Cllr Charan Kanwal Singh Sekhon, a Senior Environment Officer at UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has become UK’s first British Sikh officer of Indian origin serving for the Environment Agency to receive an MBE for his services and contributions in charity, diversity, environment and Covid-19 support work. He received his MBE medal in an investiture ceremony held at the Windsor Castle on 31 January hosted by HM The King Charles III.
Charan is the Founder Chairman of charity SEVA Trust UK, Equalities and Welfare Coordinator for UNISON East Anglia Branch, a local Councillor and a former executive committee member of Bedford Race Equality Council and Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) in Bedford. He was named in 2022 New Year’s Honours list to receive an MBE.
Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire or an MBE, is a national honour awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community which has had a long-term, significant impact.
Charan told the Asian Voice, “I am truly humbled and honoured to have received my MBE from His Majesty The King. It was a very special moment to have a brief conversation with King Charles III who wanted to know more about my journey and the key challenges I faced whilst working and contributing to the fields of diversity, the environment, charity and Covid-19 support work. Before the ceremony, I was a bit nervous, but I must say he was really engaged in the conversation, and he made me feel special. I feel extremely grateful.
“Though it was a very special day, it would have been more special if my father was here with us to witness this occasion. We lost him last year, but I am sure he is watching over us and must be very proud in the same way my mother and the rest of my family is. I must thank my family for their unconditional support, all my colleagues at the Environment Agency, UNISON, SEVA Trust Trustees, teams and volunteers in the UK and India, whom I had a real privilege to work with in the past 28 years of my life.”
Born and bred in a small village of Barundi of Punjab in India, Charan faced many challenges during his educational journey in India and then in the UK. He completed his BSc and MSc in Physics from India and moved to Britain in January 1995. He then completed his MSc in Energy and Environment from Cranfield University, Bedfordshire before joining the Environment Agency in January 2000.
