The Chair of the Labour Indians diaspora coalition of parliamentarians, advisors and councillors, Krish Raval OBE, took his seat in the House of Lords after swearing his customary oath on the ‘Bhagavad Gita’.
At a solemn robed ceremony recently, his peerage was formalised as he was sworn in as the Baron of Hertsmere in the County of Hertfordshire in the name of King Charles III.
Taking his oath while holding up a copy of the holy Hindu text, Lord Raval said: “I Krish, Lord Raval, do swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors according to law, so help me God.”
It followed his nomination by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in December 2024, in acknowledgement of his work in supporting the British Indian diaspora and steering interfaith harmony. He will now take his seat on the Labour benches in the Upper House of the UK Parliament as a life peer.
He said: “I am deeply humbled and eagerly look forward to advancing our vision for a renewed and dynamic Britain. The guiding principle of ‘seva’, the Dharmic ethos of selfless service, was instilled in me by my parents, whose courage and resilience in building a life here remain a source of inspiration. It is this spirit of service that fuels my dedication to fostering community cohesion and championing international collaboration in addressing the pressing challenges of our age.
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“This opportunity is a testament to the brilliance, strength, and constancy of multiple communities and individuals. Together, we can contribute to a brighter, more unified future.”
Lord Raval founded Faith in Leadership in 2007 to create a diverse family of faith leaders equipped to lead inter and intra-faith initiatives for the benefit of all.
“FiL recognises the immense impact that faith leaders and faith communities have on society, and recognises that quality leadership driven by faithful values is critical to societal and economic flourishing and benefits all people, regardless of faith and cultural background,” reads the mission statement of the organisation.
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