'Deeply saddened', PM Modi condoles demise of Swaraj Paul

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed grief over the demise of NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul.

Lord Paul passed away in London on Thursday evening. He was 94. He was hospitalised recently after he had taken ill. His family members said he passed away at the hospital.

PM Modi said he was deeply saddened and highlighted his unwavering support for closer ties with India.

Taking to social media, PM Modi wrote on X, “Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri Swaraj Paul Ji. His contributions to industry, philanthropy and public service in the UK, and his unwavering support for closer ties with India will always be remembered.”

PM Modi also recalled his interactions with Swaraj Paul and conveyed condolences to his family and admirers

“I fondly recall our many interactions. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti,” the PM further wrote on X.

Lord Paul was a member of the House of Lords of the UK and a leading NRI industrialist. He was the founder of the UK-based Caparo Group of industries.

He was born in Punjab’s Jalandhar on February 18, 1931, and relocated to the UK in the 1960s for the treatment of his daughter Ambika, who was suffering from cancer.

After her death at the age of four, Lord Paul set up the Ambika Paul Foundation, a charitable trust in her memory to promote the well-being of children and youth. He lost his son Angad in 2015 and his wife Aruna in 2022, but he continued his philanthropic works in their memory.

Lord Paul was made a life peer in the House of Lords in 1996 and served actively, contributing to committees on trade, education and entrepreneurship.

As PM Modi said, Paul was known for his efforts to strengthen Indo-British relations and for his philanthropic work in education and healthcare.

Paul played a key role in saving the London Zoo when it faced closure, supporting its children's section and other initiatives. During the annual commemoration, which he hosted at the Ambika Paul Children’s Zoo in London last month, he said, “The London Zoo is where she was always the happiest”.

With sheer hard work and the right acumen, Lord Paul rose to become one of Britain's richest Asians and was a prominent figure in business, politics and philanthropy.

--IANS

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