness of global climate change. It was one of the most diicult things I have do

she recalls, but also the most rewarding. I came back a changed person. Today, Buthaina is still committe

raising environmental awareness. She does this by organising workshops for young people. I think inculcating

importance of protecting the environment should be started from a very early age. There needs to be mind

change and what better way than shaping young minds? Ultimately, it is their planet. They will inherit the world

few years. What is to come of the planet if we dont teach them how to take care of it?

According to her, even as adults, we can change parts of our lifestyle to go green. We do not have to turn

environmental activists, explains Buthaina. Taking simple steps and incorporating minor changes in our buy

and spending habits also go a long way. If we all begin to place a curb on our wants, make sustainable choi

about how we travel, and think twice about disposing things imagine the positive impact itll have on a larger sc

It is ultimately, the little things which add up to make a bigger dierence.

BUTHAINA AL MAHRUQI

ADVENTURER

ICECAPADESButhaina Al Mahruqi who embarked on the two-week expedition to

Antarctica last year says she came back a changed person


18/46


19/46

Dr Fatma grewup inMuscatin a bigfamilyandsince she was a child, her par

always pushed her and her siblings to excel in academics. I consider my

lucky to be a member of a family like mine which encouraged learning fro

veryyoung age. I completedmyBSc in Mathematics inSultanQaboos Unive

and graduated with an honours degree. I was appointed as a demonstrat

the Mathematics andStatistics Department, College of Science, SQU. With

position I saw an opportunity to accomplish my dreams. SQU also sent m

do my Masters at Michigan State University, USA and also provided me with

opportunity to do myPhD. Since I was fascinated by coding theory, I decide

go to Queen Mary University of London, where I founda well-knownsuperv

In a nutshell, Coding Theory is used in many of our daily data transmis

machineries and networking systems. Instruments like CDs, computers,

many more use coding to save and transfer information from one placanother.

It wasDr Fatmas research which garnered theattentionof a German publis

literature in Coding Theory, a German publishing company approached me to publish my thesis as a printed b

to be sold worldwide. They took the responsibility of printing, producing and distributing the book. Now my th

is available in many famous stores and on websites like Amazon.

I have always loved mathematics. In fact, I love all sciences and I see math as an important building block

the sciences. Understanding math will help us deal with most science subjects. At least it is a subject you

do without much revising once the concepts are understood. In my undergraduate studies, I loved all scie

subjects. I was in a position to choose one to work with. First it wasnt easy to decide which one but then I felt

math is at the heart of almost all the subjects that I loved. If I studied math I would be able to do the rest lat

I wanted. People always wondered what was I going to do with a math degree, but I thought and I still think

opposite; what science can we do without a specialisation in math?

sciences. I cant tell you what the exact percentages are but I can see the numbersincreasing and I hope that i

keep on growing.

Dr Fatmas love for the subject knows no bounds and it is a deep-rooted passion of hers to embrace ST

So I would encourage anyone to exploreand study Science, especially mathematics. Thissubject teachesyou

to think systematically and logically. Studying Mathematics provides us with skills of critical thinking and prob

solving which should put mathematicians in high demand. Employers should know that mathematics gradu

are intelligent and logical problem solvers. The career options are almost limitless for math graduates.

She concludes, I wish to be a full professor in Mathematics. I hope to gain further knowledge within the sub

and wish to bring Omans name high up in the sky. And I also strongly believe that all of us should do the best

can for humanity.

NUMBERS GAME


20/46

I think its safe to say that every woman at some point in their lives has fantasized about opening up her very o

fashion boutique. These two lovely ladies, Hanadi Al Zadjali and Hazar Al Zadjali did just that and then some! W

their beginnings did not begin in fashion, theres no doubt that these style savvy business women were made

the business of fashion! Hanadi and Hazars backgrounds are essentially not fashion-y at all. Hanadi gradua

from Victoria University where she studied marketing and international tourism, while Hazar studied Psychol

in Canada. Upon returning, Hanadi joined a local Bank where she still works as the Marketing & Communicat

Manager. So what inspired the launch of Boutique Muscat, we wonder? Says Hanadi, I dont think Boutique Mu

was inspired as much as it was borne out of necessity. when we were studying abroad, shopping was suc

breeze be it online or oline, high end or low end. You can ind anything and everything: trendy, classic, desig

wear, whatever you want. And we noticed that in Muscat often people did not have the means to get the stu

they wanted. We felt like we had a grasp of what people wanted, and we just went for it.

Initially Boutique Muscat started out as an online boutique the irst of its kind in Oman. Today, thanks

unprecedented success they have expanded their business to a chic premise at Jawharat Shatti. Hanadi also h

blog on the side called everydayH (www.everydayh.com) wherein she reviews beauty products, Fashion & lifes

as well as organizes giveaways and more. Its true what they say that if youre doing something you love, it doe

feel like youre working, says Hanadi. Going to work in the morning and then focusing on Boutique Muscat

everyday during the other half of the day, dealing with clients, paperwork, orders all these may get a little tas

but they still dont take the fun out of doing what you truly want. Always keep your goals in mind, and on tough d

think of where youd rather be working. Chances are youll be where you want to be.

If that wasnt all, the duo launched a unique initiative called Take A Leap in 2008. Take A Leap, explains Ha

supports local entrepreneurs and designers showcase their brands. The sisters realize that the market isnt eas

break in to. We thought that it would be a good idea to help other small businesses get exposure through Bout

Muscat, Omani or non-Omani, by invluding them under Boutique Muscat to get the real experience of havin

business. This project aims to give people a chance to test the market for their product without taking the rissetting up a business.

Hazar has been designing since 2011. It started o with more traditionally attired fabric but with a trendy twist.H

explains her collections thus: If you are a little bold in your fashion choices then you can wear them whenever

want; if you are not so bold, you wait for a special occasion. They dont scream out loud, and are very dem

designs but at the same time very classy, chic and lattering. We are increasing our production for that, and

marketing and re-branding ourselves. Basically, we are just taking the Boutique Muscat brand where its mean

be taken.

On that note, we wish them both all the luck and eagerly await their ambitious new plans.

HANADI AL ZADJALI

ENTREPRENEUR

HAZAR AL ZADJALI

ENTREPRENEUR/DESIGNER

FASHION FIESTAHanadi and Hazar Al Zadjali: sisters and the brains behind Boutique Muscat

the rst online multi-brand boutique in Muscat


21/46


22/46

they wereon a trip. I stillremember it.Thatwas a Minoltadevice priced exa

at 30 Bahraini dinars. Thats where I started from, initially by taking picture

family members. In those days, cameras were not so ubiquitous as they

today and we didnt have the luxury of digital cameras. We had then only b

and white rolls which were also very expensive. And for processing the slid

visited UK later for his higher studies was to see the Kodak shop which was

amazing experience for him. He feels the technological revolution broug

by digital cameras has been simply phenomenal. After Minolta, he shifte

Camtex and subsequently to Canon; and currently he is using a Nikon D8

which is his fourth camera. Jawad prefers photographing sceneries to shoo

its beauty varies from country to country, if not location to location. He alw

carries a camera with him. He has a camera handy in his car and keeps a s

frame. But my Canon has got a long zooming facility which is very handy when I travel, he says. However he d

trying it only during the weekends, he adds.

Talking about his favourite places to go and photograph, he said, Oman is a very beautiful place. Qurum Beac

day. I also love to photograph mountains and ruins.

NEW TRENDS

He admits the new trends like iPhonography and Instagram have ushered in a new wave in photography

popularized it to the hilt. But he fears that the popularity of photography has made people believe that whoe

clicks is a photographer. He also feels that Instagram has been widely misused by people who show a t

disregard for the quality of the photos. Asked about his advice to aspiring photographers, Jawad saidthat pas

and patience were the two most essential ingredients for a good photographer in the making. When I take a

picture even with my Minolta, I make sure that I get it right. Sometimes I wait for a picture till the opportune t

comes. Once, I was in the desertwhenI saw a lizard among the dunes. I went behind it and followed it and I ha

wait till it moved. So I took a few still pictures. Then I had to make it move and run after it to take a few other ac

varying periods of time to get the clouds cleared before taking pictures of a beautiful sunset.

Jawad believes that having a good theme to shoot is more important for an aspiring photographer than having

expensive camera. If you dont have a nice theme, there is no point in carrying an expensive camera. He is of

opinion that photography adds to ones intuition and enhances ones power of observation. A photographe

become very observant, even if she does not have a camera with her. And this observation skill in turn, will reincrease your intuition, he avers.

MIDAS TOUCH


23/46

and decided to learn German for purely professional reasons, says Lubn

Balushi when asked the most obvious question: Why German?

My journey to getting the book published began in 2008 when I star

learning German at the Goethe Institute in Oman and won a scholarship

attend the Goethe Institute Freiburg in southwest Germany. During the cou

I was faced with the task to write a poem in German. Ever the steely spir

person, Lubna decided to give the challenge a shot and take it a step furt

mother tongue was hard and I promised myself that if I couldwrite20 poe

Ill get them published.

At the time, Lubna never actually thought that she would end up writing

poems but it is surprising what a little determination can help you achiSoon she found herself with a collection of 27 poems ready to be publish

But this is where Lubnas actual challenge came into being: she could

wide for a publisher. It was really a tough time for me and I was consider

discouraged, recalls Lubna. But instead of dwelling on the negatives, she immersed herself into more poetry a

ended up writing another 27 poems. Finally, after months of pursuing publishers she found a German publi

who agreed to partly sponsor the book.

Today, her work Schnheit des Herzens includes 54 poems which talk about emotions that are common amo

humansin all cultures. The poems highlight severalthemeslike love, happiness, sadness anddreams. In a way

poems tell us to love our life, open our hearts and be strong enough to face life with love, explains Lubna. A

I have always enjoyed reading poetry be it in Arabic or German. Even when I was a student, Id penned so

poems in Arabic but never actually thought of publishing them. I know, it sounds strange that I write poem

German and not in Arabic and many people have even asked me about this. To them, I would just like to qu

Goethe: Those who know no foreign language, know nothing of their mother tongue.

After the success of Schnheit des Herzens, many of Lubnas

friends and colleagues were keen to read her work in Arabic. So

a year after publishing her book, she worked on an Arabic book

which was positively received by the literary community in Oman.

She has also attempted her hand at writing poetry in English and

is expecting her Arabic book to be published in the immediate

future. She is currently also working on a collaborative project with

an artist and a photographer from Germany.

WORDS IN MOTION


24/46

The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horses ears, goes

Arabian proverb. A horse is an embodiment of strength, power and bea

cutting across traditions and cultures. The essential joy of being with a hor

Omani horse rider Mahmood bin Marhoun Al Fori, who is also part of Om

national horse riding team, riding a horse is a synthesis of sport and art.

He believes that endurance race is a test of your perseverance and stren

while it also involves the art of keeping a horse between you and the gro

The process of riding a horse requires a lot of patience and enduran

because at times youarepittedagainst a powerful animal which is boldeno

to make any dangerous step even at the risk of its life. A horses speed is

what a horse rider can decide in advance.

watching the horses and then joined racers while they underwent trainin

and outside the camp. Thus, I developed a desire to participate in races

says. Initially I didnt know that my manager was preparing me for endura

competitions. He trained me for a year, without letting me participate in any race, to test my patience which is

I participated.

Championship in 2006. Subsequently, he participated in Qatar Championship and European challenges. Then

joined the World Championship 2008, in Malaysia, where although the Omani team could not perform well, he

for thesecondtime in theWorldChampionship in Britain, andwas rankedthird among 56 countries. Itwas a ha

minds that we had to win, and that is what helped us immensely, he adds.

ENDURING STEADFASTNESS


25/46


26/46

Its time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, tachiever the one who recognises the challeng

and does something about it Vince Lombardi.

applaud them with epithets like strong, brave, gutsy, feisty, and determi

but what perhaps string together all these qualities is a sense of hum

That speaks volumes about the person and adds both life and meanin

the achievements that need to be acknowledged, felicitated and emula

in the Arab world. Besides these, she occupies an enviable position as Hea

Legal and part of the senior management team at Al Izz Islamic Bank.

But as we pointedout earlier, this young achiever is notjust distinguished by

laurels but by herhumble disposition andwanting to be the change she wi

to seein this world.To know about Maimunas enterprising natureand her journeyto thetop, its imperativeto b

at the beginning itself. She speaks of a joyful childhood spent in the UAE in a huge family where co-existence

operation and resilience were the norm. We were more than 20 kids living together, doing chores, taking car

one another. I believe this contributed to my corporate personality, as I would like to put it by making team s

and high resilience, important attributes of my personality, she reminisces.

After coming back to Oman, she continued her schooling and received a scholarship to study abroad. She mo

to Amman, Jordan for her Bachelors Degree in Law. Studying abroad expands the mind and you learn to get o

your comfort zone. Fortunately,I come from a familythat appreciates education andencourages childrento st

she says. Why law? Maimuna has a plausible explanation for her choice of education and career. I had to cho

between law and political science; something that would help me give back to my country that had funded

education. I thought if I took up law, I would be able to use my education to help my nation. After completing

as a legal researcher and worked there for three years. But academics was calling her again, this time, she

Commercial Law at University of Glasgow, UK.

colours. Soon it was time to come back to Oman and rejoin bank muscat. (she had joined the Bank just be

she left for further studies and came back right on time to honour her promise). From bank muscat, she mo

onto Omantel and put in seven years at the organization that she calls a university. This stint was very impor

in my career. It reiterated my faith in teamwork, resilience and being accepting of others, she says. She joine

Izz Islamic Bank in 2013 becoming the only female Legal Head in the banking sector. The responsibility wasreality. Some people like to be at the top alone. But I am not one of them. The legal profession is my concern

which brings us to my most important project.In 2010,I registeredthe intellectualproperty rights to establish a

magazine in Oman titled, Law & Life a bi-lingual publication that will be a reliable source of information on

address legal issues and tackle issues of importance.

diverse roles? A strong strength of character and of course, resilience and a never-say-die attitude.

The worlds certainly Maimunas oyster!

LEGAL EAGLE


27/46

It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scr

am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. - William Ernest Hen

Echoes of Life and Death.

I was born in a small village in Al Sharqia, called Wadi Al-Mur, begins Moham

Al Araimi. I opened my eyes to vast dunes, barren plains, and empty spac

These images, tales, events, environment, traditions, people and their wa

living, were the main elements that shaped my personality and thereafter

existence. Fast forward a few years later, he went to the United States to pu

his higher studies and obtained a Bachelors in Industrial Engineering. U

returning, he joined Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) to begin his ca

in the ield of engineering. However, life had other plans for him. In a tragic

accident, Al Araimi lost the ability to walk and was conined to a wheelc

After the accident, I went to England for nine months to undergo rehabilita

and physiotherapy, but after I returned to work, it was not physically possfor me to continue my old job as an engineer, recalls Al Araimi. Therefore

company oered me a job as a translator. Suddenly my work environm

changed from drilling rigs, oil production and gathering stations to a typew

paper and an inseparable dictionary a job I never thought of when I ch

engineering as a major of study. If I look back at my early days after the accident, sitting in the wheelchair was o

of the most diicult things that I had to do. I found myself in a world governed by the rules of disability yet I w

thinking with a mind of a physically it man who is capable of moving and walking freely.

But as they say, when one door closes, another opens up. For Al Araimi it all started with an article in PDOs mon

magazine Al-Fahal, where he published a short article titled Living with disability. The story garnered a lo

attention among PDO employees and other readers. And I was encouraged by many friends and colleague

write further. A year later, Madhaq Assaber or Taste Of Patience, was published in Lebanon. A Taste Of Patien

is an attempt to reveal how my handicap made me adapt to most aspects of my life. It is in short, a message to

that coping with disability does not mean surrendering to its terms, but rather making the best of what I have

that I can lead a new life with new hopes, dreams, and ambitions.

In terms of writing, the book was a challenge of its own. When I thought of writing about my own experie

of coping with disability, I had to answer a crucial question: Do I have something to say that will beneit oth

I thought to myself, after 20 years of living with a disability, I surely have something of value to communic

and share with people like me and their families. In the midst of my attempt to come up with a text thro

which I intended to reveal myself in a methodological manner and in a good style, I wrote, I added and I omi

but eventually the outcome fell short of my expectations. However, a friend of mine didnt think so, he took

manuscript to a well-known writer, who was impressed and advised him to publish it. Al Araimi went on to pub

more books. Huz Al Qaid/Mark Of Chain is a story of a young man, Ali, who inds himself accused of bein

member of an underground revolutionary organization that he knows nothing about. In jail, he is tortured in o

to reveal to the investigators the name and location of the organisations leader, who by coincidence works in

same company as Ali. The events of this novel take place in a prison located in the middle of a remote desert. short stories collection, Qawes Qazah won the best stories collection in 2010.

A Taste of Patience, of course, is widely recognised in Oman and abroad and has also been translated to Eng

and distributed by a leading publishing company, International Islamic Publishing House. The Arabic edition

printed ive times within 10 years and parts of the book have also been used in the Arabic schools curricula for 1

and 12th grades.

Sometimes fate throws you a curveball. Whether youre prepared to catch it or not, is another story enti

Mohammed Al Araimis story goes to show us that no matter that life dishes out, if youre determined and pos

nothing can stop you from achieving greatness.

MOHAMMED AL ARAIMI

WRITER

WRITE STUFFMohammed Al Araimi, author of A Taste of Patience talks about his

journey, the challenges and of course, his writing


28/46

When I thought of

writing about my own

experience of copingwith disability, I had

to answer a crucial

question: Do I have

something to say that

will benefit others?


29/46

Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing acomposing the beauty is what separates t

snapshot from the photograph. Matt Hardy

If youre passionate about something, its obvious that it shows in your w

And if its a passion that has carried on from childhood, then youre very luc

to have a job that has translated your dreams into reality.

Mohammed al Mahrazy Photographer at Petroleum Development Oma

one suchlucky person. His passion forphotography began in secondary sc

when he received a camera as an award from the Ministry of Education.

special moment was a propitious start to something bigger. As with ev

new interest, Mohammed, already bitten by the photography bug sta

taking photographs of willing subjects namely his family, and of course

surroundings as well. As time passed, his creative side began to thrive an

began looking forward to taking up photography as a career. I have alwbeen into art and design and like to see the beauty of pictures. I am curi

Mohammed joined Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) where he works as a photographer as wellas in anima

and graphic design. Joining the organisation gave a major boost to his career. As he explains, When I joi

(renowned Photography and Film institute in the US) and Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Desig

London. I learned how to control light and other technical aspects.

Photographs are about stories and its interesting to hear the story behind each photo. Its also said that a pic

speaks a thousand words. So what essentially capture Mohammeds interest? I like to take shots of scenery

sunsets because it gives you the control to set your time. I also love going to the beach and taking photogra

Portraits aremy other interest, especially of people I see on thestreets or in villages.I am captivatedby features

expressions. But sometimes it is not a good idea because people might object to being photographed. Espec

these days when you have to put up pictures online and they might not be comfortable with the idea. Does

photography have a competitive edgeto it? Mohammed informsus that though he haswon in a fewcompetit

he prefers to stay away from the limelight. I like to keep things low key and just enjoy photography. I do

necessary follow the group but intend to follow my own path, he says.

Excellency Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy. The secondone in 2010 was also inaugurated by him andsuppo

by PDO. It was held at Muscat City Centre, which is a good spot to highlight my work. Tourists from the UK

Korea who saw myworkactually picked it upand took it backhomewiththem. The nextone will benextyear, w

and avant-garde. I dont want to give away too many details but I will be trying something new not only in term

the type of photography but also the way photographs are displayed.

One of my personal favourites are a series of shots that I have taken of a Bedouin family. In fact, my work

specially invited for the prestigious Hamdan International Photography Award organised under the patronag

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

photographers and social media apps like Instagram?

Theresnothing wrong with cell-phone cameras and iPhonography. But if you want to get a deeper understan

CLICK HAPPYMohammed Al Mahrazy is an avid photographer and his passion is

clearly evident in his work...


30/46

of what photography is then you must spend time with it and

develop your creative eye. Some of the environmental situations

are not very comfortable (sometimes even dangerous) to take

photographs in. Sometimes you have to rough it out alone

because it is hard to convince your friends to go along with you.

So sometimes I ind myself alone, in the middle of nowhere or

in the middle of the mountains, and its raining so it is hard in

that sense. Earlier, I was extremely carefree and didnt bother too

much about it but now that I am older and wiser, I think twice

about putting myself in situations like that. Sometimes there are

dangerous snakes and animals, especially in the summer, so I am

more careful nowadays, he says.

Mohammed is grateful for the support of his friends and his

workplace. The people around me and my workplace, PDO has

been very supportive. His older brother, he says, has motivated

him the most, even joining him on his photographic journeys

and trips.

Mohammeds favourite photographer is Australian Peter Lik. I

enjoy his work a lot. But even more than that I like watching him

take photographs the way he takes it, the way he focuses onhis subjects I learnt a lot from watching him. Hes also taken

photos in Oman which are some of my favourites, he says.

For this passionate and creative photographer, its about

freezing the moment, and then looking at them, years later to

see how the world has evolved over time.

For Mohammed, the shutterbug, its these moments that make

up his life and work.


31/46

Applied Sciences whos studying her Bachelor of Engineering in Electro

and Communication. A hard working and diligent student, Muzna has alw

known in her heart of hearts that she wanted to pursue a career in the scien

Havea clear visionof what you wantto doof whatyou wantto beand k

what your values are. Thats what worked for me, explains Muzna. Today, s

working on a project titled Remote Energy Monitoring with SMS which h

people estimate how much electricity they are using throughvia text mess

how much electricity we have used. This remote monitoring system det

continuously how much a household is using and sends an SMS at dedica

intervals. Not only does this help families keep track of their energy usage

also goes a long way in making sure people take appropriate action in term

energy conservation too.

Her projectwork has garnered a lot of attention from the academic commuand she won second place at the 2014 Tech Fest for her innovation. Her te

also won thepresentation at the Universityof Nizwa. Star performers know

cant achieve success on their own. Instead, they must galvanize a grou

people aroundtheir ideaor goal. Teamwork, or having an ecosystem of supporters, turns out to be critically vita

success. I certainly wouldnt have gotten this far without my support system, says Muzna earnestly. I would

at the College have also been immensely helpful and the Dean Dr Mohan Varma and Mr Ibrahim Al Jahwari, Ad

and HR Manager have been vital to my success.

She also believes that studying in such a diverse and multicultural environment has taught her a lot. InitiallyI w

very shy and quiet person,but overa period oftimeI noticeda marked change mypersonality. I havebecomem

outspoken even my English language skills have improved. Apart from studies, Muzna is very much into the

and drama and herself written and directed a bunch of plays which were showcased at Nizwa College and

importantly respect what you are studying. Without this, theres no meaning to success. And of course, remem

that studyingneverstops.I want to continuously keep learning andimproving myself becausethats a never-en

process. Self-improvement is a life-long process.

INNOVATION EXCELLENCE


32/46

Its not hard to see why recently the media has been gushing about Naaifa

Obaidanis work a quick browse through a few of her portfolios highligh

(which swings from thoughtfully designed posters with deep messages,

light-hearted, bright designs) easily explains why. But in the interest of bein

thorough we met up with the talented designer to know more.

A typical day in the life of Naaifa includes creating brand logos, workin

on brochure designs, while at the same time juggling her role as Technic

Assistant at Petroleum Development Oman LLC (PDO). I grew up in a ve

artistic family, reminisces Naaifa. I was always surrounded by art and us

it as a medium of expressing myself when I was very young and didnt kno

how to otherwise.

So it was a natural progression for Naaifa to pursue a career in the arts. Wh

immediatelysigned up to pursue herBachelors in GraphicDesign. Since th

she hasnt looked back.

eclecticand philosophically sound ideas. Ample testamentto thisis a poster shedesigned on thetheme Freedo

For this pice de rsistance of sorts, she chose Nelson Mandela and superimposed his photos over the years

form a dynamic image with a clear message: When you look at Nelson Mandelas smile, you see freedom.

another work, she hasincorporated typographyto send out a messageabout Success andyet in another one, s

has used traditional calligraphy. Naaifa has also done extensive work for the Oman Cancer Association as well

businesses across theMiddle East. Sherealises that interpreting andrelaying business ethos to a discerning mark

Naaifa is quick to mention that her boss and colleagues at work have been very supportive of her passion. Wh

But now, I feel extremely lucky to be working in an organisation that not only recognises my talents but also giv

design, Naaifa admits that it has opened up new avenues for her. Someday in the future, she also hopes to pursu

her passion full-time and turn it into a rewarding career. We certainly cant wait to see that day!

DESIGNS THAT INSPIRENaaifa Al Obaidani has a unique air for amalgamating thoughts, idea

and emotions and bringing them together to form a creative whole


33/46

Nashwa Al-Kindis passion for sailing and watersports started at a very young

The youngest of her siblings, she was privileged to have an exciting childh

that allowed her to enjoy the beauty of Omans pristine beaches and its maje

mountains. As a child, she used to accompany her father and uncle when t

went ishing and by the time she was seven she had already experienced

share of snorkelling, hiking, photography, go-karting, biking and playing foot

Initially, young Nashwa aspired to be a photographer. After a brief stint

driving instructor, she dived into photography and spent four years captu

images of peoples celebrations and the beauty of Omans natural environm

This was followed by another four years at Nawras, where she worked a

customer service agent until an online advertisement on Facebook caught

attention in 2011.

The advertisement was posted by Oman Sail, the countrys pioneering sadevelopment initiative, to announce the start of its Womens Sailing Program

and encourage Omani women to take part in a six-month training program

where the most promising female athletes would be chosen to take part in

initiative. This was enough to attract Nashwa.

To prepare for the interview, Nashwa worked out regularly at the gym to ensure that she was physically it to

and learned as much as she can about the sport. This paid o well and Nashwa was accepted into the program

The more time she spent on the water, the more she loved the sport and this passion translated into hard work

dedication. Speaking about her irst weeks in sailing, Nashwa Al Kindi said, I did my best; I knew that I had to w

hard as I am not a natural sailor. I have to think about my sail, the wind, and my position of sitting, and do a lo

research to learn more about the sport. It was really hard work for six months. In 2012, Nashwa graduated as o

of Omans irst female sailing instructors.

After completing her training, Nashwa worked as an instructor at the Oman Sail sailing school in Bandar Al Row

Her job was to train other promising athletes to learn the basics of the sport and to build the foundations of t

sailing careers, which gave her immense pride. I am very proud to have come this far in my career. In this tim

have not only learned a new sport, but how to teach the next generation how to sail. Passing on my skills to

upcoming generation and watching these boys and girls compete in the Olympics or bringing back a cup

knowing that I played a role in that would be my biggest achievement, she said.

She worked there for almost a year until she joined Oman Sails sailing school at the Wave, Muscat when it open

This wasnt enough for Nashwa. She wanted to prove herself in the ield and to tap her potential in a big wa

always wanted to explore new avenues. I cant sit and stay at one place for a long time. I wanted to be better a

improve myself. So I wanted to get into the senior instructor programme and I got chosen to join it. Eventua

passed, becoming the irst woman to be a senior instructor in Oman Sail!

Later that year, she received the The Instructor of the Year award at Oman Sails Sailor of the Year Awardfew months later, her eorts in the development of sailing in Oman were also recognised by the Internatio

Sailing Federation (ISAF), the world governing body for the sport of sailing, when she was presented with the I

President Development Award, one of the highest acknowledgements in the sport.

I am proud to say I won those awards. Its always nice when you work really hard and then you get someth

making you aware that your work has paid o, explained Nashwa.

CROWNING GLORY

I always wanted to be in the race team, but because I was a very good instructor, no one would let me go.

dream has always been to sail in bigger boats. Nashwa had her chance when Oman Sail organized a motivatio

NASHWA AL KINDI

SAILOR

SAILOR PAR EXCELLENCENashwa Al Kindi is the rst recorded Arab female to make a trans-

oceanic crossing and an inspiration to young Omanis to follow their

dreams


34/46

speech by record-breaking quadriplegic sailor Hilary Lister for sailors

in Oman. Despite being paralyzed from the neck down, Hilary was

passionate about sailing and was determined to achieve her dreams.

Listening to Hilary speak, Nashwa found that they were the same.

Remembering her irst meeting with Hilary, Nashwa said, After

Hilary gave her motivational speech, she asked if anybody had any

question. And I was the irst to raise my hand to ask one. She was

talking about a trip across the Atlantic Ocean. But it was a long-term

thing. The only thing I said was, I want to sail with you. Il l do anything.

Ill clean the deck. You know, just take me with you. And later on in

the day she came outside and I sat with her. We sat together and

thats how the preparation for the trip India to Oman started. I was

ready for the challenge. We studied the weather, we studied the

route and we prepared for the emergency situations.

The plan was to sail into the record books aboard a 28ft. Dragonly

trimaran to claim two new trans-ocean records Hilary was the irst

severely paralysed woman and Nashwa was the irst recorded Arab

female sailor to sail that trip. Because of Hilarys condition, the boat

was modiied to include special mechanism that would allow her to

use by blowing into three straws. By inhaling or exhaling into a straw

Hilary is able to steer, trim sails and navigate.

The 850-nautical mile journey across the Indian Ocean started from

Mumbai, India on Tuesday 11 March and took nine days to complete.

The two women used a watch system to ensure safe and steady

progress. During the day, each watch was approximately six hours

and at night three or four hours with breaks for drinks and meals.

When Nashwa was on watch, she switched o Hilarys system and

operated the boat manually.

Commenting on the trips most memorable moments, Nashwa said,

I will always remember the little chit-chats I had with Hilary on deck

at night. She is a good, experienced sailor and she taught me a lot.

She is my biggest inspiration.

Nashwa believes that becoming the irst Arab female to set a new

sailing record will hopefully inspire other women to follow their

dreams. I am very happy and proud to achieve this goal. It was

always my dream to sail oshore in a big boat. I am sure, and I hope

that what we have done will be an inspiration for Omani and non-

Omani women to go for their dreams and goals. For me personally,

it has strengthened my ultimate goal, which is to sail solo around the

world one day.

Nashwa considers the trip as a great opportunity in her career and

life. She says one of the reasons to do this trip was to motivate and

inspire other women to follow their dreams. There are a lot of people

who have big dreams but are not able to materialise them because

they are afraid to try. So doing things like this should encourageyoung Omanis all over the world to go for whatever they want to

do, she adds.

For Nashwa life is an ongoing challenge to improve oneself and

scale new heights in career and life. Having swum against the tide,

she knows she will have to face bigger obstacles to fulil her dreams.

Nashwa believes that in a highly competitive environment one has

to raise the bar too high to prove ones mettle.


35/46

Even for those not entirely familiar with Japanese animation, Anime

Manga are familiar concepts. Characterised by distinctive styles and a uni

storytelling fashion, Japanese Anime and Manga has a massive fan followin

over the globe.

In Oman, Nof Al Zadjali has taken her passion for the art a step further. Nof

been drawing since she was in the third grade. Today, this 25 year old has m

her dreams of becoming a professional animator come true. I remember

reason that inspired me to start drawing was watching Anime on T.V. Since I

10 years old I have been really fascinated by Japanese art, ideas, and storie

every episode. That motivated me to continue practicing daily to reach wh

have become today.

The popular and recognizable style of manga is very distinctive. Emph

is often placed on line over form, and the storytelling and panel placem

dier from those in American comics. Impressionistic backgrounds are v

common, as are sequences in which the panel shows details of the set

rather than the characters. A graduate from the Scientiic College of Des

Nof has been working on her own Manga since 2008. I wrote the story b

in 2008, explains Nof. And in 2009, I approached the Cultural Club to see if they were interested in publish

my work. However, I could not elicit a response from them because Manga really isnt part of our culture and

storyline doesnt have a local context. So I basically gave up hope.

But then in 2013, I met the owner of United Muscat IT solution, Waddah Al-Raisi. When I told him about the man

he was more than willing to give me a chance to publish it. He oered me all the tools that I needed in orde

create it. I am outlining it now, and hopefully it will be published in English, because we would like to distribu

internationally.

Nof has worked on a business plan for the manga and believes that itll be a big hit in the market not only in Om

but also worldwide. Of course, I am sure we will receive some negative feedback too. But I am going to take

as a challenge to improve my work in the future, says the astute artist. It is important to note here that manga

read like regular graphic novels. Traditionally, manga stories low from top to bottom and from right to left. So

publishers of translated manga keep to this original format. Other publishers mirror the pages horizontally be

printing the translation, changing the reading direction to a more Western left to right, so as not to confuse for

readers or traditional comics-consumers. However, it will be interesting to note how readers already familiar w

reading from right to left perceive the style of mangas.

Nofs success story hasnt been a bed of roses. When she began expressing her passion for art, her family wa

very encouraging. My family did not want to encourage me because they did not think that an art degree wo

be of much use to me in the future. But now they have realised that art has become an important part in mbusinesses today. And it is true if you think about it - because ultimately every idea starts with a sketch. Now

parents are with me every step of the way.

Nof who is a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki, Founder of Studio Ghibli, is also planning on going to Japan to pursue

Masters in Animation to further her knowledge and learn from the best. She is ample testament to the fact th

you set your mind on something, nothing can hold you back. We cant wait to see where her art takes her in

future.

NOF AL ZADJALI

ANIMATOR/ILLUSTRATOR

ANIMATED DREAMSNof Al Zadjali has taken her passion for drawing and writing in a

slightly different direction. Inspired by Japanese iconography and

visual languages, Nof has written and sketched Omans rst manga


36/46


37/46

motivatedherto pursue athletics withan enduring passion. JoiningtheNati

Athletics Team for Special Needs was a life-changing experience for Raya

many ways, with sports instilling a lot of fresh energy into her, encouraging

to be more competitive andscalingnew heights in life. It was a morale-boo

helped develop my abilities and increased my vitality, says Rayan.

Testifying to this new-found liveliness is the multiple roles she plays in life a

employee at SQU,student at Middle East College and an athlete at the Nati

Athletics Team for Special Needs. She joined the team in 2010 where she

specialised in throwing, which is divided into three categories: Javelin Th

Discus Throw and Shot-put. Rayan says her skill level slightly varies from ga

to game.

She worked hard to overcome various obstacles, although managing t

management she says, I usually dedicate some amount of my time for st

after my working hours. I attend my trainings at Bausher Sports Complex th

days every week. As for preparation for competitions, I go to a closed camp for almost three weeks with exten

morning and evening sessions in court and the gym. It is very hard for her to manage when the competiti

competition she attended was in Tunisia. This was followed by the GCC Women Sport Games in Bahrain in 2

where she bagged three gold medals. In 2014, she took part in Faza 6th International Athletics competition

SharjahInternational Forum where shemanaged to wintwo bronze medals. Shefeelsthe sweetest moments in

life are when she is setting a new record and when her name is being announced as a winner.

Rayan is looking forward to pursuing her athletics career more fervently and aspires to participate in m

international competitions. Shealso wants to constantlycontributeto andsupportthe cause of people withspe

needs, in addition to working hard to serve her country. I would appreciate it if our communities leveraged t

whoever supported and encouraged her throughout her life. She calls on the disabled not to let their disabilit

an obstacle. Never give up and be assured that you can be famous if you keep moving forward, she conclud

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK


38/46

For us in Oman, Rumaitha Al Busaidis name (and voice!) is something we

all familiar with. Not only is she a highly popular Radio Presenter (Merge 10

FM) (whos also got an MSc in Aquaculture Management) but she has a

recently made news by being the youngest Omani woman to set foot on

White Continent. As part of the Freezing Omanis, she embarked on the 2

expedition to Antarctica this year.

Rumaithas passion to go to Antarctica began about six years ago. A ke

environmentalist, it hadbeen Rumaithas dreamto join RobertSwans exped

to theAntarctic. Theexpeditionallowsenvironmental enthusiaststo explore

landscape of Antarctica, all the while learning about climate change and w

peoplecan do to protectthe last great wilderness on Earth. This year, Ruma

wona spot for the expedition, turned her dream into realityand joined 88ot

But getting there was something easier said than done. Rumaitha knew t

getting the sponsorship for the trip was just one obstacle that she would h

to overcome in order to fully accomplish her dream. To help her do so, fund-raisers and her sponsors, Enhanc

SABCO Media, helped her raise money and thus reserved a spot for the expedition.

Yet another task was the arduous training schedule which included weekly treks, freezer training in an indus

scale freezer (to get acclimatized to the cold temperatures in Antractica) and a vigorous cardio workout sched

Her story is a prime example of what passion and dedication can help you achieve. No dream is too big if you t

set your heart and mind to it.

Rumaithas advice to everyone? Carpe Diem! she says, Lifes too short. Take chances and live your dreams!

ANTARCTIC ADVENTURES


39/46

60 jawharatoman2014

Salem Al Busaidis work celebrates the marvel of everyday life, history, and

timeless beauty created by nature and humans. I started my photogra

career six years ago, says Salem. During this period, I was very keen

gaining technical knowledge about photography and with the suppor

the Photography Club at Sultan Qaboos University and the Omani Societ

Photographers, I have beneitted a lot. Through my interactions with se

photographers Ive gained a lot of insight into photography and their comm

and criticism have helped improve my work. In fact, my irst local participa

was at a photography exhibition held at SQU. My irst international participa

was at the seventh edition of the U.A.E photography competition.

Today, this talented photographer is the proud recipient of over 25 internati

medals from the International Photographic Society, Photographic SocietAmerica as well as various regional and local photographic societies.

Salem also received The Best Young Photographer Award in a fam

competition organized every two years by the Royal Dutch Society

collaboration with leading European Studios. Not only was he the

international photographer to win in the history of the competition but he

managed to bag a total of seven awards. A magniicent feat indeed!

I am also proud of being a senior member of the International Photographic Society holding the rank of artist

a Crown grade, says Salem. He strongly believes that awareness within the community will help develop art

and creative value of photos. In order for the world to acknowledge Omani photography, we need to support

community irst. Omani photographers have a diverse environment to work with, be it natural landscapes or

rich cultrual heritage and theres a lot of talent and potential among local photographers which can be cultiva

through the right guidance and mentoring.

In the future, he looks forward to establishing an autonomous society which will include all photographers.

Society will have a dedicated a building which will host exhibitions and be equipped with training halls

computer labs.

SALEM AL BUSAIDI

PHOTOGRAPHER

ART & SOULSalem bin Ahmad Al Busaidi, winner of multiple international

accolades, shows through his work that creativity truly, has no limits

There is a lot of talent

and potential among localphotographers which can becultivated through the right

guidance and mentoring


40/46


41/46

Representing your country globally and receiving distinguished awards is

invaluable honor an honor bestowed upon only a few select individuals

Salman Al Hajri, a calligraphy artist, researcher in visual arts and designer

excellence is one such individual. An Assistant Professor of Art and Desig

the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Dr Salmans w

and achievements know no bounds.

His work has won him the bronze at the A Design Award Winner for Arts, Cr

andReady-Made Design Categoryin 2013. Mycontribution to thiscompet

has been a collection of contemporary calligraphic work using graphic-des

Although the style is very modern, traditional Arabic calligraphy remains

crux of my theme. All my work has been inspired by the beauty and chan

patterns of calligraphy which has enabled me to re-organize letters int

beautiful, engineered construction. However, such manipulation requires s

knowledge of design and aesthetics such as colours schemes, shapes

over-all harmony. Moreover, it requires abidance to ratios of letters. For swork to be successful it requires that the artist be familiar with technology

Dr Salman, who has a PhD in Art and Design education, from Loughborough University, UK constantly look

developing himself and hiswork, thus enriching the art community at large. He looks up to any artistwhose mo

He has participated in many international exhibitions, workshops, and artistic activities and currently, is working

incorporatingvarious artand designstylesin hiswork including photography,painting, drawing, digitalprintmak

and techniques. The most important elements in his art are; creativity, colour harmony, simplicity, and attrac

compositions.

Dr Salman has developed a unique style in Arabic calligraphywhich has caught the attention of many internati

traditional calligraphy as the main theme, infusing them with modern elements. He wants to re-introduce

viewers can easily interact with. In calligraphic art, several people question your creativity and work of art,

consider it easy and simple work which may be done through computers, hence giving no credit whatsoeve

Computers cannot create a work of art without an artists involvement.

One of the unique aspects of Dr Salmans work is that even though words and phrases appear in his artwork,

do not conveying a direct meaning. He leaves his works free to interpretation, thus engaging the audience

ALL IN A STROKE


42/46

All my work has been

inspired by the beauty

and changing patterns of

calligraphy which has

enabled me to re-organize

letters into a beautiful,

engineered construction


43/46

Sami Mohamed Saeed Al Moharbi, born in 1989, is a technology geek w

Studiomax among international game developers.

the world of technology by working a

audio engineering and working on creating games. In 2007, I learnt Ad

and courses given by Saeed al Sobhy and Salem al Hajiry were my only sou

of knowledge. Then in 2010, I started working on 3D Max and Maya. I took

bestfrom each programme andby mid-2012 I decided to pursue my childh

dream, which was to publish a game application, says Sami. Finally in 2013

I had to come up with a concept which was suitable for all age ranges,

3D Run Style, Temple Run or Subway. I also noticed a trend that most ga

these days are set in Arab locales, like Sonys Uncharted 3. Hence, I thou

souq perfectly, explains Sami. Lets Go Run, which follows a similar style as that of the highly popular Temple R

has four characters two of which are based on real people Qusai and Reem. The third character is a pe

called Enmy and the fourth is one called Zero. The game has characters sprinting through the souq while avoid

bumping into people and obstacles. Players have to

upgrades or new characters.Within a week of the gamebeing launched in the AppleApp Store,it was downloa

over 6000 times. Of these, 2000 downloads were from Oman. Now, the game is also available for Android u

others.However, he avers that without his brothers andcolleagues support,he couldnt have managedit this f

was hisbrother whohelped him buythe original programmes and his colleagues Youssef Al Shamsy and Ah

Al Amri assisted him in all translation related work.

the game saying: High quality graphics

slow down the game. Moreover, Lets Go

to similar games, but youll get familiar

with it over time. The game doesnt have

instructions, but I am currently workingon it.

I didnt create an Arabic version of the game

because Im hoping to spread our culture inthe west. Even the information and pictures

about the Souq is provided in English to

boost tourism.

GAME ON!Sami Al Moharbi is the brains behind the highly successful Lets Go

Run game app which ranked rst among free games within a week

of its launch in the app store/marketplace


44/46

They say tragedy should be utilised as a source of strength. No matter w

hope, thats our real disaster. Staying true to this dictum is how Talal Bin A

Fori carved a niche for him in body building.

Talal got introduced to bodybuilding after a tragic accident in 2000, which

injuries on his back and knees, and he was advised by an orthopaedic do

at Khoula hospital to start exercising regularly. This paved the way for Tal

bodybuilding.

In 2002, I started to adore bodybuilding because of the encouragement

from the coach and my friends at the health club. The coach encouraged

competition and won the second place. I was very proud of myself that d

says Talal.

between his working hours and his passion for body building. The big

challenge was that I have been working as a supervisor in Oman Cables Industry since May 1996 in rotating s

Omani National Team of bodybuilders. I felt very

proud to be a member of the Oman National

Team and that encouraged me to improve my

level further to participate in Gulf and Arab

championships.

Talal feelsthathad it not been for the support from

his employer, Oman Cables Industry, he could not

have reached where he is now. I am thankful to

Oman CablesIndustry fortheircontinuous support

and granted me the leave to prepare for the sixth

Arab Championship in which I won, representing

category and third place in mens category.

Talal is very ambitious and always sets his dream

very high. My ambition now is to participate in

Sultanate there, he concludes.

PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE


45/46

The Start

Eng. Zahir Al Naamani completed his National Diploma from the Royal Gu

of Oman Technical College ( RGOTC ), and then continued his studies p

timeat Caledonian College of Engineering. After two years of studyinghard

graduated as a computer engineer while at the same time leading his col

team which won the reputed competition in web designing, ICT Challe

After 12yearsof workexperiencein theMinistryof Transports & Communica

Eng. Zahir has joined an initiative of the Information Technology Authority (

one of the top10 designers, who moved to the next phase of the training w

lasted nine months. The second phase was divided into theory and prac

modules taught in Oman and Singapore. During the nine months, Eng. Z

andhis colleagues designed a game applicationfor ROPto teach others hodrive safely. Also, during the training, he decided to start his own business

from the ITA initiative to support Omani designers. Company provides serv

in Virtual Reality, 3D design, graphic design & video production. Vertex Re

succeeded in winningthe trust of theSAS entrepreneurship incubationcenterand willbe incubated for thecom

and other projects. In December 2013, Vertex Reality joined the Cell programme for entrepreneurship which i

OMIFCO company initiative. Here Eng. Zahir and 26 entrepreneurs have trained in entrepreneurship skills for

months. The programme has turned me into a real leader and has given me enough intellectual depth to exc

the future as well. The programmes content, is the best in Oman and the team that is managing it are puttin

His Work

About the revolutionary Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque project, Eng. Zahir says: The ideawas to design a 3D vi

tour of the mosque and all itsdepartments.Thistechnology can be exported to Virtual Realitysystems, or as a

or mobile application. This project allows tourists to take virtual a tour of all departments and learn more ab

thisiconic Omani building. As a virtual reality company,Vertex Reality, can alsodesign other attraction in Oman

castles, forts, airports, train stations, hospitals, oil rigs, and other projects which can then be used for e-learn

medicine and military training.

On Challenges

No success comes without its own set of challenges and obstacles. Since Vertex Reality is a private comp

do the job which may not be available in Oman. We are committed to Omanisation a 100%. We advertised for

from seven Arab countries applied and we took only two of them, a designer and a business developer. Wevery proud of our employees and work hard to improve their technical and intellectual skills to reach internati

standards. About being ready to build partnerships withsome foreign companies, Eng. Zahir said: Of course

technology is

jawahart oman 2014

Documents