London, UK – The Asian Achievers Awards is an annual event which recognises the outstanding work from individuals from across all businesses and professions within the Asian community and acknowledge the accomplishments of the finest in the UK’s Asian community. The Asian Achievers Awards is hosted by Asian Business Publications Ltd (ABPL), publishers of newspapers, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar. This year the awards took place on September 19th at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane.
Gopichand Hinduja with HE Ranjan Mathai
The winners of the 14th annual Asian Achievers Awards were announced on September 19th at a star-studded gala event at the Grosvenor House Hotel, on London’s Park Lane. Winners included Hanif Kureshi CBE for Media, Arts and Culture; Mahmud Kamani, co-founder of boohoo.com for Business Person of the Year; and Wasim Khan MBE, the first British-Pakistani to play professional cricket in England, for Achievement in Community Service.
Cherie Blair
Picking up the Editor’s Award for Rising Star, was ground-breaking music producer, Naughty Boy, aka Shahid Khan, who shot to fame and critical acclaim last year with his hit single, ‘La La La’; and also the late Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan, whose parents collected the Editor’s Award for Bravery and Patriotism. Fl Lt Chauhan tragically lost his life in Afghanistan during a routine flight and was honoured for his service to his country.
Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, said in his speech: “There is much to celebrate in the contribution of British Asians made to our national life – be it in sports, in culture, in academia, in public service and in community life. But perhaps most strikingly and most dramatically in business and the professions where the British Asian community hunches well above its weight and produces some outstanding successes… the PM has asked me specifically to add his congratulations to all of you”
Mr. CB Patel, Publisher/Editor, ABPL Group says: “Our winners at this year’s Asian Achievers Awards have truly reached remarkable heights of success and achievement, and it gives me great pride to celebrate these incredible individuals, who are no doubt exceptional role models for the next generation.”
The Asian Achievers Awards celebrates individuals who have inspired communities and achieved outstanding accomplishments in their respective fields.
Since launching 14 years ago, The Asian Achievers Awards has helped raise millions of pounds for charity and this year, the chosen charity partner is the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.
ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2014 WINNERS
Business Person Of The Year – Mahmud Kamani Co-Founder boo.hoo.com
Entrepreneur Of The Year – Dr. Richie Nanda Executive Chairman, The Shield Group, the UK’s largest independent Total Security Solutions provider
Sports Personality Of The Year – Dilawer Singh MBE Sports Council for Glasgow Elected Director
Uniformed And Civil Services – Nazir Afzal OBE Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West
Media, Arts And Culture – Hanif Kureishi CBE Playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker and novelist. In 2008, The Times included Kureishi in their list of “The 50 greatest British writers since 1945″
Woman Of The Year – Priya Lakhani OBE Ethnic food entrepreneur, founder of Masala Masala, an Indian stir-in sauce
Achievement In Community Service – Wasim Gulzar Khan MBE Chief Executive, The Cricket Foundation and CEO, Chance to Shine.
Professional Of The Year – Prof Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee, FRS Experimental physicist and Professor of Physics at Imperial College London and one of the ‘founding fathers’ of CMS
Editor’s Award for Rising Star – Shahid Khan, aka Naughty Boy Music producer, acclaimed for his global summertime hit single ‘La La La’, featuring Sam Smith and A-list collaborations
Editor’s Award for Bravery & Patriotism – The Late Fl Lt Rakesh Chauhan 29-year-old RAF Officer who died in Afghanistan when his helicopter (Lynx) crashed during a routine flight.
Asian Achievers Awards 2014 – Winners List & Profiles
Media, Arts and Culture
Nitin Ganatra, sponsor, Hanif Kureishi CBE, DJ Neev
Hanif Kureishi CBE
London-based
Hanif Kureishi CBE is an English playwright, screenwriter and filmmaker and novelist. In 2008, The Times included Kureishi in their list of “The 50 greatest British writers since 1945″. Kureishi was born in Bromley, South London to a Pakistani father, Rafiushan Kureishi, and an English mother, Audrey Buss. He started his career in the 1970s as a pornography writer, under the pseudonyms Antonia French and Karim. He wrote My Beautiful Laundrette in 1985, which won the New York Film Critics Best Screenplay Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay. He also wrote the screenplay for Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987)amongst many others.
Woman of the Year
Woman of the Year Nitin Ganatra Raj Loomba Priya Lakhani CB Patel
Priya Lakhani OBE
London-based
Former barrister, Priya Lakhani, founded FMCG business Masala Masala in 2008 successfully launching it’s products into nationwide supermarket chains and independent retailers. The company’s charitable arm has provided over 1 million meals and 35,000 vaccinations to the underprivileged in India and Africa. Priya’s second business, CENTURY-TECH, is set to disrupt the education sector by utilising big data and data mining techniques to improve students’ learning outcomes Priya is a member of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills’ Entrepreneurs’ Forum and an advisory board member to the Education Foundation.
Business Person of the Year
Mahmud Kamani
Manchester-based
Mahmud Kamani founded Boohoo with Carol Kane in 2006, leveraging over 28 years of experience in the fashion industry. Mahmud’s involvement in the fashion and apparel industry spans all areas of the supply chain from importer to wholesaler to retailer. Mahmud has sourced garments from all over the world. An entrepreneur in the retail, trade and hospitality sectors, Mahmud has developed a loyal team, some of whom have remained with him for 20 years.
Entrepreneur of the Year
Nitin Ganatra, Keith Vaz, Dr Richie Nanda, Entrepreneur of the Year 2014
Dr Richie Nanda
Buckinghamshire-based
Dr Richie Nanda is an international security mag- nate and the Executive Chairman of Topsgrup and The Shield Group. It’s annual turnover is expected to be £160 million with 130 offices worldwide, including headquarters in London, and approximately 8,500 customers. In 2012, Dr Nanda became the only entrepreneur of an Indian MNC to purchase a 100% stake in a British security company, The Shield Group, now the UK’s largest independent total security solutions provider. The companies provide security for some of the world’s leading brands such as IBM and TATA, events such as the IPL and World Cricket Champions League, international celebrities, VIPs and Royalty such as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and venues like The Imperial War Museum and The Gherkin.
Achievement In Community Service
Wasim Khan MBE with Nitin Ganatra and sponsors
Wasim Gulzar Khan MBE
London-based
Wasim was the first British born Pakistani to play professional cricket in England, playing in the double winning Warwickshire team in 1995. He also represented Sussex and Derbyshire. In 2005 he was recruited by Lord Mervyn King to set up Chance to Shine, a Cricket-Education Enterprise. He has been CEO since 2009. Chance to Shine is now recognised as the biggest programme of its kind, in the world. It has engaged and inspired 2.5 million young people (including 1 million girls) and has raised £55 million since 2005. His autobiography ‘Brim Full of Passion’ was awarded the prestigious ‘Wisden Book of the Year’ award in 2006. In 2013, he was awarded an MBE for services to cricket and the community.
Professional Of The Year
Professional Of The Year Prof Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee FR
Prof. Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee, FRS
London-based
Prof. Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee, FRS is an experi- mental physicist and Professor of Physics at Imperial College London. He is best known for originating the concept of CMS with a few other colleagues and has been referred to as one of the ‘founding fathers’ of the project. Virdee was elected Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Institute of Physics in 2012. In recognition of his work on CMS he has been awarded the Institute of Physics (IOP) 2007 High Energy Physics Prize and the IOP 2009 Chadwick Medal and Prize. In 2014, Virdee was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to science.
Sports Personality of the Year
Dilawer Singh MBE Sports Personality of the Year 2014
Dilawer Singh MBE
Glasgow-based
Dilawer Singh MBE is the Sports Council for Glasgow Elected Director. He was the first Asian and Sikh police officer in Scotland and spent over 30 years with Strathclyde Police and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate. A former wrestler Dilawar, keen kabbadi player, referee and coach, badminton player and coach and marathon runner, Dilawar has raised thousands of pounds for different international charities through his sporting exploits. Dilawar was also part of the 2014 Bid Team and now sits on sub commit- tees for recruiting volunteers and planning the legacy of the games. Amongst a list of
prestigious awards and titles, particular high- lights include Dilawar receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lord Provost of Glasgow for his contribution and service to Sport; Honorary President of the Association of Indian Organisations.
Uniformed And Civil Services
Uniformed And Civil Services Nazir Afzal OBE
Nazir Afzal OBE
Manchester-based
Nazir Afzal OBE LLD (hon) is the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West of England, with responsibility for nearly 100,000 prosecutions a year. He is National lead for tackling Violence Against Women & Girls and Child Abuse. He also leads on tackling so called honour crimes and forced marriage. His successful prosecution of people like Stuart Hall have demonstrated that nobody is above the law. He is the public face of the justice system and regularly appears in the media leading the public debate. His voluntary activity includes being Pro-Chancellor of Brunel University London and Trustee of three charities working with vulnerable people and supporting children.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Sir Anwar Pervez OBE, HI
Sir Anwar Pervez OBE, HI is the founder and Chairman of Bestway Group. He was born in 1935 and moved to the UK at age of 21. In 1963 he established his first convenience store in London’s Earls Court. By the early seventies he had ten well-provided convenience stores in and around West London.
In 1976 Sir Anwar Pervez, opened Bestway’s first wholesale warehouse in Acton, West London. As of 2010 Bestway Cash & Carry is the largest independent wholesale group and 2nd largest wholesaler with 61 Warehouses spread all over the UK. In 1992, Sir Anwar was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire O.B.E. and a Knight Bachelor in 1999 in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to business and charity.
In 2000, he was awarded the Hilal-e-Pakistan by the Pakistan government for his services to the country. At the heart of Bestway Group’s philosophy is the desire to help those less fortunate than others by supporting charities and contributing to help the local community. This is manifested in the charter of the Bestway Foundation established by Sir Anwar himself 1987.
In October 2002 Sir Anwar Pervez’s Bestway Group along with His Highness Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan’s Abu Dhabi Group successfully bid for a controlling share in United Bank Limited (UBL). Sir Anwar is the Deputy Chairman of United Bank Limited, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bestway Foundation UK and the Patron-in-Chief of Bestway Foundation Pakistan. Sir Anwar is also a Trustee of the Memorial Gates Trust, Crimestoppers and a supporter of UK Charity The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Photos from the event
Sunny and Shay
Naughty Boy with CB Patel
Asian Achievers Awards 2014
Hoop Act 2
Fatboyz Dance Troupe 2
Light Balance from Britain’s Got Talent