Business magnate Lord Swraj Paul dies aged 94

Lord Swraj Paul was the first person of Indian origin to be appointed deputy speaker in the House of Lords

Business magnate and philanthropist Lord Swraj Paul has died at the age of 94.

Lord Paul, who was also chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, was appointed a Labour life peer as Baron Paul of Marylebone, in 1996.

He went on to become the first person of Indian heritage to hold the post of deputy speaker in the House of Lords, in 2008.

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, posted a tribute on X to Lord Paul, saying that he was "deeply saddened", after his death on Thursday.

Prof Ebrahim Adia, University of Wolverhampton's vice-chancellor, said: "[Lord Paul] was a person of great humility, generosity and integrity, and he will be dearly missed".

Lord Paul arrived in the UK in 1966 and two years later founded Caparo Group, the UK-based industrial company that developed operations in Europe, Asia and North America.

He had been the chancellor of the university since 1999 and held 15 honorary degrees in recognition of his contributions to business, the economy and philanthropy.

"His contributions to industry, philanthropy and public service in the UK, and his unwavering support for closer ties with India will always be remembered," Prof Adia said.

"I fondly recall our many interactions. Condolences to his family and admirers."

Lord Paul had been the chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton since 1999

Born in Jalandhar, India in 1931, he was educated at Punjab University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He co-chaired the India-UK Round Table from 2000-2005 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1983.

In July 2009, he was appointed as a member of the Privy Council, with his full title becoming The Rt Hon Lord Paul of Marylebone PC.

Lord Paul was married to Lady Aruna Swraj Paul who died suddenly at the age of 86, in 2022.

The couple were married within a week of meeting and had three children, moving to England to seek treatment when their two-year-old daughter Ambika was diagnosed with leukaemia. She sadly died just two years later.

'Inspirational and generous'

"Lord Paul has left a profound and lasting impact on the university, always supporting and encouraging us to be ambitious and value driven," Prof Adia said.

"Lord Paul was deeply committed to the university and a passionate supporter of our social mobility objectives and our aim of creating opportunity for all."

Angela Spence, chair of the university's board of governors, said Lord Paul was an "inspirational and generous chancellor and a wonderful human being".

"He was an inspiration to so many people and his passion for education was always evident," she continued.

"The University of Wolverhampton is a greater institution because of our long-standing association with Lord Paul. His contribution has been immense and his legacy enduring. We will all miss him".

The university has opened books of condolence at its Wolverhampton and Walsall campuses.