After 24 years, a Punjab-based man has been conferred with the title of Officer of the Most Excellent Order (OBE) by the British Government. Lord Diljit Rana has been acting as the Honorary Counsel for India in Northern Ireland since 2003.
An OBE (Most Excellent Order) is the second highest ranking Order of the British Empire award (excluding a knighthood/damehood), behind Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) but ahead of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). The OBE (Most Excellent Order) is awarded to individuals who have made major contributions at a local level, or whose work has gained a national profile.
Lord Rana, who was made MBE in 1996, has dedicated most of his life to building his hospitality business empire over the last five decades.
The Belfast hotelier said he is “delighted” to be recognised for his commitment to the tourism and hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.
After opening a cafe in Belfast, Ireland, he grew his business and founded Andras Hotels, which includes the Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, two Ibis hotels and Hampton by Hilton.
Since 2002, he has also promoted cultural and educational relations between India and Northern Ireland by organising exchange programmes with University of Ulster and Queens University. He also promoted and led business delegations between Northern Ireland and India and due to his efforts nearly 40 IT companies of Northern Ireland are successfully doing business in India .
The Indian-born hotelier has committed to Belfast’s hospitality industry, created thousands of jobs during the troubled times when many entrepreneurs left Belfast.
Back in his home state– Punjab, he founded a Trust in 2001, and built an educational Complex Cordia Group of Educational Institutes at Sanghol (Ucha Pind), (residential-cum-day scholars) (www.cordia.edu.in), offering education, starting with a play school, higher education offering graduate and post-graduate courses in arts, science, commerce, business administration and management , and hospitality and tourism management. He also has plans to establish Lord Rana International University at Sanghol, which is pending the approval of Punjab Government.
