PREET and I are like friends these days as opposed to father and daughter. I think that's happened over the last few years - you realise your kids are actually grown up and you're equal in a sense. When kids are in their teens you think you're the boss and you have to tell them what to do, but as time goes on there's a gradual change, and then they start telling you what to do. I went down to London a couple of years ago with my daughters. They were like, "Dad, we'll take your boarding pass because you'll drop it." It's the type of thing I used to say to them. I thought, "Am I really that bad now?"
'Curry King' Charan Gill, 54. Photo: © The Herald
Preet was never any hassle, although I think there's maybe a year or two in every teenager's life when they think they know it all. But the period when everything I did was annoying and everything Preet did was right was quite short.
There was a bigger gulf between myself and my own parents. We were immigrants from India and it was harder for them to understand and cope with the generation gap. My parents were more traditional but then their children were growing up in Scotland and had slightly western attitudes. I was more tolerant with Preet - I gave her freedom to do many of the things she wanted to do and I don't think I was that strict. Preet might say otherwise but I think I was pretty open-minded about a lot of things.
I certainly wasn't spoiled and I don't think I've spoiled my children. I've always tried to pass on my work ethic and I encouraged all the kids to work. We could afford private education but we weren't lavish. In fact, money was tight. It's only in recent years that things have been better. When the children were growing up, right up to Preet's early teens, there wasn't much money about.
It's great that Preet has chosen business as her vocation because she's very entrepreneurial and it's not something you can instill in someone. She always comes up with a million ways to do things differently. It's more about trying to hold her down a bit sometimes. [rc]
© 2009 newsquest (sunday herald) limited.
July 5, 2009
UK: Me and my ... millionaire dad
.
GLASGOW, Scotland / Sunday Herald / July 5, 2009
Scotland’s famous Curry King made his fortune in the Indian restaurant trade –
Now his daughter wants to make her own
Interviews by Teddy Jamieson
PREET SANDHU, 27, DIRECTOR OF HAPPY LETS
I'VE got a close relationship with my dad. When you're a wee girl you believe your dad can do anything, then you get a bit older and think you know better. I'm at the age now where I respect his opinion and I'll go to him for advice.
Dad sometimes works from the same office as me in Glasgow but he's not directly involved in the letting side of things, so he leaves me to it. He respects my opinion and I get on with what I'm doing. But when he's having meetings, he'll often call me to sit in on them. I have no problem saying, "Dad, that's not right." He brings a positive energy to me and to the rest of the staff, and his entrepreneurial spirit rubs off on everyone.
I can't remember the last time we argued.
Dad has always listened. With a wife and four daughters, I don't think he had a choice.
He was born in India so straight away there was a difference between his childhood and mine. I've always had a lot of opportunities and Dad always made sure we had everything we needed, but he's not spoiled us in any way. None of us takes anything for granted - we understand the value of money and we all work hard. He's obviously had it a lot tougher than we have.
He was out working a lot in his Ashoka restaurants when we were growing up, but I have many memories of him being around. He'd come home and we'd all fight to take off his socks and his shoes, and he'd feed us all ice-cream. Now that we're older, I think he's looking for grandkids.
I was never a rebel. I suppose when I was a teenager and I wanted to dye my hair or get piercings or things like that I'd go to my mum - as long as I'd cleared things with her I was okay.
I couldn't wait to start working. Dad had a call centre for his restaurants when I was 16 and I used to beg him for a job there. Finally he said, "Okay, you can start," and I've been working ever since. To be honest, I still think there's a lot more out there for me. I'm happy doing what I do just now - I want to build this letting business, but I think I need to move on and do something else.
CHARAN GILL MBE, 54, ENTREPRENEUR
PREET and I are like friends these days as opposed to father and daughter. I think that's happened over the last few years - you realise your kids are actually grown up and you're equal in a sense. When kids are in their teens you think you're the boss and you have to tell them what to do, but as time goes on there's a gradual change, and then they start telling you what to do. I went down to London a couple of years ago with my daughters. They were like, "Dad, we'll take your boarding pass because you'll drop it." It's the type of thing I used to say to them. I thought, "Am I really that bad now?"
'Curry King' Charan Gill, 54. Photo: © The Herald
Preet was never any hassle, although I think there's maybe a year or two in every teenager's life when they think they know it all. But the period when everything I did was annoying and everything Preet did was right was quite short.
There was a bigger gulf between myself and my own parents. We were immigrants from India and it was harder for them to understand and cope with the generation gap. My parents were more traditional but then their children were growing up in Scotland and had slightly western attitudes. I was more tolerant with Preet - I gave her freedom to do many of the things she wanted to do and I don't think I was that strict. Preet might say otherwise but I think I was pretty open-minded about a lot of things.
I certainly wasn't spoiled and I don't think I've spoiled my children. I've always tried to pass on my work ethic and I encouraged all the kids to work. We could afford private education but we weren't lavish. In fact, money was tight. It's only in recent years that things have been better. When the children were growing up, right up to Preet's early teens, there wasn't much money about.
It's great that Preet has chosen business as her vocation because she's very entrepreneurial and it's not something you can instill in someone. She always comes up with a million ways to do things differently. It's more about trying to hold her down a bit sometimes. [rc]
© 2009 newsquest (sunday herald) limited.
PREET and I are like friends these days as opposed to father and daughter. I think that's happened over the last few years - you realise your kids are actually grown up and you're equal in a sense. When kids are in their teens you think you're the boss and you have to tell them what to do, but as time goes on there's a gradual change, and then they start telling you what to do. I went down to London a couple of years ago with my daughters. They were like, "Dad, we'll take your boarding pass because you'll drop it." It's the type of thing I used to say to them. I thought, "Am I really that bad now?"
'Curry King' Charan Gill, 54. Photo: © The Herald
Preet was never any hassle, although I think there's maybe a year or two in every teenager's life when they think they know it all. But the period when everything I did was annoying and everything Preet did was right was quite short.
There was a bigger gulf between myself and my own parents. We were immigrants from India and it was harder for them to understand and cope with the generation gap. My parents were more traditional but then their children were growing up in Scotland and had slightly western attitudes. I was more tolerant with Preet - I gave her freedom to do many of the things she wanted to do and I don't think I was that strict. Preet might say otherwise but I think I was pretty open-minded about a lot of things.
I certainly wasn't spoiled and I don't think I've spoiled my children. I've always tried to pass on my work ethic and I encouraged all the kids to work. We could afford private education but we weren't lavish. In fact, money was tight. It's only in recent years that things have been better. When the children were growing up, right up to Preet's early teens, there wasn't much money about.
It's great that Preet has chosen business as her vocation because she's very entrepreneurial and it's not something you can instill in someone. She always comes up with a million ways to do things differently. It's more about trying to hold her down a bit sometimes. [rc]
© 2009 newsquest (sunday herald) limited.
