Leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has been honoured with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by a UK-based business association for his outstanding contribution to the industry, education and philanthropy.
Lord Paul’s daughter Anjli received the award at the Black Country Asian Business Association’s annual awards dinner last night at Wednesbury in West Midlands as he was on a business trip to the US.
In his acceptance speech read out by Anjli, Lord Paul, founder Chairman of the Caparo Group, recalled his ties to the Black Country when Caparo first began operations in the West Midlands under the banner of a small company called L K Industrial.
“We changed the name to Caparo Industries and began to acquire more West Midlands manufacturing sites. Caparo now produces a range of steel-based industrial and engineering products on 23 sites in the area.”
He noted that since 1999 he has had the honour of being Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, which last year celebrated 21 years of University status.
“The University began life 190 years ago as the Wolverhampton Mechanics’ Institute and laid the foundations of the University’s mission and values today — which is to provide the opportunity for quality education to all who want to study with us.”
Philanthropist and Labour politician, Lord Paul, is also the chancellor of the University of Westminster.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1983.