Prominent Maldivian businessman ‘Kerafaa’ Abdul Ghani passed away on Monday in Bangkok, Thailand, at the age of 86, following a long illness. He was accompanied by his wife and one of his sons at the time of his passing.
Ghani was a co-founder of the Crown Company, one of the most influential enterprises in the Maldivian tourism sector. The company’s portfolio includes some of the country's most renowned resorts, such as Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Veligandu Island Resort, Hideaway Beach Resort, and properties under Crown and Champa Resorts. Crown is also the owner of Treetop Hospital, a leading private healthcare institution in the Maldives.
Throughout his career, Ghani collaborated closely with fellow tourism pioneers Champa Hussain Afeef and Champa Mohamed Moosa (Uchchu), helping shape the country’s early resort development. An engineer by profession, he specialized in mechanical and electrical systems, contributing significantly to infrastructure development in the early years of the industry.
Among his many accomplishments, Ghani was instrumental in establishing the Maldives' first power plant and the country’s first Vocational Training Center (VTC). His technical expertise included generator and panel board installation, refrigeration systems, and underwater electrical works used in some of the first resort islands.
Ghani was also a paternal uncle of former President Mohamed Nasheed and related to the mother of First Lady Fazna Ahmed, wife of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
In a tribute on X (formerly Twitter), President Nasheed remembered his uncle as a man who played a vital role in “electrification, tourism, [and] vocational teaching” in the Maldives, highlighting his enduring impact on the nation’s development.
Kerafaa Abdul Ghani leaves behind a lasting legacy in both the business and engineering sectors of the Maldives.
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