Diljit Singh Rana, Baron RanaOBE (born 20 September 1938) is a British businessman and member of the House of Lords. Having originally been a crossbencher, he took the Conservative whip in 2016. He was married to Shruti, Lady Rana.
He was born in Sanghol,[3]India and is the oldest sibling of three brothers and two sisters.
Lord Rana left Punjab in 1963 for England,[3] but now has been a resident of Belfast since 1966. He had to repair his property portfolio over 25 times during the Troubles in Northern Ireland because of bombings and arson attacks.[3] "Being an Indian I should not have had any loyalty to Northern Ireland; I stayed there despite the problem," said Lord Rana. Today, he is a successful property developer, hotelier and president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He is founder and director of Andras House, regarded as Northern Ireland's leading hotel chain, owning the franchises for Crowne Plaza, Hampton by Hilton, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Ibis as well as operating their own branded businesses. He is a leading figure in the Indian community in Northern Ireland. He is India's honorary consul in Belfast.[3]
Lord Rana claims to promote business links between India and Northern Ireland and has been elected president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce. He led a trade mission of 13 companies to India to explore business opportunities for Northern Ireland companies.
Honours, awards and philanthropyEdit
Rana was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1996 Birthday Honours,[3][4] for his contribution to the economic regeneration of the city of Belfast. Rana has set up a charitable trust of Rs. 50 million for a school and a college named Taxila, in his native village Sanghol, near Chandigarh, India. The new college has collaborative links with the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland.[3] The university conferred an honorary doctorate on Rana who led a delegation of academics from the university to India to explore educational partnerships and help develop university links between India and Northern Ireland.
Rana also received an Honorary Doctorate from Bengal Engineering and Science University in West Bengal in November 2008.
He is the founder of the Lord Rana Foundation Charitable Trust UK, which has developed a university campus in Punjab offering courses in arts, humanities, IT, business, management and hospitality.
A dispute has continued for many years over the redevelopment plans of the Tillie & Henderson factory site in Derry, this site is owned by Dijit Rana.[6] The site was previously a shirt factory of historic importance but was damaged in multiple arson attacks including major ones in 2001,[7] and 2002,[8] and was subsequently demolished without permission in 2003.[9] A budget hotel originally envisioned for the site was still at the planning stage in 2009.[6] Rana stated in April 2009 that his designers "we're trying to get things right this time", and communication was ongoing with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, and he hoped that "there will be a general welcome for our plans in what is a prime location in the city".[10]
Rana was forced to comply with an Urgent Works Notice in 2003 from the Department of the Environment. It obliged him to carry out immediate repairs to Cairndhu House, near Larne. Rana was advised that the building would be taken from him if he did not comply with the works notice.[3]
Rana himself states that he has protected a lot of heritage buildings in Belfast,[11] including:
The Oxford Street Church
Andras House (built in 1889)
The Lincoln Building
Renshaws Hotel.
Personal lifeEdit
In 2012 he was cleared of the allegation that he had assaulted his estranged wife.[12]
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Diljit Singh Rana Baron Rana OBE born 20 September 1938 is a British businessman and member of the House of Lords Having originally been a crossbencher he took the Conservative whip in 2016 He was married to Shruti Lady Rana The Right HonourableThe Lord RanaOBERana in 2020Member of the House of LordsLord TemporalIncumbentAssumed office 16 June 2004Life peeragePersonal detailsBorn 1938 09 20 20 September 1938 age 85 Sanghol Punjab IndiaPolitical partyConservativeOn 16 June 2004 he was created a life peer as Baron Rana of Malone in the County of Antrim 1 2 Contents 1 Life 2 Honours awards and philanthropy 3 Disputes 4 Personal life 5 Arms 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksLife EditHe was born in Sanghol 3 India and is the oldest sibling of three brothers and two sisters Lord Rana left Punjab in 1963 for England 3 but now has been a resident of Belfast since 1966 He had to repair his property portfolio over 25 times during the Troubles in Northern Ireland because of bombings and arson attacks 3 Being an Indian I should not have had any loyalty to Northern Ireland I stayed there despite the problem said Lord Rana Today he is a successful property developer hotelier and president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry He is founder and director of Andras House regarded as Northern Ireland s leading hotel chain owning the franchises for Crowne Plaza Hampton by Hilton Holiday Inn Holiday Inn Express and Ibis as well as operating their own branded businesses He is a leading figure in the Indian community in Northern Ireland He is India s honorary consul in Belfast 3 Lord Rana claims to promote business links between India and Northern Ireland and has been elected president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce He led a trade mission of 13 companies to India to explore business opportunities for Northern Ireland companies Honours awards and philanthropy EditRana was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE in the 1996 Birthday Honours 3 4 for his contribution to the economic regeneration of the city of Belfast Rana has set up a charitable trust of Rs 50 million for a school and a college named Taxila in his native village Sanghol near Chandigarh India The new college has collaborative links with the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland 3 The university conferred an honorary doctorate on Rana who led a delegation of academics from the university to India to explore educational partnerships and help develop university links between India and Northern Ireland Rana also received an Honorary Doctorate from Bengal Engineering and Science University in West Bengal in November 2008 He is the founder of the Lord Rana Foundation Charitable Trust UK which has developed a university campus in Punjab offering courses in arts humanities IT business management and hospitality He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to business and the economy in Northern Ireland 5 Disputes EditA dispute has continued for many years over the redevelopment plans of the Tillie amp Henderson factory site in Derry this site is owned by Dijit Rana 6 The site was previously a shirt factory of historic importance but was damaged in multiple arson attacks including major ones in 2001 7 and 2002 8 and was subsequently demolished without permission in 2003 9 A budget hotel originally envisioned for the site was still at the planning stage in 2009 6 Rana stated in April 2009 that his designers we re trying to get things right this time and communication was ongoing with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and he hoped that there will be a general welcome for our plans in what is a prime location in the city 10 Rana was forced to comply with an Urgent Works Notice in 2003 from the Department of the Environment It obliged him to carry out immediate repairs to Cairndhu House near Larne Rana was advised that the building would be taken from him if he did not comply with the works notice 3 Rana himself states that he has protected a lot of heritage buildings in Belfast 11 including The Oxford Street Church Andras House built in 1889 The Lincoln Building Renshaws Hotel Personal life EditIn 2012 he was cleared of the allegation that he had assaulted his estranged wife 12 Arms EditCoat of arms of Diljit Rana Baron Rana Adopted 2007 Coronet Coronet of a Baron Crest On a Helm with a Wreath Or and Azure issuing from a Lotus Argent a Lion s Face Or Escutcheon Argent semy of Flames Gules three Peacocks reguardant in pale Azure Supporters On either side a Chinkara Argent armed and unguled Or in the mouth a Flax Flower proper slipped and leaved Or Badge The Wheel of Ashoka Or encircled by a Garland of Flax Flowers proper slipped and leaved Or Symbolism The achievement is full of allusion to North West India and the grantee s origins The flax flower is used as an emblem for Northern Ireland See also EditList of Northern Ireland Members of the House of LordsReferences Edit No 57334 The London Gazette 22 June 2004 p 7753 House of Lords Journal 237 Session 2003 04 www parliament uk Archived from the original on 30 September 2011 Retrieved 13 April 2009 a b c d e f g Rana s relief The Sunday Business Post Retrieved 13 April 2009 permanent dead link No 54427 The London Gazette Supplement 15 June 1996 p 22 No 63218 The London Gazette Supplement 31 December 2020 p N13 a b Call for action on Tillie s site BBC News 10 April 2009 Retrieved 13 April 2009 Arson attack on factory BBC News 24 April 2001 Retrieved 13 April 2009 Former factory damaged in blaze BBC News 4 December 2002 Retrieved 13 April 2009 Tillie and Henderson BBC News 16 October 2014 Retrieved 6 February 2019 I still want to build hotel on Tillie s site says Lord Rana www derryjournal com 13 April 2009 Retrieved 13 April 2009 Lord Diljit Rana Past heartbreak for hotel tycoon belfasttelegraph co uk 23 July 2007 Retrieved 13 April 2009 Lord Rana is cleared of assaulting his wife BBC News 31 May 2012 Retrieved 6 February 2019 External links EditOfficial WebsiteOrders of precedence in the United KingdomPreceded byThe Lord Giddens GentlemenBaron Rana Followed byThe Lord Maxton Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Diljit Rana Baron Rana amp oldid 1157071877, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
