Cardiff-based entrepreneur and pharmacist Raj Aggarwal has been awarded an honorary fellowship of the University of South Wales.
The fellowship was awarded to Mr Aggarwal at the university campus on Wednesday 15th July by Lord Rowan Williams, Chancellor and Professor Helen Langton, Deputy Vice Chancellor in recognition for his “outstanding contribution to pharmacy”.
Raj Aggarwal has built up a hugely successful chain of pharmacies in Cardiff and the surrounding area. He is also a fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
William Callaway of the University of South Wales said: “Raj Aggarwal has made a valuable contribution to pharmacy and we believe that his career as a successful public heath expert will be an inspiration for current and prospective students of the University of South Wales. We would also like to recognise his highly effective community work and fundraising activities.”
Raj Aggarwal was granted an OBE back in 2007 for his charitable work and he is currently President of the Honorary Consular Association of Wales, which is instrumental in building business links with foreign countries, and in Mr Aggarwal’s case specifically with India. He is also the Chairman of Kidney Wales Foundation and under his leadership, the foundation has campaigned for ‘soft opt out’ which will be implemented in Wales with effect from 1st December 2015. This will increase the number of organs available and certainly save more lives.
Raj Aggarwal graduated with a B.Pharm (Hons) 2.1 from the Welsh School of Pharmacy at Cardiff University in 1972. He was honoured with a fellowship from Cardiff Metropolitan University and sits on the Governing body, the Council of Russell Group, Cardiff University. The Pharmacy department at Cardiff University where Mr Aggarwal studied was voted 2nd best in the country in the Guardian newspaper’s University Guide 2015.
Raj Aggarwal said: “I studied for my Pharmacy degree at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, and this set me up for my career in public health. It was the best start I could have hoped for and the welcoming nature of the region made me want to come back to start my business here after a short time away in London.
“The University of South Wales has a world class reputation and I have no doubt that it will provide top quality graduates for Wales in the future.”
After graduating Raj was fast-tracked by Boots into senior management and was one of the company’s youngest-ever regional managers, looking after high-profile stores in Cardiff and Central London. He came back to Cardiff in 1982 and built up his Central Pharmacy business which grew to six pharmacies in and around Cardiff. In 2010 he has received numerous accolades and was named UK Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year.
