Tributes paid to Dahyabhai Patel

Entrepreneur's loss ‘will be felt by community'

DAHYABHAI JHINABHAI PATEL, a pioneering British Asian businessman, passed away on Monday (5) after a short illness, writes Shailesh Solanki.

Dahyabhai, 91, was an eminent entrepreneur and philanthropist who made an enormous contribution to local business and the Asian community in the West Midlands.

He founded QA Electrical Products in 1971, at a time when there were few opportunities for Asianrun businesses. It has grown into a leading manufacturer of electrical current transformers and still operates from its base in Walsall, with his daughter Alka now at the helm.

Dayhabhai was a major figure in the Midland’s Asian community and was instrumental in establishing the Shree Ram Mandir in Walsall, which today is the focal point for the local Hindu community.

He also set up the West Midlands Gujarati Association in the early 1970s to maintain the Gujarati culture and to bring the community together.

The only child of farmers, Dahyabhai was born in Mandir, in Gujarat state on August 4, 1929, and studied chemistry with subsidiary in physics at Ahmedabad University.

He married Madhukanta in 1954 and worked for a short time as a teacher in Rander, Surat, before moving to England in 1955.

The British authorities did not recognise his degree, so he was forced to work in a factory and retrain as an electrical engineer, studying at night school. His entrepreneurial flare firmly established QA Electrical as a leader in its field and the company became a major exporter in the Midlands.

Dahyabhai was a humble man who devoted much of his time to education and community work. He rebuilt the local primary and high schools in his home village of Mandir, where he was a major benefactor, providing running water for the village, among many other utilities. He sponsored the education of students in 11th and 12th standard (equivalent to A-levels in the UK) each year to promote the take-up of science subjects among young people.

When Dahyabhai turned 75, he celebrated the milestone by building a 32-bed hospital in Mandir with the latest medical equipment. He donated the hospital to the Indian government, and today it serves 27 villages, treating thousands of patients each year.

His love for literature led to a lifelong friendship with Ramniklal Solanki, the founding editor of Garavi Gujarat newsweekly, a sister title of Eastern Eye. Their friendship was based on mutual admiration and respect and was one that endured for more than six decades.

The Asian Media Group’s (AMG) managing director Kalpesh Solanki and Shailesh Solanki, who is AMG’s executive editor, said; “Dahyakaka was one of our father’s closest friends and confidantes.

“In the early and difficult days when our father and mother started Garavi Gujarat, Dahyakaka was a friend and mentor who helped Garavi Gujarat establish a strong presence in the Midlands.

“He was a kind and generous man, and our families enjoyed many evenings and summers sharing a mutual love of literature, history and culture.

“Dahyakaka was from that great generation of early pioneers who came to the UK armed with nothing but boundless courage and a steely determination to build a better life for their family and community. His passing is a huge loss for the Asian community in Britain.”

Dahyabhai is survived by his wife Madhukanta, daughters Alka and Ranna, grandchildren Nisha and Miraj and great grandchildren Jaia and Uma.