Peers praise ‘true pioneer’
‘SHE PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN HER FAMILY AND AS A BUSINESS PARTNER’
BARRY GARDINER MP and peers Lord Jitesh Gadhia and Lord Dolar Popat paid tribute to Mrs Solanki at a prayer meeting (prathna sabha) at the Swaminarayan temple in Stanmore, north London, last Thursday (15).
Lord Gadhia, a friend of the Solanki family for three decades, said, “Parvatiben combined a natural grace and dignity with quiet determination and strong inner faith.”
He noted the central and pivotal role she played on multiple fronts – as a wife, an equal partner in business, a mother and later, as an indulgent grandmother.
“Parvatiben stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her husband Ramniklalbhai as an equal partner in launching one of the first Gujarati language publications in the UK – starting from humble beginnings and growing into the leading publishing business which Asian Media Group is today,” he said.
“I have seen her as a devoted mother to Kalpesh, Sadhanaben, late Smita and Shailesh, raising her children with the same values of decency, humility and hard work which she embodied herself.
“And later in life, I have seen her as the proud and adoring grandmother – and recently even great-grandmother – who generously shared her love and wisdom with the next generation.”
He praised the Solankis as “true pioneers in every sense, leaving a tremendous legacy – not just a successful and flourishing media group, but also performing a noble public service by promoting and preserving our Indian culture and Gujarati language”.
Labour MP Gardiner, who represents Brent North and has known the family for many years, said Mrs Solanki’s “calm and quiet outward presence came from a place of deep inner strength”.
He recalled the loving relationship between Mrs Solanki and her husband, the late Ramniklal Solanki, and noted that the couple had a shared vision, “particularly in the early days (when) she was totally hands on in driving the business forward”.
Family was important to Mrs Solanki, he told the 800-strong gathering, His observation that the only time it was rumoured “Parvatiben may have looked at anyone more adoringly than at Mr Solanki was – not when Amitabh Bachchan joined them for dinner – but when she saw her little greatgranddaughter for the first time” elicited a laugh in the prayer hall.
In his remarks, Lord Popat recognised the vital role Mrs Solanki played in setting up Garavi Gujarat and praised her efforts in preserving the culture and traditions of India, especially those from Gujarat.