Raj Loomba, Baron Loomba
Encyclopedia
Rajinder Paul "Raj" Loomba, Baron Loomba, CBE
(born 13 November 1943, Dhilwan
, Punjab, India
) is a philanthropist, founder and Executive Chairman of clothing company Rinku Group, and a Liberal Democrat
member of the House of Lords
.
. Having been educated at D.A.V College
, Jallandhar and at State University of Iowa, USA
, his family moved to England in 1962. Loomba built up his fashion business from scratch, graduating from a stall at Widnes
market, to a shop, a wholesale and then an import company, Rinku Group Ltd. The company has over 200 retail concession outlets in the UK, offices in London, Delhi and China, and supplies major retail groups.
Loomba is a member of the Rotary Club in London
, the Institute of Directors
and is a Freeman of the City of London. He is Chairman of the Friends of the Three Faiths Forum, is Patron of the Children In Need India, and is the Founding Patron of the World Punjabi Organisation. He is Vice President of Barnardo’s and of the Metropolitan Police Charity, the Safer London Foundation. In 1997 he was named Asian of the Year UK by Asian Who’s Who International.
Loomba is married to Veena Chaudhry, with whom he has two daughters and one son.
It was in his mother’s memory that Loomba set up his charity, The Loomba Foundation
, which works to raise awareness of the issue of widowhood and which raises funds to educate the children of poor widows in India and empower widows in other developing countries in South Asia and across Africa. The flagship of the charity’s awareness campaign is International Widows Day, which takes place annually on 23 June, the anniversary of his mother’s widowhood. Following a sustained campaign, on the 21st December 2010 the United Nations General Assembly formally recognised, by unanimous acclaim, the 23rd June as International Widows Day.
In recognition of his contribution to charity, in 2008 Loomba was named a Order of the British Empire (CBE), receiving his award from Charles, Prince of Wales at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace
.
with the name, style and title of Baron Loomba, of Moor Park
in the county of Hertfordshire
. He took up his seat in the House of Lords
on 13 January 2011, where he represents the Liberal Democrats
. He was introduced to the House on 17 January 2011, supported by the Lords McNally and Dholakia
. On the 21 January 2011 he gave his maiden speech in the House during a debate on the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill. His company, Rinku Group PLC, had previously made a donation of £2,500 to the leadership campaign of Nick Clegg
in December 2007. His nomination to the peerage attracted controversy after it emerged that one of the three members of the House of Lords Appointment Commission, who approved his appointment Liberal Democrat peer Lord Dholakia, had accepted six overseas trips in the previous four years, paid for by Loomba's charitable foundation, the Loomba Trust. Two of the trips, to Toronto
and New York
, took place during the time the Commission was considering Loomba's appointment.
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...
(born 13 November 1943, Dhilwan
Dhilwan
Dhilwan is a town and a nagar panchayat in Kapurthala district in the state of Punjab, India.-Geography:Dhilwan is located at in Punjab. It has an average elevation of 219 metres .-Dhilwan Kalan:...
, Punjab, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) is a philanthropist, founder and Executive Chairman of clothing company Rinku Group, and a Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
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....
.
Life and career
Lord Loomba, was born as one of seven children in Dhilwan of the state of Punjab, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Having been educated at D.A.V College
D.A.V College
D A V College, Koraput. is a Government run degree college affiliated to the Berhampur University. It is situated in Landiguda 6 km from Koraput Bus-stop. With a beautiful surrounding of greenery near the river Kolab. It offers graduate courses in Arts, Commerce and Science stream. It also offers...
, Jallandhar and at State University of Iowa, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, his family moved to England in 1962. Loomba built up his fashion business from scratch, graduating from a stall at Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
market, to a shop, a wholesale and then an import company, Rinku Group Ltd. The company has over 200 retail concession outlets in the UK, offices in London, Delhi and China, and supplies major retail groups.
Loomba is a member of the Rotary Club in 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 Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
and is a Freeman of the City of London. He is Chairman of the Friends of the Three Faiths Forum, is Patron of the Children In Need India, and is the Founding Patron of the World Punjabi Organisation. He is Vice President of Barnardo’s and of the Metropolitan Police Charity, the Safer London Foundation. In 1997 he was named Asian of the Year UK by Asian Who’s Who International.
Loomba is married to Veena Chaudhry, with whom he has two daughters and one son.
Charity work
Loomba has become well known for his fundraising and campaigning concerning the issue of widowhood in the developing world. His mother, Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba was widowed at the age of 37 in India and Loomba experienced first hand the social and economic discrimination that widows in that country faced.It was in his mother’s memory that Loomba set up his charity, The Loomba Foundation
The Loomba Foundation
The Loomba Foundation is a global charity founded in 1997 to highlight the plight of widows in many countries around the world. The charity was established by Lord and Lady Loomba on 26 June 1977 in London by charitable trust deed and it has sister charities incorporated in India and the United...
, which works to raise awareness of the issue of widowhood and which raises funds to educate the children of poor widows in India and empower widows in other developing countries in South Asia and across Africa. The flagship of the charity’s awareness campaign is International Widows Day, which takes place annually on 23 June, the anniversary of his mother’s widowhood. Following a sustained campaign, on the 21st December 2010 the United Nations General Assembly formally recognised, by unanimous acclaim, the 23rd June as International Widows Day.
In recognition of his contribution to charity, in 2008 Loomba was named a Order of the British Empire (CBE), receiving his award from Charles, Prince of Wales at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
.
House of Lords
In January 2011 Loomba was ennobled as a life peerLife 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...
with the name, style and title of Baron Loomba, of Moor Park
Moor Park, Hertfordshire
Moor Park Estate is a private residential estate in north-west London. The area borders Northwood, London and is part of the affluent suburb of Ruislip. It takes its name from Moor Park, a country house which was originally built in 1678–9 for James, Duke of Monmouth, and was reconstructed...
in the county of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. He took up his seat in 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....
on 13 January 2011, where he represents the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. He was introduced to the House on 17 January 2011, supported by the Lords McNally and Dholakia
Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia
Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia OBE PC DL is a British Liberal Democrat politician and the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. Lord Dholakia is one of the most senior Asian politicians in Britain.-Education:...
. On the 21 January 2011 he gave his maiden speech in the House during a debate on the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill. His company, Rinku Group PLC, had previously made a donation of £2,500 to the leadership campaign of Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
in December 2007. His nomination to the peerage attracted controversy after it emerged that one of the three members of the House of Lords Appointment Commission, who approved his appointment Liberal Democrat peer Lord Dholakia, had accepted six overseas trips in the previous four years, paid for by Loomba's charitable foundation, the Loomba Trust. Two of the trips, to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, took place during the time the Commission was considering Loomba's appointment.
External links
- Lord Loomba - website of the Liberal Democrats
- The Loomba Foundation
- Rinku Group Ltd