Avtar Lit


Avtar Lit was the owner and chairman of Sunrise Radio Group, He was listed by AIM magazine as one of the "20 most powerful Asians in British media" in 2005, and is said to have amassed a big personal fortune. The main presenters Sarita Sabharwal and Ravi Sharma were moved over to MW 1035 radio channel.

Political ambitions

Avtar Lit stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Ealing Southall parliamentary constituency in the 2001 General Election. Sunrise Radio carried extracts from an interview with him in advance of this, contrary to section 90 of the Broadcasting Act 1990; the Radio Authority fined Sunrise Radio £10,000. Avatar Lit's son, Surinderpal Singh Lit, commonly known as Tony Lit, stood, also unsuccessfully, as a candidate in the 2007 Ealing Southall by-election as the Conservative candidate.