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'''Kuldip Singh Dhillon''' (b. 1950), often known by the anglicised first name "Kolin", is a [[British Indian]] property developer and [[polo]] player and official. He is the chairman of Cirencester Park Polo Club.<ref>Davies, Gareth A. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/polo/11325212/Kuldip-Dhillon-Cirencester-Park-Polo-Club-will-remain-one-of-the-big-three-clubs.html "Kuldip Dhillon: Cirencester Park Polo Club will remain 'one of the big three clubs'"], ''The Telegraph'', 13 January 2015.</ref>

==Biography==

===Early life===
Dhillon immigrated from India to Britain in 1955 when he was four years old. He lived initially in Warrington where his father owned a number of market stalls and it was in this town that he met his wife, Jacqueline, at a local disco. The couple started a family before moving{{when|date=March 2021}} to [[Gloucestershire]] where they have since lived.

In the early 1970s, he met the then-[[Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla Parker Bowles]], and the two became friends. Mrs. Parker Bowles (as she then was) and her husband [[Andrew Parker Bowles]] (also intently interested in the world of polo) would often dine at Dhillon's Gloucestershire home, or host the wealthy property developer at the couple's home in [[Wiltshire]].<ref name="camilla">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4229844/The-Duchess-of-Cornwall-called-him-Sooty-first.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121155108/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4229844/The-Duchess-of-Cornwall-called-him-Sooty-first.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-01-21 |title=The Duchess of Cornwall called him Sooty first |accessdate=2009-01-14 |date=2009-01-13 |publisher=The Telegraph | location=London | first=Andrew | last=Pierce}}</ref> In 1975, Dhillon joined Cirencester Park Polo Club, and, by his own statement, acquired the nickname of "Sooty" while playing against members of the Royal Family.<ref name="notaracist">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4229692/Prince-Charless-friend-Sooty-says-Royal-is-not-a-racist.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119115940/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4229692/Prince-Charless-friend-Sooty-says-Royal-is-not-a-racist.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-01-19|title=Prince Charles' friend 'Sooty' says Royal is not a racist |accessdate=2009-01-14 |date=2009-01-14 |publisher=The Telegraph | location=London | first1=Andrew | last1=Pierce | first2=Christopher | last2=Lamb}}</ref>

He has two daughters and two sons, the younger of whom, Satnam, in addition to helping his father run his property empire,is also a former player for the English national polo team.<ref name = "notaracist"/> The firm's main offices are in Cheltenham.<ref name="camilla"/>

Dhillon is a former chairman of the Schools and Universities Polo Association and a director and player at Cirencester Park.<ref name = "camilla"/>

==="Sooty" controversy===
A board member and player at [[Cirencester Park Polo Club]], at which [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] and his sons are members, Dhillon gained national attention in 2009 when it became known that his friend, the Prince of Wales, called him by the nickname "Sooty". Charles was subsequently labelled as "out of touch" for using the nickname.<ref name = "sootydef"/> The story was first reported in ''The Telegraph'''s "Mandrake" column on 12 January 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prince-charles-calls-asian-friend-sooty-1333588.html |title=Prince Charles 'calls Asian friend Sooty' |accessdate=2009-01-14 |date=2009-01-13|publisher=The Telegraph | location=London | first=Tony | last=Jones}}</ref>

A spokesman for a group called "[[Racism in association football|Give Racism the Red Card]]" stated, "Members of the Royal Family, with all the money that's been spent on their education, should be aware that calling people 'Sooty' is unacceptable. It comes at the same time as [[Prince Harry]] is again being hauled over the coals for using racist language."<ref name = "notaracist"/>

Labour MP [[Keith Vaz]], chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, reacted, "I do worry about the choice of these nicknames which they regard as terms of endearment and affection but which members of the public will regard as being offensive and distasteful."<ref name="bbc">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7826701.stm |title=Prince defended by friend 'Sooty' |accessdate=2009-01-14 |date=2009-01-13|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Dhillon defended the Prince of Wales:
<blockquote>I have to say that you know you have arrived when you acquire a nickname. I enjoy being called Sooty by my friends who I am sure universally use the name as a term of affection with no offence meant or felt. The Prince of Wales is a man of zero prejudice and both his sons have always been most respectful.<ref name="sootydef">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/sooty-defends-prince-charles-1343747.html |title='Sooty' defends Prince Charles |accessdate=2009-01-14 |date=2009-01-14|work=The Independent | location=London | first1=Tony | last1=Jones}}</ref>
</blockquote>

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/4224270/Member-of-Princes-polo-club-affectionately-known-as-Sooty.html Mandrake column in ''The Telegraph'' which first broke story]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dhillon, Kuldip Singh}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:British real estate businesspeople]]

Kuldip Singh Dhillon - Revision history

UpdateBot at 13:18, 15 April 2022