Lord Raval Swears Allegiance on the Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Krish Raval was recently introduced into the House of Lords as “Baron Raval of Hertsmere.” His nobility is a testimony to his outstanding contributions to leadership development. He was holding a copy of the holy Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita and explained why he did so. Please read the full article to learn in detail about Lord Raval and why he swore his allegiance on the Bhagavad Gita as it is.
Lord Raval Swears Allegiance on the Bhagavad Gita As It Is
Krish Raval OBE; the chair of the Labour Indians diaspora coalition of parliamentarians, advisors and councillors, took his seat in the House of Lords after swearing his traditional oath on the ‘Bhagavad Gita.’ At a solemn robed ceremony recently, his nobility was formalized as he was sworn in as the Baron of Hertsmere in the County of Hertfordshire in the name of King Charles III.
Lord Raval took his oath and said, “I, Krish, Lord Raval, do swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors according to law, so help me God,” while holding a copy of the holy Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita. It followed his election by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in December 2024, in appreciation of his work in supporting the British Indian diaspora and steering interfaith harmony. He will now take his seat on the Labour benches in the Upper House of the UK Parliament as a life peer.
He also acknowledged the support of his wife, Dr. The Lady Lucy Raval, who has been a source of encouragement throughout his journey. Lord Raval frequently visited Bhaktivedanta Manor from the age of six and took part in the Manor Youth Forum from the age of 16. This paved the way for greater social responsibility and an appreciation of the beneficial effects of faith.
He said, “I am deeply humbled and eagerly look forward to advancing our vision for a renewed and dynamic Britain. The guiding principle of ‘seva,’ the Dharmic ethos of selfless service, was instilled in me by my parents, whose courage and resilience in building a life here remain a source of inspiration. It is this spirit of service that fuels my dedication to fostering community cohesion and championing international collaboration in addressing the pressing challenges of our age.” He also stated, “This opportunity is a testament to the brilliance, strength, and constancy of multiple communities and individuals. Together, we can contribute to a brighter, more unified future.”
Many newly elected Indian-origin MPs to the House of Commons have been swearing their devotion to the British Crown as a symbol of loyalty to the country, choosing to swear on holy texts or to affirm their oath during the first week of a new Parliament. A new copy of the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ was presented to Speaker Lindsay Hoyle by Shailesh Vara, former Conservative Party member of Parliament who lost his Cambridgeshire seat in last week’s general election, appeared early on as Rishi Sunak was one of the first British Indian MPs to take his oath as Leader of the Opposition on Tuesday.
Kanishka Nayaran, a first-time MP who is also the first Indian-origin member of Parliament to represent Wales in the Westminster Parliament after winning the Vale of Glamorgan seat for Labour, also chose the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ for his oath, as did the new Tory MP from Leicester, Shivani Raja. Bob Blackman, a Tory veteran who represents Harrow East in London and has chaired the All Party Parliament Group (APPG) for British Hindus, chose to hold both the ‘Gita’ and the ‘King James Bible’ for his oath-taking ceremony.
Shailesh Vara recently presented the holy text blessed at the Mayapur temple headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and said, “This ‘Bhagavad Gita’ has been specially blessed in a temple in India and will be used by Hindu MPs entering Parliament following this General Election and those who will enter in the generations to come.”
The affirmation reads: “I do solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.” All elected MPs, including 29 of Indian heritage, have been lining up in the Commons chamber since Tuesday to finish this protocol before they can officially take their seats in Parliament.