Gurmukh Singh Sohal, who migrated to Britain as a teenager in 1966 and went on to establish a major Indian foods company in Derby in the East Midlands, has died aged 65.
Known in the region as a humble and hardworking businessman, tributes have been paid to his many achievements and contributions, including to activities related to Sikhism. He leaves behind his wife, Debo Kaur Sohal, 63, mother Chanan Kaur, 100, two sons and a daughter.
Son Bhupinder Sohal told the Derby Telegraph that his father was a “hardworking, generous, selfless, loyal and humble person with a simple outlook on life”.
He said: “Over the years he helped many communities of Derby. From working with the Sikh temple as their treasurer, to supporting many local restaurants and takeaways when they first set up with extended credit facilities and additional support wherever he could offer to help get these businesses off the ground.”
Many recalled his mission from 2008 to improve conditions in his village, Sangal Sohal in Jalandhar district, by creating a fund to modernise the drainage and sewerage system in the village, install street lighting, construct roads, create a park area and plant trees.
{{/usCountry}}Many recalled his mission from 2008 to improve conditions in his village, Sangal Sohal in Jalandhar district, by creating a fund to modernise the drainage and sewerage system in the village, install street lighting, construct roads, create a park area and plant trees.
{{/usCountry}}Reports from Derby said he donated his lorries to transport the elderly for the annual Sikh Vaisakhi parade every yea. He also supported the Derby Caribbean Carnival by supplying stock and lending them a lorry each year.
A funeral service for Sohal is scheduled on July 19 at the Guru Arjun Dev Gurdwara in Derby and the Marketon Crematorium, the reports added.