2003 COUNCILLOR RAMNIK BHAGWANJI KAVIA
(STRUCTURAL ENGINEER)
(545)
The Lord Mayor was born in Baroda, India on 2 October 1951. He was able to trace his ancestors back to a 14th century family of blacksmiths; initially they were itinerant workers but eventually become established in Kenya. He moved to Kenya, with his family, when he was one month old to join relatives there.
Educated at a Technical High School and at Kenya Polytechnic, Nairobi, he then joined the family business of engineering and fabrication in Nairobi.
He married Miss Kailas Rathod, who he met in India, at Baroda on 8 March 1977. They had two children, a daughter Sheetal and a son Vishal who were both born in Leicester.
Councillor Kavia joined the Labour Party in 1982. He was elected to the Leicester City Council in 1986 as a Councillor for the Belgrave Ward which he represented for ten years. In 1992, he became the representative for the Latimer Ward and in 2002 he was elected for the newly created Belgrave Ward following boundary changes.
He served on numerous committees, his main interest being Planning Development Control. For six years he was the Chair of Overseas Links (1996-2002) and was committed to developing stronger links with Leicester’s Twin Cities. He also served as a Cabinet member for Strategic Planning and Regeneration and was appointed Chair of the Labour Group on the City Council in 2002.
He was a founder member of the Belgrave Residents’ Association and Chair of the Belgrave Community Workshops Project. In addition, he served as a Governor of Catherine Infants and Junior Schools.
Councillor Kavia’s interests included classic antique cars, motor racing and travelling to different countries. He spoke several languages, enjoyed community work, cooking and socialising.
He was appointed Deputy Lord Mayor of the City on 16 May 2002 for the year 2002/2003.
Councillor Kavia was elected to the office of Lord Mayor of Leicester on 22 May 2003.
He chose his wife Kailas to be his Lady Mayoress. Mrs Kavia, who was born in Baroda, India, arrived in Leicester in 1977 following her marriage. Having been educated in Baroda she continued her studies at Charles Keene College in Leicester. She also completed a course at Leicester Hosiery Centre and went on to work for a local clothing manufacturing company in the city. Her interests included cooking, reading, travelling and a variety of Indian classical music. Additional pursuits were yoga and meditation.
Councillor Kavia was privileged to meet several members of the Royal Family during his Year of Office. On 10 June 2003, he met His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester when he visited the National Space Centre. The Royal visitor was taken on a tour of the Space Centre which included a look around the Beagle 2 control room and the Challenger Learning Centre.
A memorable occasion for the Lord Mayor came on 15 July 2003 when, following lunch and a visit to the House of Commons, he attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. He had the distinction of being introduced to Her Majesty the Queen during the course of the afternoon. On 16 December 2003, he met His Royal Highness the Duke of York at a meeting of representatives of Business Link, Leicestershire and the Chamber of Commerce at a reception and lunch at Charnwood House, New Walk, Leicester. His Royal Highness also visited the Trellesborg AVS factory in Beaumont Leys and was accompanied on his tour by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress.
An unforgettable day in the City’s civic history took place on 13 June 2003 when Lech Walesca the first elected President of Poland (1990-1995) visited Leicester to receive a Degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa from De Montfort University. The Lord Mayor gave a speech of welcome to the former President in the Council Chamber and presented him with a commemorative gift on behalf of the City. The conferment of the Honorary Degree followed. Guests were then given the opportunity to meet the former leader of the Solidarity trade union who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
A number of engagements during the Mayoral Year enabled the Lord Mayor to strengthen the City’s twinning links. Councillor Kavia paid a three day Civic Visit to Krefeld in September 2003. This was during the occasion of the Krefeld Fashion Show. The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress met Councillors and Officers of Stadt Krefeld, attended concerts, visited the diabetic clinic of a local hospital and witnessed the opening of the Street Fashion Show.
The following month, the Lord Mayor met a party of artists from Rajkot at the Town Hall. He also received a small party from Rajkot who came to attend an Energy Conference held in Leicester. In January 2004, Councillor Kavia paid a four day Civic Visit to India.
Two visits to Leicester were made by representatives from Krefeld. On 11 October 2003, the Lord Mayor hosted a Civic Reception at the Town Hall for a delegation of Education Officers from Krefeld followed by a dinner.
A three day visit was made to Leicester, in April 2004, by the Oberbürgermeister of Krefeld Herr Dieter Pützhofen and a delegation from the German city. Herr Pützhofen served as Oberbürgermeister from 1982 to 1989 and again from 1994 onwards, he was making his final visit to Leicester before retiring from his position in October 2004. A Twinning Award Ceremony and Civic Reception was held at the Town Hall during which a scroll for the Oberbürgermeister’s outstanding contribution to twinning between Leicester and Krefeld, over a period in excess of thirty years, was presented to him. This was followed by a Civic Dinner hosted by the Lord Mayor.
Councillor Kavia also welcomed students from France, Germany, Spain and Sweden. Other visitors included a party of Indian journalists and members of the Orquestra Trovodor from Zaragoza, Spain prior to them giving a concert in the Town Hall.
The Lord Mayor gave Civic Receptions for a party of visitors from Mumbai and a delegation from Siberia. He also hosted a Civic Dinner in honour of the Commissioner of South Africa.
On 20 February 2004, Councillor Kavia welcomed the Mayor of Barnet and delegates from the London Borough to the Town Hall.
On 23 November 2003, the Lord Mayor attended the induction of Rabbi Roderick Young, of the Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation, at the Synagogue in Avenue Road. He also attended the opening of the Ismaili Jamatkhana at Waterside Road, Hamilton Industrial Park on 4 December 2003.
The City’s long-established military links were maintained with a visit by Councillor Kavia to the 38th Signal Regiment (Volunteers) at Penhale Training Camp in Cornwall. The Lord Mayor hosted a Civic Dinner in honour of Major-General John Sutherall, the Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment on 19 February 2004. He also hosted a Civic Dinner for the Royal Leicestershire Regiment’s Museum Appeal and attended a SSAFA fund raising lunch.
On January 2004, a celebratory event was arranged by the Leicester City Council and the Leicestershire County Council to commemorate the achievements of seven members of the Leicester Football Club (The Tigers) who formed part of the victorious England Rugby World Cup winning squad. The seven players, led by the England and Tigers captain Martin Johnson, paraded the Webb Ellis World Cup in front of 2500 fans in the Town Hall Square prior to attended a Civic Reception given in their honour by the Lord Mayor.
Councillor Kavia’s Year of Office enabled him to meet a great many people and to make a host of new friends in civic circles and from overseas. It enhanced his outlook on life and provided him with the opportunity to gain insight into the different cultures and traditions which he found to be an enriching experience. He visited many schools, in his civic robes, and greatly enjoyed meeting the pupils. The Lord Mayor’s participation in the Right to Read Tuition Programme, in the schools, gave him a great deal of satisfaction.
The Lord Mayor’s Appeal was in support of the Diabetic Unit of the University Hospitals of Leicester. Councillor Kavia, who was a diabetic, chose the Screening Those at Risk (STAR) project which was set up to research and screen for diabetes and to raise awareness of the condition. The Unit provided a mobile clinic to carry out screening in the community.
The kindness and support, by the local media, in promoting his Mayoral Appeal impressed Councillor Kavia considerably.
The Star Appeal raised a total sum of £88,850.
Councillor Kavia’s Year of Office was concluded on 20 May 2004 whereupon he was appointed High Bailiff for the Year 2004/2005.
He died in Leicester on 20 November 2004, aged 53 years during the term as High Bailiff.
