IMPERIAL College was Ram Gidoomal's closest university to his family's corner shop on the Uxbridge Road, near the QPR football ground. It was also the cheapest to reach - a 5p bus ride - and ensured he could work in the shop after lessons.

He was 18 and spent his first two years running the shop while studying physics and listening to the crowd from Loftus Road - he spent what money he had on concerts at Imperial, namely Queen, Santana and Osibisa.

The year was 1969, he had no clue about the university scene, and lived on an inner city estate as one of 15 sharing four rooms. If you'd told him then that he'd be standing for Mayor of London in 2004, he'd have laughed in your face.

"I was a refugee from East Africa and survival was key. I got a scholarship from the Inner London Education Authority because I didn't qualify for a grant as I'd only been in England for 18 months. My first degree was physics, then management science and operations research. I'd take the 49 bus to the corner of High Street Kensington and every day, on a student budget, I'd eat the same thing - chicken and ham pie, chips and baked beans for 12.5p."

Today he dines at the best restaurants with prospective backers, regularly meets dignitaries and holds elaborate fundraising events. Chosen as candidate by the Christian Peoples Alliance for London Mayor, his message to struggling students, particularly those from tough situations and backgrounds, is apply yourself - you can do it.

"My family were so proud that somebody from the family had made it to university, I was backed to the hilt - my sister loaned me money for my postgraduate degree," he remembers. "I wanted to be a theoretical physicist, my hero was Imperial's Professor Abdus Salam, but I quickly realised there was no money in physics so I switched to management where I could see the hope of a job in the city."

At 24, under pressure to make an arranged marriage, he got a research fellowship from the civil service. "Getting a PhD was worth a lot in dowry terms and I received amazing offers - a whole line of girls from one family were prepared to pay a lifetime's annuities for my hand! I bet many students have this situation today but never talk about it as they are too embarrassed."

Ram rebelled, was told to find a girl from the community, and chose a friend of his sister's who was studying at the French Institute where he was publicity officer and could gain access to talk to her. Told to declare his intentions, he proposed but was only allowed to marry if he had a job. He took one with Lloyds Bank International.

Today, his wife, Sunita, works at their campaign office in Sutton. Promoting a potential Mayor can be tough. There are press briefings to arrange and rallies to organise.

He addressed 100,000 people from all over the country in April 2000 when he publicised his idea for a people's bond, designed to raise multi-million pound sums for investment in London Underground and achieve long-term sustainability.

"Now, the government has adopted the idea and is implementing my policy. But I don't care who gets the credit as long as the job gets done."

Two years ago, the Chairman of the Employability Forum and former UK Group Chief Executive of the Inlaks Group, launched the Boost City and East London Employment Bond to help raise £50 million for three of London's poorest boroughs - Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Newham. He has raised £2 million as a pilot scheme and the idea is included in his 2004 manifesto Passion for London in which he pledges to raise £500 million for a London-wide regeneration scheme. Seeking to be the first Asian elected to the London Assembly, for which he needs five per cent of the list vote, (he won just under four per cent last time) he remains the only black party candidate to have declared.

He's had death threats but considers bringing people together worth the risk. "I want to have businesses that are sustainable and where the rich/poor divide can be addressed. Life expectancy of a baby born in Newham is six years less than in Westminster - why?"

Awarded a CBE in 1998 for services to the Asian business community and race relations, he recently became a member of the court and council at Imperial. "In the 70s, I couldn't have imagined that I'd be a governor at the college where I studied. Walking to the first meeting last year was a very moving experience. It was something I'd never dreamed of."

Running for Mayor probably wasn't on his agenda either but on 10 June, he'll be waiting to see if he's made the assembly election as well as beating Ken Livingstone.

If elected, transport is his number one concern. He'd negotiate with the Treasury to raise £110 billion over a 20-year period. Linked with this would be his commitments to inner city re-generation. "Business will pay if it's confident those delivering what's needed are effective. Many have a real fear of politicians controlling budgets that somehow don't quite deliver."

His feelings about top-up fees are also clear. "The education system needs money. It's desperate for funds but must be more creative in how it addresses the short fall in funding. I'm not saying this is the only way forward, but those in positions of wealth creation must see themselves as part of the long- term solution of the education process.

"They must help find a fair mechanism to enable access to education for all." For more details, visit www.ramgidoomal4london.com or www.londonelects.co.uk for a full list of candidates.