British PM thanks Lord Paul for his contributions

H S Rao

London, Jul 7 (PTI) "Thank you for everything you have
done" -- with these words Prime Minister Gordon Brown
applauded the contribution made to Britain by Lord Swraj Paul,
Non-Resident Indian (NRI) industrialist.

Brown, his wife Sarah and their two children were among
some 1,200 guests who came together at the London zoo to
remember Ambika, Lord Paul's daughter, who passed away 41
years ago after she was brought here for treatment of
leukaemia.

Paul, who made London his home since then, made one
million pound donation to the zoo some years ago to save it
from closure. He has made another contribution of an
undisclosed sum this year to the zoo for a new children's zoo
opened recently.

Paul praised Brown, who has faced rough weather
politically in recent months, describing him as a great Prime
Minister.

"In spite of what is being written in the press, I think
you (Gordon Brown) have been a great Prime Minister and this
country owes a lot to you for what you have done for its
economic stability -- just not only what you have done to this
country but to many other countries," Paul said.

"Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and you have
such high regard for each other and both are looking forward
to meeting each other at the G-8 Summit in Italy next week,"
Paul said.

Brown and his family, who spent nearly two hours at the
zoo, said: "Thank you for your generosity and organising the
party every year in memory of your daughter Ambika. That
memory will be there forever."

"This is a great day for families. This is the day
families come together to celebrate the memory of Ambika."

The British Prime Minister also stated that the Queen has
made Lord Paul a member of the Privy Council and "he will be
known as the Right Honourable Lord Paul."

Foreign Secretary David Miliband, Secretary of State for
Business, Lord Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Energy
Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for International Development
Douglas Alexander, leader of the House of Lords Baroness
Royall, Attorney General Baroness Scotland, Chief whip of
Commons, Nick Brown, Minister of State, Foreign and
Commonwealth Office looking after India, Lord Malloch-Brown
were among those present on the occasion.

Former minister Keith Vaz, Labour MP, Minister of State
for Transport Sadiq Khan, Sri Lankan High Commissioner Justice
Nihal Singhe and Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK,
Asoke Mukherjee also attended the function. PTI HSR
SDE
NNNN