WEB DESK
Ms. Priya Indru Mani, a 55-year-old Indian national, recently made headlines when her story of living alone in a car for four years was shared by a digital media company. The story touched the hearts of people around the world and generated an outpouring of support for Ms. Mani. The Qatari landlord waived off a significant portion of the outstanding dues, and Mrs. Jasbir Bassi, MD of Car Fare Group, offered a payment of AED 50,000 to settle the remaining dues, as well as a job for Ms. Priya Indramani in their group of companies.
However, what many people didn’t know is that the Consulate General of India in Dubai had been working tirelessly for over two and a half years to help Ms. Mani find a way out of her difficult situation. Ms. Mani’s troubles began when her father, the main breadwinner of the family, passed away in 2005. She started her own business, but in 2017 her mother suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed. Ms. Mani became her mother’s primary caregiver, and her business suffered as a result. To make matters worse, her mother developed Parkinson’s disease, and the medical bills started piling up, quickly depleting the family’s savings.
Ms. Mani found herself unable to pay the rent on her villa in Desert Springs Village in Barsha Heights, Dubai, and in December 2018, she was evicted from the property. She and her mother moved into a hotel, but they could not afford to stay there for long, and eventually, they ended up living in Ms. Mani’s car. Her mother passed away in June 2020, and Ms. Mani was left with mounting debts and no place to call home. She tried to find work but was unable to secure a job due to her expired visa and lack of funds to renew it. She survived by doing odd jobs and receiving charity from a few kind-hearted individuals.
Ms. Mani’s situation was dire, but she refused to give up hope. She reached out to the Indian Consulate for help, and they immediately began working on her case. The Consulate reached out to the landlord of Ms. Mani’s former villa, and they were able to negotiate a settlement for the outstanding rent. Additionally, a group of kind-hearted individuals came forward during Ramadan to settle the remaining outstanding debts, including an outstanding balance with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).
With the outstanding debts settled, Ms. Mani was finally able to start her new job and move into a proper home. She expressed her gratitude to everyone who helped her during her difficult times and said she was excited to start her new life. The Consul(Madad) Shri. Bijendar Singh thanked Mr. Vinay Chaudhary, Mr. Aneesh Vijayan, and Ms. Jasbir Bassi, who came forward to help Ms. Mani and praised the spirit of solidarity and generosity that was displayed during her time of need.
