Author: IANS
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: October 30, 2006
Super-rich Indians in Britain are transforming
a London suburb into what has been described as a 'Millionaires Row', where
most properties are being bought by Indians who have prospered in business
and other walks of life.
In yet another indicator of the growing economic
clout of the Indian community here, homes on Astons Road in Northwood, a quiet
west London suburb, are being sold for nearly £5m each - and most of
them are being bought by people of Indian origin. The homes include indoor
swimming pools, marble staircases and extravagant landscaped gardens. According
to the Sunday Times, the mention of the road's name is thought to be enough
to impress both potential business partners and brides-to-be.
Less than two decades ago, the paper reported
that their parents were living in dilapidated flats in nearby Southall but
the new generation had now moved out to the leafier areas such as Moor Park,
the part of Northwood where Astons Road is situated.
Keith Vaz, chairman of the National Ethnic
Minority Task Force and MP for Leicester East, told the paper: "What
the Moor Park community shows us is the real nature of what happens to first
generation immigrants."
"The stereotype view, that they are dependent
on the state, is proved to be a myth because they have shown through hard
work, dedication and enterprise that they are first-class contributors to
our country." The report cited the example of Satish Ruparelia, 54, who
made his fortune importing cappuccino machines from Italy and bought a £2m
home in Moor Park. His home includes a large prayer room, complete with handcrafted
marble Hindu gods imported from Jaipur in India. He said: "My father
came here with £50 in his pocket. He was born in India and then thrown
out of Uganda during Idi Amin's Africanisation programme. In 1972 I came to
England as well and got by on £29 a month that my father was sending
through. I was a paying guest in Finsbury Park. I had a very basic box room."
Kulwinder Dhadwal, 42, a management consultant
and property developer, said: "The Indian community are still fairly
conservative about displaying their wealth, but now there is a desire more
and more to show the fruits of their hard work."
