CD Web Desk
NRI entrepreneur Zakariya Jokatte, founder of Saudi Arabia’s Al Muzain Company, has been named one of the recipients of the 2025–26 Karnataka Rajyotsava Awards.
The award, announced by the Department of Kannada and Culture, recognises him under the Non-Resident Kannadiga (NRI) category for his business achievements and social work.
Expressing surprise over the award Zakariya said: “I never applied for it. Some friends must have nominated me quietly. I grew up in poverty, so I know what it means to struggle. Helping others has always been my way of giving back.”
“This honour is both a joy and a reminder of my responsibility to society,” he added.
Born in 1958 in Thokur near Mangaluru, Zakariya is the eldest of five children. He left school early and began working small jobs, including selling jaggery and welding, before moving abroad for labour work. He recalls carrying cement up 28 floors during his early years in the Gulf.
In 2008, he founded Al Muzain Manpower Company in Jubail with his son and three employees. The firm now employs more than 8,000 workers, with plans to expand to 10,000 by 2027.
Over the years, Zakariya has diversified his business interests across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, London and India. He has also invested in education, establishing an international school in Al Khobar in partnership with Yenepoya Institutions, and plans to launch a hospital and medical college.
Based in Bolar, Mangaluru, Zakariya is also known for his philanthropic work. Through the M Friends Charitable Trust, Hidaya Foundation and Zara Family Charity Trust, he supports welfare projects for disadvantaged communities.
