The Labour peer Gulam Noon died aged 79 on October 27 after a prolonged illness.
Mumbai born Lord Noon was a renowned businessman and entrepreneur.
Lord Noon was Chairman and Founder of Noon Products Ltd, a family business founded in 1989 that specialised in frozen and chilled ready-made ethnic meals, supplying major supermarkets worldwide.
He was also Founder, Chairman & Managing Director of Bombay Halwa Ltd.
Founder of Asian Business Association in 1995, Lord Noon was awarded MBE for services to the food industry in 1996 and made a Knight Bachelor in 2002 and a life peer in 2011.
Lord Noon was also the recipient of multiple honorary degrees and doctorates. Lord Noon’s interest in, and engagement with Higher Education saw him appointed as the Chancellor of the University of East London in 2013.
He was on the Board of CARE International UK for four years (2002 – 2006); Founder Member of Cancer Research UK; held multiple Trusteeships including with the Arpana Charitable Trust UK, the British Food Trust, the Maimonides Trust, the Memorial Gates Trust.
Mosaic Chair, Shabir Randeree CBE, who was very closely associated to Lord Noon, told The Muslim News that Lord Noon was “a unique figure in British history and no amount of words will do his lifetime of service to this country justice.”
A tribute was held in the House of Commons for Lord Noon on November 2. Former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said Lord Noon “gave a lot to this country. He was deeply committed to to India and the UK. He had an extraordinary spirit – of determination, insight and in time of stress, he showed profound uncanny ability to hold himself tall. I am proud of what he did for the country, his community and this House.”
Keith Vaz, MP, who hosted the event, said the tribute was being held to “honour the memory of the great man. He transformed the prosperity of our community.” He added that Lord Noon was “a decent, honourable and generous man, who was dedicated not only to his family, but also to his country, the UK.”
Lord Noon’s granddaughter, Natania, said he taught them “to be a good human being, treat others with respect and see good in everyone.”
Ahmed J Versi
