‘She was a brave pioneer’

SIR KENNETH OLISA OBE, the lord-lieutenant of Greater London, paid tribute to the efforts of Mr and Mrs Solanki in integrating in British society and making younger generations of migrants feel at home in a multi-racial UK.

Sir Kenneth said, “That the UK is the tolerant country we know it to be in 2022, did not happen by accident. The people who came here from the old empire were not universally welcomed, to put it mildly. Shifting those attitudes was a Herculean task which entailed action on two fronts – supporting the immigrant communities while assuaging the fears of the natives.

“Ramniklal and his wife Parvatiben were two brave pioneers who led the changes which have resulted in the nation we know today – the one that we saw united in celebrating the Platinum Jubilee and in mourning the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

“Using the power of a free press (a fundamental value of our society), the Solankis can be credited with having made a massive and lasting contribution to British society.

“The death of Parvatiben, two years after that of her beloved husband, marks the end of an era – one to which every British citizen owes a debt of gratitude. And just as with the monarchy, the weight of responsibility to continue the work of their parents now rests firmly on the shoulders of their children.”