By Staff Reporter
Daniel Lazar left a secure engineering job in India in 1968 to pursue his dreams in the UAE, where he and his wife established a group of schools serving thousands of students.
An Indian expatriate who abandoned a secure engineering career to build a business and education legacy in the UAE has died aged 84.
Daniel Lazar, founder of the Lazar Group and North Point Education Group of Schools, died in Kerala, India, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, his office confirmed to Gulf News.
Lazar, who lived in Dubai, is survived by his son, Lanson Lazar, the group’s chairman, and daughter, Lincy D’Souza, its director of operations.
Risky journey to the UAE
Lazar worked as an electrical engineer with the Tata Group in Pune, India, before deciding to pursue new opportunities in the Gulf.
On April 8, 1968, he reportedly left Gujarat aboard a small boat for a 10-day journey across the Arabian Sea, eventually arriving in Khor Fakkan.
After reaching the UAE, he worked in the power sector before establishing the Lazar Group in 1969. The business later expanded into construction, facilities management, garments and fashion.
However, his most enduring legacy would emerge in education, a sector he pursued alongside his wife, Sosamma Lazar.
Couple built education legacy
Sosamma began tutoring children from different backgrounds at their home in 1979, laying the groundwork for the family’s education initiatives.
The couple established Little Flower Nursery in Ajman in 1985, followed by Ajman Intermediate English School in 1986. The latter is now known as The Royal Academy, Ajman.
North Point Education Group has since grown to operate three schools: The Royal Academy and The Bloomington Academy in Ajman, and The Hope English School in Sharjah.
The institutions were established with a focus on providing accessible, quality English-language education to expatriate children.
Sosamma died in 2012, but her contribution continues to be recognised through the Sosamma Lazar 100% Scholarship Award for Academic Excellence, which supports outstanding students pursuing higher education.
Education beyond classrooms
Although Lazar was not a teacher, he was widely regarded as an education visionary who believed schools should nurture character, values and opportunity alongside academic achievement.
“Educating children gives me happiness. Watching them grow into successful individuals is the greatest reward of my life,” he often said.
His philosophy shaped the institutions he helped establish, which have served thousands of students and families over several decades.
The Lazar Group said he remained grateful to the UAE for providing the opportunities that enabled him to realise his ambitions, dedicating much of his life to serving communities through education.
Schools pay tribute
Students and staff at schools operated by North Point Education Group held prayer meetings and condolence gatherings following his death.
Dr Prema Muralidhar, principal of The Royal Academy, remembered Lazar as a father figure whose affection for the school community would not be forgotten.
Kripalatha, a veteran teacher at the institution, reflected on three decades of witnessing his vision shape generations of learners.
Other staff members praised his integrity, compassion, humility and commitment to supporting employees through personal and professional challenges.
Hussaina Begum Noor Sherrief, principal of The Bloomington Academy, said his vision had created opportunities for countless children and families, while Dr Terry Burwell, principal of The Hope English School, highlighted a legacy extending beyond school buildings and institutions.
Members of the group’s Yellow Bus school transport team also remembered him as a compassionate leader who treated people with respect, regardless of their position.
Staff at Royal General Maintenance and Contracting LLC similarly described him as a father figure who offered encouragement and support during difficult times.
Lazar’s death marks the end of a journey that began with a risky sea voyage from India and grew into a business and education legacy that has touched communities across the Northern Emirates.
