The bell has rung and preparations for the 19th Asian Achievers Awards are at their peak. Friday 6th September will witness a true celebration of 'inclusivity' across Britain's communities at the 19th annual Asian Achievers Awards in Grosvenor House, London, hosted by Britain’s oldest Asian diaspora publications Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar.
The gala will be attended by more than 800 guests including business tycoons, entrepreneurs, industrialists, senior professionals, celebrities, members of parliament and the uniformed services.
Each year we select and celebrate one important theme, and this year it is 'Inclusivity'. It is about time that we involved people from all walks of life and gave them the recognition they deserve. According to ancient Hindu scriptures the world is one family - 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' in Sanskrit. Therefore we would like to celebrate each and every one of you. We have also received nominations for several categories from stellar individuals belonging to various Pride groups.
An integral part of British life, the Asian community plays an important role in shaping the country’s prosperity. Known as the People’s Choice Awards, the Asian Achievers Awards celebrates the outstanding work of South Asian individuals from across a spectrum of backgrounds and professions.
The short-listed candidates symbolise the true spirit of today's multicultural, diverse and inclusive Britain, representing various South Asian communities especially Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, to name a few. A full list of the shortlisted candidates is published here.
CB Patel, Chairman of the Asian Achievers Awards said, “This year the theme of the Awards, which is inclusivity, will recognise the contributions of UK's British Asian Pride community and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of modern Britain. The awards are judged by an independent panel of judges and nominated by readers of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar. The judging panel faces the daunting task of selecting nominees and winners, each of who make a signifiant contribution to their chosen field.”
Since its launch, the Asian Achievers Awards has helped raise millions of pounds for various charities. This year our chosen charity partner is Yuva Unstoppable, a premier youth movement in India consisting of volunteers. It works towards educating underprivileged children. The organisation is spread across 30 cities and consists of nearly 100,000 volunteers.
SHORTLISTS FOR 2019
Business Person Of The Year
- Neeraj Kanwar, Neeraj Kanwar is the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Apollo Tyres
- Rooney Anand, Chairman of Casual Dining Group, former CEO of Greene King
- Vipul Vadera, CEO of Per-Scent
- Lord Waheed Alli, Fashion entrepreneur, former media tycoon, gay rights activist and Peer
Entrepreneur Of The Year
- Kush Kanodia, AbilityNet Trustee and one of the top 10 most influential BAME leaders in the UK tech sector
- Herman Narula, co-founder and CEO of Improbable Worlds Limited
- Amit Gudka, Co Founder at Bulb Energy
- Bankim Chandra, CEO and passionate driving force behind Dotsquares since its inception back in 2002
Woman Of The Year
- Anjali Ramachandran, Director, Storythings
- Ishani Patel, Co-Founder Lantum
- Neeta Patel, Chief Executive, New Entrepreneurs Foundation
- Asma Khan, first British Chef to star in Netflix's award-winning series Chef’s Table
Professional Of The Year
- Asad Dhunna, Director of Communications for Pride in London and Founder of The Unmistakables
- Professor Dinesh Bhugra CBE, Professor Dinesh Bhugra is an Emeritus Professor of Mental Health and Cultural Diversity at King’s College, London
- Krishna Omkar, a corporate lawyer in the London office of King & Spalding and LGBTQ activist
- Prof Charanjit Bountra, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Professor of Translational Medicine at the University of Oxford
Uniformed, Civil and Public Services
- Ranjit Lal Dheer OBE, Councillor, Dormers Wells, Cabinet member for Community Safety and Services and Deputy Leader of the Council
- Hafsa Qureshi, recruitment support for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service in Birmingham
- Dr Rohit Shankar MBE, FRCPsych is a Consultant Developmental Neuropsychiatrist and clinical director for the adult Intellectual Disability Neuropsychiatry services for Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr Rangan Chatterjee, is a British physician, author, television presenter and podcaster.
Sports personality of the Year
- Adil Rashid, a leg spinner was a part of the England squad in the Cricket World Cup held this year in England
- Yan Dhanda, English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Swansea City.
- Kabir Ali, a former English cricketer.
- Harjeet Singh Bhania OBE, GB Men’s wheelchair basketball Head Coach
Achievement In Media Arts & Culture
- Mukul Devichand, Executive Editor of Voice + AI at the BBC
- Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first Muslim drag performer
- Raheem Mir, a Kathak dancer challenging the concept of gender roles within Kathak
- Faisal Islam, Economics Editor of BBC News
Achievement in Community service
- Neelam Farzana MBE, registered and accredited Counsellor
- Onkardeep Bhatia, founding member of City Sikhs Network
- Mandy Sanghera, international human rights activist and motivational Tedx speaker
- Naeem Rabbani Qureshi, Trustee of Ashiana Community Project
