Mr. Chhabria the founder and Chairman of Jumbo Electronics Company, who set up the $ 1.5 billion Jumbo Group in Dubai in 1974, died on Saturday, April 06, 2002 at the Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, India, where he was undergoing treatment following a bypass surgery on the 17th March. He was 56 at the time of his death, and is survived by his wife and three daughters.

A dynamic personality, Mr. Chhabria, played a key role in transforming the consumer electronics business in Dubai by injecting innovative marketing strategies that helped keep alive interest in the local market well beyond the region. The Jumbo Group's success story reflects the personal triumph of its founder. In 1974, Mr. Chhabria started the enterprise with the modest capital base but a great vision. Today it has grown into consumer electronics giant and is among the UAE's first transnational corporations with global presence.
A Harvard University business graduate, Mr. Chhabria also headed many Indian companies including Shaw Wallace, tyre manufacturer Dunlop, Hindustan Dorr-Oliver and Mather and Platt.

His death has come as a shock to the business community and even more to his family, friends and colleagues.

Mr. Chhabria attributed the success of his empire to dedication, commitment and above all to the enlightened policies of the UAE Government and in particular to the visionary and business-friendly approach of the Rulers of Dubai. It was these factors that have made Jumbo a household name in the UAE. His vision was encapsulated in his own words "At Jumbo Electronics we are not resting on our laurels. There is a sea change taking place around us - new opportunities have opened up global markets that have been exploited. At Jumbo, the pursuit of excellence transcends the barriers of time anyplace. Indeed, an exiting millennium beckons, rich with promise".

The UAE and the region's business community will greatly miss the influence, drive and business dynamism of this remarkable personality.