Pioneering History: Recollections Of First Female Expatriate Child Born In Qatar

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Victor Bolorunduro | The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: Asha Narotra, born on September 25, 1952, holds a remarkable distinction in Qatar's history-being the first child of a British petroleum (now QatarEnergy) expatriate to be born in the country. In a candid interview with The Peninsula, Narotra took us through her life and times in Qatar, reminiscing about a time when Qatar's landscape was vastly different from today's bustling metropolis. Excerpt:

Could you please share with us a bit of your background, your birth, and your early years in Dukhan?

I am Asha Narotra. I was born into the family of Charan Singh Gill and Jamuna Devi Gill from India. My father arrived in Qatar in 1946, and he was a staff member of British Petroleum (BP), which later became QGPC and now QatarEnergy. My father was initially a site foreman at BP, and he later became the site supervisor in the Civil Engineering Department before retiring in 1983. He finally left Doha in 2000. My parents came to Qatar via ship, as there were no flights from India back then.

I was born in an era when Dukhan was a small community predominantly occupied by expatriates. At that time, most of the oil workers were bachelors. But around 1951, they made a row of four houses for families, and my mother was one of the first set of wives of the expatriate workers to come to Dukhan.

She was also the first among the ladies who came in then to give birth, and that is why I was made to understand that I was the first baby to be born to an expatriate oil workers in Qatar.

What were the circumstances surrounding your birth?

Back then, it used to take two and a half hours by car to reach Doha from Dukhan, as the roads back then were not like what we have all around Qatar now. And also, the road network was not like it is today. So when the medical personnel at Dukhan Hospital came to know that my mother was pregnant, they started planning for the delivery, as it was the first time they would be handling such a situation. Ten days before her delivery, they had to airlift her to the nearest hospital that was closer to Dukhan than Doha. There was an airfield within the BP at Dukhan, so it was quite easy for them to do that. That was why I was born in the neigbouring country hospital because it was closer to Dukhan than Doha, but my father was informed that I was the first baby to be born by BP staff.

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How was it growing up in Qatar back then?

Growing up in the evolving landscape of Dukhan back then was quite interesting, as it was a tight-knit expatriate community. Despite limited infrastructure, life was filled with fond memories of visits to Doha and explorations of areas like Umm Said, Mesaieed, and so on. My father used to take us to Al Jemailiya and Al Shahaniyah quite often, and they are two of our favourite spots. Back then, people knew each other, and all expatriate families were virtually friends. It was quite fun, and life was very good. I enjoyed every bit of my growing-up life in Qatar.

We used to come shopping every two months to Doha with our parents. The trip normally takes two and a half hours both ways. So, from Dukhan to Doha and back by road, would take a minimum of five hours.

Did you spend all your growing-up life in Qatar?

No. On the contrary, I had to leave for India when I was eight years old for studies, but I came back to Qatar in 1975, where I settled and raised my family. I was in Qatar from 1975 until 2015, when I finally left. During my stay in India, I still kept close ties with Qatar, and I was constantly visiting my parents during summer breaks. Qatar has always been part of me, and it is my home in every way.

What are the memorable events you witnessed that stood out while growing up?

I remember there was a big storm sometimes in the early 60s during the winter season. It was extremely cold, and sea animals started washing up dead, fishes and all these things; everything died, and the sea was very cold. When we went to the seashore, there were all dead animals on the shore. I was probably 10 or 11 years old and I remember it vividly. It lasted for about three days, and people could not come out. Everybody stayed indoors while it lasted. Aside from this, I can't remember any other incident of such nature.

Your advice for this generation of expats in Qatar?

My advice is that every expatriate should genuinely embrace the nation's warmth and beauty. Qatar is beautiful, and the country has opened its doors to everyone. People should be law-abiding and see the country as a home away from home.

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