AP Dharni left India in 1962 having completed his degree in English from Punjab University the previous year , arriving in England he located to Bradford where he has remained a staunch sup- porter of the City from day one. Starting as a bus driver he worked hard to study in his spare time as an insurance broker and became the first Asian insurance broker in the north of England regis- tered by the Insurance Brokers Registration Council and he became a member of British Insurance Brokers’Association in 1979. His success as a broker gained him many friends in the Asian com- munity in Bradford and he was a successful pioneer bringing new business to Abbey National and the Yorkshire Building Society in Bradford. AP Dharni also recognised the potential of the Asian community in Bradford to generate jobs and wealth and he was a Founder member and Chairman of Bradford Asian Business Association Ltd for many years.

In addition to his extensive business interests he invested much of his spare time in supporting the cultural heritage of the Indian community and became Chairman of Trustees of the Hindu Cultural Society, Bradford – the leading organisation for the care of old and vulnerable people from the local community . Under his leadership the Hindu Cultural Society has raised sufficient funds to inaugurate an ambitious £4 million project that will result in the con- struction of a brand new Hindu T emple and Elderly Day Care Centre - inaugurated by HM The Queen and HRH Duke of Edinburgh in May 2007.As Chairman of the Hindu Cultural Society he has championed the need for working close- ly with all of the communities of Bradford in bringing cohesion and harmony to the whole District.

AP Dharni is working closely with Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi and Yorkshire Forward to bring overseas direct investment to the UK. He actively supports the regeneration of the District through the Regen 2000 and Trident projects

Finally as a true Yorkshire Indian he is an avid supporter of Yorkshire County Cricket Club!