Lord Paul honoured for promoting India-UK education ties

Lord Swraj Paul has been given a lifetime achievement award for his role in promoting educational ties between India and the United Kingdom.

Accepting the award, he said India can be a “world leader” in education.

Lord Paul of Marylebone received the honour from the Indian-based think-tank Global Skill Tree at a ceremony at Madame Tussauds waxworks museum in London.

He said: “It is always nice to know when your own community recognises you.

“Education is one field India can be a world leader in. We need universities in India which are world-class and education needs to be the first thing on the agenda of any India government.

“The new government has started talking about it and I hope they stick to it.”

Lord Paul is chair of the UK-based industrial manufacturing company Caparo Group and chancellor of Wolverhampton and Westminister universities.

He is also chair of the board of Theirworld, the parent charity that established A World at School as the mobilisation effort for all organisations and individuals to work in partnership to achieve universal education and learning.

Lord Paul’s niece Sushma Berlia, president of the Apeejay Stya Paul Group of Education in India, also received an award for her role in promoting the credibility of Indian education within India and globally.

She said: “Education does not have boundaries and this is a very opportune time, as a new government takes over in India, to have a proactive policy in the field of India -UK educational exchange.”

Global Skill Tree has launched an initiative called “Great Place to Study – India” to promote it as a global hub for international education.