Large-hearted legend
- Last updated: January 30, 2025 | 11:03
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
Very few people were modesty on their sleeve and yet have a commanding presence that evokes awe and respect. Dr. Abdullah Omran Taryam, former Chairman of Dar Al Khaleej for Press, Printing and Publishing, was one of them.
He passed away He had a telling, lasting impact on both the nation and its media. Along with his brother Taryam Omran Taryam, he steered the flagship newspaper ‘Al Khaleej’ to great heights, with groundbreaking stories that resonated throughout the region.
The prestige of Al Khaleej rested on their shoulders, a task they carried out with cast-iron dedication and endurance.
Dr. Abdullah played a pathbreaking role in navigating the course of the nation’s development, interacting with the pioneers of the foundation of the country. Dr Abdullah was twice Minister in the UAE government, helming the Education and Justice sectors.
He had a towering stature in the world of the Arab media, interacting with prominent luminaries from the field. At the Al Khaleej conferences, he would tackle burning issues of the day with an intellectual fervour that only Al Khaleej could fire up.
He had a microscopic eye for detail, and spotted certain things that none of us could see. He thought out-of-the-box, was always switched-on, keeping tabs on the big picture.
He checked everything with a fine toothcomb, not just articles and pictures in the publications of the august media House but also the landscape of the office complex. Surely it is one of the most beautiful stretches of greenery ever seen in a newspaper office.
He once walked into the portals of Gulf Today with a surprise guest: Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, who later became Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed met the Executive Editor, Mr. Shaadaab Bakht. After he emerged from Bakht’s room with Dr. Abdullah, it goes to the former Chairman’s humility that he introduced me to him: a gesture that I felt was unexpected but gracious.