Kulveer Ranger
Encyclopedia
Kulveer S Ranger is a British Conservative
politician, currently the Mayor of London's
Director of Environment and Digital London. He was previously Director for Transport Policy, appointed by Boris Johnson
after he won the Mayoral election in May 2008
.
, born in Hammersmith
in West London
, the son of Indian parents. His grandfather Gurnam Singh Sahni set up the first British Asian newspaper The Punjab Times in the mid-sixties.
Ranger was educated at Latymer Upper School
, an independent school
in Hammersmith, followed by University College London
, where he gained an Honours degree in Architecture. He also has a business diploma from Kingston Business School
.
and London Underground
.
At the 2005 General Election, Ranger stood as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Makerfield
, Greater Manchester
, against the Labour incumbent Ian McCartney
. In the 2006 Local Elections
he stood in Hounslow, increasing the Conservative vote in his ward by 40%.
In May 2009 while reviewing potential cycle "super highways" with The Lord Adonis
and Boris Johnson
the group had a 'near-death' experience when a passing lorry's back door 'suddenly flew open, dragged a parked car into the street and smashed into another – just feet from the group'.
At the time of his appointment as the Mayor's Director for Transport Policy, Ranger was Vice Chairman (for Cities) for the Conservative Party
. He was appointed the Mayor's Director of Environment and Digital London in April 2011.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician, currently the Mayor of London's
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
Director of Environment and Digital London. He was previously Director for Transport Policy, appointed by Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
after he won the Mayoral election in May 2008
London mayoral election, 2008
The London mayoral election, 2008 for the office of Mayor of London was held on 1 May 2008 and was won by Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson....
.
Family and early life
Ranger is a SikhSikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
, born in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
in West London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Indian parents. His grandfather Gurnam Singh Sahni set up the first British Asian newspaper The Punjab Times in the mid-sixties.
Ranger was educated at Latymer Upper School
Latymer Upper School
Latymer Upper School, founded by Edward Latymer in 1624, is a selective independent school in Hammersmith, West London, England, lying between King Street and the Thames. It is a day school for 1,130 pupils – boys and girls aged 11–18; there is also the Latymer Preparatory School for boys and girls...
, an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Hammersmith, followed by University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, where he gained an Honours degree in Architecture. He also has a business diploma from Kingston Business School
Kingston Business School
Kingston Business School is an accredited business school and forms part of Kingston University, which is located in Kingston upon Thames on the border of London and Surrey....
.
Career
Having initially worked in fashion, he spent ten years in management consultancy with The Nichols Group, with work concentrated on delivering major projects in key public services, particularly transport, where the clients included the Department for Transport, Network RailNetwork Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
and London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
.
At the 2005 General Election, Ranger stood as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Makerfield
Makerfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Makerfield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, against the Labour incumbent Ian McCartney
Ian McCartney
Sir Ian McCartney is a former politician, who was the British Labour Party Member of Parliament for the Makerfield constituency between 1987 to 2010, and served in the Cabinet, from 2003 to 2007, when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister...
. In the 2006 Local Elections
United Kingdom local elections, 2006
Local government elections took place in England on Thursday 4 May 2006. Polling stations were open between 7:00 and 22:00.All London borough council seats were up for election, as well as a third of the seats on each of the metropolitan borough councils, and a third of some unitary authorities...
he stood in Hounslow, increasing the Conservative vote in his ward by 40%.
In May 2009 while reviewing potential cycle "super highways" with The Lord Adonis
Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis
Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis is a British academic, journalist, Labour Party politician and Life Peer, who was Secretary of State for Transport between 2009-2010....
and Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
the group had a 'near-death' experience when a passing lorry's back door 'suddenly flew open, dragged a parked car into the street and smashed into another – just feet from the group'.
At the time of his appointment as the Mayor's Director for Transport Policy, Ranger was Vice Chairman (for Cities) for the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. He was appointed the Mayor's Director of Environment and Digital London in April 2011.