Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai from 1958 - 1990, was the eighth ruler from the Al Maktoum family. Well loved and greatly respected by the residents of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ruled the Emirate with compassion and with a clear vision of what was required in order to transform Dubai into a modern city. Driven by this vision, Sheikh Rashid accomplished what many believed to be impossible.

As the first-born son of Sheikh Saeed, he involved himself at an early age in the politics of the Emirate. He frequently attended his father's Majlis; ever curious, he would listen intently to each man's dilemma or opinion. Eager to properly understand how a state ought to be governed, he would spend long hours questioning his parents about the events of the day.

As a child, he received the finest education available in the region – at that point of time. Attending the Al Ahmadiyyah School, Sheikh Rashid's studies included Islamic studies, Arabic, and Arithmetic. Although he was a good student, his true love and enthusiasm was reserved for falconry and hunting. He was deeply influenced not only by his father, but also by his mother.

Geeta Chhabra