Creme de la crème of the Asian community gathered at the Millenium Mayfair Hotel on 10th December to celebrate the Indian Journalists' Association annual dinner with the first woman President and Secretary team in the IJA history of 67 years. The theme of the evening was 'Women at Work: India and UK.
The event was attended by MPs, Peers, businessmen, professionals, actors, artists, community leaders, ambassadors from foreign missions and journalists from British, Indian and ethnic media. Britain's richest businessman Gopichand Hinduja, who recently acquired Churchill's Old wartime heritage building in central London, was also present along with hotelier Joginder Sanger.
Business Secretary Mathew Hancock was the Chief Guest, and was accompanied by Lord Dolar Popat, Priti Patel MP and Shailesh Vara MP. The Deputy PM Nick Clegg's representative Lord Navnit Dholakia, Leader of the Lib Dem party, House of Lords was also present amongst guests.
The evening started with networking over canapes and champagne, followed by a sit down dinner, catered by Ragasaan. Aditi Khanna, President of the IJA kick started the evening with an introduction to the theme of the evening and main sponsor- Tata Consultancy Services, who were present there with their women only team. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), one of the key sponsors, also had their key women leaders-engineers and heads of various departments, present amongst the guests.
Shailesh Vara, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice said, “We are surrounded by great achievers and journalists today, all from the opposite sex and the men can say we appreciate this.
“The words that are uttered by industrialists, politicians, the leaders of our countries in whatever field they may be, it is you as journalists who articulate those words for the masses in their millions to read and I applaud the difficulty involved in the modern age of communication.
“It was a joy to see everyone in India exercising their right to democracy and getting every one in their millions the right to vote. We can learn from India leading the way in the (upcoming) elections...”
Secretary to the Exchequer Priti Patel, MP who was the keynote speaker said, “I am the MP for Witham, so I have a few hats. I'm also the Prime Minister's diaspora champion and have the financial role of Secretary to the Treasury: all three of the roles have a link to women in work, in terms of the constituency and household. Politics is changing; it is about everyday issues and how we can reflect that. For me it's about freedom: the freedom to do a job, about empowerment- so it's good to see JLR here tonight because I do interact with you and I see women excelling at such an unprecedented rate.
“I am fed up of people talking down to us in the professional world. Women are contributing to the economic recovery in science and in engineering. These are the sectors that have helped transform our economy in what have been some difficult years...
“If we look at Prime Minister Modi's speech on Independence Day in August this year, he set out a vision of a peaceful, united, skilled, clean and prosperous country, but importantly a country in which women are safe and well respected. It is not a lot to ask for, it really isn't, but it is a lot to achieve and it can be achieved through out united ties.
“There's so much more to do but we can only do that through our unity, through the strength of working together and through our partnership and supporting each other; two united nations shoulder to shoulder and that is important.”
Seema Malhotra, Shadow minister for preventing violence against women spoke on the number of incidents of violence reported against women last year in England and Wales.
“I believe we have to fight this together across the world. We have to stand up as a community to say there is no cultural excuse for violence against women and girls. As members of the IJA you have an incredibly important role...
“I was honoured to attend the 10th anniversary of the Rugby association where they have partnered with the white ribbon programme which encourages men to play a part in tackling the violence against women and in that I believe that you as men can take your own stand in how you are prepared to stand up and say what is acceptable or not.”
Baroness Zahida Manzoor from the Lib Dem party said, “Women suffer more from poverty, mental health problems and gender based violence than men.
“3 million women and girls experience rape, domestic and other violence. And as you are journalists, here is another fact-just 23% of reporters at a national level in the newspapers are women. No current editor of a national daily newspaper is a woman.
“We can learn from India in this. They had a woman Prime Minister and the first CEO of a financial institution, and I applaud them for it.”
Chief Guest Business Secretary Mathew Hancock said, “We've heard from all sides of the political spectrum in this country but they do have one thing in common, and that is the role women should play in public life.
I do want to thank the IJA for their role in communications about this matter. The large number of women in IJA itself is a reflection of their huge success in breaking through barriers back home. They have joined together in a very successful moment here tonight. It is not just physical presence but their perspectives are also very important as I believe women in the media are responsible for giving a more holistic understanding of current trends.
“Women voted for change and that is the message that Modi is championing. With regard to enforced marriage, FGM India has put in place legislation to empower women and we are talking about grassroots enforcement too.
What will make a difference is participation in national life both in politics as I have mentioned, and sports. There are women from parts of India who are now participating in international sports events. Mary Kom is a boxer, and anyone thinking about enforced marriage, just try that with her...”
This was followed by an exclusive interview of actor Meera Syal and director Gurinder Chaddha, who came together after 25 years since Bhajji on the Beach, by Times reporter and author Satnam Sanghera.
The vote of thanks was given by the IJA Secretary Rupanjana Dutta, followed by a brilliant dance performance by Ash Mukherjee. Ash interpreted Ravel's famous score of Bolero and Michael Jackson's iconic song, Man In The Mirror through Indian Classical Temple Dance.
Born in Kolkata, Ash trained in Bharatanatyam in the Tanjore vaani from Guru Smt Thankamani Kutti, founder of Kalamandalam Kolkata and in Classical Ballet from Lady Londonderry Ms Doreen Wells, principal ballerina of The Royal Ballet.
Voted best Indian classical Dancer in the UK today by Dance Europe magazine, Ash was handpicked to represent India and dance a duet with Michael Jackson for This Is It! At the London O2 arena. Ash then went on to work closely with Jackson's producer Alif Sankey and choreographer LaVelle Smith Junior.
Ash's choreography has been featured on BBC1's So You Think You Can Dance, BBC 3's Move Like Michael Jackson, Sadler's Wells Theatre Main Stage, the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, New York City Centre, and most recently his ballet 'Salaam India' premiered at the Commonwealth Games Glasgow Festival 2014. Ash Dance Theatre also works in close conjunction with numerous schools, universities and charities for underprivileged children throughout the UK.
Ash is the first Indian National to be nominated for a Critics' Circle National Dance Award UK, a London Dance Award nomination for his work Song Of The City on Tagore, and Critics' Choice Dance Europe Award for Outstanding Male Dancer of the year.
photo courtesy: Raj Bakrania, Prmediapix
