Raj Kumar Aggarwal OBE DL (born 1949) is a Welsh-Indian pharmacist, public health expert, businessman and the first ever Honorary Consul for India with jurisdiction for Wales.
[3] As chairman of Kidney Wales Foundation, Aggarwal campaigned and provided evidence from 2007 onwards[4] for a deemed consent or 'soft opt out' to increase the number of organs available for transplantation and save lives.
[6] In December 2017 Theresa May called for a public consultation to extend the "opt out" law to England in order to reduce organ donation waiting lists.
[8] In June 2007, Aggarwal was made an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in recognition of his contribution to the pharmaceutical industry and the life of the Asian community in Wales.
Roy Thomas, chief Executive of the Kidney Wales charity, told the Western Mail: "He is a very modest man but the honour is more than deserved.
He studied A-Levels at Bath College, Somerset, from 1967 to 1969, then won a place at the Welsh School of Pharmacy at Cardiff University from 1969 to 1972.
[13] On a social visit to Cardiff in 1982, he was introduced to a pharmacy on City Road and decided that he would rather run his own business rather than work for someone else.
But, over the years, more and more people have been recognising community pharmacies as sources of help and advice – particularly about how to lead a healthier lifestyle – and a provider of health checks.
"[18] He has also written about the high cost to the public purse for wasted prescription medicines in Wales – that "costs the NHS an estimated £50million a year; enough to fund 350 nurses, 200 hip operations and more than 1,000 coronary bypass operations" – and urged health officials to place more trust in pharmacists, writing: "Wales has the highest prescribing rate per head of population in the UK – 22 items compared to 16 in England – meaning this is a serious issue for the Assembly Government to sort out.
[24] He was a fundraising committee member of the George Thomas Hospice, that provides specialist home-based nursing and practical advice, emotional and spiritual support, medical equipment, therapies and treatments for cancer patients.
Taking part in a US-Indian-Welsh business symposium in March 2011, Aggarwal said: "Ensuring a commercial link with India and continued investment relations is essential if Wales is to grow on the international stage.
Wales is a dynamic small country and stronger links with the rising superpower that is India will be vital to its future prosperity.
He’s been a tireless advocate for promoting our country as a place to invest and do business and travelled with me to India earlier this year to highlight what we have to offer to Indian companies.
The First Sea Lord said: "Since Raj's appointment as an Honorary Officer he has been a tireless advocate for the Service and this promotion reflects his commitment and hard work.
A particular highlight was seeing his affiliated ship, HMS Dragon, lit up at sea to celebrate Diwali, in an image that reached audiences throughout the world.