Minting Maharajas

I must be in the wrong job," Prime Minister Tony Blair declared last fortnight as he felicitated 21-year-old Reuben Singh, whose chain of fashion stores, under the name Miss Attitude, has brought him an estimated £45 million and earned him a place in the Eastern Eye newspaper's list of Britain's Richest Asian 200.

As England sees it, Asians in Britain produce millionaires as they do curries. Blair and wife Cherie, again in a sari (the garment is no longer a diplomatic statement, she just knows she looks great in it), were among the celebrity guests in this annual play-off between Britain's Asian fat cats. "People here tonight are role models for young people in Britain today," Blair told the glitterati. "Hard work, enterprise and a commitment to family values (and an) extraordinary ability to generate success and to breed further success on the back of it," were the attributes that attracted the millions to these Asians, Blair suggested.

Ironic, since unemployment is highest among Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in Britain. They are also Britain's poorest. Indians do as well as whites in education and income on average, but young Indians are far less likely to find jobs than young white graduates. But despite this other face of the Asian reality, there's no denying the success of the listed 200, collectively worth £7.5 billion. Clothing has produced more millionaires than Reuben Singh in stories more of riches from rags rather than rags to riches. Food's another. Perween Warsi, wife of a doctor who began by selling samosas, is now said to be worth £45 million. Her latest contract is with British Airways. Others made their money in computers, in keeping with the advice a university student facing a computer problem is given: just ask any Indian male. And inevitably, South Asians make their money (also lose it) in property.

바카라 웹사이트Yet, there's a dubious side to the exercise. Especially in the hierarchy of ratings. Laxmi Mittal of the Ispat group was declared the richest at £2 billion. His steel business is global, but he lives in London. The Hindujas came in second, their fortunes pegged at £1.2 billion. Nobody knows how that figure came about. The list points to Ashok Leyland as their "flagship" company, and to their interests in the company Gulf Oil. Yet the Hinduja stake in the two companies adds up to nothing like that.

Swraj Paul comes in third at £0.5 billion. An earlier list in another newspaper had estimated his fortunes at £45 million. Different lists can move these billionaires half a billion pounds this way or that. Jasminder Singh, owner of Edwardian hotels, was valued at £40 million by Eastern Eye last year,at £50 million this time. But this "significant revaluation", it says, is owing to "a remarkable reversal of fortunes". Also controversial is the fourth listing, a "new entry" that many said should not have been there at all—Subhash Chandra of Zee TV at £450 million. He doesn't live in London but a broadcasting branch of Zee TV in London has ensured him a berth.

바카라 웹사이트Others in the list include Manubhai Madhvani (6th/ £150m), who despite his sugar and beer business in Uganda is better known as the man whose family film actress Mumtaz married into; Lord Bagri (14th/£80m), an unexpectedly low valuation; Gulu Lalvani (15th/£60 million) of Binatone Electronics who so keenly let his friendship with the late Diana be known; Kirit Pathak (30th/£30m) known for Pathak pickles and his father Lakhubhai Pathak's relations, or the lack of them, with Narasimha Rao; Gokul Binani (53rd/£15 million) of Metal Traders whose company is well known in India; Raj Loomba (73rd/£10 million) of Rinku Knitwear, flanked of late by princes and prime ministers at London parties; Mohammad Sarvar (97th/ £8m), the Pakistani facing charges of fraud over his election last year; and a relatively poor Jayesh Manek who has launched a growth fund, at number 155 with £3 million. For some reason Naresh Patel (20th/£45 million) of Colorama photo company has been given a special award named the Premier Patel Award.

바카라 웹사이트The list, "stuffed with East Africans", takes particular note of the rich who visit the exotic Swaminarayan temple in London. For them the "Mammon-Mandir relationship is axiomatic", says the report, and that "coexistence is as necessary and correct as saag and aloo". But there are many millionaires from the temple and outside it who don't figure in the list at all. Across Britain, says a financial advisor, there could be another 200 who'd shy from such publicity. The list claims its estimates rest on the strength of stakes in quoted companies and business assets. "We don't attempt to compromise their privacy in this respect," says the report. According to it, there's no way to measure private wealth or to gauge wealth when profits are ploughed back into private companies. But a list there is, rankings there are. For the rich, there's no place like London to be rich. Also a little famous.