Chennai-born financial analyst and educationist Paul Chandrasekharan Sabapathy has become the first non-white to be accorded a rare British honour.
Paul Sabapathy is the first non-white to get the honour
LONDON: Chennai-born financial analyst and educationist Paul Chandrasekharan Sabapathy has become the first non-white to be accorded a rare British honour that makes him Queen Elizabeth's personal representative in the West Midlands. "The Queen has been pleased to appoint Paul Sabapathy Esq.
CBE as Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for the County of the West Midlands following the retirement of Sir Robert Taylor KCVO," a statement issued from 10 Downing Street said.
"Lord-lieutenants are the monarch's representatives in their lieutenancy. It is their foremost duty to uphold the dignity of the Crown, and in so doing they seek to promote a spirit of co-operation and good atmosphere by the time they give to voluntary and benevolent organisations and by the interest they take in the business and social life of their counties," an official here said explaining the appointment.
The office dates from the reign of Henry VIII (1509-1547) in the Tudor days, and the Lord-Lieutenant was originally responsible for the maintenance of order and for local defence.
The current responsibilities include all aspects of visits by members of the Royal Family, escorting Royal Visitors, presentation of awards and medals on behalf of the Queen, representing the Queen at a variety of events, chairmanship of the advisory committee that recommends the appointment of magistrates to the Lord Chancellor, liaison with local units of the armed forces, and advising on honours nominations.
Sabapathy is the chairman and pro-chancellor of the University of Central England (UCE), Birmingham. Born in Chennai, Sabapathy moved to Britain in 1964.
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