NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul passes away in London
London (PTI): Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul passed away in London on Thursday evening, family sources said. He was 94.
Lord Paul, founder of UK-based Caparo Group of industries, had been taken ill and hospitalised recently, where he passed away surrounded by members of his family.
The House of Lords peer was born in Jalandhar and relocated to the UK in the 1960s in pursuit of treatment for his little daughter Ambika’s cancer.
After she passed away aged four years old, he set up the Ambika Paul Foundation as a charitable trust that went on to donate millions to promote the wellbeing of children and young people all over the world through education and health initiatives.
“The London Zoo is where she was always the happiest,” recalled Lord Paul last month, during the annual commemoration he hosted at the Ambika Paul Children’s Zoo in London – one of the major beneficiaries of the foundation.
After he lost his son Angad Paul in 2015 and his wife Aruna in 2022, he went on to undertake similar philanthropic endeavours in their memory.
“This hall is a tribute to my wonderful wife whom I miss very much; we never had an argument during our 65 years of marriage,” said Lord Paul, when he inaugurated the Lady Aruna Swraj Paul Hall at the historic Indian Gymkhana Club in London in February 2023.
A regular in the annual ‘Sunday Times Rich List’, this year he was ranked 81st with an estimated wealth of GBP 2 billion, largely derived from the steel and engineering multinational Caparo Group.
Headquartered in London, Caparo operates internationally from over 40 sites, with operations based in the UK, North America, India, and the Middle East. His son, Akash Paul, is Chairman of Caparo India and Director of the Caparo Group.
Last year, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, Lord Paul awarded an honorary doctorate to Akash Paul for services to business administration.
“Perhaps, I am the only graduate to get a degree from his own father, independently approved by the University Board, of course, I may add,” said Akash Paul, who was accompanied by wife Nisha and son Arush at the ceremony held at the London Zoo.
“My son has worked alongside me at Caparo since 1982. Akash was appointed CEO of Caparo Group in 1992. During this time, he furthered Caparo’s growth strategy in UK, Europe, USA and India, as well as expanding capacity and increasing profitability of the companies in the United Kingdom and was president, Caparo Automotive Espana, Spain and Executive Board, Bull Moose Tube, USA,” said Lord Paul, who had served as Chancellor of Wolverhampton University for over 26 years.
An active member of the Indian diaspora in the UK, Swraj Paul maintained his daily routine of attending the House of Lords despite his frailty in recent months.
"We pray for the departed soul. May the noble Lord rest in peace," said Lord Rami Ranger, his colleague in the Upper House of Parliament.
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15 IAS officers transferred in Haryana
Chandigarh (PTI): The Haryana government transferred 15 IAS officers with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Among those who have been transferred are Vineet Garg, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board. He has been posted as the additional chief secretary to the government's printing and stationery department, relieving Raja Shekhar Vundru of the charge, a government order said.
Ajay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, has been transferred and posted as the deputy principal secretary-II to the chief minister against a newly-created post.
Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, has been posted as the principal secretary in the architecture department, relieving Apporva Kumar Singh of the charge.
Saket Kumar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Commissioner and Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, has been transferred and posted as the commissioner and secretary in the archives department, relieving Shekhar Vidyarthi of the charge.
Mani Ram Sharma, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, has been posted as the secretary in the health department, relieving Rippudaman Singh Dhillon of the charge.
