Amir Bhatia, Baron Bhatia
Encyclopedia
Amirali Alibhai "Amir" Bhatia, Baron Bhatia, OBE
(b. 18 March 1932) is a British
businessman and politician.
An Ismaili
Muslim
born in East Africa
, Bhatia was educated in schools in Tanzania
and India
. He is married to Nurnamu Amersi and has three daughters. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1972.
Bhatia was Chairman and managing director of Forbes Campbell International Ltd. 1980-2001. He is the chair and co-founder of the Ethnic Minority Foundation and the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO), and a former trustee of various charitable organisations, including the National Lottery
Charities Board and Oxfam
, serving as Chairman of Oxfam Trading.
Bhatia received the OBE in 1997. In 2001, he was made a life peer
as Baron Bhatia, of Hampton in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, one of the first 'people's peers'. He sits in the House of Lords
as a crossbencher.
In 2003 Lord Bhatia received the prestigious Beacon Fellowship Prize for his leadership role in countering social deprivation and exclusion in the UK and internationally. He was elected Chair of the Fellowship by the other prize winners.
In 2006 he was the chair of the British Edutrust foundation, the organisation planning to sponsor Rhodesway School. He stepped down from the post in March 2009.
In October 2010 Lord Bhatia was suspended for 8 months from the House of Lords due to the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(b. 18 March 1932) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman and politician.
An Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
born in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, Bhatia was educated in schools in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is married to Nurnamu Amersi and has three daughters. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1972.
Bhatia was Chairman and managing director of Forbes Campbell International Ltd. 1980-2001. He is the chair and co-founder of the Ethnic Minority Foundation and the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO), and a former trustee of various charitable organisations, including the National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
Charities Board and Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
, serving as Chairman of Oxfam Trading.
Bhatia received the OBE in 1997. In 2001, he was made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Bhatia, of Hampton in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, one of the first 'people's peers'. He sits in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as a crossbencher.
In 2003 Lord Bhatia received the prestigious Beacon Fellowship Prize for his leadership role in countering social deprivation and exclusion in the UK and internationally. He was elected Chair of the Fellowship by the other prize winners.
In 2006 he was the chair of the British Edutrust foundation, the organisation planning to sponsor Rhodesway School. He stepped down from the post in March 2009.
In October 2010 Lord Bhatia was suspended for 8 months from the House of Lords due to the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
The United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal triggered by the leak and subsequent publication by the Telegraph Group in 2009 of expense claims made by members of the United Kingdom Parliament over several years...
.