Super achievers of the Sultanate

2014
Supported by
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.
The
Human element is the
maker of a
renaissance and the
builder of a civilization
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said
desk
It takes a special breed of people to think and do things differently and consistently succeed
at it; especially those who experience repeated success in many areas of their life throughout
their lifetime. These handful of people make success seem like a breeze but little do people
know about the hardships that they undergo.
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Saids dynamic leadership for 44 years has created a perfect
environment for people from all walks of life to pursue their interests and desired goals.
As a result, we have a generation of achievers who have led the way in diverse elds and
emerged as role models for those around them. Jawharat Oman has been tracking the
success journey of extraordinary achievers like these, the efforts they have taken to reach the
pinnacle of success, the difculties they faced in reaching their goals and the vision to build
on their laurels.
No matter how diverse their goals or crafts, these super achievers share many distinguishing
habits and characteristics that set them apart from the rest. Intelligent Persistence is one
such trait we found common among them. Dedication and blind persistence are two very
different things. Instead of doggedly using the same ineffective tactics, super achievers pivot
and try to tackle the problem from a different angle they know how to work hard, but more
importantly, how to work smart.
Our super achievers are also driven by a sense of Community. They know they cant
achieve success on their own. Instead, they must galvanize a group of people around their
idea or goal. Teamwork, or having an ecosystem of supporters, turns out to be critically
vital for success. Finally, the third trait that we realised is that they are Constantly Evolving.
Consistently learning and adapting to the environment around them is what keeps these
achievers at the top of their game.
Jawharat Omans journey in facilitating these super achievers began in 2011. Today, with
the fourth edition out, we are glad to say that we have featured over a hundred Jewels.
From fashion and photography to sports and technology we have chronicled the success
journeys of some truly incredible people.
The fourth edition of Jawharat Oman showcases 27 super achievers. Once again, they are
a set of diverse individuals with proven achievements in their elds of specialisation but
they have certain common binding traits the thirst to go beyond the ordinary and achieve
their goals despite challenges in their paths. They are individuals who have risen above the
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 stories
are equally important. We would like to continue featuring more Jewels in our forthcoming
editions and cover those who we might have missed out this time. If you have a success
story that makes you a Jawharat Oman or you know someone who has blazed a trail, do
share the details with us and let us work together to highlight the role models to inspire a new
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
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 MOIDEEN
Designer
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 MEHTA
JACOB GEORGE
RAHUL RADHAKRISHNAN
Assistant Manager - Business Support
RADHA KUMAR
CORPORATE
Chief Executive - SANDEEP SEHGAL
Executive Vice President - ALPANA ROY
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Super achievers of the Sultanate

Buthaina Al Mahruqi
Dr Fatma Al Kharousi
Budoor Al Riyami
Hanadi Al Zadjali
Safa Al Mukhaini
Marwa Al Habsi
Hazar Al Zadjali
c
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t
e
n
t
s
Lubna Al Balushi Hasan Ali Jawad
Mahmood Al Fori
Maimuna Al Sulaimani
Nashwa Al Kindi
Mohammed Al Araimi
Mohammed Al Mahrazy
Muzna Al Brashdi
Naaifa Al Obaidani
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s
Rayan Al Mujaini
Salem Al Busaidi
Talal Al Fori
Rumaitha Al Busaidi
Sami Al Moharbi
Dr Salman Al Hajri
Eng Zahir Al Naamani
Nof Al Zadjali
c
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Any attempt at Human Resource Development should start with dening value. If a country
needs to progress, it is amply evident that in todays world, managing a nations human capital
effectively cannot be taken out of the equation. Human resources development has been
dened as empowering people by fostering the contributory capacities that they can bring to
the improvement of their own quality of life and that of their families, communities, enterprises
and societies. And today, this must become the centre of coordination and development of any
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) strategies,
although primarily spearheaded by the oil & gas industry has had a spill-over effect in various
other sectors. Omanisation, training & development, localised sourcing of goods and services
these are just some of the aspects which businesses are beginning to look into in order to
maximise benets for the country. It is in our best interest to foster environments for learning
and capacity building at the individual and organisational levels for their involvement will play an
important strategic role in the advancement of the Sultanate.
I have always maintained that no business can ourish and sustain if the local communities and
the surrounding environment do not benet from it. We, at Al Watanyiah United Engineering
& Contracting, strongly believe in operating within a balanced business framework and that
strategies for sustainable livelihoods must be grounded in local communities. Many of our
projects outside of Muscat run through several towns and villages. We contribute to the local
communities by employing as many locals as possible; provide various opportunities such as
hiring of equipment from local individuals or companies; and have an over-all perspective that
is compatible with the Sultanates economic, social and environmental development.
The future belongs to societies that can organise themselves by learning and acting on what
they have learnt. Now is the time to move from generic manpower planning to a broader,
synthesised approach based on open systems thinking and tandem participative processes.
THE HUMAN PERSPECTIVE
VIEWPOINT
Dr. Hamed Hashim Al Dhahab
CEO, Al Watanyiah United Engineering &
Contracting
The oil and gas industry is the engine for national growth and is in a unique position to drive
lasting economic prosperity and social progress under the guidance of His Majestys leadership.
Those in the sector only succeed if the communities in which they operate succeed and that
means delivering jobs, training, investment and expertise which will ensure the Sultanate and its
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 in-
country that can benet business development, contribute to human capability building and
stimulate productivity in the Omani economy. In short, its about products made and services
provided by skilled Omanis in Oman.
ICV is all about transforming lives and giving Omanis the help they need to help themselves, and
creating sustainable employment opportunities and training programmes for citizens, in line with
His Majestys wishes.For it to work, it needs the support of all our stakeholders employees,
government, customers, contractors, vendors, suppliers, academia, media and, of course, the
wider community a genuine collaborative effort among operators and a willingness to sustain
change. One of my colleagues once correctly said: ICV is a marathon, not a sprint and perhaps
one without a nish line. There will always be room for improvement or areas to address but
the ultimate aims of expanding the domestic skills base, creating real and rewarding jobs and
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 the
moment within our industry. Real momentum is building towards our aim of creating 50,000
Omani jobs by 2020 and unlocking a US$64 billion which could be retained in Oman if we can
develop a strong base of skilled and committed Omani companies and a national workforce to
service the oil and gas industry.
Since 2011 PDO and its contractors created more than 10,000 jobs and training opportunities,
awarded contracts worth more than US$3.1 billion to locally registered rms and launched
a welding training scheme for hundreds of Omani jobseekers which will qualify them to the
highest internationally accredited level.
We also spearheaded a new Oman oil and gas industry ICV strategic blueprint with the Ministry
of Oil and Gas which has initially identied 53 business opportunities in our sector for Omani
companies to exploit.
The strategy is geared towards enabling Omani manufacturing and service rms to compete at
a global level by introducing common industry standards and approaches so that everybody
is competing on a level playing eld without compromising on health, safety and environment,
general business principles, quality, commercial or technical considerations.What is at stake
is the need and desire to develop a competitive and sustainable local supply market, mainly
through increasing the competency level and productivity of the local workforce. Its important
to point out that this policy has been fully supported by the Government at all stages
underlining the point that joint commitment and partnership between private and public sectors
are fundamental ingredients for success. We need to get to the point where ICV is embedded in
every contract and becomes part of our national DNA. If we succeed in oil and gas, then there is
absolutely no reason why the model cannot be adapted and replicated in other sectors so that
Oman becomes a byword for economic, commercial and social excellence.
DELIVERING OMANI
EXCELLENCE
VIEWPOINT
Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi
External Affairs Director
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)
Young people in any country represent the future of that country. They have a vital role in
the development of the country. There are many ways that youth can contribute to national
development. Striving for excellence is one of them! Excellence is to do a common thing in an
uncommon way. Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more
than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than
others think is possible.
To secure the future we must engage the younger members by speaking to them about things
that matter most to them like innovation, engagement and collaboration.
Oman has a tremendous opportunity to attract the young generations to upcoming jobs,
business opportunities and industries. However, to help youth see how the profession is leading
the way on matters of integrity and value, we need to engage with them effectively to create
and promote the values, visions and principles of countrys strategies. Bringing such youths
onboard the development wagon becomes the responsibility of those in authority. However,
our youth need to be supported and encouraged by the government, the private sector, the civil
society, the community and their parents.
Heading a non-governmental organisation that has big interest in youth, offered me a good
engaging platform with them. I have seen young volunteers, businessmen/ women and
employees with outstanding level of creativity, positive energy, commitment, and leadership
to survive in the market. However, transferring knowledge doesnt come without nourishing it
rightly at the initial stage the seed. Youth will surely play an active effective role if given the right
soil. With the right environment they will ourish beneting themselves rst before beneting the
nation that they nurture in. I do believe that any young Omani if given the right base with right
incentives (nancial, educational and others) and a clear path to building a career, will deantly
be outstanding and will produce unexpected results.
From my point of view, we can inspire younger Omanis by imbedding in them the values of
doing everything right! Anything worth doing, is worth doing right. Doing it right needs searching,
nding, collaborating, testing, engaging, evaluating etc. Let them do all that and keep doing so
until the end - with continuous guidance and follow up.
ENGAGING YOUTH IS KEY
VIEWPOINT
Shaima Al Lawati
CEO, Oman Road Safety Association
(ORSA)

Ashraf Al Asmis journey with poetry began at a very young age. Al Asmi
remembers the days when he would write poems and show them to a close
family member for feedback. Id show my writing to him and he would tell me
about patterns of rhyme and syllabic pulse, something that Arabic poetry is
famous for. Back in the day I did not know much about rhyming schemes and
after his guidance, I decided to go back and read up on it. That is when he
discovered the intricacies of Arabic poetry and began incorporating the basic
tenets into his work. Since then, Al Asmi hasnt looked back.
Currently, Al Asmi is working as a Material & Corrosion Engineer at the Rabab
Harweel Project for Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) but poetry still
remains his true passion. I feel like an adventurer moving from one place to
another or like a feather drifting in the wind poetry makes you feel like this,
he says.
Al Asmi whowas Headof the Khaleel Literature Group(2008 and2009) as well
as head of the Classical Poetry Committee (2007) at Sultan Qaboos University
I may write about the journey of my soul, about our beloved country, about a
tear that trickles down a childs face or tears of nostalgia on an old mans face. I write about things which move me.
published by the Arab Publication House, Lebanon. The book was not only supported by the Ministry of Heritage
and Culture but also garnered a lot of attention from the literary community in Oman. The accolades he has won
are ample testament to his talent. He has won the Rashid bin Humaid Award for Culture and Science twice; came
third at the Gulf Level at the 7th Cultural Week poetry competition; and won multiple gold medals at competitions
on regional levels.
poets can really portray what they actually have in their hearts and minds and that takes a lot of hard work and
dedication, he explains. Al Asmi uses words as a vehicle to bring feelings and emotions into being and is trying
hard to create his own identity and style of poetry . Poetry truly has no limits or boundaries. I want to develop my
own style and be known for writing high quality poetry. Today, there are numerous poets and authors, but very few
nurture the true spirit of poetry, and leave a legacy for posterity.
POETIC HUES


Asya Al Jabri, Marwa Al Habsi and Safa Al Mukhaini, or Team Thrizers as they are popularly known, has done the
country proud. Last year, they won Omans National Champion of Imagine Cup 2013, and went on to represent the
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 children
with Dyslexia. Says Asya, ReadX is a windows 8 application built using Microsofts Visual Studio and Windows 8
assessment and determines whether the child actually has Dyslexia and allows him/her to practice his/her reading
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 team
They all thought the issue would be solved as the boy grew up. Fortunately, the team member was and still is a
make the connection and took him to the center where he was diagnosed with Dyslexia. Thus began their journey
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, however
we all had an inner dream, which was to use the massive and impressive advancements in technology to help
disadvantaged children. However this dream was only fully realized when we participated in the Imagine Cup
competition.
Today, these young women have not only proved themselves as competent IT professionals but have gone a long
way in dispelling stereotypes about Arab women on a global scale. Marwa who is also a big admirer of Sheryl
Sandberg (and had the opportunity to meet and interact with her in a convention in the United States) says,
Imagine Cup was a true learning experience for us. Multicultural experiences lead to intellectual understanding
and mutual respect, and the competition served as a platformfor us to showthe world that Omani women too can
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 dominant
in most areas of society. Although this is gradually changing, women are still reluctant to present their ingenuity
and creativity. The trio collectively decided to name themselves Thrizers - which means three girls - to encourage






THE IT CROWD
Asya Al Jabri, Safa Al Mukhaini and Marwa Al Habsi, are the brains behind the
revolutionary Windows 8 application ReadX
From avant-garde installations to traditional calligraphic prints, the work of
Budoor Al Riyami has long incorporated elements of a surreal nature. One look
at her work and youll be enamoured for life. Not only does her work comprise
images of haunting beauty but also relect a maturity that goes well beyond
her years.
Born in 1977, and a graduate of Sultan Qaboos University, Budoor was brought
up around art. Drawing is perhaps one of the irst things any child learns, she
says. When we are children, we draw lines even before we learn how to talk.
Even as a child, I remember sitting beside my father with a pencil and a scrap of
paper, drawing shapes and trying to rediscover the world around me. In fact, my
father was my irst art teacher.
In 2008 Budoor won the Grand Prize at the 13th Asian Art Biennale, with her
innovative video installation work entitled The Peak of Burning, which was one
of the few artworks on display, portraying modern technology. Like most of her
work, The Peak of Burning also engages in political, societal, and psychological
spaces using a proliic mix of wit and woe. Speaking about her prize-winning
work Budoor says, I tried to feature the ongoing crisis in a chaotic world. Right
now, so many places in the world are ravaged by war not for any noble cause but for political and business
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 lead in
encouraging new types of art in Oman, and the Gulf. Currently, Budoor prefers photography, and video installation
art, while continuing to experiment with paint, and sculpture. Much of her art has a surrealist lavor, I like to take
elements from my surroundings and place them in an environment that is completely dierent from what is
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 aims
to stir viewers sensibilities with her work, whereby, she encourages her audience to interpret art through their
own eyes, and react accordingly. I have always been inspired by human and social themes. My work is inspired by
self-experiences that are then translated into colours and shapes. Budoor also believes that we should adopt, and
experiment with science, and modern technologies.
BUDOOR AL RIYAMI
ARTIST
NOVELTY ACT
Budoor 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 translated
into colours and shapes
Today, Buthaina Al Mahruqi is most recognized by the general public as the
woman whod joined Robert Swan on his Leadership on the Edge programme
to Antarctica in 2013. We caught up with her, a year after her ambitious journey,
to ind out more
Buthaina recalls her initial interactions with Zeena Al Towayya the irst Omani
woman to make the journey to the White Continent back in 2012. Although I
knew about 2041 and Robert Swans eorts in raising environmental awareness
about Antarctica, I was hesitant to actually do something about it. I wasnt sure
if I had it in me. But meeting Zeena completely changed my mind. In fact, when
she irst broached the topic with her husband and her parents, even they did not
take her idea seriously. After winning a place in the 2013 expedition to Antarctica,
Buthaina set to work out on securing sponsorship for the programme. Once I
received the conirmation, I was determined to see it through. After knocking
on endless doors she inally managed to gather the required funds for the trip
(with Petroleum Development Oman where Buthaina is currently employed
as a Business Analyst pitching in nearly half of the fee). When I inally told
my husband about it, his jaw dropped on the loor, recalls Buthaina. Shed
done it! After two years of dreaming about it and months of training prior to
her departure, she was inally embarking on what promised to be the greatest adventure of her life. I think we as
people place many barriers in our minds. The biggest obstacles in our lives are the ones weve placed in our minds.
We create perceptions about certain things and convince ourselves that its how life works. We need to face our
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 people
have about Arab women in general. During the trip, many people were surprised to learn about my background
and the lifestyle of women in Oman. There are people still out there who have a very narrow understanding of
what role women play in societies in the Middle East. But I think, slowly but surely that is now changing. For two
weeks, Buthaina journeyed across the White Continent as part of the 2041 International Antarctic Expedition,
designed to increase awareness of global climate change. It was one of the most diicult things I have done,
she recalls, but also the most rewarding. I came back a changed person. Today, Buthaina is still committed to
raising environmental awareness. She does this by organising workshops for young people. I think inculcating the
importance of protecting the environment should be started from a very early age. There needs to be mind-set
change and what better way than shaping young minds? Ultimately, it is their planet. They will inherit the world in a
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 into
environmental activists, explains Buthaina. Taking simple steps and incorporating minor changes in our buying
and spending habits also go a long way. If we all begin to place a curb on our wants, make sustainable choices
about how we travel, and think twice about disposing things imagine the positive impact itll have on a larger scale.
It is ultimately, the little things which add up to make a bigger dierence.
BUTHAINA AL MAHRUQI
ADVENTURER
ICECAPADES
Buthaina Al Mahruqi who embarked on the two-week expedition to
Antarctica last year says she came back a changed person
Dr Fatma grewupinMuscat ina bigfamily andsince she was a child, her parents
always pushed her and her siblings to excel in academics. I consider myself
lucky to be a member of a family like mine which encouraged learning from a
very youngage. I completedmy BScinMathematics inSultanQaboos University
and graduated with an honours degree. I was appointed as a demonstrator in
the Mathematics and Statistics Department, College of Science, SQU. With this
position I saw an opportunity to accomplish my dreams. SQU also sent me to
do my Masters at Michigan State University, USA and also provided me with an
opportunity to do my PhD. Since I was fascinated by coding theory, I decided to
go to Queen Mary University of London, where I found a well-known supervisor
In a nutshell, Coding Theory is used in many of our daily data transmission
machineries and networking systems. Instruments like CDs, computers, and
many more use coding to save and transfer information from one place to
another.
It was Dr Fatmas research which garnered the attention of a German publishing
literature in Coding Theory, a German publishing company approached me to publish my thesis as a printed book
to be sold worldwide. They took the responsibility of printing, producing and distributing the book. Now my thesis
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 for
the sciences. Understanding math will help us deal with most science subjects. At least it is a subject you can
do without much revising once the concepts are understood. In my undergraduate studies, I loved all science
subjects. I was in a position to choose one to work with. First it wasnt easy to decide which one but then I felt that
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 later if
I wanted. People always wondered what was I going to do with a math degree, but I thought and I still think the
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 numbers increasing and I hope that it will
keep on growing.
Dr Fatmas love for the subject knows no bounds and it is a deep-rooted passion of hers to embrace STEM
So I would encourage anyone to explore and study Science, especially mathematics. This subject teaches you how
to think systematically and logically. Studying Mathematics provides us with skills of critical thinking and problem
solving which should put mathematicians in high demand. Employers should know that mathematics graduates
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 subject
and wish to bring Omans name high up in the sky. And I also strongly believe that all of us should do the best we
can for humanity.

NUMBERS GAME




I think its safe to say that every woman at some point in their lives has fantasized about opening up her very own
fashion boutique. These two lovely ladies, Hanadi Al Zadjali and Hazar Al Zadjali did just that and then some! While
their beginnings did not begin in fashion, theres no doubt that these style savvy business women were made for
the business of fashion! Hanadi and Hazars backgrounds are essentially not fashion-y at all. Hanadi graduated
from Victoria University where she studied marketing and international tourism, while Hazar studied Psychology
in Canada. Upon returning, Hanadi joined a local Bank where she still works as the Marketing & Communications
Manager. So what inspired the launch of Boutique Muscat, we wonder? Says Hanadi, I dont think Boutique Muscat
was inspired as much as it was borne out of necessity. when we were studying abroad, shopping was such a
breeze be it online or oline, high end or low end. You can ind anything and everything: trendy, classic, designer
wear, whatever you want. And we noticed that in Muscat often people did not have the means to get the stu that
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 to
unprecedented success they have expanded their business to a chic premise at Jawharat Shatti. Hanadi also has a
blog on the side called everydayH (www.everydayh.com) wherein she reviews beauty products, Fashion & lifestyle
as well as organizes giveaways and more. Its true what they say that if youre doing something you love, it doesnt
feel like youre working, says Hanadi. Going to work in the morning and then focusing on Boutique Muscat and
everyday during the other half of the day, dealing with clients, paperwork, orders all these may get a little tasking
but they still dont take the fun out of doing what you truly want. Always keep your goals in mind, and on tough days
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 Hazar,
supports local entrepreneurs and designers showcase their brands. The sisters realize that the market isnt easy to
break in to. We thought that it would be a good idea to help other small businesses get exposure through Boutique
Muscat, Omani or non-Omani, by invluding them under Boutique Muscat to get the real experience of having a
business. This project aims to give people a chance to test the market for their product without taking the risk of
setting up a business.
Hazar has been designing since 2011. It started o with more traditionally attired fabric but with a trendy twist.Hazar
explains her collections thus: If you are a little bold in your fashion choices then you can wear them whenever you
want; if you are not so bold, you wait for a special occasion. They dont scream out loud, and are very demure
designs but at the same time very classy, chic and lattering. We are increasing our production for that, and are
marketing and re-branding ourselves. Basically, we are just taking the Boutique Muscat brand where its meant to
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 FIESTA
Hanadi and Hazar Al Zadjali: sisters and the brains behind Boutique Muscat
the rst online multi-brand boutique in Muscat
they were on a trip. I still remember it. That was a Minolta device priced exactly
at 30 Bahraini dinars. Thats where I started from, initially by taking pictures of
family members. In those days, cameras were not so ubiquitous as they are
today and we didnt have the luxury of digital cameras. We had then only black
and white rolls which were also very expensive. And for processing the slides I
visited UK later for his higher studies was to see the Kodak shop which was an
amazing experience for him. He feels the technological revolution brought in
by digital cameras has been simply phenomenal. After Minolta, he shifted to
Camtex and subsequently to Canon; and currently he is using a Nikon D800,
which is his fourth camera. Jawad prefers photographing sceneries to shooting
its beauty varies from country to country, if not location to location. He always
carries a camera with him. He has a camera handy in his car and keeps a small
frame. But my Canon has got a long zooming facility which is very handy when I travel, he says. However he does
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 Beach is
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 and
popularized it to the hilt. But he fears that the popularity of photography has made people believe that whoever
clicks is a photographer. He also feels that Instagram has been widely misused by people who show a total
disregard for the quality of the photos. Asked about his advice to aspiring photographers, Jawad said that passion
and patience were the two most essential ingredients for a good photographer in the making. When I take a nice
picture even with my Minolta, I make sure that I get it right. Sometimes I wait for a picture till the opportune time
comes. Once, I was in the desert when I sawa lizard among the dunes. I went behind it and followed it and I had to
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 action
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 an
expensive camera. If you dont have a nice theme, there is no point in carrying an expensive camera. He is of the
opinion that photography adds to ones intuition and enhances ones power of observation. A photographer will
become very observant, even if she does not have a camera with her. And this observation skill in turn, will really
increase your intuition, he avers.

MIDAS TOUCH


and decided to learn German for purely professional reasons, says Lubna Al
Balushi when asked the most obvious question: Why German?
My journey to getting the book published began in 2008 when I started
learning German at the Goethe Institute in Oman and won a scholarship to
attend the Goethe Institute Freiburg in southwest Germany. During the course,
I was faced with the task to write a poem in German. Ever the steely spirited
person, Lubna decided to give the challenge a shot and take it a step further.
mother tongue was hard and I promised myself that if I could write 20 poems,
Ill get them published.
At the time, Lubna never actually thought that she would end up writing 20
poems but it is surprising what a little determination can help you achieve.
Soon she found herself with a collection of 27 poems ready to be published.
But this is where Lubnas actual challenge came into being: she could not
wide for a publisher. It was really a tough time for me and I was considerably
discouraged, recalls Lubna. But instead of dwelling on the negatives, she immersed herself into more poetry and
ended up writing another 27 poems. Finally, after months of pursuing publishers she found a German publisher
who agreed to partly sponsor the book.
Today, her work Schnheit des Herzens includes 54 poems which talk about emotions that are common among
humans in all cultures. The poems highlight several themes like love, happiness, sadness and dreams. In a way, the
poems tell us to love our life, open our hearts and be strong enough to face life with love, explains Lubna. Also,
I have always enjoyed reading poetry be it in Arabic or German. Even when I was a student, Id penned some
poems in Arabic but never actually thought of publishing them. I know, it sounds strange that I write poems in
German and not in Arabic and many people have even asked me about this. To them, I would just like to quote
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



The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horses ears, goes an
Arabian proverb. A horse is an embodiment of strength, power and beauty
cutting across traditions and cultures. The essential joy of being with a horse is
Omani horse rider Mahmood bin Marhoun Al Fori, who is also part of Omans
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 strength
while it also involves the art of keeping a horse between you and the ground.
The process of riding a horse requires a lot of patience and endurance,
because at times you are pitted against a powerful animal which is bold enough
to make any dangerous step even at the risk of its life. A horses speed is not
what a horse rider can decide in advance.
watching the horses and then joined racers while they underwent training in
and outside the camp. Thus, I developed a desire to participate in races, he
says. Initially I didnt know that my manager was preparing me for endurance
competitions. He trained me for a year, without letting me participate in any race, to test my patience which is the
I participated.
Championship in 2006. Subsequently, he participated in Qatar Championship and European challenges. Then he
joined the World Championship 2008, in Malaysia, where although the Omani teamcould not performwell, he was
for the second time in the World Championship in Britain, and was ranked third among 56 countries. It was a happy
minds that we had to win, and that is what helped us immensely, he adds.

ENDURINGSTEADFASTNESS


Its time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the
achiever the one who recognises the challenges
and does something about it Vince Lombardi.
applaud them with epithets like strong, brave, gutsy, feisty, and determined
but what perhaps string together all these qualities is a sense of humility.
That speaks volumes about the person and adds both life and meaning to
the achievements that need to be acknowledged, felicitated and emulated.
in the Arab world. Besides these, she occupies an enviable position as Head of
Legal and part of the senior management team at Al Izz Islamic Bank.
But as we pointed out earlier, this young achiever is not just distinguished by her
laurels but by her humble disposition and wanting to be the change she wishes
to see in this world. To knowabout Maimunas enterprisingnature andher journey to the top, its imperative to begin
at the beginning itself. She speaks of a joyful childhood spent in the UAE in a huge family where co-existence, co-
operation and resilience were the norm. We were more than 20 kids living together, doing chores, taking care of
one another. I believe this contributed to my corporate personality, as I would like to put it by making team spirit
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 moved
to Amman, Jordan for her Bachelors Degree in Law. Studying abroad expands the mind and you learn to get out of
your comfort zone. Fortunately, I come froma family that appreciates education and encourages children to study,
she says. Why law? Maimuna has a plausible explanation for her choice of education and career. I had to choose
between law and political science; something that would help me give back to my country that had funded my
education. I thought if I took up law, I would be able to use my education to help my nation. After completing her
as a legal researcher and worked there for three years. But academics was calling her again, this time, she was
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 before
she left for further studies and came back right on time to honour her promise). From bank muscat, she moved
onto Omantel and put in seven years at the organization that she calls a university. This stint was very important
in my career. It reiterated my faith in teamwork, resilience and being accepting of others, she says. She joined Al
Izz Islamic Bank in 2013 becoming the only female Legal Head in the banking sector. The responsibility was the
reality. Some people like to be at the top alone. But I am not one of them. The legal profession is my concern now
which brings us to my most important project. In 2010, I registered the intellectual property rights to establish a law
magazine in Oman titled, Law & Life a bi-lingual publication that will be a reliable source of information on law,
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

It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I
am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. - William Ernest Henley,
Echoes of Life and Death.
I was born in a small village in Al Sharqia, called Wadi Al-Mur, begins Mohammed
Al Araimi. I opened my eyes to vast dunes, barren plains, and empty spaces.
These images, tales, events, environment, traditions, people and their way of
living, were the main elements that shaped my personality and thereafter my
existence. Fast forward a few years later, he went to the United States to pursue
his higher studies and obtained a Bachelors in Industrial Engineering. Upon
returning, he joined Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) to begin his career
in the ield of engineering. However, life had other plans for him. In a tragic car
accident, Al Araimi lost the ability to walk and was conined to a wheelchair.
After the accident, I went to England for nine months to undergo rehabilitation
and physiotherapy, but after I returned to work, it was not physically possible
for me to continue my old job as an engineer, recalls Al Araimi. Therefore the
company oered me a job as a translator. Suddenly my work environment
changed from drilling rigs, oil production and gathering stations to a typewriter,
paper and an inseparable dictionary a job I never thought of when I chose
engineering as a major of study. If I look back at my early days after the accident, sitting in the wheelchair was one
of the most diicult things that I had to do. I found myself in a world governed by the rules of disability yet I was
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 monthly
magazine Al-Fahal, where he published a short article titled Living with disability. The story garnered a lot of
attention among PDO employees and other readers. And I was encouraged by many friends and colleagues to
write further. A year later, Madhaq Assaber or Taste Of Patience, was published in Lebanon. A Taste Of Patience,
is an attempt to reveal how my handicap made me adapt to most aspects of my life. It is in short, a message to say
that coping with disability does not mean surrendering to its terms, but rather making the best of what I have so
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 experience
of coping with disability, I had to answer a crucial question: Do I have something to say that will beneit others?
I thought to myself, after 20 years of living with a disability, I surely have something of value to communicate
and share with people like me and their families. In the midst of my attempt to come up with a text through
which I intended to reveal myself in a methodological manner and in a good style, I wrote, I added and I omitted
but eventually the outcome fell short of my expectations. However, a friend of mine didnt think so, he took the
manuscript to a well-known writer, who was impressed and advised him to publish it. Al Araimi went on to publish
more books. Huz Al Qaid/Mark Of Chain is a story of a young man, Ali, who inds himself accused of being a
member of an underground revolutionary organization that he knows nothing about. In jail, he is tortured in order
to reveal to the investigators the name and location of the organisations leader, who by coincidence works in the
same company as Ali. The events of this novel take place in a prison located in the middle of a remote desert. His
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 English
and distributed by a leading publishing company, International Islamic Publishing House. The Arabic edition was
printed ive times within 10 years and parts of the book have also been used in the Arabic schools curricula for 11th
and 12th grades.
Sometimes fate throws you a curveball. Whether youre prepared to catch it or not, is another story entirely.
Mohammed Al Araimis story goes to show us that no matter that life dishes out, if youre determined and positive
nothing can stop you from achieving greatness.
MOHAMMED AL ARAIMI
WRITER
WRITE STUFF
Mohammed Al Araimi, author of A Taste of Patience talks about his
journey, the challenges and of course, his writing
When I thought of
writing about my own
experience of coping
with disability, I had
to answer a crucial
question: Do I have
something to say that
will benefit others?
Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and
composing the beauty is what separates the
snapshot from the photograph. Matt Hardy
If youre passionate about something, its obvious that it shows in your work.
And if its a passion that has carried on from childhood, then youre very lucky
to have a job that has translated your dreams into reality.
Mohammed al Mahrazy Photographer at Petroleum Development Oman is
one such lucky person. His passion for photography began in secondary school
when he received a camera as an award from the Ministry of Education. The
special moment was a propitious start to something bigger. As with every
new interest, Mohammed, already bitten by the photography bug started
taking photographs of willing subjects namely his family, and of course, his
surroundings as well. As time passed, his creative side began to thrive and be
began looking forward to taking up photography as a career. I have always
been into art and design and like to see the beauty of pictures. I am curious
MohammedjoinedPetroleumDevelopment Oman (PDO) where he works as a photographer as well as in animation
and graphic design. Joining the organisation gave a major boost to his career. As he explains, When I joined
(renowned Photography and Film institute in the US) and Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in
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 picture
speaks a thousand words. So what essentially capture Mohammeds interest? I like to take shots of scenery and
sunsets because it gives you the control to set your time. I also love going to the beach and taking photographs.
Portraits are my other interest, especially of people I see on the streets or in villages. I amcaptivated by features and
expressions. But sometimes it is not a good idea because people might object to being photographed. Especially
these days when you have to put up pictures online and they might not be comfortable with the idea. Does his
photography have a competitive edge to it? Mohammed informs us that though he has won in a fewcompetitions,
he prefers to stay away from the limelight. I like to keep things low key and just enjoy photography. I do not
necessary follow the group but intend to follow my own path, he says.
Excellency Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy. The second one in 2010 was also inaugurated by himand supported
by PDO. It was held at Muscat City Centre, which is a good spot to highlight my work. Tourists from the UK and
Korea who sawmy work actually picked it up and took it back home with them. The next one will be next year, which
and avant-garde. I dont want to give away too many details but I will be trying something new not only in terms of
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 was
specially invited for the prestigious Hamdan International Photography Award organised under the patronage of
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.
photographers and social media apps like Instagram?
Theres nothing wrong with cell-phone cameras and iPhonography. But if you want to get a deeper understanding

CLICK HAPPY
Mohammed Al Mahrazy is an avid photographer and his passion is
clearly evident in his work...
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 on
his 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.
Applied Sciences whos studying her Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics
and Communication. A hard working and diligent student, Muzna has always
known in her heart of hearts that she wanted to pursue a career in the sciences.
Have a clear vision of what you want to doof what you want to beand know
what your values are. Thats what worked for me, explains Muzna. Today, shes
working on a project titled Remote Energy Monitoring with SMS which helps
people estimate howmuch electricity they are using through via text message.
how much electricity we have used. This remote monitoring system detects
continuously how much a household is using and sends an SMS at dedicated
intervals. Not only does this help families keep track of their energy usage but
also goes a long way in making sure people take appropriate action in terms of
energy conservation too.
Her project work has garnered a lot of attention fromthe academic community
and she won second place at the 2014 Tech Fest for her innovation. Her team
also won the presentation at the University of Nizwa. Star performers knowthey
cant achieve success on their own. Instead, they must galvanize a group of
people around their idea or goal. Teamwork, or having an ecosystemof supporters, turns out to be critically vital for
success. I certainly wouldnt have gotten this far without my support system, says Muzna earnestly. I would like
at the College have also been immensely helpful and the Dean Dr Mohan Varma and Mr Ibrahim Al Jahwari, Admin
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. Initially I was a
very shy and quiet person, but over a period of time I noticed a marked change my personality. I have become more
outspoken even my English language skills have improved. Apart from studies, Muzna is very much into theatre
and drama and herself written and directed a bunch of plays which were showcased at Nizwa College and the
importantly respect what you are studying. Without this, theres no meaning to success. And of course, remember
that studyingnever stops. I want to continuously keeplearningandimprovingmyself because thats a never-ending
process. Self-improvement is a life-long process.

INNOVATION EXCELLENCE



Its not hard to see why recently the media has been gushing about Naaifa Al
Obaidanis work a quick browse through a few of her portfolios highlights
(which swings from thoughtfully designed posters with deep messages, to
light-hearted, bright designs) easily explains why. But in the interest of being
thorough we met up with the talented designer to know more.
A typical day in the life of Naaifa includes creating brand logos, working
on brochure designs, while at the same time juggling her role as Technical
Assistant at Petroleum Development Oman LLC (PDO). I grew up in a very
artistic family, reminisces Naaifa. I was always surrounded by art and used
it as a medium of expressing myself when I was very young and didnt know
how to otherwise.
So it was a natural progression for Naaifa to pursue a career in the arts. When
immediately signed up to pursue her Bachelors in Graphic Design. Since then
she hasnt looked back.
eclectic and philosophically sound ideas. Ample testament to this is a poster she designed on the theme Freedom.
For this pice de rsistance of sorts, she chose Nelson Mandela and superimposed his photos over the years to
form a dynamic image with a clear message: When you look at Nelson Mandelas smile, you see freedom. In
another work, she has incorporated typography to send out a message about Success and yet in another one, she
has used traditional calligraphy. Naaifa has also done extensive work for the Oman Cancer Association as well as
businesses across the Middle East. She realises that interpreting and relaying business ethos to a discerning market
Naaifa is quick to mention that her boss and colleagues at work have been very supportive of her passion. When
But now, I feel extremely lucky to be working in an organisation that not only recognises my talents but also gives
design, Naaifa admits that it has opened up new avenues for her. Someday in the future, she also hopes to pursue
her passion full-time and turn it into a rewarding career. We certainly cant wait to see that day!


DESIGNS THAT INSPIRE
Naaifa Al Obaidani has a unique air for amalgamating thoughts, ideas
and emotions and bringing them together to form a creative whole
Nashwa Al-Kindis passion for sailing and watersports started at a very young age.
The youngest of her siblings, she was privileged to have an exciting childhood
that allowed her to enjoy the beauty of Omans pristine beaches and its majestic
mountains. As a child, she used to accompany her father and uncle when they
went ishing and by the time she was seven she had already experienced her
share of snorkelling, hiking, photography, go-karting, biking and playing football.
Initially, young Nashwa aspired to be a photographer. After a brief stint as a
driving instructor, she dived into photography and spent four years capturing
images of peoples celebrations and the beauty of Omans natural environment.
This was followed by another four years at Nawras, where she worked as a
customer service agent until an online advertisement on Facebook caught her
attention in 2011.
The advertisement was posted by Oman Sail, the countrys pioneering sailing
development initiative, to announce the start of its Womens Sailing Programme
and encourage Omani women to take part in a six-month training programme
where the most promising female athletes would be chosen to take part in the
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 sail
and learned as much as she can about the sport. This paid o well and Nashwa was accepted into the programme.
The more time she spent on the water, the more she loved the sport and this passion translated into hard work and
dedication. Speaking about her irst weeks in sailing, Nashwa Al Kindi said, I did my best; I knew that I had to work
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 lot of
research to learn more about the sport. It was really hard work for six months. In 2012, Nashwa graduated as one
of Omans irst female sailing instructors.
After completing her training, Nashwa worked as an instructor at the Oman Sail sailing school in Bandar Al Rowdha.
Her job was to train other promising athletes to learn the basics of the sport and to build the foundations of their
sailing careers, which gave her immense pride. I am very proud to have come this far in my career. In this time I
have not only learned a new sport, but how to teach the next generation how to sail. Passing on my skills to the
upcoming generation and watching these boys and girls compete in the Olympics or bringing back a cup and
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 opened.
This wasnt enough for Nashwa. She wanted to prove herself in the ield and to tap her potential in a big way, I
always wanted to explore new avenues. I cant sit and stay at one place for a long time. I wanted to be better and
improve myself. So I wanted to get into the senior instructor programme and I got chosen to join it. Eventually, I
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 Awards. A
few months later, her eorts in the development of sailing in Oman were also recognised by the International
Sailing Federation (ISAF), the world governing body for the sport of sailing, when she was presented with the ISAF
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 something
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. My
dream has always been to sail in bigger boats. Nashwa had her chance when Oman Sail organized a motivational
NASHWA AL KINDI
SAILOR
SAILOR PAR EXCELLENCE
Nashwa Al Kindi is the rst recorded Arab female to make a trans-
oceanic crossing and an inspiration to young Omanis to follow their
dreams
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. Ill 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 encourage
young 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.
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Even for those not entirely familiar with Japanese animation, Anime and
Manga are familiar concepts. Characterised by distinctive styles and a unique
storytelling fashion, Japanese Anime and Manga has a massive fan following all
over the globe.
In Oman, Nof Al Zadjali has taken her passion for the art a step further. Nof has
been drawing since she was in the third grade. Today, this 25 year old has made
her dreams of becoming a professional animator come true. I remember the
reason that inspired me to start drawing was watching Anime on T.V. Since I was
10 years old I have been really fascinated by Japanese art, ideas, and stories in
every episode. That motivated me to continue practicing daily to reach what I
have become today.
The popular and recognizable style of manga is very distinctive. Emphasis
is often placed on line over form, and the storytelling and panel placement
dier from those in American comics. Impressionistic backgrounds are very
common, as are sequences in which the panel shows details of the setting
rather than the characters. A graduate from the Scientiic College of Design,
Nof has been working on her own Manga since 2008. I wrote the story back
in 2008, explains Nof. And in 2009, I approached the Cultural Club to see if they were interested in publishing
my work. However, I could not elicit a response from them because Manga really isnt part of our culture and the
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 manga,
he was more than willing to give me a chance to publish it. He oered me all the tools that I needed in order to
create it. I am outlining it now, and hopefully it will be published in English, because we would like to distribute it
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 Oman
but also worldwide. Of course, I am sure we will receive some negative feedback too. But I am going to take that
as a challenge to improve my work in the future, says the astute artist. It is important to note here that manga isnt
read like regular graphic novels. Traditionally, manga stories low from top to bottom and from right to left. Some
publishers of translated manga keep to this original format. Other publishers mirror the pages horizontally before
printing the translation, changing the reading direction to a more Western left to right, so as not to confuse foreign
readers or traditional comics-consumers. However, it will be interesting to note how readers already familiar with
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 wasnt
very encouraging. My family did not want to encourage me because they did not think that an art degree would
be of much use to me in the future. But now they have realised that art has become an important part in most
businesses today. And it is true if you think about it - because ultimately every idea starts with a sketch. Now my
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 her
Masters in Animation to further her knowledge and learn from the best. She is ample testament to the fact that if
you set your mind on something, nothing can hold you back. We cant wait to see where her art takes her in the
future.
NOF AL ZADJALI
ANIMATOR/ILLUSTRATOR
ANIMATED DREAMS
Nof 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
motivated her to pursue athletics with an enduring passion. Joining the National
Athletics Team for Special Needs was a life-changing experience for Rayan in
many ways, with sports instilling a lot of fresh energy into her, encouraging her
to be more competitive and scaling newheights in life. It was a morale-booster
helped develop my abilities and increased my vitality, says Rayan.
Testifying to this new-found liveliness is the multiple roles she plays in life as an
employee at SQU, student at Middle East College and an athlete at the National
Athletics Team for Special Needs. She joined the team in 2010 where she had
specialised in throwing, which is divided into three categories: Javelin Throw,
Discus Throw and Shot-put. Rayan says her skill level slightly varies from game
to game.
She worked hard to overcome various obstacles, although managing time
management she says, I usually dedicate some amount of my time for study
after my working hours. I attend my trainings at Bausher Sports Complex three
days every week. As for preparation for competitions, I go to a closed camp for almost three weeks with extensive
morning and evening sessions in court and the gym. It is very hard for her to manage when the competitions
competition she attended was in Tunisia. This was followed by the GCC Women Sport Games in Bahrain in 2013
where she bagged three gold medals. In 2014, she took part in Faza 6th International Athletics competition and
Sharjah International Forumwhere she managed to win two bronze medals. She feels the sweetest moments in her
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 more
international competitions. She also wants to constantly contribute to and support the cause of people with special
needs, in addition to working hard to serve her country. I would appreciate it if our communities leveraged their
whoever supported and encouraged her throughout her life. She calls on the disabled not to let their disability be
an obstacle. Never give up and be assured that you can be famous if you keep moving forward, she concludes.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

For us in Oman, Rumaitha Al Busaidis name (and voice!) is something we are
all familiar with. Not only is she a highly popular Radio Presenter (Merge 104.8
FM) (whos also got an MSc in Aquaculture Management) but she has also
recently made news by being the youngest Omani woman to set foot on the
White Continent. As part of the Freezing Omanis, she embarked on the 2041
expedition to Antarctica this year.
Rumaithas passion to go to Antarctica began about six years ago. A keen
environmentalist, it hadbeen Rumaithas dreamtojoin Robert Swans expedition
to the Antarctic. The expedition allows environmental enthusiasts to explore the
landscape of Antarctica, all the while learning about climate change and what
people can do to protect the last great wilderness on Earth. This year, Rumaitha
won a spot for the expedition, turned her dreaminto reality and joined 88 other
But getting there was something easier said than done. Rumaitha knew that
getting the sponsorship for the trip was just one obstacle that she would have
to overcome in order to fully accomplish her dream. To help her do so, fund-raisers and her sponsors, Enhance &
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 industrial
scale freezer (to get acclimatized to the cold temperatures in Antractica) and a vigorous cardio workout schedule.
Her story is a prime example of what passion and dedication can help you achieve. No dream is too big if you truly
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

60 jawharatoman2014
Salem Al Busaidis work celebrates the marvel of everyday life, history, and the
timeless beauty created by nature and humans. I started my photography
career six years ago, says Salem. During this period, I was very keen on
gaining technical knowledge about photography and with the support of
the Photography Club at Sultan Qaboos University and the Omani Society of
Photographers, I have beneitted a lot. Through my interactions with senior
photographers Ive gained a lot of insight into photography and their comments
and criticism have helped improve my work. In fact, my irst local participation
was at a photography exhibition held at SQU. My irst international participation
was at the seventh edition of the U.A.E photography competition.
Today, this talented photographer is the proud recipient of over 25 international
medals from the International Photographic Society, Photographic Society of
America as well as various regional and local photographic societies.
Salem also received The Best Young Photographer Award in a famous
competition organized every two years by the Royal Dutch Society in
collaboration with leading European Studios. Not only was he the irst
international photographer to win in the history of the competition but he also
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 with
a Crown grade, says Salem. He strongly believes that awareness within the community will help develop artistic
and creative value of photos. In order for the world to acknowledge Omani photography, we need to support the
community irst. Omani photographers have a diverse environment to work with, be it natural landscapes or our
rich cultrual heritage and theres a lot of talent and potential among local photographers which can be cultivated
through the right guidance and mentoring.
In the future, he looks forward to establishing an autonomous society which will include all photographers. The
Society will have a dedicated a building which will host exhibitions and be equipped with training halls and
computer labs.
SALEM AL BUSAIDI
PHOTOGRAPHER
ART & SOUL
Salem 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 local
photographers which can be
cultivated through the right
guidance and mentoring
Representing your country globally and receiving distinguished awards is an
invaluable honor an honor bestowed upon only a few select individuals. Dr
Salman Al Hajri, a calligraphy artist, researcher in visual arts and designer par
excellence is one such individual. An Assistant Professor of Art and Design at
the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Dr Salmans work
and achievements know no bounds.
His work has won him the bronze at the A Design Award Winner for Arts, Crafts
and Ready-Made Design Category in 2013. My contribution to this competition
has been a collection of contemporary calligraphic work using graphic-design.
Although the style is very modern, traditional Arabic calligraphy remains the
crux of my theme. 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. However, such manipulation requires solid
knowledge of design and aesthetics such as colours schemes, shapes and
over-all harmony. Moreover, it requires abidance to ratios of letters. For such
work to be successful it requires that the artist be familiar with technology and
Dr Salman, who has a PhD in Art and Design education, from Loughborough University, UK constantly looks at
developing himself and his work, thus enriching the art community at large. He looks up to any artist whose morals
He has participated in many international exhibitions, workshops, and artistic activities and currently, is working on
incorporatingvarious art anddesignstyles inhis work includingphotography, painting, drawing, digital printmaking,
and techniques. The most important elements in his art are; creativity, colour harmony, simplicity, and attractive
compositions.
Dr Salman has developed a unique style in Arabic calligraphy which has caught the attention of many international
traditional calligraphy as the main theme, infusing them with modern elements. He wants to re-introduce the
viewers can easily interact with. In calligraphic art, several people question your creativity and work of art, and
consider it easy and simple work which may be done through computers, hence giving no credit whatsoever to
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, they
do not conveying a direct meaning. He leaves his works free to interpretation, thus engaging the audience into

ALL IN A STROKE

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
Sami Mohamed Saeed Al Moharbi, born in 1989, is a technology geek whos
Studiomax among international game developers.
the world of technology by working as an
audio engineering and working on creating games. In 2007, I learnt Adobe
and courses given by Saeed al Sobhy and Salem al Hajiry were my only source
of knowledge. Then in 2010, I started working on 3D Max and Maya. I took the
best fromeach programme and by mid-2012 I decided to pursue my childhood
dream, which was to publish a game application, says Sami. Finally in 2013, he
I had to come up with a concept which was suitable for all age ranges, like
3D Run Style, Temple Run or Subway. I also noticed a trend that most games
these days are set in Arab locales, like Sonys Uncharted 3. Hence, I thought
souq perfectly, explains Sami. Lets Go Run, which follows a similar style as that of the highly popular Temple Run,
has four characters two of which are based on real people Qusai and Reem. The third character is a person
called Enmy and the fourth is one called Zero. The game has characters sprinting through the souq while avoiding
bumping into people and obstacles. Players have to
upgrades or newcharacters. Within a week of the game being launched in the Apple App Store, it was downloaded
over 6000 times. Of these, 2000 downloads were from Oman. Now, the game is also available for Android users
others. However, he avers that without his brothers and colleagues support, he couldnt have managed it this far. It
was his brother who helped himbuy the original programmes and his colleagues Youssef Al Shamsy and Ahmed
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 amcurrently working on it.
I didnt create an Arabic version of the game
because Im hoping to spread our culture in
the 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
They say tragedy should be utilised as a source of strength. No matter what
hope, thats our real disaster. Staying true to this dictum is how Talal Bin Ali Al
Fori carved a niche for him in body building.
Talal got introduced to bodybuilding after a tragic accident in 2000, which he
injuries on his back and knees, and he was advised by an orthopaedic doctor
at Khoula hospital to start exercising regularly. This paved the way for Talal to
bodybuilding.
In 2002, I started to adore bodybuilding because of the encouragement I got
from the coach and my friends at the health club. The coach encouraged me
competition and won the second place. I was very proud of myself that day,
says Talal.
between his working hours and his passion for body building. The biggest
challenge was that I have been working as a supervisor in Oman Cables Industry since May 1996 in rotating shifts.
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 feels that had 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 Cables Industry for their continuous 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

The Start
Eng. Zahir Al Naamani completed his National Diploma from the Royal Guard
of Oman Technical College ( RGOTC ), and then continued his studies part-
time at Caledonian College of Engineering. After two years of studying hard, he
graduated as a computer engineer while at the same time leading his college
team which won the reputed competition in web designing, ICT Challenge
After 12years of work experienceintheMinistry of Transports &Communication,
Eng. Zahir has joined an initiative of the Information Technology Authority (ITA),
one of the top 10 designers, who moved to the next phase of the training which
lasted nine months. The second phase was divided into theory and practical
modules taught in Oman and Singapore. During the nine months, Eng. Zahir
and his colleagues designed a game application for ROP to teach others howto
drive safely. Also, during the training, he decided to start his own business and
from the ITA initiative to support Omani designers. Company provides services
in Virtual Reality, 3D design, graphic design & video production. Vertex Reality
succeededin winningthe trust of the SAS entrepreneurshipincubation center andwill be incubatedfor the coming
and other projects. In December 2013, Vertex Reality joined the Cell programme for entrepreneurship which is an
OMIFCO company initiative. Here Eng. Zahir and 26 entrepreneurs have trained in entrepreneurship skills for two
months. The programme has turned me into a real leader and has given me enough intellectual depth to excel in
the future as well. The programmes content, is the best in Oman and the team that is managing it are putting in
His Work
About the revolutionary Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque project, Eng. Zahir says: The idea was to design a 3D virtual
tour of the mosque and all its departments. This technology can be exported to Virtual Reality systems, or as a web
or mobile application. This project allows tourists to take virtual a tour of all departments and learn more about
this iconic Omani building. As a virtual reality company, Vertex Reality, can also design other attraction in Oman like
castles, forts, airports, train stations, hospitals, oil rigs, and other projects which can then be used for e-learning,
medicine and military training.
On Challenges
No success comes without its own set of challenges and obstacles. Since Vertex Reality is a private company,
do the job which may not be available in Oman. We are committed to Omanisation a 100%. We advertised for jobs
from seven Arab countries applied and we took only two of them, a designer and a business developer. We are
very proud of our employees and work hard to improve their technical and intellectual skills to reach international
standards. About being ready to build partnerships with some foreign companies, Eng. Zahir said: Of course, this
technology is so expensive that we have get international partners to support us with the demonstrative hardware
and software systems. Currently, there are some draft agreements on the table with some international companies
Message to Omani Youth
My message for the youth would be to start your own company. There are many opportunities within the
government and private sectors. Study every step of the way and never embark on a project without thoroughly
understanding it. Learning is a lifelong process. Keep learning constantly so you can make well-informed decisions.

VIRTUAL VISIONARY


Established in 1977, Jawahir Oman, one of the oldest jewellers in Oman, was also the rst
ne jewellers in the Sultanate. Today, the company has gained an enviable reputation that
has been achieved by the careful selection of prestigious brands and a meticulous eye for
detail in creating one-of-a-kind jewellery and handcrafted sterling silver gifts. Jawahir Oman
also exclusively represents some of the biggest international brands for high-end jewellery and
luxury watches including Tiffany & Co., Porsche Design, De Beers, Gautier, Junghans, and
many other top brands from around the world.
The design ethos at Jawahir Oman is inspired by Omans landscape, culture, history, its people
and their daily lives. Because of its close proximity to different countries, Oman has a melting
pot of cultures that, over the years, has taken its own shape and identity and weaved its way
into the cultural fabric. Jawahir Oman draws inspiration from this and tries to complement
Omans rich cultural heritage and traditional design philosophy. Each piece of jewellery reects
the regal sophistication thats quintessentially Omani. Jawahir Omans own signature range,
the Majliya Collection, part of the Arabian Collection of jewellery, features an exquisite level
of craftsmanship in masterpieces designed and created by Omani craftsmen. The Heritage
Collection, also designed and crafted in-house, is an exclusive collection of sterling silver gifts
that capture the very essence of Omans culture.
In a global market saturated with mass-produced accessories, Jawahir Oman is out to thrive by
doing exactly the opposite of what every other company is doing, by creating signature pieces,
individually crafted by highly skilled local craftsmen. From its state-of-the-art factory in Ghala,
skilled Omani craftsmen personally design and handcraft one-of-a-kind pieces in timeless
designs using carefully chosen materials. This allows the company to offer bespoke and highly
customized jewellery and gift design services to their discerning customers who have exquisite
tastes in jewellery and ne gifts.
Jawahir Omans jewellery is so distinctive both in its unique style and beauty that it makes for a
perfect gift whether its for a special occasion, like a milestone birthday, wedding, engagement,
anniversary or an impulse purchase that brings joy to the people you love. The jewellery can
be made bespoke to your wishes transforming each piece into a cherished keepsake or like in
most cases, a treasured family heirloom.
BESPOKE LUXURY
For close to four decades, Jawahir Oman has been offering its clientele impeccably
crafted jewellery that are not only rich in symbolism but also celebrate Omans
unique cultural and ethnic diversity
CROWN JEWEL