Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia

Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia OBE PC ( born March 4, 1937) is a British politician of the Liberal Democrats. He is Vice-Chairman and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. Lord Dholakia is one of the longest serving politicians with an Asian immigrant in the UK.

Training

He grew up in India and Tanzania. Dholakia came to Britain to study at Brighton College of Technology. His first job was as a lab technician at Southlands Hospital in Shoreham- by-Sea.

Political career

He joined the Liberal Party and was elected to the city council of Brighton, where he sat from 1961 to 1964.

From 1976, he worked with the Commission for Racial Equality and committees for the investigation of police misconduct and for prison reform.

Dholakia was raised in 1997 as Baron Dholakia for Life Peer and sits for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.

He was from 1997 to 2002 for the Liberal Democrats as a Whip in the House of Lords from 2002 to 2004, he was spokesman for domestic policy.

He was elected as President of the Liberal Democrats in late 1999 and held this post from 2000 to 2004. In November 2004, he was Second Vice Chairman, in 2010 the deputy parliamentary leader.

Dholakia committed to various charities including for Child In Need India ( CINI UK).

1994 him the Order of the British Empire (OBE ) has been awarded. In 2000 he was appointed as Asians of the Year and received the 2005 Pride of India Award. 2009 Dr. he was H.C. the University of Hertfordshire awarded. Since 1999 he has been Deputy Lieutenant (DL ) in West Sussex.

In December 2010, Dholakia was a member of the Privy Council.

Personal

He is since 1967 married to Lady Dholakia, born Ann McLuskie. They have two daughters and live in West Sussex.

Swell

• Lord Dholakia biography on the Liberal Democrats page
• UK Hindu youths ' quest to find roots Times of India - 26 July 2001