Latest news with #Danube
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
From Mumbai's alleys to Dubai's heights: The incredible rise of entrepreneur Anis Sajan
The vice-chairman of the Danube Group, is a shining example of the 'UAE dream', which has come to fruition because of three decades of hard work. From the cramped bylanes of a Ghatkopar chawl in Mumbai to the towering skyline of Dubai, Anis Sajan's journey is a testament to resilience, foresight, and an unwavering belief in building trust, one brick at a time. Today, as vice chairman of the Danube Group, Sajan leads one of the most recognised names in the Middle East's building materials and real estate sectors. But his beginnings were humble. 'I started selling decorative lights during Diwali in our neighbourhood. Earning ₹ 300 at the time felt like a fortune,' he recalls with a smile. His early years were shaped by struggle and sacrifice. After their father passed away in 1979, his elder brother Rizwan dropped out of college to support the family. He began by making box files and eventually became a salesman in Kuwait. After the Gulf War, he moved to Dubai in 1993 and laid the foundation for the Danube Group with a small trading business focussed on Building Materials. 'My brother is my mentor and my biggest inspiration,' says Sajan. 'But he didn't hand me anything on a plate. I had to earn every bit of my place.' And he did. Sajan quickly distinguished himself with a sharp instinct for spotting market gaps. One pivotal moment came with the introduction of shattaf (jet sprays) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is a basic necessity in the Arab and Asian cultures. Every household in these countries ensures that the first thing they install is a shattaf. 'I saw an opportunity and I capitalized on it,' he explains. This Shattaf gave wings to the brand Milano, which is now the heart of Danube Building Materials. Today, Danube sells over 100,000 jet sprays a month. It was a turning point that marked Sajan not just as a salesman but as a problem-solver. Today the company has evolved into a diversified empire, spanning sanitaryware, hardware, electricals, furniture, and real estate. This expansion mirrors the broader transformation of the UAE, where Danube has become a trusted name. For Sajan, however, success isn't just about scale. It's about relationships. 'In construction, things can go wrong. But when customers call, we pick up. Even if there's no immediate solution, we respond. That's how trust is built and maintained,' he explains. This is more than a philosophy. It is a personal ethic. 'My brother still visits project sites every Saturday, even in the 50-degree heat. That's the kind of leadership we believe in—hands-on and transparent.' The real estate market experienced major booms from 2001 to 2007 and again in the past five years, during which the building materials sector remained Sajan's stronghold, capturing 25% of the Middle East market. Danube, now the leading brand in building materials, has thrived in Dubai's free port environment, attracting global buyers with the flexibility of mixed container shipments. Danube Properties, the Group's real estate arm, has seen consistent growth, and India is becoming a core part of its strategy. Offices have opened in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Gurugram, and Kochi. 'We've seen a sharp increase in Indian investors looking to Dubai not just as a holiday destination but as a second home and a smart investment hub,' says Sajan. The Group's standout 1% monthly payment plan has made luxury real estate accessible to thousands. 'It's not just a catchy idea—it's a serious financial solution. People don't just dream of owning property in Dubai now; they actually can,' he explains. Their projects reflect this vision: fully furnished, centrally located homes with over 50 lifestyle amenities, including doctor-on-call and nanny services. 'Our goal is to create value—emotional, functional, and financial. And this model has struck a real chord, especially with Indian professionals, NRIs, and entrepreneurs.' Danube's growth has also been driven by keen market insight. Sajan notes that today's buyers seek smart layouts, flexible payment models, and community-centric living spaces. The end-user segment is expanding, particularly among families. As new supply stabilises prices, the Dubai real estate market is expected to remain strong until at least Q4 of 2026. 'We're also seeing growing interest from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India. There's a sense of aspiration, and Dubai meets those aspirations with returns, security, and lifestyle.' Marketing has also been a cornerstone in Danube's success. 'We believe in visibility. From hoardings across Mumbai to branding on flights and major cricket events—if you're not seen, you're not sold,' Sajan says plainly. He adds, 'The campaign with Kartik Aaryan wasn't just marketing. Danube Hai Na was our way of telling Indian buyers: we've got you covered.' This bold marketing approach, combined with reliable execution, has created a brand that resonates across borders. Even with decades of experience behind him, Sajan shows no signs of slowing down. With both his sons now actively involved in the sanitary business—Azhar Sajan, founder of Casa Milano, catering to the luxury and elite segment, and Sahil Sajan, Director of Milano, focused on offering premium sanitary solutions to the masses, Danube is preparing for its next chapter. 'The journey is far from over,' he says. 'In fact, it's just beginning. The most important thing is to stay grounded, learn from every experience, and never, ever break the client's trust. That's how you build something that truly lasts.' 'We are also seeing growing interest from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India. There's a sense of aspiration, and Dubai meets those aspirations with returns, security, and lifestyle," said Anis Sajan, vice chairman of the Danube Group
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Huge crowds pack Budapest as banned Pride swells into anti-Orban rally
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Hungary's capital on Saturday as a banned LGBTQ+ rights rally swelled into a mass anti-government demonstration, in one of the biggest shows of opposition to Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Crowds filled a square near Budapest's city hall in sweltering heat before setting off across one of the main bridges over the Danube, waving rainbow flags, some draped in capes and some carrying signs mocking Orban. 'This is about much more, not just about homosexuality ... This is the last moment to stand up for our rights,' Eszter Rein Bodi, one of the marchers, said. 'None of us are free until everyone is free,' one sign read. Budapest's Pride season brings defiance to Orban and dread for the future in Hungary Orban's government has gradually curtailed the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in the past decade, and lawmakers passed a law in March that allows for the ban of Pride marches, citing the need to protect children. Orban's opponents see the move as part of a wider crackdown on democratic freedoms ahead of a national election next year when the veteran prime minister – whose party has dominated Hungary's political scene for 15 years – will face a strong opposition challenger. Small groups of far-right counter-protesters attempted to disrupt the peaceful march, but police separated them and diverted the route of the march to avoid any clashes. Orban and his government, who promote a Christian-conservative agenda and have championed family values, have defended the restrictions saying that the need to protect children supersedes all other rights. Orban posted a photo with his grandchildren on the morning of the march, with the caption: 'This is what I am proud of.' Several of his supporters followed suit. Marchers included students, families and people from the countryside who said they had never attended a rally before. The Erzsebet bridge, built to carry six lanes of traffic, was engulfed with people. Local media sites including and Magyar Hang estimated the crowd at 100,000, though Reuters could not confirm that figure. 'The message is clear, they have no power over us,' Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony told the rally. He thanked police for securing the march. March organisers said participants had arrived from 30 different countries, including 70 members of the European Parliament. More than 30 embassies have expressed support for the march and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Hungarian authorities to let the parade go ahead. The Budapest mayor had tried to circumvent the law by organising Pride as a municipal event, which he said does not need a permit. Police however banned the event, arguing that it fell under the scope of the child protection law. Orban provided some clues on Friday about what participants can expect when he warned of 'legal consequences' for organising and attending the march. Earlier this week Justice Minister Bence Tuzson warned in a letter sent to some foreign embassies in Budapest that organising a prohibited event is punishable by one year in jail, while attending counts as a misdemeanour. The law that allows for the ban of Pride lets police impose fines and use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. Mr. Orban's attacks on Pride initially increased his support, political analyst Gabor Torok wrote on Facebook on Saturday. But opinion shifted after the police ban and the legal debates surrounding the march, he said. The Prime Minister's dominance and ability to set the political agenda had faced increasing challenges from centre-right opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party, which had a 15-point lead over Orban's Fidesz in a poll this month. Tisza, which has been avoiding taking a strong position on gay rights issues, did not specify in response to Reuters questions whether it believed the Pride march was lawful, but said those attending deserved the state's protection.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Hungary Says US Lifts Sanctions on Its Nuclear Expansion Project
The US government has lifted sanctions that had held up Hungary's planned expansion of its Paks nuclear plant, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Sunday. Donald Trump's administration withdrew the penalties imposed during Joe Biden's presidency, which means construction at the site on the Danube south of Budapest can now accelerate, Szijjarto said in a statement.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Thousands party at Budapest Pride in clear message to Orban
Budapest advertises itself as a party town. On Saturday, the party spilled out onto the streets, and occupied, in the scorching heat of summer, the Elizabeth Bridge and the river banks and downtown areas on both shores of the 100,000 and 200,000 mostly young people danced and sang their way from Pest to Buda. A distance that usually takes only 20 minutes on foot stretched to three Minister Viktor Orban's ban, many Budapest Pride participants told me, spurred them to attend an event they usually stay away from. Last year, just 35,000 took banners mocked the Hungarian prime minister. It was like a peaceful revenge by some of those he has declared war on during his past 15 years in power."In my history class, I learnt enough, to recognise a dictatorship. You don't need to illustrate it - Vik!" read one hand-made banner. "I'm so bored of Fascism," read another. T-shirts with Orban's image, in bright eyeshadow and lipstick, were everywhere. While the LGBT community with its vivid paraphernalia made up the core of the march, this year's Pride turned into a celebration of human rights and solidarity."We don't exactly look as though we were banned!" a beaming Budapest mayor, Gergely Karacsony, told the crowd, in a speech in front of the Budapest Technical march could go down as the crowning moment of his political career. A city hall starved of funds and in constant struggle with the central government dared to host an event the government tried to ban, and won - for now at least."In fact, we look like we're peacefully and freely performing a big, fat show to a puffed-up and hateful power. The message is clear: they have no power over us!" Karacsony continued. Among the attendees was Finnish MEP Li Andersson, who felt Orban was using arguments on family values as a pretext to ban the march."It's important to emphasise that the reason why we are here is not only Pride - this is about the fundamental rights of all of us," she said. The ban was based on a new law, passed by the big majority held by Orban's Fidesz party in parliament, subordinating the freedom of assembly to a 2021 Child Protection law that equated homosexuality with paedophilia, and therefore banned the portrayal or promotion of homosexuality in places where children might see police justified a ban on Saturday's march on the grounds children might witness it. In response, the mayor cited a 2001 law stating events organised by councils do not fall under the right of assembly. In the end, the police officers present at the march kept a discreet presence, looking on mournfully at a party from which they were excluded. In another part of the city, Orban attended the graduation ceremony of 162 new police and customs officers, and new officials of the National Directorate-General for Policing Aliens."Order does not come into being by itself, it must be created, because without it civilised life will be lost," Orban told the students and their families. Earlier, he and other prominent Fidesz officials posted pictures of themselves with their children and grandchildren, in an attempt to reclaim the "pride" word."Post a picture, to show them what we're proud of," Alexandra Szentkiralyi, the head of the Fidesz faction in the Budapest Council, posted on Facebook, alongside a picture of herself in a rather plain "Hungary" police presence was restrained in Budapest on Saturday, but temporary cameras installed ahead of the march and mounted on police vehicles recorded the whole event. The 18 March law that attempted to ban the Pride gave the police new powers to use facial recognition software. Fines of between £14 ($19) and £430 could be imposed on pro-government media was scathing in its criticism of the day's events, echoing remarks by leading Fidesz politicians that the march was a celebration of perversity, with nothing to do with freedom of assembly."Chaos at Budapest Pride," proclaimed Magyar Nemzet, the government flagship."The notorious climate activist and more recently terrorist supporter Greta Thunberg posted on her Instagram page that she is also at Budapest Pride," it continued."After the demonstration, this will be a question for the courts," Zoltan Kiszelly, a political analyst close to the government, told the BBC. "If the courts decide in favour of the mayor and the (Pride) organisers, then Orban can say, okay, we have to change the legislation again." If the courts decide for the government, however, the prime minister can be pleased with the law he pushed through - despite the fact Pride went ahead.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Around 100,000 march in Budapest Pride in defiance of Hungary's ban
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Around 100,000 people defied a government ban and police orders on Saturday to march in what organizers called the largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in Hungary's history in an open rebuke of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government. Marchers gambled with potential police intervention and heavy fines to participate in the 30th annual Budapest Pride, which was outlawed by a law passed in March by Orbán's right-wing populist governing party. The march began at Budapest City hall and wound through the city center before crossing the capital's Erzsébet Bridge over the Danube River. Police diverted the crowd from its planned route to keep it separated from a small group of far-right counterprotesters, while members of Hungary's LGBTQ+ community and large numbers of supporters danced to music and waved rainbow and anti-government flags. The massive size of the march, which the government for months had insisted would no longer be permitted in Hungary, was seen as a major blow to Orbán's prestige, as the European Union's longest-serving leader's popularity slumps in the polls where a new opposition force has taken the lead. Some participants said that the march wasn't only about defending the fundamental rights of sexual minorities, but also addressed what they see as an accelerating crackdown on democratic processes under Orbán's rule. Orbán and his party have insisted that Pride, a celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility and struggle for equal rights, was a violation of children's rights to moral and spiritual development — rights that a recent constitutional amendment declared took precedence over other fundamental rights, including that to peacefully assemble. The law fast-tracked through parliament in March made it an offense to hold or attend events that 'depict or promote' homosexuality to minors under age 18. Orbán earlier made clear that Budapest Pride was the explicit target of the law. Authorities installed additional cameras throughout the city center before the march, and were expected to use facial recognition tools to identify individuals who attend the banned event. According to the new law, being caught attending Pride could result in fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($586). The ban was the latest crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights by Orbán's government, which has already effectively banned both same-sex adoption and same-sex marriage and disallowed transgender individuals from changing their sex in official documents. Police rejected several requests by organizers in recent weeks to register the Pride march, citing the recent law. But Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony joined with organizers and declared it would be held as a separate municipal event — something he said that doesn't require police approval. But Hungary's government has remained firm, insisting that holding the Pride march, even if it's sponsored by the city, would be unlawful. Hungary's justice minister this week warned Karácsony that organizing Pride or encouraging people to attend would be punishable by up to a year in prison. More than 70 members of the European Parliament, as well as other officials from countries around Europe, participated in Saturday's march. Hadja Lahbib, the EU's commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, earlier said that 'all eyes are on Budapest' as Pride marchers defy the government's ban. Justin Spike, The Associated Press
