Indian tea seller becomes guest of honour in UAE

Dubai: In a heartwarming gesture, a 50-year-old Indian tea seller in the UAE was made guest of honour at the inauguration of a new branch of an electronic shop owned by an expatriate in Dubai.

Mohammed Shafi from Kerala was a happy man after being invited to cut the ribbon and open the new branch of the shop where he has been selling tea for the last 20 years on Al Musalla Road in Deira area.

Neelesh Bhatia, the chairman of Key Fashion Electronics Trading, draped a shawl around Shafi as a gesture of honouring him amid applause of dozens of people, including employees and guests, Gulf News reported.

Shafi, who works with Dream Way cafeteria in the neighbourhood, also became the first customer of the newly-opened shop after purchasing a mobile headphone set.

Even as the guests clapped for him, he served sweets and savouries for the guests.

"I never expected anything like this. It is so sweet of him to do this. I have not heard about people doing such nice gestures. I just want him to get more business and prosper in life," Shafi said.

He said that once he was given 15,000 dirham (Rs 2.7 lakh) for continuing the education of his son who is now an IT engineer in the UAE.

Sometimes, it is Shafi who keeps a watch on the shop and keeps the keys with him if the employees are late.