Asian Achievers Awards 2015 by Asian Business Publications Ltd

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GUJARAT SAMACHAR

PRESENTS

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

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10 DOWNING STREET LONDON SW1A 2AA www.gov.uk/number10

ay in, day out, British Asians achieve so much and this country is all the better for it. We see the evidence throughout society: British Asian sports stars scoring those goals and hitting those runs, journalists reading the news, comedians making us laugh, business men and women running Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest companies. British Asian police officers and members of the Armed Forces are keeping us safe and some of our finest ministers, like Priti Patel and Sajid Javid, sitting at the highest table in the land. Celebrating these achievements is really important. I want to congratulate all the nominees and winners who are here tonight and say a big well done to Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar for recognising so much talent. Rt Hon David Cameron, MP Prime Minister

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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ondon’s dynamic and diverse Asian communities play a vital role in our city’s culture, and contribute in countless ways to our economy. Talented, hardworking and committed, Asian people continue to make an impact across the UK and internationally, playing an important part in international trading links. These awards recognise their huge contribution across all sectors, from arts and entertainment to business and politics, and celebrate the work of inspirational Asians who are making a difference to our city every day. Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Asian Achievers Awards. Boris Johnson Mayor of London

HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SW1A 0AA

ow in its 15th year, the Asian Achievers Awards ongoing endeavour to recognise and encourage excellence has been invaluable. British Asians continue to make huge contributions to numerous fields in the UK. Their hard work and drive have enabled them to turn adversity into opportunity. I regularly meet British Asians whose entrepreneurial spirit and drive has improved the lives of people in the UK and abroad. The Asian Achievers Awards, nominated by the public, serves to highlight not only the prominence of British Asians in British Society, but also to provide role models to inspire young British Asians to excel. I would like to pay tribute to CB Patel one of Britain’s legendary editors and to the staff of Asian Voice and Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, now in their 44th year, for their dedication to recognising outstanding British Asians. I would also like to congratulate all those nominated for the awards and wish them all the best in their inspirational endeavours. Rt Hon Keith Vaz, MP Chairman Home Affairs Select Committee

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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Chief Guest

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great honour to be your Chief Guest at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Asian Achievers Awards. Congratulations to everyone who has been nominated, you are an inspiration to us all. I am particularly delighted to have two nominees from the Armed Forces in the 'Uniformed and Civil Services' category. We're immensely proud of the Asian community who serve in the Armed Forces, who dedicate their life and expertise to the protection of others. Both our nominees - Imam Asim Hafiz and Lance Corporal Tuljung Gurung - demonstrate the values we champion in the Armed Forces: bravery, loyalty and determination. They are exemplary leaders and role models. This occasion gives me the opportunity to reflect on the overall enormous contribution of the Asian community to our Armed Forces. They are not just fighting on the frontline but performing the vital tasks that make our Armed Forces tick such as medicine, law and engineering. They are exemplary professionals and among the most talented people in the UK. We are so proud of them. Congratulations once again.

- Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence

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Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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Marching ahead on all fronts

ifteen years is not a very long period and at the same time it is not too short. Going through the pages of this souvenir I was struck with the ever changing scenario especially of the Asian entrepreneurship in Britain today. Whether they were born here or came from various other backgrounds, with their origin in the Indian subcontinent, the British Asians, in such a short period, have carved out a special niche with their presence. I recollect the thought process before we embarked on this journey of Asian Achievers Awards. In the first 15 years of the 21st century, our communities have come a long way. And our brilliance is flowering in various walks of life. In the initial years, most of the nominations and awardees represented retail, hospitality and predominantly they were men from Indian background. Today the nominees and the winners are from such a diverse background, too difficult to speculate just 15-20 years ago. British Asians, especially our younger generation, coming out of the British university and with the background of a multi-racial and multicultural nation, are full of ambition, vision, competence and confidence. They are readily willing to venture on newer fields. They are not risk averse. The outstanding women profiled in this souvenir, Rishika Lulla Singh, Laila Remtulla MBE, Adeeba Malik, Razia Iqbal and especially Smt Pushpawati Loomba of Loomba Foundation have each a narrative which will surely impress and inspire many men as well as women. Similarly we have talked about Prof. Sir Venki, Rugby hero Iqram Butt, uniformed man Surg Lr Cdr Manish Tayal or millionaire businessman Dinesh Dhamija, they have outstanding career profiles. Lord Raj Kumar Bagri represents the pioneer, the first generation and his story is especially remarkable, for his modesty, personal warmth and philanthropy. Lord Raj Loomba a self-made man has embarked on a distinct path to care for widows and orphans. Loomba Foundation has achieved a considerable success, in such a short time. Our headline sponsor Ernst & Young, commonly known as EY represent a thriving section of the City, where more and more Asian men and women are playing very vital roles in various capacities. It is indeed a pleasure to have a relationship and support from such internationally well known Institution. The theme of this AAA is Uniform and Civil Services. One radio interviewer asked me about why we have chosen the theme this year. The answer is simple. People in Uniform- from Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Fire brigade and many others contribute tirelessly, so that the British civic soci-

ety has its safety and security. The ones in civil service, ensure the policies are largely to the common benefit. Secondly, we are modestly attempting to encourage our youngsters, both men and women in such valuable sectors. A British in uniform, like the British Bobby is miles ahead than that of many nations. At the moment the British Armed Forces have a very important role, both at home and especially aboard. We are delighted that Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Michael Fallon is attending our 15th AAA as the Chief Guest. When Armed Forces are shrinking in numbers, it is important that the quality and resources are well managed and Rt Hon Fallon has a very high reputation. In the initial years, the AAA had limited number of nominations from Arts, Culture, Sports, Media and even Women. Today our entrepreneurship in 'new sectors' is also very pleasing with enormous potentialities. I am privileged to present to you this modest souvenir which just illustrates a tip of the iceberg, the manifold potentials and achievements of British Asians. I am most grateful to all those who were nominated by such a large number of nominators, without whom this effort will be very limited. My grateful thanks to the Judges led by Rt Hon Vince Cable, Sponsors, Advertisers, Writers and many others who have helped us in various ways in the continuous progress of Asian Business Publications Limited (ABPL) with two news weeklies, Asian voice and Gujarat Samachar, and other 10 theme based special issues every year. I acknowledge with sincere appreciation, the hard work of my team led by George, supported by Rovin, Rupanjana, Harish, Ajay and other members. With warm regards and best wishes, CB Patel Publisher/Editor

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Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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The people’s choice awards

Diverse role models drive business success

Y is proud to support the Asian Achievers Awards 2015. These awards are very closely aligned to what we are seeking to achieve as a firm. Role models are absolutely crucial to the success of EY and the UK in an inter-connected global economy. EY is a global network with over 200,000 people delivering assurance, advisory, tax and transaction services. Our clients are multinational, operating across all sectors and in global markets. For them to be successful in the global market place, our clients tell us that they need diverse leaders and advisers who are similarly culturally fluent. Young people entering the workforce for the first time also tell us that diversity is an important factor in considering where they choose to spend their careers. In today’s world, this is not a ‘nice to have’; for EY, it is an absolute business imperative

So, how do we achieve that diversity and cultural fluency? We do not claim to have all of the answers and we continue to share our learnings with our clients and colleagues. But I believe we are doing five key things to effect cultural change in our organisation and role models are part of this change: • We set targets with teeth • We coach our existing leaders • We identify and coach our rising Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BME) talent • We identify, encourage and support BME role models • We celebrate success We set targets with teeth: One of our key priorities is to increase the diversity of our business. In the UK, we have set aspirational diversity targets for new partner entries - 30% female and 10% BME. We were one of the first professional services firms to publicly state our commitment to increasing the ethnic diversity of our leadership. These goals are supported by active monitoring and management of our talent pipelines at all levels. We coach our existing leaders: All of our 500+ partners in the UK and Ireland have undertaken an Inclusive Leadership programme. This is a behavioural change programme aimed at building on our inclusive culture. It is not a single transactional event. It is ongoing training designed to reinforce change. This programme is being rolled out to our directors, senior man-

agers and managers – around 3,500 people in the UK and Ireland. We identify and coach our rising BME talent: We deliver high quality programmes for our BME talent, engaging our senior leaders in the process. We identify, encourage and support BME role models: Mentoring from a like-minded, successful role model can kick-start a cycle of greater self-belief, which in turn creates greater success. When I entered professional services 25 years ago, there were few visible senior Asian role models to guide me on the rules of the road. So now, as an Asian Partner at EY, I feel acutely aware of my responsibility to give something back and to help the next generation of BME talent. We celebrate success: The Asian Achievers Awards are important to us because it is vital that we celebrate success as part of the process of identifying, encouraging and supporting role models for the next generation. So I congratulate the Asian Achiever award nominees and winners, not just on your success but also on being acknowledged as a role model. And I welcome you and encourage you to embrace the responsibilities that go with that.

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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Panel o f

JUDGES Greg Dyke

Greg Dyke is a British media executive, journalist, broadcaster and is currently chairman of The Football Association. In 2000 he took over the running of the BBC where he improved work conditions and in 2002 introduced the Freeview technology and persuaded with Sky TV to join. Dyke controversially pointed out that the BBC was not ethnically diverse and aimed that by 2003 he would increase the percentage of BME people working at the BBC. In 2004 Dyke received an award for his remarks from an organisation that fights against workplace racism called Empower Scotland, a Glasgow based organisation. After he relinquished his role as Brentford chairman, Dyke became chairman of The Football Association in 2013.

Sanjay Bhandari

Sanjay Bhandari is an EY partner in the Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services (FIDS) practice in the UK & Ireland. He specialises in the use of forensic technology in disputes, investigations and regulatory reviews. Sanjay leads the FIDS team that works with clients in the financial services sector. Sanjay is active in co-ordinating various elements of EY's BME initiatives nationally including the award winning programmes, the BME Leadership Programme and Inclusive Leadership Programme.

Major General Sir Evelyn John Webb-Carter KCVO OBE DL

Sir Evelyn John Webb-Carter was a Controller of the Army Benevolent Fund , a British charity set up in order to provide support for former British soldiers and their families who are in need of assistance. The Army Benevolent Fund is a British charity which provides grants to over 80 charities and there are many high profile individual supporters. In June 1997, he was appointed Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District where he gained a strong reputation for tackling racism. He was also the Chairman of Queen Elizabeth's 100th anniversary celebrations in 2000 and retired in 2001.

Sir Vince Cable Chair of the Judging Panel

Vince Cable was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in May 2010, his term lasting till May 2015. He was elected the Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham between 1997 and 2015. Cable graduated from Cambridge University, where he was President of the Union, followed by a PhD at Glasgow University. He worked as Treasury Finance Officer for the Kenyan Government between 1966 and 1968 and afterwards became a lecturer at Glasgow University. Then Vince Cable went on to serve as a Labour Councillor in Glasgow between 1971 and 1974, before joining the Social Democrat Party. In 1990 Cable worked for Shell International and from 1995 to 1997 he served them as the Chief Economist for Shell. Later on he was made as the head of the economics programme in Chatham House and also has been appointed a fellow of Nuffield College in Oxford. In March 2006 Vince Cable was elected as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats till 2010. In 2015 Vince Cable was knighted in the 2015 Dissolution Honours Lists.

Baroness Michelle Mone OBE

Michelle Mone OBE is the coowner and founder of one of UK's designer leading lingerie brands, Ultimo. Leaving school at the age of 15, Mone climbed the ranks at Labatt Brewers to Head of Sales. Later, she went on to setting up her lingerie business in 1996. Since launching her company she has established her business as one of Scotland's biggest exports. In 2014 her company partnered with the global lingerie company MAS Holdings where she sold the majority of her shares. The Ultimo brand has attracted many celebrities as the face and body of the brand. She now has 15 patented inventions available in several high street stores. In 2000 Michelle won the 'World Young Business Achiever Award' in Florida as well as the 'Business Woman of the Year' in London. Now an inspirational speaker she has told her story to audiences around the world making her one of the UK's most notable speakers on an international stage. In 2010 Mone was appointed OBE for her business and in August 2015 Mone was appointed a life peer in the Dissolution Honours List. ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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angita Myska is an award-winning journalist and a familiar face on British television. She is popularly known for her warm and engaging presenting style. She has worked on various BBC output, including News, Current Affairs, General Factual and Consumer Affairs programmes. She has worked with the BBC as a television reporter from 2012-2014, for BBC Religion and Ethics BBC1; presenter & reporter for Current Affairs, Factual Entertainment, BBC radio 4, From 2000- 2015; and her current designation as correspondent & presenter, BBC News & Current Affairs, since 2005. An LLB (Hons) graduate from the University of Birmingham, Sangita has also been bestowed with many honours and awards, including Asian Woman of the Year in the Media, Women of the Future Programme (International), September 2012; Europe's 50 Most Influential People, European Voice Magazine; and Asia Media Awards, Journalist of the Year & Investigation of the Year, Asian Media Group, in November 2014. Sangita is also passionate about her documentary work on BBC Radio 4 for Features, as well as Current Affairs.

itin Ganatra, has had a long career in the theatre having performed with the Royal shakespeare company in Les Enfants Du Paridis and the National theatres production of Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. And he's also worked with Oscar winning director Sam Mendes in the Donmar Warehouses production of To The Green Fields Beyond. He is known internationally as Prince Pondicherry in the Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also appears in the Gurinder Chada film Bride and Prejudice as Kholi Saab and The Mistress of Spices as Haroun, and Dev Raja in Mumbai Calling. He also appeared in the first ever iPod commercial. Ganatra also appeared in an episode of The Catherine Tate Show, as Joanie Taylor's daughter's partner. Other appearances include the TV show Jane Hall, the CBBC television show Gina's Laughing Gear, a character in Meet the Magoons playing himself, a semi lead role as Rez, brother of main character Shifty, in the 2008 British cult film Shifty about a Muslim crack-cocaine dealer, and Martin Soper in Twenty Twelve. He also appeared in Being April with Pauline Quirkeplaying Sinil. Currently he best know for the loveable postman Masood Ahmed on Eastenders.

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture The Finalists

Deeyah Khan

Deeyah, a critically acclaimed music producer, composer, Emmy and Peabody awardwinning documentary film director and human rights activist, also known for her outspoken support of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights, freedom of expression and peace. At 13, she signed her first recording contract. At 15, she released her solo debut featuring Ustad Sultan Khan and Pakistani tabla legend,

Romesh Gunasekera

Romesh Gunesekera was born in Sri Lanka and moved to Britain in 1971. He is the author of eight highly acclaimed books. His novel Reef was short-listed for the Booker Prize in 1994. His writing has won many awards and is studied at universities and schools around the world. His most recent work of fiction Noontide Toll, exploring the dilemmas of post-war Sri Lanka, was short-

Adil Ray

Adil Ray has been a radio presenter on all of the major BBC radio networks, such as Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 5 live. He has also presented on four of the main BBC TV channels as well. He launched the late-night Adil Ray Show where he provided a platform for young aspiring artists to

Asif Khan

Asif Khan is a designer who works across the fields of architecture, industrial design and furniture. He studied Architecture at the Bartlett School and University College London. He also received full scholarship to the Architectural Association School in London. After completing his studies in 2007, he set up his own architectural practice in Central London. Asif Khan has won

Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan. Deeyah directed and produced her first documentary film through her own production company, Fuuse Films. In 2012 Deeyah was awarded the Ossietzky Prize by PEN for outstanding achievements for freedom of expression. Deeyah co-founded HBVA (Honour Based Violence Awareness network), with Joanne Payton in 2012.

listed for the 2015 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature and the Gordon Burn prize for innovative writing. It was also chosen for Georgetown Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prestigious Marino Workshop this year. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the 2015 chair of judges for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

promote their musical talent as well as airing unique comedy skits, parodies and characters. Ray also won the award for the Best Radio Show at the UK Asian Music Awards in 2008. Today, Adil can be heard on the UK's most listened to station, BBC Radio 2.

several awards, including the Breakthrough Talent of the Year Award by FX Design Magazine (2011), at the Golden Award for Montreux (2014) he received a Gold Medal for Spartial Communication for Set Design/Architecture for MegaFaces. He also won at Cannes Lions 2014: Innovation Grand Prix for his MegaFaces pavilion at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

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Achievement in Community Service The Finalists

Amir Cheema MBE

A Muslim Scout leader who has brought together hundreds of young people from different faiths and backgrounds, Amir Cheema has won an award from the Prime Minister. Amir Cheema has spent the past 11 years dedicating his spare time to encouraging Muslim boys and girls, to join the Scout Association. The Muslim Scout Fellowship,

Arun Patel

Since 2002, Arun Patel (retired CA) and his charity, Polio Children, have changed the lives of more than 1,000 children, including 350 girls afflicted with polio. Working tirelessly, he has developed sustainable programs of nutritional support, healthcare, education, and/or vocational training in India, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sierra Leone etc. Without his intervention, most of them would have ended up destitute and with a grim future.

Jasvinder Sanghera CBE

Jasvinder Sanghera CBE, is an outspoken campaigner and advocate for the rights of those experiencing forced marriages and honour based abuse. She is the founder of Karma Nirvana, established in her front room, in 1993. Karma Nirvana is now a national and international charity that has been instrumental in developing several refuge centres across the United Kingdom.

Husna Parvin Ahmad OBE

Dr Husna Ahmad OBE, is the CEO of Global One 2015, a Muslim women led international development organisation. With a PhD in Environmental Law from the School of Oriental and African Studies at London University, Dr. Ahmad is the former Group CEO of Faith Regen Foundation which is a Muslim inspired multi faith organisation working with disadvantaged communities in the UK. She sits on the task force for Faith

part of the wider movement, announced a 13.5 per cent increase in its members and a rise of 85 per cent in the past five years. David Cameron has given him the Points of Light award and he has been praised for improving community cohesion as leader of a group in Brunel Scout District.

Today, more than 200 of them have gone on to obtain university degrees and secure wellpaying jobs while another 110 are supported in their pursuit of higher education. In September 2014, he launched a charity to award scholarships to poor but academically capable secondary school students in Uganda. In January 2015, he was awarded the inaugural British Citizen Award for these services.

The efforts of Sanghera and Karma Nirvana helped the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act outlawing the forced marriage to receive its Royal Assent on March 13 2014. Jasvinder was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and has been listed as one of the Guardian's 100 most Inspirational Women in the World.

Actionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work on Together in Service which supports faith groups in multi faith social action communities in the UK and the International Advisory Board on Religious Freedoms. She is an author and thought leader linking faith and environment and has presented many papers internationally, focussing particularly on climate change and faith.

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015

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The peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice awards

Best-in-class experiences

ur vision is to create a portfolio of assets and brands that consistently deliver best-in-class experiences. Building long-lasting partnerships is central to the accomplishment of this vision. Mutual trust and respect form the basis of all our relationships and our commitment to building long-lasting partnerships will deliver genuine value and collective success. Our portfolio encompasses assets as well as brands. We adopt an open-minded approach to investment, backing individuals, ideas and ingenuity. We have a reputation for partnering with dependable investors and associates who share our ethical and trustworthy approach to business. We foster clear communications and a supportive environment to ensure that we collectively meet our personal and professional objectives. Innovation is an essential element of the hospitality industry and of our business strategy. By effectively creating and implementing new products and services we will achieve our vision to become best-inclass across every vertical. The creativity and innovative ideas of Shanti Hospitality and our partners will produce truly memorable customer experiences that differentiate our assets and brands from the competition. Quality control is crucial. We ensure that everything we do is of the highest achievable standard. This commitment to quality is apparent in the way we work during the planning, build and operational stages through to the quality of the end product. Our obsession with detail is evident at every point of the customer experience.

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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Sports Personality of the year The Finalists

Rimla Akhtar

Rimla Akhtar became the first Muslim woman and one of only six women in total on the 21-strong Football Association (FA) Council, in 2014. Akhtar also chairs the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation (MWSF), an organisation that aims to raise sentience and provide scope for women. She has received the Community Award at the Sunday Times (2013), as well as the Sky

Shehneela Ahmed

Shehneela Ahmed is Britain’s and World’s first Asian female football agent approved by the English Football Association (FA). Studying Law at Staffordshire University was a huge step towards her future career. Shehneela built up her credentials further after completing a Legal Practice Course (LPC) at Guilford Law College, before eventually becoming a Criminal Solicitor. During

Moeen Ali

Moeen Munir Ali is a left-handed batsman who also bowls useful off-spin. Moeen was ear- marked for future England honours after representing the Lions and Under-19 sides, and has been touted as a future Worcestershire captain. Moeen started his career with Warwickshire before and moved in 2007, swiftly establishing himself by scoring 77 on his county debut for

Ira Banerjee

Ira Banerjee is Britain’s top badminton star. She was crowned the nation’s best after winning the U19 Women's Singles title. Despite still being at high school, she has already won singles and doubles titles at the U11 and U13 National Championships. She has won doubles and mixed titles at the U15 Championships with Jessica Pugh, and finished unbeaten throughout the U15 season.

Sports Sportswomen of the Year Awards (2013). She is a recipient of the Queen's birthday honour in 2015 for services to Equality and Diversity in Sports. She was selected as one of 400 women to be recognised by the Women of the Year scheme in 2012. She has also run the Born to Succeed project.

late 2013, Shehneela was granted her licence to become the first Asian female football agent, recognised by the English FA. In 2014, she won the Asian Women Achievement Award and the Overseas Pakistan Women Achievement Award. Shehneela’s recently helped Almira Rafeeque, launch her career in professional football with Tottenham FC.

Worcestershire. Moeen was leading the England under-19s’ team to the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup in Pakistan. During his debut against Sri Lanka at Lords in 2014, he was targeted by a handful of journalists for sporting a beard for religious reasons. However, he took that in his stride and did not let the negativity affect him.

She also secured all major titles in the Europe U15 Danish Cup, U15 Eight Nations and U15 BE Gold events. In 2015, she won the U19 English Badminton Nationals, Milton Keynes, singles. In 2014, European U17 Championships she won silver in singles. In 2013, she has also won the Danish Junior Cup, U17, Doubles.

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Professional of the Year The Finalists

Satvir Bungar

During Satvir’s career, he has acted as corporate adviser to various Boards and completed many high profile UK and cross-border merger and acquisition transactions up to £100 million. Satvir works with both listed and private or venture capital backed companies and has materially transformed businesses and enhanced the personal wealth of its shareholders. He supports BDO’s national strategy as he is National Sector Head of Facilities Management and also directs

Anita Balchandani

Anita Balchandani is a Partner of OC&C Strategy Consultants and Sector Head of the UK Retail team, as well as a Non-Executive Director at Space NK, a luxury beauty business with 85 beauty emporiums and ecommerce operations in the UK and US. With an MSc in Management from the London School of Economics and Stern School of Business (New York University), as well as an MBA from the Indian Institute of

Dr. Farah Bhatti

Farah Bhatti is a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, and Honorary Associate Professor at the Swansea University. Farah was accepted to read Medicine at Somerville College, Oxford and gained a BA(Hons) in Physiological Sciences. She is now an Equality and Diversity director for GEM and is involved with the College’s Athena SWAN initiative. At a national level Farah writes

Prof Venugopal K. Nair

Prof. Venugopal Nair is the Head of Research programme at the Pirbright Institute in Surrey, also holding Visiting Professorships at Imperial College, London, University of Liverpool, and Jenner Institute, Oxford. His research focuses on unravelling the molecular mechanisms of cancer caused by viruses. He also has International research collaborations with a number of countries including India, China, and USA.

BDO’s day-to-day operations in the Birmingham team. Satvir enjoys working with his entrepreneurial and client base and advising successful, driven directors on what are often life-changing transactions. He has a reputation for straight, objective advice combined with a focus on getting the right deal done for his clients and this is reflected in his longstanding clients and transaction awards won.

Management, Balchandani has worked with numerous consumer and retail businesses across Europe, North America and Asia. Her key areas of expertise are in building customer-centred businesses – particularly by deciphering value from customer data, as well as apportioning and enabling organisations to manage the transition from bricks and mortar to multichannel/online.

questions for the Intercollegiate Specialty Board in Cardiothoracic Surgery and has recently been appointed as an Examiner. She is also a member of the Opportunities in Surgery committee at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. One of only 3 surgeons named by the Health Service Journal in its inaugural BME Pioneers list.

Prof. Nair came to the UK in 1989 from India and during the last 25 years of scientific research, he published more than 120 scientific papers and edited several books. In recognition of his major contributions to British Science, Prof. Nair was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list 2015. Prof. Nair lives in Oxford with his wife Geetha Menon.

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Woman of the Year The Finalists

Smruti Sriram

Smruti Sriram is the CEO of Supreme Creations, the world's largest ethical manufacturer of reusable bags and sustainable packaging. At the age of 18, she set up the Wings of Hope Achievement Award (WOHAA), which is a social-enterprise programme that offers a national social-enterprise scheme for secondary-school students. Some of her achievements include:

Dame Zarin Kharas DBE

Dame Zarine Kharas DBE is the co-founder of Justgiving, a global online giving platform. Kharas grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and she came to the UK to study law at Cambridge and remained. In 2000, Zarine Kharas and Anne-Marie Huby founded JustGiving, a company to provide online tools and processing services to enable the

BBC 100 women of 2014, Cover Star 35 Women Under 35 by Management Today (2014) and University of Oxford, St. Peter's College Notable Alumni (2014). Smruti joined her father’s business at 22, in 2008 and took over as CEO in 2013. She now supplies over 50,000 clients across the UK and Europe.

collection of charitable donations. In June 2011, JustGiving claimed that it had provided its service for more than 9,000 UK registered charities and 1.9 million fundraising pages for users, collecting over £770 million since launch. The cumulative total passed £1 billion. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, in 2015.

Bindi Karia, Startup expert, Connector and Advisor

Bindi is incredibly passionate about all things startup in Europe and connecting the dots between Investors, Founders and Corporates. Bindi has worked in and around technology startups for most of her career. As a consultant (PwC Consulting) , as a corporate (Microsoft Ventures), as an employee (Trayport), as an advisor (Startup Europe,

Dr Irene Khan

Irene Khan, is a Bangladeshi lawyer and has served as the seventh Secretary General of Amnesty International for seven years. As Irene wanted to help people directly, she helped to establish the organisation, Concern Universal in the year 1977, followed by working as a human rights activist, alongside the International Commission of Jurists

Startup Weekend Europe, Tech London Advocates) , as a connector (GQ and Evening Standard have recognised this) and until recently, and as their Banker (Silicon Valley Bank). The entrepreneurs have influenced her so greatly over the years, that she's now left, and is currently in the process of setting up her next venture.

in 1979. Khan received a Ford Foundation Fellowship in 1979, the Pilkington 'Woman of the Year' Award in 2002 as well as receiving the Sydney Peace Prize in 2006. Due to her many achievements, she was voted as one of the 100 most Influential Asians and also one of the 100 Most Influential Muslims in the UK.

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Entrepreneur of the Year The Finalists Nish and Sach Kukadia

2007, then aged just 23 and 25, having identified an opportunity in the UK retail marketing for an online shopping concept that would benefit both consumers and brands alike. With the backing of family and friends and a large helping of entrepreneurial spirit, Nish set to work on the company’s infrastructure while Sach built their partner portfolio, which now includes

Vanita Parti MBE

Vanita Parti is the founder of Blink Brow Bar. She is considered as the pioneer of the walkin brow bar and is largely responsible for bringing the ancient technique of threading into the 21st century. Blink is now recognised by stores as a hugely successful brand. In 2009, Vanita won the CEW Achiever Award, English Asian Awards Entrepreneur of the

Nitin Passi

Nitin Passi, is the creator of the fashion website Missguided. His company, young fashion website Missguided, is booming – with sales expected to almost double this year to £150 million. As well as aiming for £150 million sales by next March, he is planning investments in new technology, distribution and a new office in Salford Quays for the 180

over 1600 brands. Over the last 8 years, SECRETSALES.com has become the UK’s number one ‘Flash Sales’ shopping site, offering brands and other retailers a discreet and controlled, ‘members only’ environment to sell unwanted stock. Members benefit from discounts of up to 70% on hundreds of designer brands and household-name products.

Year 2013, CEW Achiever of the Year, Runner Up Asian Women Awards, Harpers Bazaar Best Brow Bar 2014, B Brow Pencil Harpers Best Beauty Buy 2008 and B Brow Gel Harpers best Brow Gel 2013. She was also honoured with MBE Honours 2015 for services to the Beauty Industry and Charity work in India.

central staff who will help lay the platform. Passi also has launched his clothing line in the US. This year in March, sales have risen 70 per cent to £86 million. Profits were £5.5 million compared to £900,000 the year before. The bedrock of the success is the speed of the supply chain.

Jyotin Sethi and Karam Sethi Jyotin and Karam Sethi are behind some of the most exciting restaurants in London today, through their group, JKS Restaurants. Together with their sister Sunaina, they co-own and run Michelin-starred Trishna and Gymkhana, with Karam looking after food and concepts, Jyotin as managing director and Sunaina curating the wine lists and looking after operations. Among other accolades, Gymkhana became the first Indian

restaurant to win the BMW Square Meal Restaurant of the Year award, was named the ‘UK’s Best Restaurant’ in the National Restaurant Awards 2014 and ‘Best Indian Restaurant’ in 2015. Gymkhana was also awarded the Tatler Restaurant Award 2015 for Best Kitchen. This October, the Sethis will open a new restaurant, Hoppers, in London’s Soho.

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Business Person of the year The Finalists

Zameer Choudrey

Zameer Choudrey graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury in 1981 and is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He is a member of the Institute of Directors in London. According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2015, Zameer Choudrey's net worth is £975 million; which makes him the second richest Pakistani in the UK. Overall, he is the 118th richest person in the UK. He joined

Surinder Arora

Surinder Arora is the Founder and Chief Executive of the Arora Hotel Group. Surinder has shown huge resolve working tirelessly to create one of the fastest growing independent hotel companies in the UK, and the leading hotelier to the aviation Industry. Simultaneously, he has formed a property portfolio with a significant number of these

Jasminder Singh

Jasminder Singh was born in Dar es Salaam in 1951. He came to England at the age of 17. He founded the Edwardian Group in 1977 and led it to join with Radisson in 1993 to become the Edwardian Group London. The Edwardian group comprises of 14 hotels. On the Corporate level, the group helps a number of charities, ranging from

Iqbal Ahmed OBE

Iqbal Ahmed was born in Sylhet in Bangladesh, in 1956, and moved to the UK in 1971 with parents. Iqbal has overseen a business whose turnover has grown from £32m in 1998, to £65m in 2013, while maintaining an export level in excess of 70%. Iqbal saw the opportunities arising from the growth in international trade and began to

Bestway as Financial Controller in 1984 and in 1987, he was given additional responsibilities of retail operations and appointed managing director. Bestway Group is the seventh largest family owned business in the UK with annual turnover of £2.55 billion. Zameer is valued at £415 million.

large properties being located at the UK’s major airports. The Arora Group’s portfolio currently comprises 7 hotels with over 2,850 bedrooms and 111 meeting rooms. Prime locations. His charity activities include raising £460,000 for Cancer Research through a charity ball and he is also a strong backer of the Government Apprenticeship schemes.

Breast Cancer Campaign to the World Childhood Foundation. Honoured with a Doctorate by the University of Stirling and awarded an OBE in 2007, for his services to the hotel industry. The revenues of Edwardian group remained steady at £164 million and Jasminder is valued at £1.35 billion.

export in 1991. Exporting proved such a success that by 1996 the business, now called Seamark, had export sales in excess of 80% of its turnover. His commitment to the East Manchester area was further demonstrated with the building of a purpose built Head Office complex, cold store, cash and carry in 2006.

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Uniformed and Civil Service The Finalists

Imam Asim Hafiz OBE MA

Asim Hafiz graduated from an Islamic College in England as an Imam and Islamic Scholar, in 1999, a process which lasted ten years. In 2011, Asim led the UK cross-government team on Religious Engagement and Outreach in support of stability and reconciliation in Southern Afghanistan. In 2012, he was deployed as part of UK/ISAF’s effort

Lance Corporal Tuljung Gurung

Lance Corporal Tuljung Gurung of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, was presented with the Military Cross by HRH The Prince of Wales, in 2014. He was awarded the MC for his bravery when he took on an Afghan insurgent in hand-to-hand combat. Acting L/Cpl Gurung’s citation said he had displayed the ‘highest levels of gallantry and courage’. His actions were exemplary for a Private soldier.

Jaswant Kaur Narwal

Jaswant Kaur Narwal is the Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP) for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) South East since January 2014. Previously she had been CCP for Sussex, Lincolnshire and the Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS South East Area. Jaswant was the former head of the CPS at the Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court) Trials unit, heading a team of lawyers and caseworkers dealing with up to 300 homicide cases annually, and a District Crown Prosecutor at a number of courts throughout London. She was named Public

Makhdum (Mak) Ali Chisty

Mak joined Warwickshire Police at 18 years old, fulfilling his childhood ambition. He quickly specialised as a detective and spent the following 18 years in CID. During this time he held posts as Head of Intelligence; Major and Serious Crime; Forensics; Fraud and Special Branch. He also led the development of the National Intelligence Model and the National Investigative Interviewing Strategy. Mak now holds national lead

to increase the role of religious understanding to promote peace, stability and conflict termination. He is now a dedicated Islamic Religious Advisor to Chief of the Defence Staff and Service Chiefs. Imam Asim was awarded an OBE in the 2014 New Years Honours List for services to Defence, especially in support of Afghan Operations.

In the face of the insurgent, Gurung’s valour and decisive action was out of all proportion to that expected of such a junior rank and deserve recognition of the highest order. Lance Corporal Gurung has won one of 117 awards for gallantry and meritorious service included in Operational Honours and Awards List 41.

Service Lawyer of the Year in the Society of Asian Lawyers awards in May 2010. During her time in Lincolnshire she was involved in a number of high-profile and landmark cases - including the first prosecution under the then new bad driving provisions where a father was convicted of killing four of his seven children by driving them in an unroadworthy Land Rover, causing death by dangerous driving, and the first prosecution where a school teenager was convicted of racist bullying.

responsibility for Honour Based Violence, FGM, and Religion and Belief. He qualified as a Chief Officer in 2011, transferring to the Met as Commander for North London, followed by West London and more recently asked by the Commissioner to lead on Community Engagement. He received the Queens Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2009. ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015

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Guests arrive and proceed to the reception area for drinks and canapés Toastmaster requests and ushers guests insid e Toastmaster requests guests to be seated Welcome Speech by Mr Naynesh Desai (DDO Solicitors) Entertainment Speech by Chief Guest- Rt Hon Michael Fallo n MP, Secretary of State for Defence 7.54PM Speech by Sir Vince Cable, Chair of the Judg ing Panel 7.59PM Award Ceremony Begins 8.10PM Entertainment 8.15PM Speech by Lord Raj Loomba from The Loom ba Foundation (Charity of the evening) 8.27PM Auction by Lord Jeffery Archer 9:00PM Dinner 10:00PM Second Half of the ceremony comm ences 10.05PM Entertainment 10.09PM Video message 10.12PM Speech by CB Patel Editor/Publishe r, Asian Business Publications Ltd 10.15PM Speech by His Excellency Ran jan Mathai, High Commissioner of India 10.20PM Speech by Mr Sanjay Bhandari , Partner, EY 10.29PM Entertainment 10.39PM Acknowledgements by L George, COO, Asian Business Publications Ltd 10.43PM Awards continue 10.55PM Charity raffle by CB 11:00PM End of the programme 11:00PM After party 01:00AM Carriages

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32-34 Auction.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 18:19 Page 32

Charity Auctioneer of the Evening LORD JEFFREY ARCHER

Jeffrey Archer has topped the bestseller lists around the world, with sales of over 270 million copies in 97 countries and more than 37 languages, and is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (eighteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries). He gained a Blue in Athletics at Oxford, was President of the University Athletics Club, and went on to run the 100 yards in 9.6 seconds for Great Britain in 1966. Jeffrey has served five years in the House of Commons and twenty-two years as a Member of the House of Lords. His latest novel Be Careful What You Wish For, (book four of The Clifton Chronicles series) spent twelve weeks in the top 10 - four of them at #1 – on the Sunday Times Best Seller list, and also went to #1 in Australia, India, and South Africa. www.jeffreyarcher.com Follow Jeffrey on Facebook and Twitter @Jeffrey_Archer

LOT 1

Charity Auction Lots

The Elounda Beach Hotel in Crete, Greece Courtesy of Superstar Silent Auction Specialist

Including two Business Class British Airways return air tickets to Crete, courtesy of Brightsun Travel UK Ltd.

Five-night stay for 2 people sharing a deluxe garden room, including breakfast at the 5 star Elounda Beach Hotel which is a member of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ group. Situated on the Northeast coast of the island of Crete, one mile away from the picturesque fishing village of Elounda, Elounda Beach Hotel is the ultimate luxury hideaway, renowned for its outstanding personalised service. The deluxe rooms are generously proportioned at 45 square meters consisting of a lavish bathroom with Jacuzzi bathtub and a private balcony boasting beautiful views over the landscaped gardens. Must be booked and taken between May 2015 to October 2015 and April 2016 to 10th July 2016, subject to availability. Close out dates 10 July to 20 August.

LOT 2

Holiday in Pondicherry – Union Territory of India Courtesy of Blue Yonder Holidays Pvt Ltd.

Includes two Business Class Air India return air tickets to Chennai, courtesy of Brightsun Travel UK Ltd.

Six-night holiday in Pondicherry, which is a popular destination for tourists in India. After arriving in Chennai directly from London, you will be greeted at the airport and transferred to travel to Pondicherry by a chauffeur driven air-condition car. You will spend the next two days in Pondicherry, seeing the breathtakingly beautiful cultural inheritance and heritage sites. You will walk with a local storyteller to visit the local market and will explore the colourful routine of life through Tamil neighbourhood. You will drive to Auroville spending the next two days. The day trip run by Aurovillians was born out of an eagerness to share what makes Auroville such a unique place to live and visit. Matrimandir in Auroville is a unique place for meditation. You will meet with artisans, musicians, farmers and successful enterprise models. Day 6, you will visit ‘Matrikunj’, this translates to ‘The Mother’s Garden’. This 43acre land is a research project on conscious and natural farming. This is a holiday of a lifetime, where you will personally be attended from morning to evening. The local transport and food including breakfast, lunch and dinner are included throughout your stay.

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Charity Auction Lots LOT 3

Framed Silk Wall Tapestry – Large Size 60” x 48” Courtesy of Loomba Family

This framed large silk wall tapestry, depicting Lord Krishna dancing with his admiring ‘Gopis’, is colourful, beautiful and intricate. It is hand woven in pure silk in Varanasi. It took two weavers over six months to weave it on a handloom, working from morning to evening every day of the week. Varanasi is the hub of silk weaving hand looms.in India. The weaving practice goes back to more than 1000 years and the workers are using the same techniques and traditional wooden looms, using pure silk. Varanasi is one of the major exporters of silk in the world.

LOT 4

Outrigger Resort & Spa, Mauritius Courtesy of Superstar Silent Auction Specialist Include two Business Class Air Mauritius return air tickets to Mauritius, courtesy of Brightsun Travel UK Ltd.

The Outrigger Resort is a truly stunning deluxe property, boasting an absolutely breathtaking beachfront location alongside the turquoise lagoons of the Indian Ocean. Located on the South-West coast of Mauritius, the Outrigger Resort & Spa offers total relaxation in lush tropical surroundings with a first class range of facilities, including an exceptional Spa. You will enjoy your 10 night stay in a beachfront junior suite which is a spacious 78m2. Located at the sea front, these suites offer unobstructed views of the ocean allowing you to enjoy the daily sunrise or sunset includes access to the Club facilities as well as daily breakfasts. Close out dates, 20th December –3rd January. Must be booked and taken within 12 months, subject to availability.

LOT 5

Maharajas’ Express – The Indian Panorama Delhi - Jaipur - Ranthambore - Fatehpur Sikri Agra - Gwalior - Orchha - Khajuraho - Varanasi Lucknow - Delhi (7 nights/8 days) Courtesy of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd.

Includes two Business Class Air India return air tickets to Delhi, courtesy of Brightsun Travel UK Ltd.

World's Leading Luxury Train beginning and concluding in Delhi, the Indian Panorama tour chugs along to Agra for a sojourn of Taj Mahal and move on to the sacred city of Varanasi and its holy bathing Ghats on the banks of legendary Ganges. Group of Monuments at Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another attraction offering a glimpse into an era of cultural and architectural brilliance of Chandelas. A never before experience of the India is on the cards in the sheer opulence of Maharajas Express tastefully appointed interiors aided impeccably by gracious hospitality. ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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Charity Auction Lots

LOT 6

Maharajasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Express - The Indian Splendour Delhi - Agra - Ranthambore - Jaipur - Bikaner - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Balasinor Mumba (7 nights/8 days) Courtesy of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd.

Includes two Business Class Air India flight tickets outbound to Delhi and inbound from Mumbai, courtesy of Brightsun Travel UK Ltd.

A meticulously crafted itinerary which includes a dash of royalty, palaces, forts, sand dunes, wildlife and cultural excursions will bring out the best of the India's royal traditions, art and vibrant culture. A journey spanning over 8 days and 7 nights in the magnificence of Asia's most luxurious train brings out an amazing concoction of the myriad hues of this vast and diverse land. Adding to the royal experience is the delectable cuisines, impeccable hospitality and guided off-train excursions bringing out the best of the splendors of the incredible India.

LOT 7

Maharajasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Express - The Indian Splendour Delhi - Agra - Ranthambore - Jaipur - Bikaner - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Balasinor Mumbai (7 nights/8 days) Courtesy of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd.

Includes two Business Class Air India flight tickets outbound to Delhi and inbound from Mumbai, courtesy of Brightsun Travel UK Ltd.

Raffle Prize

6 bottles of fine House of Lords Champagne donated by Lord & Lady Loomba & Family

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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The people’s choice awards

The Loomba Foundation: Empowering Widows

n 1997, I established the Loomba Foundation in memory of my late mother, Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba, to raise awareness of this important issue, the plight of widows, which had received little or no attention from governments, the media and even the United Nations. The plight of widows and their children is one of the most important human rights issues.

INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS DAY

We launched 23rd June as International Widows Day in 2005, which was formally adopted by the United Nations in 2010. Achieving an UN-recognised day of

Mizoram. The generosity of our long-term supporters Mr Ricky Kapoor and Mr Sheetal Kapoor helped fund the schooling of 102 children in Jammu & Kashmir, and likewise a further 10 children were educated in Haryana in partnership with Mr Vijay and Shama Bhardwaj. In Chhattisgarh, Jindal Power Ltd is ou r partner in the programme to educate 198 children while in Delhi, 96 students benefit from our partnership with Himachal Futuristic Communications Limited. In addition, we educated a further 81 children in Punjab. We also partnered with Gyan Ganga Institute of Management and Technology in Bhopal where 19 students are studying 4 year engineering degree courses. EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS

action is not an end, it is a beginning. We must ensure that the widows’ rights enshrined in laws and international treaties are observed by individuals, communities and governments. EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

Our programme to educate the children of impoverished widows in India has been at the heart of The Loomba Foundation’s aid programme since its foundation 18 years ago, and 2014/15 has been another milestone year with 1693 students benefiting in 13 states. We partnered with the Hinduja Foundation in five states – Andhra Pradesh (193 students), Kamataka (201), Maharashtra (200), Tamil Nadu (201), Uttrakhand (202) and Uttar Pradesh (09). With NBCC Ltd we educated 100 children in Bihar and 100 in

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

The opportunities for widows to rebuild their lives and support their dependents are shockingly restricted in many countries, with bans on employment, removal of assets, violence and discrimination commonplace. Alongside our all-important efforts to change cultures and attitudes, the Loomba Foundation seeks to address this by empowering individual widows to become economically self-sufficient, setting them up with equipment, support, skills training and advice. Last year, we launched a project to empower 5000 widows in Ludhiana in partnership with the state government. The project was launched by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Shri Prakash Singh Badal. Also in 2014-15, we saw the launch by Dr. Kiran Bedi and Lord Loomba of a scheme benefiting 120 widows in three jails in Delhi. A project was launched to empower 524 widows at the BSE in Mumbai which was supported by Shiraz and Shamin Lalji. Others benefiting during the year were 41 in Patna in Bihar, 83 in Delhi, 51 in Hyderabad, 335 in Andhra Pradesh, 100 in Pondicherry and five in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

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The people’s choice awards

The president of Lions Club International, Lion Barry Palmer, announced a partnership with The Loomba Foundation to benefit 2,000 widows on International Widows day in 2013. Attendees at the dinner included Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP and the Indian High Commissioner, His Excellency Ranjan Mathai.

Nahata and Mr. Atul Kulshreshtha who donated over Rs. 1 Crore and 25 Lakhs. A leading British lawyer Chris Parsons, one of our most dedicated campaigners against the injustices faced by widows set off from the Gateway of India Mumbai on 10th January 2015 and walked 30 marathons in 30 days to Bangalore and raised more than £200,000. This year, the Loomba Foundation has launched another project for 500 widows Varanasi. In addition, we are planning to empower 2000 widows in Bangalore, in partnership with the State Government. In 18 years we have come a long way, raising awareness of the plight of over 259 million widows and 584 children, yet we have only scratched the surface of this great calamity. I thank each and every one here tonight for your support and most importantly of Mr. C. B. Patel and the Asian Voice for giving us this opportunity to raise awareness and the much needed funds tonight.

FUNDRAISING

Last year, our fundraising dinner in Delhi was chaired by our Trustee Mrs. Aruna Oswal. It was attended by Justice Shri K G Balakrishnan, India’s former Chief Justice who now heads the National Human Right Commission, and the British High Commissioner Sir David Bevan.. We were grateful to Mr. Raju Chadha, Mr, Alok Tandon, Mr. Ajay Khanna, Mr. Mahendra

www.theloombafoundation.org The Loomba Foundation Loomba House 622 Western Avenue, London W3 0TF Tel: 020 8102 0351

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

38 Razia Iqbal.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 13:04 Page 38

The people’s choice awards

Razia Iqbal: Conquering the Airwaves

azia is an anchor for BBC flagship current affairs show Newshour, broadcast globally on the BBC’s World Service. It has a weekly audience of 40 million, and the World Service has the biggest number of listeners in the world. Born in Uganda, Razia spent her early years in Kenya and moved to the UK with her family aged eight. She has a degree in American Studies, completed a post-graduate course in journalism and has an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia. Razia joined BBC World Service in 1989. She has been a programme producer, editor and correspondent, including a period based in Sri Lanka 19941996 covering the first change of government in 17 years. She was a special correspondent for the main television news programme in the UK before returning to the World Service as an anchor for Newshour in 2011. She is a familiar voice and face across radio, television and online, and for ten years was the BBC’s arts correspondent. As a host of Talking Books she has interviewed authors including Jonathan Franzen, Toni Morrison and Salman Rushdie. She was chair of the judges of the Man Asian Prize 2011 and the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2013. Razia presented the Dream Builders series of interviews with celebrated architects for the BBC World Service and chaired a series of debates on the legacy of the First World War recorded in Turkey, India and Australia. For Newshour she has interviewed world leaders and opinion formers from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, to Chelsea Clinton. Razia recalls her return to geopolitics happened the same time that the Arab Spring was occurring. She feels “Incredibly lucky” in her work. “I started working at the BBC IN 1989. 25 years later I am back to the World Service as a presenter- I’ve been so lucky in the things I’ve been allowed to do, wanted to do, and been given the opportunity to do. The big draw is being able to combine international current affairs, which I am passionate about, and cultural stuff. Doing both has been the greatest satisfaction.”

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

The challenge she says, is “keeping across all of it as when I was an arts correspondent you feel you have to be a specialist and that’s demanding, in a different way. The challenge is also drawing on and using the different skills you have in a big bucket of skills.” Razia says that presenting an international current affairs programme means that she has to stay across geopolitics, shifts, trends and changes. She is asked to do different kinds of presenting and reporting across the BBC. “For Newshour, I have a conversation with the editor in the morning about the main stories of the day. I also get asked to film, and in early November, I look forward to covering elections in Turkey- a big news event. Turkey’s changing massively, there is unbelievable stuff going on there. Every day is different. Today I am filming a report for BBCTV’s The One Show about what used to be called Park View School, the Trojan Horse controversy. We have access to the school so we are looking at it, one year on.” But Razia is still ambitious, and when circumstances are right, would like to make long form documentaries for TV as well as report more big news events.

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40 Adeeba Malik.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 13:03 Page 40

The people’s choice awards

Adeeba Malik: Multicultural Identity

fter a few minutes of talking to Adeeba, it was clear how she had risen to the position of Deputy Chief Executive at QED, the noted communities work foundation. Not surprising either, was the fact that she had served on the Home Office’s Advisory Board and six years with that of regional development agency Yorkshire Forward: Who better to lead in the quest for integrating and supporting minority ethnic groups than someone so together herself? “Having a range of identities” is really the mark of a healthy society she stated, “we all have a unique perspective to offer, and that has a relationship with confidence. I’m from the North, for example, and feel proud when I’m visiting in London. If I’m in a meeting full of men, I’m happy in my skin as a woman”. There was no better time it seemed, to make the personal into the political. “I‘ve encountered children in some very gritty situations” Adeeba continued about her first job in teaching, and her own learning curve of a background. “I was based in difficult places around Hull and my hometown of Bradford, and it was vital to be encouraging and emphasise the importance of educational development. The same interpersonal framework applies to the projects with QED today. The organisation has worked to fundamentally support the economic and social development of minority ethnic communities. We deliver contracts on the ground as well as campaigning more widely. From bringing issues of representation to Whitehall to approaching individual businesses, we aim to promote race equality. Coming from a working-class family, I really value the idea of adapting and training to make a change in life. My parents worked hard to give us a good environment for learning, and I strove to make a place for myself.” But Adeeba’s unique melding of life and career does not stop at her strength of character. She has the spiritedness to match. In order to survive a tough emotional beginning, the professional had to be as positive as she was pragmatic, helping cushion a sense of self, and push the limits of multiculturalist red-tape: “I don’t just want to help people be recognised” she asserted, “I want them to be able to recognise themselves.” That light in times of hardship now illumines possible solutions that may have been overlooked; those grey areas where, by lack of experience or onetrack bureaucratic thinking, others have failed to tread and Adeeba will go so effortlessly. The Madrasa and Schools Project, for example, brought together

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

Madrasas and mainstream schools, where readings of the Quran were encouraged alongside conventional education”. “I see mixing of communities happens organically in the workplace,” she added. “People of different backgrounds come together and aim for a common cause.” Her hidden depths show in an apparently contradictory demeanour - welcoming but tough, enterprising yet sensitive, interviewee and a comedian - “I’ve met so many different people” she said with a mischievous glint, “from all walks of life, movers and shakers, richer and poorer, but what I still want to do… is have a cuppa with Shah Rukh Khan. Needless to say then, you always feel her sincere: “Everyone has a duty to give something back, especially when you have been given the opportunities that others may not have enjoyed.” “QED was a small organisation for a while”, to borrow Adeeba’s closing words, “but the impact has been profound.” It celebrates a 25th anniversary this year and, as if a little wink from the shimmering universe, Adeeba received her CBE earlier in January, one of the highest possible honours to be granted by the Queen.

41 Adverts.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 13:04 Page 41

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42 Laila Remtulla.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 12:56 Page 42

Laila at Buckingham Palace with family receiving her MBE

Laila Remtulla MBE: From Hobby to Success

usiness woman and founder of multi awardwinning Laila’s Fine Foods, Tanzanian born Laila moved to England in 1976 with her husband Nazir. She started the company nearly 30 years ago by approaching a local delicatessen and persuading them to purchase her samosas and onion bhajis. She had spotted a gap in the meal market. “When I started, my intentions were not to be where we are now, producing 100,000 meals a day”, said Laila. “My children were at school and the business began as something to keep me occupied. I was really happy working part time for the first 10 years and I was there for my girls when they needed me.” Cooking is in Laila’s blood; her father and grandfather were both chefs. Two of her brothers are also. From a hobby in her home kitchen, the company grew and moved to a small production unit in Blackpool. Laila’s company grew steadily; producing and supplying food all over the region. In 1999 Laila’s husband Nazir joined the company; they achieved their first national contract in spring 2000 and along with their three daughters Zera, Rishma and Natasha have worked hard to grow the company into a thriving business employing over 300 people. Her company now supplies major supermarkets across the UK and has recently secured a multimillion pound deal with Iceland supermarket. Laila’s company has its own in house engineering workshop to develop machinery for making her products. The company has grown significantly in the last three years, with annual sales increasing 25% since 2011. The projected turnover for 2015 is £30 million. Her daughter Zera is a business board member of the NSPCC in Lancashire. Laila contributes her support to the NSPCC and encourages all her staff to get involved in fund-raising activities.

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

Laila is passionate about maintaining the hands on method of cooking that makes the company unique. In January of this year, Laila was awarded the MBE for Services to the Food and Drink Industry. She says that she has not met with really tough times. “I never found any challenges. I worked hard and there is nothing I have not been able to overcome.” And being a woman in a male dominated industry has never held her back. “I was always confident enough. I don’t think it ever came in my way, being a lady. I have not felt that being a lady was ever a challenge.” Laila does have advice for other entrepreneurs. “I would always, especially for females, say get education. I finished my education at A Levels. Even now I think if I had a little bit more education it would have been a bit easier for me, with all the new technology. But my three daughters joined the business; all were well educated with degrees so they have been able to help. Even if you are going into business, education is always going to come in handy. “It doesn’t mean that you can’t succeed without education. “My family chose to come into business with me. They all found positions in the business which has developed them also. “My husband was in the business. He was very driven and ambitious. That was the first step, and then my daughters. I told my youngest daughter, it’s going to be harder to work for your family than for somebody else. You have to be more committed, you take the good and the bad in a family. The older one’s degree was in computer science and artificial intelligence, the middle one was hospitality and management, and the youngest one- she is a buyer now, and she did textiles and marketing.” Photo credit: PA Photos Ltd

43 Prof Venki.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 12:57 Page 43

The people’s choice awards

Professor Venki: Thinking Inside the Cell

hat greater service to the advancement of mankind than one through its very roots? Recipient of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry (2009), and recently announced President Elect of the Royal Society, Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan has achieved ground – or should I say membrane - breaking research into the structure and function of the ribosome; a molecular engine located within every cell, responsible for the synthesising of proteins, determining how, and in fact whether at all, we function. “What we don’t know is enormous” Venki commented; “it encompasses every aspect of science”. Indeed, as the Laureate went on to explain what draws him most to the weird and wonderful world of structural biology- and working through top universities such as Yale and now Cambridge he has witnessed a lot- we saw how conceptual the whole process could be: “the direct visualisation of atomic structure not only provides crucial insights into function and mechanism, but gives an explanation for disparate biochemical and genetic data. Otherwise, it is like figuring out how a car works without knowing its appearance.” Clearly more than photons are throwing light under the microscope. Imagination is an equally important tool: “I am fascinated too by the biochemical origins of life and the basis of memory and comprehension” Venki added. “And this is just one example of what is still being investigated.” Yet it would be a disservice to simply aggrandise the doctor’s pursuits: a place on NDTV’s 25 Greatest Global Indians, and his knighthood in 2012, being but a few more cheeky drops in his vast, conical (flask) career. Instead Venki made sure to remind “scientists don’t generally think in the way of heightened success. The goal is to make discoveries and advance the wealth of knowledge”. A breakthrough in the laboratory is a careful and cumulative process, where the task of honing in on a particular sub-unit of another delicate unit (the ribosome), was definitely no exception: “much of the job was having insights into how to tackle the problem, followed by a lot of painstaking work to make it happen”, the Professor said. In other media coverage, such as with ‘The Guardian’, he has also highlighted the need to respect ‘science’ as ‘collaborative’ and not ‘see it as a contest.’ As much a testament to the humble, matter-offact spirit of the man himself, Venki said of his profession- ‘the public generally support science, but more needs to be done to engage people with current research as well as the history.’ Spending the first three years of his life in Tamil Nadu, and then being ‘a South Indian transplanted in Gujarat’ as he explained,

Venki’s grounded outlook has been inherited from his background: ‘I suppose it gave me some sense of adaptability as an outsider’ he mused. Having been denied his first choice institutes in India, and immigrating to America to obtain a PHD in Physics, the mental agility ingrained from childhood has helped weather more than geographic upheaval; an intertwining of the emotional and intellectual, his experiences only served to grow the super-strain of persistence , that make him the sound achiever he is today. This includes his good grace and sense of humour: “I admire the irreverence, the pure curiosity of Richard Feyman” he told us, even as he had to go. “Also the astrophysicist Chandrasekhar, known for rigour and scholarship; but let us not forget the larger-than-life figure of Linus Pauling, who shows that one should not take role models too seriously…” No wonder Venki gravitated to the humus world of natural science, being such a champion of humanity: “My advice for making a respectable career” he concluded, “is to choose what you deeply c a r e about.”

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

44 Preeya kalidas.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 12:58 Page 44

The people’s choice awards

Preeya Kalidas: Representing Britain's diverse community

reeya Kalidas an actress and singer currently appearing in Bend it Like Beckham at London's West End, will join BBC's Asian Network in November as a presenter. Known for her role as Amira Masood in EastEnders, Preeya has achieved immense success as a singer as well as an actress, and loves both disciplines. Aware that not all Asian parents support their children taking creative industry as their profession, Preeya feels, growing up, she was lucky to have her parents on her side. “I don’t come from a family that have been or are experienced in the industry in any way, so I have such admiration for them for being open to the idea of me being part of the entertainment industry. If it wasn’t for my parents’ support from a young age, it would have been difficult for me to sustain a career in the arts, so I am extremely grateful to them for believing in me from the start and giving me the freedom to pursue something that I love,” said Preeya. Bend It Like Beckham marks Kalidas’ third musical in the West End. Her first was the 2002 musical Bombay Dreams, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with music by AR Rahman. Preeya gives a lot of importance to a good script as well as has got into writing scripts for herself and a friend, “The only kind of script I would turn down is if I couldn’t or didn’t think an audience would relate to the character. The kind of scripts I read are all varied which is wonderful for me as an actor, as you would like to have the potential to broaden your ability to play varied characters. I have also got into writing scripts myself with another actor friend of mine and it has been such an eye opener in terms of the creative process- but also exciting to create a world from a blank page.” But she agrees that the audition process is still hard, these days. “I don’t like to think about how hard it is, as that can only limit you. There are a number of acting talents but singing and dancing is not something that has been nurtured enough. I am sure

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

there are many talents out there who just need an opportunity. “I had worked with Gurinder Chadha on the film version of Bend it like Beckham, so when she was developing a musical, she knew that I had already had experience from playing the lead in AR Rahman’s Bombay Dreams. So I was asked to get involved in the workshops which spanned over three years. “It was an opportunity from the creative team to work on script and music with performers. I had my initial audition via skype as I wasn’t available to meet the composer Howard Goodall and Gurinder was keen for him to hear me sing. I did so from the comfort of my living room via my laptop.” Kalidas wants to continue playing roles that are representative of a community and to be able to tell stories through characters that an audience will enjoy, be moved by or be inspired. But where does Preeya see her future- the UK or the US? She replied with a smile, “I have had some fantastic opportunities here in the UK and this will always be my home. But I have always had the desire to work in other countries, particularly where the weather is hot! I am grateful to have been part of some p o i g n a n t groundbreaking productions that have been created in the UK and are representative of the diverse community we live in.”

45 Manish Tayal.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 13:00 Page 45

The people’s choice awards

Manish Tayal: Celebrating the bond of Protection

urg Lt Cdr Manish Tayal is the Chair of the Armed Forces Hindu Network and an active Medical Officer in the Royal Navy. What started as a whim to walk into a careers fair that kick started his long and successful career has lead him to where he is today. Starting Medical School in St.Andrews he took a year out to divide his time on multiple projects before he transferred to Manchester University to finish his degree. It was there that he met someone that would introduce him to the world of the Armed Forces. He remembers revealing his career choices to his parents had been difficult but once he had he found that he had unwittingly followed his father's footsteps as he recalls the experiences that his father had faced. His father, originally from North India (Haryana/Delhi) had applied to join the Armed Forces but upon being advised to reconsider the decision, he quickly realised that he was not welcome and withdrew his application. However, things have changed over the years according to his experiences. Talking about his fond memories in the army he recalls the time that he could not go home for Diwali for the first time despite his efforts to get the leave. On Diwali it had started a normal day when they had to do early morning drills and he was on laundry duty as he came back he saw that his division had surprised him by decorating the place with orange decorations, lights and played Bollywood songs in the background. His division knew how much Diwali had meant to him and that he had been upset about not being able to go home so they surprised him. One important message that he got out of the whole experience was that, “Experiencing this sort of this is where I found that no matter what religion you are and what colour you are, you are a family and therefore we look after each other.”

He says that the attitude in the Navy are changing for the better at the number of Hindus in the armed forces has increased but there's still a long way to go as other divisions of the army still need improvement such as the Royal Air Force. He thinks that there should be more focus on the other facets of the army as there is a misconception that the army only consists of front line soldiers. There is a whole lot of potential other ways that one can get involved in the army without having to be in the battlefield. The greatest challenge that he has faced being Chair has been two major issues. One is the basic needs and requirements of the Hindus in the British Army such as wanting to be home for Diwali, wearing a rakhi or as simple as providing for their dietary needs as a lot of Hindus are vegetarian and getting the Navy to understand our culture and traditions. Getting such arrangements made can seem daunting to juniors he says, “You just don't want to create a fuss and be awkward or stand out and be different. You want to be accepted as one of the guys.” There is a hesitation among Hindu armed forces members as they don't want to come forward and identify themselves. Another problem he faces is the practical side of running the network as there isn't any allocated funding for the work that they do. They are fairly new. So Manish feels that the whole experience is a big learning experience for him, but he is keen to take it further and keep going strong.

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

46 Ikram Butt.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 12:55 Page 46

The people’s choice awards

Ikram Butt: Rugby hero tackling the odds B

ritish Asians have flourished and created a place for themselves in many avenues, be it in business, the media and music industry, or in sports, representing Great Britain. In sports, cricketers Monty Panesar and Moeen Ali, as well as boxer Amir Khan have became prominent figures who represent British sports at top class levels. One prime example of such significant talent and achievement is Ikram Butt. Ikram Butt has been a professional rugby player in the 1980s and 90s. He also created history by becoming the first British Asian to represent England in the sport. His father was a boxer and encouraged his children to appreciate and take up sports. But it wasn't easy for him to convince his family about pursuing sports as a career. “Sadly, my father passed away when I was only 11 years old, leaving my mother to raise her large family single-handedly. Priorities drastically changed, which meant necessities took precedent over enjoyment. It wasn't easy because I was fully expected to pull my weight and contribute to the family finances. My mother, like other Asian parents wanted me to get a 'serious' job.” It has not been a smooth-sailing career either for Ikram, as he had faced discrimination throughout his career from his opponents, as well as his team members on occasions. The discrimination was at times subtle and quite blatant at other times; he was verbally abused and there were times when he was not selected to play. Although this ill-treatment towards him was disheartening, his love and passion for rugby helped him to rise above the hatred. It was due to the consistent discrimination, stereotyping and lack of Asian representation in rugby that he conceived the idea of British Asian Rugby Association (BARA). BARA is a not-for-profit NGO of ten years standing and has a history of campaigning

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

for equality and inclusion, primarily for the Asian community, however, not exclusively in rugby. “There was a need to recognise and provide positive role models reflective of the community for children and young people to aspire to and be inspired by. BARA was able to fulfil that role dispelling the myth that Asians can't play.” Ikram has also been involved in many good causes during his career and continues to support them even today. He holds an ambassador for the British Asian Trust, MOSAIC and the Pakistan Recovery Fund, which were all founded by the Prince of Wales. He is also an ambassador for the White Ribbon Campaign, a cause which reiterates that men need to make a stand against violence towards girls and women. Asians are more involved in British sports than what it used to be, if compared to the era Ikram was an active rugby player. However, Ikram believes that there is still a lot more involvement needed. “We are certainly seeing an increase in participation amongst Asians at grassroots level and in particular, one is delighted to see more Asian females involved in sports. There is, however, still a great deal to be done. Asians remain underrepresented in the professional arena, particularly in football and rugby and we need to continue to strive to readdress this balance.” Ikram encourages aspiring rugby players, as well as children who would like to take up sports as a profession in the long-run. “First and foremost, playing sports is an enjoyable experience. We would encourage people to join their local clubs and participate. Of through that experience the child has a talent/potential, then it requires hard work, dedication, desire to succeed and a good support mechanism for potential to be fulfilled and translated into a career in sports.”

47 Dhamija.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 13:00 Page 47

The people’s choice awards

Dinesh Dhamija: Flights to Philanthropy

or someone who has been an extensive world traveller since childhood, and married to a flight attendant, Dinesh Dhamija was probably destined to open Britain's one of the biggest travel agencies. Born in Australia as the son of a diplomat and sonin-law of a former head of Indian army, he never imagined his story would be such a success. “I did not think I will be so successful. My goals kept changing. Though I regret taking wrong turns from time to time, but I followed my gut feeling.” A law graduate from Cambridge University, Havard Business School and IMD Lausanne, Dhamija worked for IBM, the computer group, but was searching for an opportunity to start work for himself. “It didn't matter what sort of business.” He then saw how the market for selling cheap flight tickets was booming. Though not an expert, he could still gain access to these tickets and started Flightbookers in 1983. From a kiosk in London's Earl's Court tube station it grew rapidly to employ 237 staff. By 1996 it had become the 10th largest leisure business in the UK. But does he believe his Ivy league education contributed to his success? Dhamija replied, “Education is important. But that wasn't entirely the reason behind my success. Luck? Yes a bit of that is important.” It was his trip to the US in 1993 as a part of the Young Presidents' Organisation, when he was inspired by someone and decided to move online. Ebookers, the UK’s first interactive online travel agencies, grew out of Flightbookers in 1999. And the company was lucky to make it into the 2000s. “We went through the huge growth that came with the internet, but also 9/11, the second Iraq war, the Sars virus and the Asian tsunami.” Unlike many businesses, Ebookers survived: “we

went through it, and came out okay.” It was eventually sold for £247m, of which Dhamija received £100m, in addition to £9m he had taken out of the company in 2002. But Dinesh Dhamija's is not only a successful entrepreneur. He is an ardent golfer as well as a generous philanthroper. His Copper Beech resort is one of 18 businesses he owns in Romania, spanning over ecotourism, education, agriculture and property. Why Romania? He answered with a smile, “It was 2007 and it was about to join the EU. The legal environment was stable, and investment was coming in.” Among many charities he has helped with, one of them gives free medicines to New Delhi slum dwellers. In 2010, there were 10,000 registered patients. As the former Scope adviser and current governor of the Rainbow foundation, Dinesh has given over £5m to charities and organisations in the UK and India. Giving, according to Dhamija, “was a natural progression after I sold my business. Each to their own, but I believe it’s always a good thing to give back in one way or another”. Currently Dhamija is the President of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) – the world’s largest non-profit organisation that works to foster entrepreneurship. Founded in 1992 by Indian technologists in the Silicon Valley, it provides networking, mentoring, developing and funding, predominantly to South Asian-origin entrepreneurs. Keen to open it up to non-Asian entrepreneurs too, what's next for TiE under his leadership? “I want to give our members at least double of what their annual fee for TiE London is, be financially healthy and exceed 200 members, within 3 years. It’s easy for Asians to gravitate, but we offer any entrepreneur a lot.” ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

48 Rishika Lulla .qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 13:01 Page 48

ishika spoke to us from her Mumbai office, during one of her business jaunts. However far from the familiarity of the setting, she was no average entrepreneurial Joe. Leading the digital helm of Eros International- a fast-growing, multimedia production company - at just the embryonic age of 28, CEO Ms. Lulla is fiercely ahead of her time: “I was the only person in school with the ‘Nomad Jukebox’, which was essentially one of the first MP3 players” she told us, “it could accommodate about 200-300 tracks, and I was so excited. I’ve always been interested in technology and its role as a facilitator.” Now working to “source and spread South-Asian filmic content across the world”, her inner drive has come to boot up a whole transnational business. “Two years ago, Eros Now was just a baby product” she explained with professional ease. “It has been fantastic to see it grow. Through what was just a skeleton team, we have elicited responses from San Francisco to Bangalore. It’s the ground-breaking vision – connecting people from outside the cinema, closely to the content – which my father and I would discuss endlessly. We utilise the internet to its maximum capacity. Audiences can obtain easy-to-use, accessible and up-to-date material; the landscape has really changed. As generation Y might recall, people used to have to factor in watching, say ‘Friends’, for half an hour, but now the entertainment schedule is very much at our fingertips.” When asked on how she felt the company compared to US phenomenon Netflix, eyes shining like pixels, Lulla’s insights only became more vibrant: “Well, we are already content owners. Netflix started off by distributing DVD content online, coming from a place of advocacy. They did not necessarily own any

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

Rishika Lulla Singh: Digital Dynamism of the programmes, and are now trying increasingly to do so. Eros has complete ownership so we can bring you all aspects of the visual material, from music to the input of directors. For example, we are actually releasing a mini-series soon, Anshuman’s ‘Khel’, detailing the darker side of the IPL. The tagline is ‘the real games don’t happen on the pitch…” With an attitude as full and frothy as her name, it was also inspiring to talk to Lulla at a time when women’s confidence has been an issue on the news: “I think you always need to stay true to yourself” she commented on the prerogative to do well in the workplace. “When you’re honest, you automatically make the right decisions. You arrive where you were meant to be.” This genuineness and forfeit of design certainly shows in her business ethic; an indefinable merging of the corporate and creative, the everyday and the professional: “When you’re visualising an industry model, it can be very colourful. No day is ever the same: I read scripts, discover new technologies, all the while maybe launching the next big campaign. Even my formal training is a mix of both the financial and arts worlds, completing placements with firms such as Citi as well as pursuing studies at the UCLA school of Theatre, Film and Television. Of course the tech makes my job the most fun. We’re creating a live product shared between millions of people!” As the interview came inevitably to a close, Lulla left us with a priceless algorithm: “not just doing what you love, but loving what you do” is the surest way to marry your dream to desire. Family too, Lulla made sure to mention, plays a pivotal part- “my father always pushed me to think outside the box. We’ve had so many debates over the dinner table, and regularly exchange opinions. That’s been huge.”

49 Lord Bagri.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 13:02 Page 49

The people’s choice awards

Lord Bagri: Passion, Persuasion and Perseverance L

ord Bagri, born as Raj Kumar Bagri, was the first person who was not of British origin to be elected as Chairman of the London Metal Exchange, the largest metals futures exchange in the world. He served as Chairman for ten years up to 2002, and Hon. President until 2006. In 1995, Lord Bagri was awarded the CBE for his contribution and services to the metal manufacturing industry and in 1997, he was made a Life Peer. He has also founded the Metdist Group of Companies, a group which has extensive interests in non-ferrous metals trade and industry. Lord Bagri has also been bestowed with Honorary Doctorates from City University, London, and Nottingham University. He is also Honorary Fellow of London Business School. He is actively involved in a number of charitable and cultural organisations, such as the Bagri Foundation, which was set up as a UK registered charity in 1990. The Bagri Foundation's principal aims and objectives are the advancement of literacy, education and the arts, with an emphasis on those of India; the advancement of medical research, poverty-relief and the saving of lives, particularly across South Asia; the appreciation and understanding of Asian countries, their cultures and religions; and other good causes, including the promotion of science and technology, community development and sport. Lord Bagri has certainly achieved a lot and contributed in a concrete fashion over many decades. When asked what he felt was his biggest achievement, he modestly replied, “It is for others to judge my contribution to society, rather than my claiming any special recognition.” He is someone who has made a huge contribution to society, not only through his business but through social causes as well. His dedication and achievements have inspired many people. His advice to those who follow and look up to him is, “Do not forget at any time that the world does not owe you a living. Each of us have to work hard, persevere and always be passionate about the things we choose to pursue.” The Bagri Foundation runs rich and diverse cultural programmes and collaborates with other

organisations to further its own charitable aims and objectives. One of the upcoming events organised by the Foundation will be taking place in October 2015. The events are the high quality of work that the charity supports. The official description of the event is as follows: “The Bagri Foundation presents an exclusive commission, in partnership with the British Library, which brings the sixteenth century Indian Sufi romance to life on stage. This captivating performance is inspired by Muhammad Malik Jayasi's Padmavat, a love story weaving folk legend with courtly intrigue and offering a wonderful glimpse into the world of Sufi mysticism. “This unique interdisciplinary performance combines live storytelling, music and dance. This event draws on scholarly insights from Professor Francesca Orsini, and is created, directed and performed by Dr Vayu Naidu. Dr Naidu's imaginative storytelling will be accompanied by new compositions from Melinda Maxwell, of the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Sarvar Sabri, as well as Kathak dance by Sonia Sabri. Beautiful paintings from the seventeenth and nineteenth century manuscripts of Gorakhpur and Mirzapur held in the British Library's collections will also be illustrated for the very first time.”

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

50 51 Our Sponsors x2.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 17:09 Page 50

The people’s choice awards

Our Sponsors Ernst & Young

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Shanti Hospitality

hanti Hospitality Group Limited the hospitality subsidiary of C&C Alpha Group Ltd. It is a hotel and restaurant business with international brands and assets including the award-winning destination spa Ananda in the Himalayas, Nira Hotels & Resorts and Nidra Hotels. Shanti Hospitality’s current portfolio and pipeline projects spread across Asia, Europe and the Indian sub-continent. Shanti Hospitality currently owns 12 operational hotels across the globe. What distinguishes Shanti Hospitality’s business is the constant commitment to providing quality, comfort and uncompromising service to all its guests. These values apply to all brand segments within the Shanti Hospitality group – ranging from an award-winning destination spa, to 5-Star business hotels, lifestyle boutique resorts, and mid-market leisure and city hotels.

Royal Air Force

he Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's aerial warfare force. Formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history, in particular, playing a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain. RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), which are to provide the capabilities needed: to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government’s foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security.

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ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

50 51 Our Sponsors x2.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 17:10 Page 51

Our Sponsors

The peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice awards

Bank of Baroda

ank of Baroda is Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading Public Sector Bank with a Global presence, spanning across 25 countries, takes pride in serving its customers in the UK since 1957. Authorised and regulated by FCA and PRA in the United Kingdom. In tune with times and in response to the emerging market requirements, the Bank has set up specialised branches dedicated to specific Customer segments. Bank of Baroda in the UK offers variety of remittance options to Customers including quick money transfers to India. Bank also offers online remittance services, on demand access of your money, 24x7 Internet Banking access, High-return on your term deposits, High interest rates on FCNR and NRE deposits in India.

Rational FX

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Sow & Reap

ow & Reap, which started trading in February 2004, has since grown to have a large presence in the Indian community settled in the UK and has completed many property transactions in and around Central London. One of its trophy acquisitions is 17 Portland Place in W1, minutes away from Langham Hotel for ÂŁ15m consisting of 13,000 sq. ft. It recently acquired a large development site in Wembley to develop circa 100 flats. Its track record of buying and selling properties has been audited by BDO in preparation of listing its fund to the AIM market. The fund has a strong board of directors with experience in properties and in running listed companies which includes Bharat Thakrar.

William Hill

illiam Hill has one of the most recognised, respected and trusted brands in the industry. Having built a reputation for being knowledgeable, honest and trustworthy over the past 80 years, they play an important part in the continuing development of gambling in Britain and overseas. Employing more than 16,000 people in nine countries, they continue to transform business, investing in new technology and innovation, and extending vast product range to capture substantial growth and opportunities. In addition to the UK Retail and Australia markets, their online business is headquartered in Gibraltar with its marketing and customer service functions in Israel, Bulgaria and the Philippines. They also have licensed websites in Italy and Spain, and William Hill US operates in the states of Nevada and Delaware.

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

collage-HD.e$S_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 18:04 Page 51

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST YEARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GALA CEREMONY

53-58 Look-Back.qxp_A4 Temp 11/09/2015 14:36 Page 53

WINNERS of 2006 Professional of the Year

Winner: Capt. Ashvini Sharma, Regional Director AirIndia, UK Shortlisted Nominees Jiva Odedra Reena Ramesh Shah Parm Sandhu

Woman of the Year

Winner: Jasuben Seghani, Shop Owner

Shortlisted Nominees Shahin Badar Shashi Kiran Gossain Honey Kalaria

Achievement in Community Service Winner: Chandubhai Kanani

Shortlisted Nominees Vijay Ratan Manubhai Makwana Gopalbhai Popat and Induben Mehta

New Market Entrant

Winner: Majoj Ladwa and Vikas Pota â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Founders Saffron Chase

Shortlisted Nominees Suresh Vagjiani Suresh Kotecha Jes Kaur Raj Bakrania

Lifetime Achievement

Winner: Arjan Vekaria

Shortlisted Nominees K.B Shankar Yogesh Mehta Dr Mohan Kaul

Achievement in Media, Arts & Culture Winner: Dr Avatar Lit, founder of Sunrise Radio Shortlisted Nominees Mira Trivedi Rakhi Sood Ashish Joshi

Lookback Business in Community Winner: Manish Shah, Partner at Sigma Pharmaceuticals PLC

Shortlisted Nominees Mr. DK Kewalramani Pramod Thakkar

Achievement in Sports

Winner: Hunisha Bharat Patel, Martial Arts

Shortlisted Nominees Monty Panesar Sajid Mahmood Prince Naseem Ahmed

Business Person of the Year Winner: Nadir Lalani, Founder of 99p Stores

Shortlisted Nominees Kantesh (Ken) Popat Ravi Gill Arvind Halai

Innovation in Business

Winner: Arvind Malhotra, Owner of GapGuru

Shortlisted Nominees Shashi Gossain Nikunj Shah

Woman of the Year

Winner: Dr Usha Menon, Lecturer at UCL, Head of Gynecological Cancer Research Centre

Shortlisted Nominees Dipa Jethwa Manisha Tank CII Anjana Patel

Achievement in Community Service Winner: Viral Acharya, Founder of Pratham USA & Pratham UK Shortlisted Nominees Raj Loomba Shaunaka Rishi Das Vinod Kapashi

The peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice awards

WINNERS of 2007

Business Community Award

Winner: Nat Puri, Purico Group of Companies

Shortlisted Nominees Janak Ondhia Kishor Patel Pradeep Pandya

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Winner: Dalip Kumar, Founder Travelin Style

Shortlisted Nominees Sanjay Vadera Shamir Shah Vikkas Puri

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Firoz Kassam, Entrepreneur, Hotels and B&Bs

Shortlisted Nominees Bobby Grewal Bhanumati Piparia Chandrakalaben Patel

Sports Personality of the Year

Winner: Monty Panesar, Cricketer Shortlisted Nominees Owais Shah Saima Hussain Kiran Matharu

Professional of the Year

Winner: Naynesh Desai, Solicitor

Shortlisted Nominees Puneet Arora Ritu Sethi Dr Satya Narayan Agarwal

Achievement in Community Service

Winner: Rati Shah, Fund Raiser Social Service Shortlisted Nominees Dr Ramesh Gandhi, Mahendra Jadeja Madat Ahame,

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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The peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice awards

Achievement in Media, Arts & Culture Winner: Renu Patel, Performing Arts

Shortlisted Nominees Honey Kalaria Mira Kakad Ravi Sharma

Woman of the Year

Winner: Shriti Vadera, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development Shortlisted Nominees Mrs Deepakben Patel Gita Jobanputra Nilam Patel

WINNERS of 2008 Professional of the Year

Winner: Nishma Gosrani, Consultant at PriceWaterhouseCoopers Shortlisted Nominees Anuj Chande Raj Joshi Dr Akbar Ali Malik

Business Person of the Year

Winner: Yogesh Mehta, Managing Director of Amertrans Shipping

Dolar Popat

Shortlisted Nominees Bemal Patel Hasmukhbhai Patel

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Suraj Gokani

Winner: Kuljinder S. Bahia, Director of Southall Travel t Shortlisted Nominees Rajesh Agarwal Devin Chawda

Woman of the Year

Winner: Kamal Hothi, Lloyds TSB Shortlisted nominees Manula Sood Sangeeta Patel Anita Chopra Salima Mawji

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

Lookback

Achievement in Healthcare and Education Winner: Dr Dak Patel, Director London SAM

Shortlisted Nominees Dr Reshma Ramesh Gandecha Arun Patel Dr Satyanarayan Agarwal

Achievement in Community Service

Winner: Dr Rami Ranger, Chairman of India, PAK, UK Friendship Forum

Shortlisted Nominees Vinod Kapashi Bharesh Trivedi Gordhandas S Patel

Sports Personality of the Year

Winner: Maiyuran Ratneswaran, Fencing Shortlisted nominees Shivam Shah Rashmi Yadave Manjit Singh

Achievement in Media, Art and Culture

Winner: Ravi Sharma, Radio Ambassador India & UK Shortlisted Nominees Jay Kumar Nikita Thakrar Paresh Shah

Uniformed and Civil Services

Winner: PC Mebs Ahmed, Chairman of Lancashire, Black Police Association Shortlisted Nominees Supt. Raj Kohli Dr. Kadaba S V DL Ajit Patel

WINNERS of 2009 Woman of the Year

Winner: Uma A Mehta

Shortlisted Nominees Dr Monika Khanna Parveen Hassant Honey Kalaria

Civil Service and Uniform Winner: Capt. Sandip Patel

Shortlisted Nominees Natubhai Somabhai Patel Shilpa Solanki Bhimji Vekaria

Business Person of the Year

Winner: Anil Maneklal Solanki

Shortlisted nominees Kirit Patel Thariq Mohammed Koolesh Shah

Business in Community

Winner: Narendra Patel

Shortlisted Nominees P.S. Kang Naynesh Desai Satish Parekh

Professional of the Year

Winner: Manjul K Vasant MBE Shortlisted Nominees Cheryl Dhillon Zafar Siddique Mohammad Asghar

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Winner: Rishi Lakhani

Shortlisted Nominees Snahal Patel Nina Kabra Bhavisha Patel

Media, Arts and Culture

Winner: Chamanlal Chaman Shortlisted nominees Jasvinder Singh Bal Ashish Amrit Kotak JeetsScreen Idolz

Achievement in Community Services Winner: Vraj Pankhania Shortlisted Nominees Madhurikaben R. Patel Chhotalal Maganlal Limbachia Chhotalal Narottambhai Chauhan

53-58 Look-Back.qxp_A4 Temp 11/09/2015 15:00 Page 55

Sports Personality of the Year Winner: Rajeev Bagga

Lookback

Sports Personality of the Year Winner: Ravi Bopara

Shortlisted Nominees Ashwin Bhatt Shivam Shah Samit Patel

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner: Frank Khalid

Winner: Riz Navsarka

WINNERS of 2010 Professional of the Year

Winner: Vijay Goel

Shortlisted Nominees Prof S Homer Vanniasinka Dr Nora Vyas Dr Sandeep Mane

Media, Arts and Culture Winner: Anjali Bulley

Shortlisted Nominees Abhishek Varma Jason and Dennis Singh Digwa Sujan Shah

Business in Community

Winner: Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia Shortlisted Nominees Sanjiv Mehta Subir Patel Anil Sehgal

Uniformed and Civil Services Winner: Bala Mehndran

Shortlisted nominees Bujor J Avari Mark Sumariwalla Rajini Vaidyanathan

Winner: Ranjan Manek, OBE

Editor's award for Vision and Enterprise

Shortlisted Nominees Ashpal Kaur Bhogal Michael Chopra Zesh Rehman

Excellence & Innovation

Achievement in Community Services

The peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice awards

Shortlisted Nominees Aliya Rashid Aswin Rana Zaheer Ahmad

Shortlisted nominees Cllr Filly Maravala Darshan lal Kalhan Maneck A Dalal, OBE Sanjay Jagatia

Woman of the Year

Winner: Pavani Reddy

Shortlisted Nominees Jasuben Mistry Shalina Alabaksh Shashi Kiran Gossain

Young Business person demonstrating sustained business growth Amit Patel

Best Overall Enterprise Subaskaran Allirajah

Leadership in Professions Bobby Karia

Asian Voice Special Award for Ingenuity in Business

Achievement in Health Care

Overall Business Performance and Innovation

WINNERS of 2011

Sanjiv Mehta

Dr Nora Vyas

Professional of the Year Winner: Bhupendra Jasani

Business Person of the Year

Shortlisted Nominees Anuj Chande Dalip Puri Sujata Sharma

Winner: Arun Panchariya

Shortlisted Nominees Dr Vijay Patel and Dr Bhikhu Patel Hemang Shah Raj K. Aggarwal OBE

Dr Vijay patel and Dr Bhikhu Patel

Jason and Dennis Singh Digwa ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

53-58 Look-Back.qxp_A4 Temp 11/09/2015 17:36 Page 56

The peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice awards

Achievement in Media, Arts & Culture Winner: Bobby Singh

Shortlisted nominees Nasif Ali Shiamak Davar Surjit Singh Ghuman

Sports Personality of the Year Winner: Rajiv Ouseph

Shortlisted Nominees Ashpal Kaur Bhogal Isa Gunha Manjit Singh

Achievement in Community Service

Winner: Major Tikendra Dal Dewan

Anjum Anwar

Shortlisted Nominees Fauzia and Nooruddin Aftab Kamleshben Patel

Lookback Business Person of the Year

Winner: Dr Rami Ranger Shortlisted Nominees Rajan Amin Ruby McGregor-Smith Ali Kurji

Editor's Award for Vision & Enterprise Dinesh Patel & Savitaben (Cofresh)

Editor's Award for Research and Compilation Dr Kusoom Vadgama

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Winner: Mitesh Patel

Shortlisted Nominees Shazia Awan Nina Kabra Abhishek Varma

Uniformed & Civil Services Winner: Shindo Barquer

Shortlisted Nominees Dalwardin Babu PC Asif Sadiq Hitesh Oza

Woman of the year

Winner: Ruby McGregor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Smith

Shortlisted Nominees Cllr Mimi Harker OBE Yashmin Mistry Devi Kolli

Business in Community

Winner: Shernaz Engineer

Shortlisted Nominees Mandeep Atwal Manoj Patel Nish Kotecha

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

WINNERS of 2012 Professional of the Year Winner: Shah

Prof.

Sunil

Shortlisted Nominees Abhishek Sahdev Rajay Naik Dr Minaxi S. Desai CBE Prof. Alimuddin Zumla

Media, Arts and Culture Winner: Gunawardene

Nileeka

Shortlisted nominees Ray Panthaki Rishi Rich Dr Sathi Ludhianvi

Lifetime Achievement Winner: Lord Noon, MBE

Gulam

Shortlisted Nominees Baroness Shreela Flather Sir Anwar Pervex Nadir Lalani

Achievement in Community Services Winner: Kishan Devani

Shortlisted Nominees Chelliah Yogamoorthy MBE Asif Iqbal Param Singh

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Winner: Shamir Shah

Shortlisted Nominees Ishil Mehta Zima Parmar Priyesh Rawal

Sports Personality of the Year Winner: Akaash Bhatia

Shortlisted Nominees Netan Sansara Mandip Sehmi Bulbul Hussain Gaz Choudhry

Woman of the Year

Winner: Shahnaz Hussain Shortlisted Nominees Urvasi Naidoo Mishal Husain Dr Sonal Minocha

Business Person of the Year Winner: Subaskaran Allirajah

Shortlisted Nominees Ashok Rabheru Mansoor Popat Dr Diwan Rahul Nanda

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Uniformed and Civil Services Winner: Amjad Mazhar Hussain

Shortlisted Nominees Tejinder Ajimal Gurcharan Singh Dhesi MBE Darra Singh Lt Bhavna Parmar

53-58 Look-Back.qxp_A4 Temp 14/09/2015 12:17 Page 57

International Personality of the Year Smt Hema Malini MP

International Personality of the Year Kevin Pietersen MBE

Special Editor's Award for Outstanding Services Through Legal Profession

HH Judge Sir Mota Singh QC

Editors Award for Vision & Enterprise Samrat Bhandari

AAA 2012 Talent Hunt

Lookback

Achievement in Community

Winner: Professor Naina Patel, OBE

WINNERS of 2013

Achievement in Media, Art and Culture Winner: Seeta Indrani

Shortlisted Nominees Navin Kundra Kiran Shah Amol Rajan

Lifetime Achievement Award

Shortlisted Nominees Charan Kanwal Sekhon Dorab Erach Mistry OBE Piara Singh Aulakh MBE

Sports Personality of the Year

Winner: Ruqsana Begum

Shortlisted Nominees Kiran Matharu Saddiqa Shan Vishal Ladwa

Uniformed & Civil Services Winner: Chief Supt Surjeet Manku

Shortlisted Nominees Shami Chakrabarti CBE Satya Minhas Ravi Chand CBE

Winner: Srichand Hinduja & Gopichand Hinduja

Shortlisted Nominees Fauja Singh Anil Agarwal Nasser Hussain OBE

Editor's Award

Anita Choudhrie

Professional of the Year

Winner: Nandita Parshad

Shortlisted Nominees Arun Batia Professor Soraya Dhillon MBE Dr Ajay Gupta

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner: Rajeeb Day

Shortlisted Nominees Aruna Seth Faiza Seth Nick Madhavji Rajeeb Dey

Business Person of the Year Winners: Meera Tailor and Nisha Halai with Dr Merul Patel, Director, ABPL

The peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice awards

Winner: Firoz Tejani

Shortlisted Nominees Dilesh Mehta Thembalath Ramachandran Mumtaz Khan

Woman of the Year

Winner: Farida Gibbs

Shortlisted Nominees Meena Pathak OBE Kamal Basran Baljinder Boparan

Lawyer of the Year Mitesh Patel

WINNERS of 2014 Business Person of the Year

Winner: Mahmud Kamani Shortlisted Nominees Kishore Lulla Kirit Patel MBE Harry Dulai

Professional of the Year

Winner: Prof. Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee, FRSi Shortlisted Nominees Anu Ojha OBE Faisel Rahman OBE Dr Sandy Gupta

ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2015 Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar

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The people’s choice awards

Achievement in Community Service

Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture

Winner: Hanif Kureishi CBE Shortlisted Nominees Samira Ahmed Akram Khan MBE Shahid Khan aka Naughty boy

Winner: Wasim Gulzar Khan MBE

Shortlisted Nominees Shahien Taj Kiran Bali MBE JP Sajda Mughal

Uniformed and Civil Services

Woman of the Year

Winner: Priya Lakhani OBE

Shortlisted Nominees Sharmila Nebhrajani OBE Balvinder Kaur Sandhu Saba Shaukat Ranjana Bell MBE

Editor's Award For Rising Star

Sports Personality of the Year

Winner: Dilawar Singh MBE

Shortlisted Nominees Manish Tailor Paran Singh Neil John Taylor

Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner: Dr Richie Nanda

Winner: Nazir Afzal OBE LLD (hon) Shortlisted Nominees Millie Banerjee CBE Dipprasad Pun CGC Kul Mahay

Editor's Award For Bravery and Patriotism Late Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan

Shahid Khan

Shortlisted Nominees Sukhi Ghuman Taz and Umer Sheikh Majid Hussain

Lifetime Achievement Award Anwar Pervez

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