NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has been conferred with the prestigious 'Punjab Ratan' (Jewel of Punjab) award in recognition of his ach ievements in fields like business, politics and public service . Lord Paul, the Chairman of the 1.5-billion-pound Caparo Group, was awarded by the World Punjabi Organisation, European Division, Saturday night. The trophy was presented to the 77-year-old industrialist and parliamentarian by Lord Navnit Dholakia, Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, at a glittering ceremony at the Park Lane hotel in Piccadilly, central London. "I am overwhelmed to receive this. It is a surprise. It is also a proud moment when you are being honoured by your community. There is nothing better. I am truly grateful to all of you for giving me this honour," an emotional Lord Paul, best known for his one million pound donation to save the London Zoo in 1993, said receiving the trophy. Besides his wife Lady Aruna Paul, his brother Jit Paul, an educationist who had specially come from India, was present on the occasion. About the current global economic turmoil, Lord Paul, British Ambassador for Overseas Business and Chairman of Westminster and Wolverhampton Universities, said: "It is unprecedented crisis and nobody knows how to deal with it. "Fortunately, we have a Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) who has the longest experience having been a successful Chancellor for 10 years and being respected by all world leaders. "He is working full time because it is an international problem requiring global solution. We are fortunate that in this all three political parties (in Britain) support him," Lord Paul said. source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/..._awarded_Punjab_Ratan/articleshow/3586250.cms
