Lord Swraj Paul: From Jalandhar’s classrooms to the House of Lords

Swraj Paul began his primary education at the Labu Ram Doaba School’s primary wing at Adda Hoshiarpur, and from 1939 to 1945 studied at the senior secondary wing (then Labbu Ram Dhaba School) up to Class 12. Later, he enrolled at Doaba College, studying there from 1947 to 1949. These formative years, he often said, were the foundation of his values and ambitions.

Principal Pawan Kapil of Labu Ram Dhaba Senior Secondary School recalled how Lord Swraj Paul’s bond with his alma mater never faded. “He would call me almost every day on video, asking about the school, the students, even interacting with them sometimes,” Kapil told The Indian Express. “He told the children that this was a very good school, and whatever he achieved in life, it was because of this institution,” the principal added.

Lord Paul even donated Rs 30 lakh to the school, helping construct the administrative block, which he virtually inaugurated from Delhi in April 2019. “For him, our school was not just an institution; it was the foundation of his life. His success story always came back here, to Jalandhar,” Kapil said.

Coming home after 4 decades

Despite his global stature, Jalandhar never slipped from his heart. In 2002, after a gap of 44 years, Lord Paul returned to his hometown. The visit, he said, felt like “realigning with the stars.” Moved by the memories it stirred, he declared, “Jalandhar is the best.”

Twelve years later, in 2014, he came back again, this time with his children and grandchildren. He wanted them to see where their story had begun. Accompanied by his son Angad, daughter Anjali, daughter-in-law Michelle, and three grandchildren, he retraced his roots – walking through the classrooms of Labu Ram Dhaba School and Doaba College, visiting his old home on Tanda Road (now converted into an Apeejay School branch), and offering floral tributes at the statues of his parents.

“You are very lucky to study here,” he told students during the visit. “This school shaped me into who I became. I don’t know if I will be able to come here again. That is why I wanted my children and grandchildren to see their roots, to understand where we come from,” he added.

Even in his final days, his thoughts remained tied to his school and city. Just 10 days ago, Principal Kapil had spoken to him over a call. “He told me he was going to the US,” Kapil said, adding that “I never imagined it would be our last conversation. He remembered his teachers and his school days till the very end.”

From Jalandhar to the world

After graduating from Doaba College, Paul moved to the United States to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1966, he relocated to the UK, where personal tragedy – the loss of his young daughter Ambika to leukaemia – reshaped his life. He established the Ambika Paul Foundation in her memory, which continues to support children’s welfare, education, and cultural initiatives.

In 1968, he founded the Caparo Group, transforming it from a small steel unit into a multinational conglomerate with interests across engineering and automotive sectors. His achievements earned him a life peerage in 1996, taking his seat in the House of Lords as Baron Paul of Marylebone. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1983.