It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Raj Kumar Bali MBE, Honorary Vice-President of the Multi-Faith Centre. Raj was pivotal in the concept and foundation of the centre, and much loved in the wider community.
The Multi-Faith Centre extends its deepest condolences to his family. He will be missed by us all.
Jonathan Powers, fellow Honorary Vice-President and Emeritus Professor of the University of Derby, shares a tribute below.
Raj Bali, who has died in his 90th year, was one of the Founders of the Multi-Faith Centre. He was also one of the creators of Derby’s Geeta Bhawan Hindu Temple for which he served as President for a decade. As such he became a member of the original Religious Resource and Research Centre Steering Committee set up in 1990 to advise Derbyshire College of Higher Education on its policies and procedures in relation to religious belief and practice, prior to the institution achieving University status.
He was a constant, luminous presence in the years of planning and fund-raising to build the Multi Faith Centre, going on to become one of the Centre’s first Trustees. He was made an Honorary Vice-President of the Centre when he stepped down. He also served for two decades as a Trustee of the Derby Open Centre, and on Derby and Derbyshire SACRE (‘Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education’) working tirelessly to promote understanding and good relations between different communities. He always exuded the sense of feeling ‘at home’ in others’ places of worship. In 2014 he was awarded an MBE for his services to inter faith relations in Derby and the East Midlands.
Raj and his wife and family came to Derby in 1974 as a result of the spread of ‘Africanisation’ policies in Kenya following the brutal expulsion of the entire Asian Community from Uganda in 1972 by the racist and psychopathic Dictator, Idi Amin. Raj had worked for the Nairobi National Park Service combining the roles of accountant and game warden! Though he looked at the possibility of working in a UK nature reserve (which would not have involved driving such large distances in a Land Rover!), he took up a post as a cost analyst with International Combustion in Derby, working there until they were taken over by Rolls-Royce. After this he devoted himself to community work.
I had the privilege of getting to know him soon after I arrived in Derby. Raj spoke six languages and I had the pleasure of joining a Sanskrit class he ran at Kedleston Road. He is someone who will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He would encourage us to accept the natural rhythm of existence but also encourage us to strive to keep the flame of enlightenment alive.
Farewell old friend.
Emeritus Professor Jonathan Powers
Hon Vice President, the Multi Faith Centre