Many people have overcome obstacles in life; one such motivational tale is that of Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, the founder of the Albukhary Foundation and a successful Malaysian businessman renowned for his charitable endeavors. Although Syed Mokhtar's family has Yemeni roots in the Hadramawt region, he was born in 1951 into a low-income family in Kedah. He relocated to Johor Bahru in 1961 and lived there for six years before coming back to Alor Setar to attend St. Michael's Secondary School. During his school days, he also assisted his father in the cattle business. However, the business fell apart due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease shortly before Syed Mokhtar finished his Secondary 5. As his family could not afford the exam fees, he had to quit his education.

After that, Syed Mokhtar started out as a rice trader and progressively grew his empire into a number of different sectors, including plantations, engineering, automobiles, and construction. Because of his achievements, he has gained international recognition and has received numerous honors and awards for his business and charitable endeavors. Syed Mokhtar is renowned for his philanthropic work, and he has donated over $500 million to support various causes such as aiding orphans, refugees, and victims of natural disasters. He is a true inspiration to many, having overcome challenging circumstances and making a significant impact on his community and the world.

Syed Mokhtar is currently the 11th richest person in Malaysia, with a Forbes real-time net worth of $1.3 billion, which is more than Rs 10,800 crore. Some of his notable businesses include DRB-HICOM, MMC, Tradewinds Plantation, and Media Prima, which owns the New Straits Times Press. He also owns shares in ALTEL, which was awarded the contract for the 5G telecom spectrum in Malaysia.

Source : DNA India