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Doctor couple swap white coats for kandora, abaya

Abu Dhabi - The family consider the UAE their home

With the residents in high spirits on the occasion of 46th UAE National Day, a doctor couple from India swapped their white coats with kandora and abaya - a tradition they have been following for years now. Their three daughters, too, got dressed in the colours of the UAE national flag to celebrate the four-day holiday.
Dental surgeon Nizar Abdul Rahman, working in Abu Dhabi for 16 years, said: "An outfit is a symbol of identity and belonging, and donning the UAE's national clothing is our way of saying 'thank you' to the country, our home now.
"We are paying our respects to the nation and its great leaders, who have allowed us to stay and work here," the Ahalia Hospital doctor said, while standing in front of his decorated car displaying stickers of the UAE leaders.
His wife Simi, also a dental surgeon, in a black abaya and matching shayla, said the family loves the UAE like their own country. "This is our home now. I dressed up my girls for National Day, but now they don't want to take off the outfits," said Simi. Their daughter Neha, an Abu Dhabi Indian School Grade 8 student, said the UAE has taught them how to spread the message of love and tolerance. "Living here, we know what humanity is. We learn the values of honesty and integrity," Neha said, as her sisters Naila and Naima stood by proudly waving the national flag.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com