Mumbai-born British businessman Lord Ghulam Kaderbhoy Noon, who earned the moniker 'Curry King' for popularising Indian chicken tikka and curry in Britain, has died.
He survived the 26/11 terror attacks in Taj Mahal and Palace Hotel in Mumbai in 2008.
Born on 24 January, 1936, 79-year-old Noon breathed his last in the UK -- a country he adopted in 1964 -- on Tuesday after a prolonged battle with cancer.
While on a visit to India and his birthplace Mumbai, Noon was among the thousands of guests trapped inside the iconic Taj Mahal and Palace Hotel during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, and was later rescued by security forces that stormed and neutralised the Pakistani terrorists.
Shiv Sena's youth leader Aaditya Thackeray expressed grief over the demise of Lord Noon, a member of the Dawoodi Bohra community who started a sweetmeat shop in Mumbai nearly six decades ago.
"One of the most prominent Indians in Britain, and beyond that all, a very close friend of our family, Noon uncle was the epitome of the 'never give up' spirit of entrepreneurship and humanity," said Aaditya Thackeray.
Migrating to Britain in his teens, Noon founded and ran a number of food product companies in Southall, specialising in Indian cuisine.
His main business 'Noon Products' was established in 1987, manufacturing chilled and frozen ready-to-eat Indian and Thai meals, mostly for British supermarkets and was acquired by Irish food giant Kerry group in 2005.
In 1996, he was made Member of Order of British Empire (MBE), Knight Bachelor in 2002, as Baron Noon in 2011. He finally entered the British House of Lords in January 2011 as a Labour Party leader.
Later, Noon became the chancellor of University of East London, a Fellow of Birkbeck and a trustee of Maimonides Foundation, which promotes dialogue between Jews and Muslims.
