Who Is Tarun Ghulati? All About Delhi-Born Candidate Challenging London Mayor Sadiq Khan

Tarun Ghulati Profile: Tarun Ghulati, an Indian-origin entrepreneur and investment banker, is running for mayor of London against incumbent Sadiq Khan. Know all about him.

Tarun Ghulati emerges as the sole Indian-origin candidate among the 13 individuals competing to become London Mayor.

Source : X/@TarunGhulati

Tarun Ghulati Profile: Londoners are gearing up to elect a new mayor and 25 members for the London Assembly on May 2, with a diverse pool of candidates vying for the prestigious position. Among them is Tarun Ghulati, a Delhi-born entrepreneur and investment banker, who has thrown his hat into the ring to challenge the incumbent, Sadiq Khan, who has already served two terms.

• At 63 years of age, Tarun Ghulati emerges as the sole Indian-origin candidate among the 13 individuals competing for the mayoral seat. Educated at the University of Jaipur and holding an MBA from Delhi University, Ghulati's professional journey spans across continents, including stints in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and the UK, according to his LinkedIn profile.
  
  
• With an extensive background in finance, having worked primarily with Citibank and HSBC, Ghulati currently serves as the President and CEO of Squared Watermelon Ltd, a prominent London-based company. Additionally, he boasts a distinguished tenure as the longest-serving Committee member and former Deputy Chairman of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Asian Business Association.
  
  
• Furthermore, Ghulati is also involved in global cybersecurity initiatives. He is a Strategic Advisory Committee Member of the Global Cyber Alliance with United Nations ECOSOC Special Consultative Status which “entails working internationally to help in eradicating cyber risk and improving our connected world”, his official website states.
  
  
• According to the BBC, in his campaign pitch, he sought to make London more “digitally connected”, reported BBC. Other key promises include stress on enhancing community policing, removing all 20mph speed limits and stopping the congestion charge on weekends and holidays, and improving public transport.
  
  
• On the cost-of-living crisis in London, Ghulati said he would abolish Ulez, review council tax to reduce it and subsidise construction costs for affordable housing developments, BBC reported. He also intends to explore rent controls, keep the free school meals policy, and reinstate free peak-hour travel for people with freedom passes or 60+ Oyster cards.

Tarun Ghulati Highlights His Indian Heritage, Slams Sadiq Khan's Over Security Measures

Speaking to news agency ANI, Ghulati highlighted the significance of his Indian heritage, stating, "Being a person of Indian origin, I wear that as a badge of honour. It is a matter of pride for me. I am a proud Hindu. But I believe in the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam...My upbringing in India, the cultural traditions have helped me in my journey across the world...I view London as a global bank. It is a place where people come in for opportunities and growth, and different cultures thrive."

He wished to leverage London's diversity for economic growth and prosperity saying, "As Mayor, I will build the balance sheet for London such that it is a premiere choice for investments, safeguarding safety and prosperity for all its residents."

"Communities today are feeling a little broken insular because we first had the financial crisis as you know in 2009 2008 and then we had Brexit and then we had Covid unfortunately and then there be in serious changes in government. Our closest trading partner is Europe so not enough has been done there yet, we are about to sign an FTA hopefully in the near term with India so I'll be a key person making sure that we gain success and trade flows increase," he remarked.

Critiquing the current mayor's track record, Ghulati expressed concerns over London's security and safety under Sadiq Khan's leadership. Citing the closure of police stations and a surge in violent crimes, including knife-related incidents, he outlined his plans to enhance law enforcement measures and address the root causes of crime.

#WATCH | London, UK: Indian-origin Tarun Ghulati is among the 13 candidates competing for the position of London Mayor, challenging the incumbent Sadiq Khan.

He says, "...Being a person of Indian origin, I wear that as a badge of honour. It is a matter of pride for me. I am a… pic.twitter.com/4dSsPa7oas

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2024

“The current mayor Mr Sadiq Khan has caused a lot of angst to most of Londoners. He has brought London to its knees, security and safety are at their lowest and so people are troubled. He has closed down 36 Police Stations and has not hired enough policemen. There were over 1000 murders in the 8 years of his tenure. 21 teenagers have lost their lives, 18 to knife crimes and so I want to reopen Police Stations. I want to create police booths so that between one police station and the other the distance is not too large I want to make sure every gender is secure, particularly women. I want to create specialist cells for security. I want to ensure that we go to the route cause of crime so youth have training programs you engage with them and you have better surveillance, better interaction with international bodies,” he told ANI.