Nirj Deva | |
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![]() Deva in 2010 | |
Member of the European Parliament for South East England | |
In office 10 June 1999 – 1 July 2019 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Belinda de Lucy |
Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth | |
In office 9 April 1992 – 8 April 1997 | |
Preceded by | Barney Hayhoe |
Succeeded by | Ann Keen |
Personal details | |
Born | Niranjan Joseph De Silva Deva Aditya 11 May 1948 Colombo, Dominion of Ceylon |
Citizenship | Sri Lanka and United Kingdom |
Political party | Conservative |
Other political affiliations | European Conservatives and Reformists |
Spouse | Indra |
Children | 1 |
Residence | London |
Website | www.nirjdeva.co.uk European Parliament |
Thakur Artha Niranjan Joseph De Silva Deva Aditya, FRSA, DL (born 11 May 1948), known as Nirj Deva, is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as a Member of the European Parliament for South East England from 1999 to 2019. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the British House of Commons from 1992 to 1997, for the seat of Brentford and Isleworth.
Deva was born in Sri Lanka into a politically active family and was raised in Britain. He was the fifth Asian-born person to be elected a Member of the House of Commons, and in 1999 became the second so-born to be elected as a Conservative to the European Parliament which operates via a party list system. In November 2011 Deva became the European Conservatives and Reformists Group's candidate for President of the European Parliament, following three UN-related roles, representing the European Union, in the 2005 to 2006 period.[1][2]