INDIA-ORIGIN INVESTMENT BANKER VISHAL PATEL LEFT HIS JOB TO SERVE AT THE BAPS TEMPLE IN ABU DHABI

14 February 2024, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inauguration of Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple, a significant event blending spirituality and diplomacy. The BAPS Hindu Mandir, sprawling across 27 acres, symbolized the enduring bond between India and the UAE. Adorned with pink sandstone columns and crowned by seven spires, the temple’s architecture exuded elegance. President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warmly welcomed Modi, highlighting the blossoming friendship between the two nations. Tens of thousands of Indians gathered to support Modi. The temple, crafted at a cost of $95 million by the Hindu BAPS organization, serves as a beacon of shared humanity.

Modi’s visit underscored his commitment to strengthening ties with the UAE, India’s third-largest trading partner with a bilateral trade volume of $85 billion between 2022 and 2023 several deals, including a bilateral investment treaty, were signed to enhance economic cooperation. Modi also addressed a stadium packed with 40,000 Indian expatriates and attended the World Government Summit in Dubai.