Raj Kumar Bagri, Baron Bagri, CBE

CBE

CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...

 (born 24 August 1930) is a former Conservative

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...

 member of the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

.

A businessman, Bagri was Chairman of the London Metal Exchange

London Metal Exchange

The London Metal Exchange is the futures exchange with the world's largest market in options, and futures contracts on base and other metals. As the LME offers contracts with daily expiry dates of up to three months from trade date, along with longer-dated contracts up to 123 months, it also...

 until 2002. He was awarded the CBE

Order of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

 in 1995.

The 1997 New Years Honours list announced that Bagri would be raised to the peerage. He was created a life peer

Life peer

In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...

 in 1997 as Baron Bagri of Regent's Park

Regent's Park

Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...

 in the City of Westminster

City of Westminster

The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...

. In 2010 he stepped down from his seat in the House of Lords in order to maintain his non-domiciled status and so be able to avoid paying UK residents' taxes.

He is a member of the Advisory Committee of The Prince's Trust

The Prince's Trust

The Prince's Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales to help young people. They run a range of training programmes, provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people...

 and Chairman of the Bagri Foundation.

Lord Bagri is one of the governors of the University of London

University of London

-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...

's School of Oriental and African Studies

School of Oriental and African Studies

The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...

(SOAS).

Bagri married Usha Maheshwary in 1954 and has a son and a daughter.

Coat of arms

The heraldic blazon for the coat of arms of the barony is: Per pale sable and gules, six swordblades three bend sinisterwise issuant from the dexter three bend dexterwise issuant from the sinister their points crossing in saltire or. This can be translated as: a shield divided vertically, the left side black and the right side red. Over the top six golden sword blades, three coming from the left and three from the right, pointing upwards diagonally with their points making saltire crosses where they meet.