Lord Rami Ranger who became a peer in October 2019, made his first speech on 10 March 2020 at the House of Lords in a debate viz 'discussing UK's role in advancing equality for women everywhere' to mark the International Women's Day.
Making his maiden speech, Lord Ranger conveyed his utmost gratitude to several people in the House of Lords, as well as the former Prime Minister Theresa May, who was instrumental to the grant of his peerage.
Paying first his first tribute to his mother on this International Women’s Day, and owing his success as an immigrant also to the British sense of tolerance and fair play, Lord Ranger started by saying, “I firmly believe that empowerment and equality for women everywhere is a necessity and not a choice. I know this because I owe everything to a remarkable woman who was my mother...”
He then said, “I owe my success to the British sense of tolerance and fair play. As a result, an ordinary immigrant like me could realise his ambitions and become an asset for this family and adopted country. It is a privilege for me to be British and amongst those who from these islands have touched the lives of almost everyone in the world.”
Lord Ranger then spoke about his late father, who was a visionary, a freedom fighter and lost his life during India’s partition trying to establish a religious unity. “He was against the partition of India based on religion as he was a firm believer in a united India free of religious rivalry with all her people living together in harmony,” he added. “He said, India's diversity was like the colours of a rainbow; her charm would diminish if one were removed...I am a posthumous child and was born twenty days after the death of our illustrious father.”
Lord Ranger then narrated his life story, its struggles and a mother’s sacrifice and contributions, which made him the man he is today. “My life began in a refugee camp in India without a father but with a remarkable mother. Our mother was widowed at the young age of just 35 with seven children – I was born 20 days later – taking us to 8with the oldest being 14,” he said.
“She had lost her country, ancestral home and husband, and whatever could go wrong went wrong for her. She was told by her family to put us all in an orphanage as it would be challenging to manage eight of us on her own in a new country without a husband or family wealth. She refused to give up her children and accepted what fate had thrown at her.”
Emphasising on the importance of education especially for a woman, he added, “Luckily, she 9his mother) was educated at a time when many did not teach their girls and was thus able to gain employment at a local primary school. Our future would have been very different if our mother wasn't educated. She brought up eight of us through immense difficulties. Her words to us were, 'you may starve, but you will study'.”
As a result, five of her sons, became commissioned officers in the Indian Army and she received the title of the 'Proudest Indian Mother' for having her sons serve in the defence of India.
Moving on to his own business empire in the UK and his efforts behind its success, Lord Ranger went to say, “I am the most proud to have established businesses which have won 6 Queen's Awards for Enterprise in International trade – 5 of them consecutively – an unprecedented achievement.
“My companies sustain thousands of British jobs through their export activities and has connected Britain through trade with over 100 countries.”
Referring then to gender equality and the lack of it (such as pay gaps), Lord Ranger said, “In many parts of the world, women are still prevented from studying or going to work.
“I say –‘those who do not treat women as equals become unequal themselves in the world.’
“Even though there are laws preventing gender inequality, there is still a gender pay gap that persists in the UK and across the globe.
“Why is it that women in many countries are worse off than men in terms of health, jobs and education? Women probably work harder and longer hours than men.
“More importantly, as my life shows, if a husband dies prematurely as my father did, he may leave behind a woman who may be unable to deal with our uncaring world and a mother unable to provide for her children.
“My mother's resilience and ability shaped the lives of 8 children, 19 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.
“Educating girls isn't just good for that girl; it also marks the end of poverty for her family, her children, her community and eventually her country.
"We must not underestimate the power of educated girls as what they experience themselves; they will be able to impart to their children.”
He concluded by pledging his time and resources to support the eradication of the mistreatment and gender inequality suffered by women across the globe. “I pay tribute to vital initiatives such as International Women's Day which helps highlighting the achievements of women across the world as well as the challenges they face,” said Lord Ranger.
He then paid his final tribute to the three wonderful women who shaped his destiny as a homage to the Internation Women’s Day, “Firstly, my mother who never gave up and never gave in no matter what fate threw at her. She could easily have abandoned us and remarried as she was young, intelligent and beautiful, but she dedicated her life to her children and made each of us an asset for society. She also instilled the right values in us, which became the bedrock of our success.
“Second, is my beautiful, intelligent, educated and hardworking wife, who has always stood by me.
She worked for the MOD and HMRC and with *her* financial help; we could offer the best education to our three beautiful daughters. She has been the bedrock of my success. Our eldest daughter is Cllr Reena Ranger OBE who also runs an organisation dedicated to empowering women. Our second daughter is an accomplished NHS doctor who has completed her research in haematology. Our youngest daughter is a scholarship holder from LSE who worked for Google and PWC before joining one of our companies and has become an integral part of its success.
“Third -the former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Theresa May MP who ennobled me in her resignation honours list. Without the support of these wonderful women, I would not be standing here today as a proud man. Let my life's story always remind you of the strength of women.
“In the words of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith, ‘From woman man is born; within woman man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.
'When his woman dies he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.
'So why consider her inferior? From her Kings and Prophets are born.
'Without woman, there would be no one at all’.”
