Dubai: It would indeed pleasing news for not only the people of Bhatkal town, but also to that of the whole Karnataka state that Mr. SM Syed Khaleel has been list in the id list of 100 top most influential Indian living in the Gulf. Mr. Khalil is one of the only two personalities from whole Karnataka state, who have been listed in the “Power List India 2010”, the first ever compiled list in which 100 most influential personalities living in the Gulf region have been encompassed. Mr. Khalil is very well known in the professional, social and business circles of Dubai. He is at 65th position in the impressive list.

Yusuf Ali MA, the managing director of Abu Dhabi-based retail giant Emke Group, has taken the top spot in the first ever Arabian Business Power List featuring the most influential Indians in the Gulf. Mr. Yusuf Ali is followed by the GCC’s richest Indian, Mukesh – or ‘Micky’ to his friends – Jagtiani, head of the Landmark Group. The third in the list is V Shankar, who this year took on the key job of managing Standard Chartered Bank’s operations in the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and Europe.

Another personage from Karnataka listed in “Power List India 2010”, is Mr. B R Shetty, who is hailing from Udupi. Mr. B R Shetty is the managing director of New Medical Centre and also the renowned money transfer and currency exchange firm UAE Exchange, which is not only popular in gulf region but also in many Indian cities.

Bhatkal’s S M Syed Khaleel, who have been listed in “Power List India 2010”, is the chairman of Sahil Media Publishing Society, Bhatkal. He is the president of Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen Bhatkal and also the chairman of Kannada daily “Vartha Bharathi”, which is simultaneously published from Mangalore and Bangalore.

A Charted Accountant by profession, Mr. Khalil was conferred with “Rajya Utsav Awards” the topmost esteemed official award of Karnataka state, in the year 2003. He is the former Chief Advisor to the Chairman of Galadari Brothers and presently the Group Executive Director for I.M.Galadari Bros. Dubai. During his two terms as the President of Karnataka Sangha he inspired the mega cultural and social events and strengthened the relationship between the Sangha and the Government of Karnataka. He molded it as a bridge between the People and the Government. The most significant program organized under his stewardship was the Government of Karnataka sponsored Seminar on the “Industrial Development Investment opportunities at Karnataka” which was held at the Inter Continental Hotel Dubai in April 1995.

“Power List India 2010” is dominated by Indians working in the retail sector; fully a third of the hundred names for which the selection was made their names by selling products, not just in the Gulf, but all over the world.

The list also shows that Indians are playing a vital role in boardrooms of both international and local banks operating in the region, with 17 working in the banking and finance sector. Elsewhere, 15 of the personalities on the Power List earn their living from the construction and industry sector. But, if anything, the Arabian Business Indian Power List shows just how far the Indian diaspora has become enmeshed in Gulf society, with the region’s 2.5m expatriates working in every sector imaginable.