The UK's first Muslim MP Mohammed Sarwar, scooped the coveted 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the 2nd Annual Scottish Asian Business Awards. The renowned MP was thrust into the spotlight alongside entrepreneur of the year, Dr Rabinder Buttar, president and founder of ClinTec. Businessman of the Year was scooped up by successful entrepreneur Sanjay Majhu, who escalated from humble beginnings to become the chief executive of Harlequin Leisure Group, Europe's largest chain of Indian restaurants.

Businesswoman of the Year was Nasreen Aksi who has worked vigorously in creating success through her franchise operations in the West-end of Glasgow. Other winners from the prestigious awards show was Umer Ashraf who was awarded as this year's Young Achiever of the Year having injected creative vision and passion to his blossoming café business venture. The winning establishment who clasped the honorary Community Award was Frae Fife Constabulary.

SCOTTISH ASIAN BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS

Young Achiever of the Year - Umer Ashraf

Younger Achiever of the Year is a young man whose innovative entrepreneurial spirit has been flourishing from his days in the school yard, where he sold arm bands and toys to his peers. Fast tracking himself through school and subsequently university, he took control of his first business in the middle of his telecommunications exams at Glasgow Caledonian University.

In 2002 he transformed UA Communications into the thriving UA Ventures, magnifying the business through online trading. 2004 saw him take over Movie World on the highly trafficked Great Western Road. Evolving his unique style and creative outlook he became the Founder and Managing Director of iCafe in March of 2005, unveiling the first coffee shop of its kind in the United Kingdom; intertwining high quality Italian coffee and great food with movie rentals and state of the art computer facilities.

Newcomer of the Year - Azhir Sharif

The winner of the Newcomer of the Year award was Azhir Sharif who over the past few years has taken giant strides forward in expanding his business empire. In 2006 he purchased the struggling Trophy Centre in a £2.5million deal. In the same year he purchased the Lorne Hotel in a £4 million deal ploughing a further £4 million into the hotel for refurbishment and modernisation. The 113 room, 2 restaurant and 400 function room capacity, hotel is due to open in March 2008.

Community Award - FRAE Fife.

The winner of the Community Award is an organisation that was established back in 1999 with the aim of building the capacity of and empowering the Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in Fife, tackling social exclusion and improving service delivery to these communities. The organisation's primary purpose is to promote racial harmony across all races and eliminate racial discrimination. Co-ordinator of FRAE Fife Naeem Khalid, collected the award on behalf of the organisation.

Businesswoman of the Year - Nasreen Aksi.

The winner of Businesswomen of the Year has been pushing boundaries and taking risks from a young age. After 7 years of working for the Harlequin restaurant chain she got the opportunity to take on the franchise for the weakest link in the Spice of Life chain, leveraging the £10000 funds on her credit card she obtained the franchise. A weighty risk that paid itself off over the next 6 months was the beginning of an impressive portfolio. 2004 saw her take on another Harlequin franchise, the Ashoka West End, and in 2005 she was offered the jewel in the Harlequin crown the Ashoka Aston Lane. This year her company Aksi Restaurants ltd has an annual turnover of £2 million.

Businessman of the Year - Sanjay Majhu, CEO of the Apple Healthcare.

The winner of the Scottish Asian Businessman of the Year 2007 is Sanjay Majhu who has come a long way since the early 90's when he was waiting on tables at the Spice of Life. A decade on and he has built a business empire that turns over some £20 million a year. Starting out in the restaurant industry he then went on to change course midstream and study for a degree in pharmacy. Qualifying in 1999 he quickly established the Apple Pharmacy Group.

Apple Pharmacy started operating in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, in 2003 expanding to 16 pharmacies dotted across Scotland - in Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh - employing over 100 staff members, and boasting an impressive collective turnover of £5.5 million per annum. Sanjay recently purchased Harlequin Restaurants in a £15 million deal.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Mohammed Sarwar MP.

The winner of the Lifetime achievement award is an individual whose involvement in the world of business has spanned four decades. Mohammed Sarwar was born in Pakistan in 1952, arriving in the UK with his family in the 1970s were he started a small business selling eggs to local shops before opening his own shop a few years later. From these humble beginnings he would go on to co-found United Cash and Carry with his brother Mohammad Ramzan. For over 20 years the two brothers built their Cash and Carry empire together going their separate ways once the businesses ongoing success was assured.

In 2002 he formed United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd and 5 years later this organisation is in the premier league of UK Cash & Carry's. Whilst expanding his business he maintained an interest in politics and remained active within his local community. He is currently the Labour MP for Glasgow Central, first elected as a local councillor in 1992 and then as a MP in 1997, becoming Scotland's first ethnic minority MP and Britain's first Muslim MP.

He is a well respected and vocal member of the House of Commons; leading the campaign to save the Govan shipyard in 1999 thus securing 2000 jobs, and a resolute opponent of the Iraq war. He is the founder and chairman of the Pakistan Foundation International which was established in 1999 to bring desperately needed healthcare and education facilities to the people of Pakistan.

Entrepreneur of the Year - Dr Rabinder Buttar

The Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 is a remarkable woman who was born in Punjab, India, and brought up in Scotland. Dr Rabinder Buttar graduated from Strathclyde University in Glasgow in 1988 with a PhD in Immunology and has been the President & CEO of the global organisation, ClinTec International Ltd since the day she founded this company, ten years ago.

Her company has major strategic offices throughout the world and is now in the process of building a major global hub in Glasgow having already established a Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Munich, Germany. These key nodes will be supported by satellite offices throughout the world including its extensive operations in Bangalore. The company turnover is projected to be £10 million by the end of next year.