PM Modi mourns Lord Swraj Paul’s death: Who was the UK-based Indian businessman?

Lord Paul was born on February 18, 1931, in Punjab’s Jalandhar into an industrial family that ran the Apeejay Group. He graduated from Punjab University and later studied mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri Swaraj Paul Ji. His contributions to industry, philanthropy and public service in the UK, and his unwavering support for closer ties with India will always be remembered. I fondly recall our many interactions. Condolences to his family and… pic.twitter.com/6G7D4gDDD1

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 22, 2025

Paul moved to the United Kingdom in 1966 for the treatment of his young daughter, Ambika, who later passed away due to leukemia. In her memory, he established the Ambika Paul Foundation. Through the foundation, he supported child welfare, education, and cultural initiatives.

Around the same time, he founded the Caparo Group in 1968, starting with a small steel unit, which eventually expanded into a global business conglomerate with interests spanning steel, engineering, automotive, and other industries across several countries.

Headquartered in London, Caparo operates internationally from over 40 sites and serves customers globally, primarily from operations based in the UK, North America, India, and the Middle East. Caparo is now managed by his three children, Ambar, Akash and Anjli Paul.

the businessman donated to Indian institutions as well as British universities, including the University of Wolverhampton, which named a building after him in recognition of his contributions.

Paul entered British politics in the mid-1990s. In 1996, he was made a life peer as Baron Paul of Marylebone and took a seat in the House of Lords. He was associated with the Labour Party and remained active in parliamentary debates, particularly on trade, industry, and education.

For his contributions, Paul received numerous honours, including the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India in 1983. During his peak business years, he was also named among the richest individuals in the UK by The Sunday Times Rich List.

(With inputs from PTI, Indiaspora)