UAE: Late social worker to be honored in memorial football tournament – News

Indian diaspora helps repatriate hundreds of bodies

The Indian Islamic Center Abu Dhabi (IIC) and the Kerala Muslim Cultural Center Abu Dhabi (KMCC) will host a 16-team community football tournament in memory of the late MM Nasar Kanhangad, a social worker who helped repatriate Hundreds of dead bodies.

Nassar, a socially active Abu Dhabi resident, died in November 2021 in his native state of Kerala. Suffering from terminal cancer, he was treated at a private hospital in Abu Dhabi before returning home to receive advanced care.

IIC president Bava Haji remembered the 47-year-old’s service, noting that Nasar’s death was untimely. “Nassar was an active participant in social causes in general. He was connected to almost every center and organization here. This race was the first of many initiatives we had planned as far as he could remember,” Haji said at a press conference.

In 1993, Nasar landed in the UAE to assist in the repatriation of the remains of Indians who died there to their home countries. In 2018, he was officially entrusted by the Indian embassy to follow up the repatriation case with local authorities. Nasar has served as Relief and Culture Secretary of IIC and a member of KMCC Kasaragod District.

IIC secretary-general Abdusalam TK said Nassar was very passionate about sports and other activities.

“MM Nasar Memorial All India Sevens 2023 will be a rolling championship trophy. It will be held every year in his memory. The tournament will be organized by the sports department of the centre,” he said.

IIC Sports Secretary Haneefa Padinharmoola noted that 16 teams have been selected for the tournament out of 40 entries received.

“The competition will be held in a league format on Saturday at two venues on Al Hudayriyat Island. It will be broadcast from 7pm to 2am. The first prize will be INR 100,000 and there will be second and third prizes and fourth prize.”

KV Muhamed Kunhi, secretary-general of KMCC, pointed out that Nassar never turned away anyone who asked for help. “His life was the truest form of selfless service.”