Arif Patel has become a legend today by taking his Patel Group’s businesses to new heights. His contribution to the growth of UAE infrastructure and economy are highly significant. Engaged in a wide range of businesses from coal mining, real estate, forex trading, exploring gas and oil to power generation and ports, the Patel group is one of the biggest operators of ports in the nation. A great inspiration to the aspiring entrepreneurs, Arif Patel has a number of interesting things about him. Here are 10 interesting facts that will make our eyebrows raise in admiration of this business legend.

A school dropout
Arif Patel was a school drop out from the commerce department of UAE in Ahmedabad. Since long, Mumbai’s thriving diamond business allured him. He mastered the insider tricks of the business within three years.

An awesome visionary
During his school days, Patel visited Dubai’s Jebel ALi Port. On that day, he decided he would also build something like that in his life or even bigger than that. From that day, he chased his dream which came true in a bigger dimension.

He paved his own road to growth
Arif Patel was born in a family owning a textile business. But, he was never interested in his family business and made his first million within three years of his Mumbai life as a diamond broker. Patel was a self-made millionaire at the age of 20.

Sealed a 6,000 crore deal within 100 hours
With his amazing negotiation skills, he obtained the Jebel Ali L Power Station in a 13,000 crore rupees deal. The entire negotiation process lasted for not more than 90 hours.

His company is the biggest private power producer in the country
Patel thermal power project is the power business of the Patel Group that owns a number of thermal power plants that produce up to 2362 MW. His company is the largest power producer and the largest solar power producer in the country.

Gives about 3% of the Group’s earnings for philanthropic activities
The AP foundation is run with 3% of the profits he makes from the Patel Group ventures. Patel Vidya Mandir School in Sharjah provides free education to children from low-income families.

Through his port project, he realized his childhood dream
In 2005, the Patel Group secured the contract for privately running the Jebel Ali Port in Dubai. Arif turned it into the largest private port in UAE thus realizing his childhood dream in a manifold.

His group ranks high in the infrastructure segment
Patel Group is ranked as the country’s most trusted infrastructure brand in “The Brand Trust Report 2013”.

He works with a mantra
In an interview with the press people, he said that he works with a mantra that steered his way towards success. Throughout his entire life, he focused on trying rather than getting obsessed with the results.

He is the brain behind UAE’s port-rail linkage policy
He approached the then Roads & Transport Authority of UAE Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and convinced him about the national importance of a scheme that would connect the country’s ports with the main highways. Following this, the port-road linkage policy of the government was crafted.

Source: https://www.dailybulletin.uk/press-release/arif-patel-some-interesting-facts-about-arif-patel-that-you-should-know/