A beloved long-serving former Gulf Air employee, who dedicated two decades of service to Bahrain’s national carrier, has passed away after a courageous battle with breast cancer.
Sheela Prabhu, 68, died in Mumbai on Monday leaving behind a legacy of professionalism, compassion and service.
The Indian expatriate arrived in Bahrain in 1987, and worked for Gulf Air until 2007, completing 20 years as one of the most respected members of the airline.
Speaking to the GDN, her sister Jyothi Prabhu, also a former Gulf Air employee, said that her sister looked back fondly on her time in Bahrain and sang the praises of the people of the kingdom.
“She loved Bahrain,” said Jyoti. “She was very outgoing and a very hardworking person.
“Many people told me how kind and caring she was and she constantly thought of Bahrain as her own ‘home’. She was very loyal to the country and loved its close-knit community.
“Whenever new people were trained at Gulf Air, she was the example that many employees looked to. Many have attributed their success in the sector to her hard work and dedication to helping others grow.”
Jyoti revealed that even when Sheela discovered that she had breast cancer, she remained strong through the entire duration of the illness.
“Our mother was very ill at the time of her diagnosis and Sheela was dedicated to caring for her, waking up at 5am to prepare meals.
“She felt some pain in her breast one day, went for a checkup and discovered it was cancer.
“She was very strong, and for a few years, brushed it off like it was nothing. She did not let the illness get to her and continued to be devoted to our mother.
“When she underwent treatment, doctors described her as such a positive and daring person, and she remained like that until the end.”
GDN Media’s sales director Alison Lillywhite, who was once flatmates with Sheela when they both worked at Gulf Air, highlighted what a caring person she was, calling her ‘a very special person’.
“During the Gulf War, I came down with chicken pox and I could not be evacuated due to the illness.
“Instead of leaving when she could have, she chose to stay and take care of me. She looked after me as much as she could, especially when I had a high fever and she even cooked for me.
“I will always remember her.”
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