Diljit Rana, Baron Rana

Diljit Singh Rana, Baron Rana, (born 20 September 1938), is a British businessman and a former 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.

On 16 June 2004, he was created a life peer as Baron Rana, of Malone in the County of Antrim.

Life He was born in Sanghol, India and is the oldest sibling of three brothers and two sisters.

Lord Rana left Punjab in 1963 for England, 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.

Disputes 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. The site was previously a shirt factory of historic importance but was damaged in multiple arson attacks including major ones in 2001, and 2002, and was subsequently demolished without permission in 2003. A budget hotel originally envisioned for the site was still at the planning stage in 2009.

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. including: The Oxford Street Church Andras House (built in 1889) The Lincoln Building Renshaws Hotel.

Personal life

In 2012 he was cleared of the allegation that he had assaulted his estranged wife.

Arms