FOMER CRICKETER IMRAN KHAN IS AN ASIAN JEWEL
(9 July 2004)

Former cricketer and Pakistan team captain, Imran Khan, won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Asian Jewel Awards 2004 (Southern Region) last night. Other winners included Baroness Usha Prashar (Lifetime Achievement), Mike Jatania of Lornamead (Business), Gurinder Chadha, director of 'Bend it Like Beckham' (Media & Arts) and Sir Ravinder Maini, Professor of Rheumatology at Imperial College, London (Healthcare & Education). The star-studded event, held at London's Hilton Hotel was hosted by comedian Jeff Mirza and presenter Samina Ali Khan.

SOUTHERN REGION WINNERS

PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD

Mr Anuj Chande
Partner, Grant Thornton

A business advisory partners at Grant Thornton, Anuj Chande is currently the International business partner for London responsible for all inward referrals from the Grant Thornton International network into London. He also leads an initiative to serve Asian owned businesses both in the UK and those investing from the Indian subcontinent. He also has specific experience of the Technology industry and heads the Technology cluster group in the London office of Grant Thornton. National recognition came several years ago when Anuj was a finalist for the Best Business Adviser in 1999 and 2000 in the CBNI 'Growing Business Awards.

PUBLIC SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Ms Tahera Aanchawan
Chair, Transform Africa

Since arriving from Uganda in 1972, Tahera Aanchawan has lived a working and voluntary life devoted to numerous initiatives to advocate for and support minority communities in all sectors of life in the UK, and more recently overseas. In 2002, she became the Chairwoman of the Naz Project in London. Six months ago, Tahera took over the Chair of an organisation called Transform Africa, an organisation providing training and management development for community groups in seven African countries. During a prolific career she has also worked extensively with several government authorities, having recently been appointed to the position of Board Member of the Health Development Agency.

MEDIA & ARTS EXCELLENCE AWARD

Ms Gurinder Chadha
Director

The most prominent Asian film director in Britain, Gurinder Chadha has been behind a string of highly successful titles. Gurinder's feature-length directorial debut came with the highly acclaimed and popular 'Bhaji on the Beach' released in 1993. Further film success came in 2000 with 'What's Cooking', set in Los Angeles, a film proving Gurinder's versatility to work within any cultural framework. Her biggest box-office hit came in 2002 with 'Bend it Like Beckham', a film rich in British-Asian culture. She is currently working on a Bollywood film 'Bride & Prejudice'.

BUSINESS & COMMERCE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Mr Mike Jatania
Managing Director, Lornamead

Mike Jatania, still only 39, has managed to successfully combine his ingenious business intellect with his other natural entrepreneurial qualities to become one of the most prominently successful British businessmen. Mike has shaped Lornamead into a brand owner across several markets by driving acquisitions of well-known brands from companies such as Unilever, Sara Lee, Bristol Myer Squibb and Henkel. Mike also provided the vision and impetus for the creation of Epic Brand Investment plc, a private equity fund which is focused on investing in brand acquisitions and is quoted on the London Stock Exchange.

HEALTHCARE & EDUCATION EXCELLENCE AWARD

Professor Sir Ravinder Maini
Emeritus Professor of Rheumatology, Imperial College London.

Sir Ravinder has held a number of important posts. He has been the Chairman of the European Board of Rheumatology, the Chairman of the Royal College of Physicians Rheumatology Committee, Head of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (of which he is also a director), and he is currently Emeritus Professor of Rheumatology , Imperial College, University of London. Recent internationally recognised awards include the Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Research Awards from The Institute of Clinical Research, and the Knighthood conferred to him by Her Majesty the Queen in the 2003 New Year's Honours List. In the same year Sir Ravinder also received the prestigious Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award.

SMALL BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD

Mr Syed Jaffrey
Chief Executive, Casualty Plus

Syed Jaffrey is the joint-founder and driving business brain behind Casualty Plus, the UK's first and only private casualty facility. In 2001, Syed along with his business partner Johan formed Casualty Plus, Syed being the significant force behind the venture, responsible for writing the business plan and finding the several million pounds of funding necessary to launch the new business. To date, Casualty Plus has invested over £5 million in a brand new purpose-built facility with on-site diagnostic facilities including digital X-ray, ultrasound and a fully equipped laboratory. The company's launch resulted in national TV and press coverage due to the revolutionary and popular appeal of the concept. To date, Casualty Plus has treated over 12,000 patients, employs 35 people and now plans to open similar centres across the UK.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Baroness Usha Prashar
First Civil Service Commissioner

Baroness Usha Prashar's career has been characterised by the very significant contribution she has made to the development of social and public policy affecting ethnic minorities, and the large number of glass ceilings through which she has broken. She first came to the UK in 1964, attending school in Yorkshire and going on to read Political Science at the University of Leeds. On completing her studies she started working life in London as a Conciliation Officer with the then Race Relations Board. At the age of 28, she was headhunted to become director of the Runnymede Trust.

She led the Trust for seven years from 1977-1984, making significant contributions to the development of the anti-discrimination legislation and policy affecting minorities. After a short spell as a Fellow with the Policy Studies Institute she was appointed Director of the National Council for Voluntary Organisation (NCVO) in 1986, being the first woman to hold this position. Her contribution during her five year spell at the NCVO was significant, her work ensuring that the voluntary sector retained its independence. Currently she is the First Civil Service Commissioner, her role having total authority over the civil service in maintaining impartiality. Having served on many public bodies, including the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee and the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice, she was the first woman to be appointed Chairman of the Parole Board of England and Wales. She is currently Chancellor of De Montfort University, Chair of the National Literacy Trust and Chair of the Royal Commonwealth. She was awarded the CBE in 1994 and made a life peer in 1999.

Imran Khan
Cricketer and Politician

Imran Khan, probably the finest cricketer to come from Pakistan, is a man whose work following his historic sporting career has always been centred around providing charitable relief for people particularly in Britain and in Pakistan. Imran grew up in Lahore and was educated at Aitchison College in that city, and subsequently the Royal Grammar School in Worcester and Keble College, Oxford where he captained the university cricket team. An outstanding cricketing all-rounder, he became a national hero when he captained the Pakistan cricket team to victory in the 1991-2 Cricket World Cup in Australia. Following his prolifically successful international career, which spanned over a decade, he began devoting his time to raising funds for various appeals, in particular the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Clinic, a charity which Imran founded in memory of mother who unfortunately lost her battle against cancer. Currently pursuing a political career, Imran campaigns in Pakistan, under the party name 'Therik E Insaaf'. Achieving a reasonable level of success in the last election, his status as a glamorous icon continues undaunted in Pakistan and Britain. A truly patriotic figure, Imran continues to devote his time between Pakistan and his adopted Britain, acting as a figurehead for many international charities and working passionately and extensively in fund-raising activities.

Click here for the Asian Jewel Awards 2004 - Northern.
Click here for the Asian Jewel Awards 2004 - Midlands.

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