Tag Archives: Ashraf Thamarassery – United Arab Emirates

Meet the Indian expat who prepared Sridevi for her final journey home from the UAE

KERALA / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES :

Everyone is equal, whether you’re poor or rich, it doesn’t matter’, says Ashraf ‘Sherry’ Thamarassery.

Ashraf 'Sherry' Thamarassery, who volunteers his time helping repatriate the dead from the Emirates, has helped repatriate 4,700 bodies from the UAE and recently helped send the remains of Indian actress Sridevi back home to Mumbai. Jon Gambrell / AP Photo
Ashraf ‘Sherry’ Thamarassery, who volunteers his time helping repatriate the dead from the Emirates, has helped repatriate 4,700 bodies from the UAE and recently helped send the remains of Indian actress Sridevi back home to Mumbai. Jon Gambrell / AP Photo

Away from the camera flashes and the eyes of her millions of fans in India, the actress Sridevi’s body made its way to a simple mortuary in Ajman, where one man helped sign out her remains to return home.

Listed only as “ASHRAF” on the official paperwork in Dubai, Ashraf ‘Sherry’ Thamarassery is a 44-year-old Indian from Kerala who has become a ferryman of sorts for those who die here in the Emirates.

From indebted labourers to the moneyed elite, Thamarassery has helped repatriate 4,700 bodies to 38 countries across the world. He views it as a noble responsibility.

“For them, you or me, it’s all the same and everyone is equal. If someone dies in their room, they will take them to the hospital and then to be checked at the police mortuary,” Mr Thamarassery said.

“It’s the same process, whether Dubai or Sharjah or any emirate. Whether you’re poor or rich, it doesn’t matter.”

Sherry offered shrugs when talking about Sridevi, saying he helped repatriate five bodies on Tuesday, including the famed Bollywood star’s.

It’s hard to overstate the power Sridevi had over the imagination of many in India.

Starting out as a four-year-old child star in south Indian regional movies, she later became known for her impeccable comic timing as well as her dancing skills.

She appeared in hundreds of films, perhaps most known for her song-and-dance Hawa Hawai routine in the 1987 film Mr India, in which she joyfully prances around in an almost-elastic set of whirls, twirls and silly faces.

She smashed into the male-dominated movie industry to become her own star.

The 54-year-old Sridevi, only known by one name, which means “Goddess” in Hindi, died in Dubai while in the UAE for a wedding. Police and prosecutors say she drowned in a hotel bathtub after losing consciousness, calling her death accidental. Police officials also have said the actress had alcohol in her system at the time of her drowing.

News of her death dominated India’s newspapers and many television networks, with coverage ranging from the restrained to the lurid. One TV station aired a segment showing a reporter talking about her death while laying in a bathtub, while others had computer-generated graphics imagine the scene. Many newspapers chose not to mention she had alcohol in her system, while a hashtag #LetHerRestInPeace emerged on social media.

While Indian officials quickly cancelled her passport and prepared the other documents, Mr Thamarassery said the necessary police clearance slowed Sridevi’s repatriation. He said he has received hundreds of calls from journalists, officials and others in the interim.

When the clearance came, Mr Thamarassery travelled to a government-run mortuary in Dubai and there officials embalmed her corpse as he handled paperwork for her and three others.

On Tuesday night, Mr Thamarassery returned home to the apartment he shares with his wife and daughter in Ajman. There, he runs a mechanics shop but focuses largely on his philanthropic efforts.

Shelf upon shelf in his home bears honours and awards. A framed picture hangs on the wall showing him meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I do this to earn blessings, but also when someone dies here, people don’t know how to manage the repatriation procedures,” he said. “That’s why I do it.”

All the while, his phone never stopped ringing, some of them undoubtedly new calls for his help.

source: http://www.thenational.ae / The National / Home> UAE / by Associated Press / February 28th, 2018

A hero who comes to the rescue of the dead

KERALA / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) :

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Until December 2016, UAE-based businessman has helped transport 3,886 bodies to 38 countries

Heroes are often made out to be those who save lives, but here is one who comes to the rescue of the dead and their families. Ashraf Thamarassery, a UAE-based businessman, is credited with helping the final journey of the dead to their home countries.

The 41-year-old, a native of Kerala, was in Bengaluru to participate in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, an event which saw him being conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Award in the past.

“It was 2002 when I saw the struggle of a family I knew when the father passed away,” he said, recalling how his tryst with the dead began. As he learnt of the money involved in transporting bodies to their home countries, the lengthy procedures, and the large amount of paperwork, he decided to dedicate a significant amount of his time to helping those in similar situations.

Until December 2016, Mr. Ashraf is said to have helped transport 3,886 bodies to 38 countries. Transportation to India is one of the most expensive, he said. This is because Indian airlines charge per kilogram of weight of the body, which often ends up becoming a huge financial burden on the grieving families.

“What if it is a poor worker here? Their families will have to contact around 16 departments and pay hefty airline charge,” he said, advocating for government intervention on this.

Though often perceived as morbid, his family is completely in support of what he is doing, Mr. Ashraf said, making it clear that he will continue to remain a call away for those who want his help at one of the most difficult times of their lives.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by K. C. Deepika / Bengaluru – January 09th, 2017