Watch: Around 900 Galadari Brothers employees kick off Dubai Fitness Challenge at iconic cricket stadium – News

Camaraderie, fun, togetherness and healthy competition dominated the day as the group’s employees and officials participated in the 30-day challenge.

Over the weekend, approximately 900 employees of Galadari Brothers (GB) gathered at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to launch the annual Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) with great enthusiasm.

This renowned cricket venue, known for hosting several international matches, was transformed into an outdoor activity area for the parent company of Khaleej Times, the UAE’s leading English language newspaper, which has always been an active participant in DFC since the beginning.

Camaraderie, fun, togetherness, sweat, laughter and healthy competition dominated the day on Saturday as the group’s employees and officials once again took on the 30-day fitness challenge with enthusiasm and strong commitment. That’s why Galadari Brothers is always among the top private companies in the DFC rankings.

Ibrahim Galadari, group chief investment officer, Ravi Tharoor, executive director of advertising media division, among other employees, participate in the inauguration of the Galadari Fitness Challenge 2023 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Photo by Neeraj Murali

Beyond the DFC

Ibrahim Galadari, chief investment officer of the group, said DFC is a great initiative to keep everyone healthy, both physically and mentally.

“We come here to have fun and involve everyone. There is also healthy competition between various companies and departments of the group, and we also compete to be better than other private companies,” he added.

“Our ultimate goal, however, goes beyond the Dubai Fitness Challenge. Our goal is to live a healthy lifestyle. We have various activities throughout the month and we want everyone to remain physically active and healthy for the rest of their lives.” . Galadari stressed.

The best part of DFC is the sense of belonging, said Shah Basharat, Mazda brand director. He said that through various activities and contests, employees and staff come together to carry out inclusive activities that strengthen the bond of the company. “It creates a friendly environment that makes them fully understand the company culture,” he added.

Ravi Tharoor, CEO of Khaleej Times, for his part, gave a more philosophical idea to reflect on the event, pointing out that group events develop team spirit and employees’ feeling of being proud and loyal to the company.

He said: “As the Arabic proverb says, ‘he who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.’

On a jovial note, he added: “We are very happy to have started DFC with yoga, zumba and other activities. I absolutely enjoyed today’s yoga (session) and we look forward to more engagements and fun.”

warm up yoga

The day began with a relaxation and stretching session. Aditi Hate, a yoga instructor known for ‘Yoga with Aditi’, encouraged GB employees with warm-up yoga for a relaxed start and also to reduce muscle tension. This was followed by some stretching and laughter yoga to stimulate much-needed oxygen to the body’s muscles.

Shulamite Berte, popularly known for her Zumba classes with Shula, took over from Aditi Hate and left the GB staff with an adrenaline-filled Zumba routine.

Let the games begin

Soon, the stage was set for the main event, which was Tug of War, featuring representatives from each GB division.

To the beat of drums and shouts of fans and friends, six players from each team attempted to defeat their opponents not only with brute force and force but also with tug-of-war tactics.

In the men’s category, defending champions HED (Heavy Equipment Division) A got off to a lightning start by subduing Corporate B in less than 10 seconds during the elimination round.

HED B dominated their opponents and in the end, they faced their colleagues from HED A in the final. Both teams faced each other in the championship, but out of a spirit of camaraderie they decided not to compete and declared themselves co-winners.

“It was total team spirit and great support from our department that led us to our fourth consecutive victory in this competition,” said Nabeel Abbas, one of the HED A players.

In the women’s category, the F&B team also achieved its fourth consecutive victory in the Tug of War. The team, captained by Marian Habib, defeated the Automobile, Corporate, Media and Heavy Equipment teams on their way to first place.

Habib said the team’s all-round effort on and off the job proved to be the key ingredient to their victory.

Lively atmosphere

Meanwhile, Vardhaman Chhajed, radio jockey of BIG FM 106.2 and rapper who acted as host on the day, was impressed by the GB event. He said: “GB is one of a select few companies that focus on the health of their employees. It was (the event) an energetic and lively atmosphere. Such lovely people.”

The DFC opening event ended with plenty of refreshments for everyone.

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