AWA FOUNDER RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
(7 June 2006)

Pinky Lilani, founder and chairman of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, has been awarded the First Women Lifetime Achievement Award. She is joint winner with Val Gooding CBE, CEO of BUPA and collected her award on Wednesday 7 June 2006 at a lavish ceremony at the London Hilton on Park Lane. The First Women Awards recognise women who are trailblazers and pioneers in business - genuine 'glass ceiling' breakers. They also recognise women whose achievements or 'firsts' and individual actions have helped, or are helping, to remove barriers and open up opportunities for others to follow.

As Vice Chairman of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards and CEO of Caspian Publishing, Mike Bokaie, said when presenting Pinky with her award: "She has put the mission of inspiring and guiding businesswomen right at the very heart of her professional life.

It's easy to forget that, until very recently, Asian women in the UK were almost an invisible community. While many achieved extraordinary things, for cultural reasons, they were not perceived as a thriving group of talented professionals and businesspeople.

By conceiving and building her phenomenal brand, she has provided the inspiration and practical help for literally hundreds of Asian women to reach the heights, and receive the recognition that they deserve.

In so doing, she has become an icon to the British-Asian community, officially one of the most influential Asian women in Britain, and, without exaggeration, changed Britain."

"What can I say about this woman? She is unique, a once-in-a-lifetime person who has brought joy and inspiration to so many women in Britain; and changed this country for the better. And how many people can say that? She is quite simply one of those people you can't say no to. And so, of course, whatever she wants, she gets. In a cynical world, she is a ray of sunshine." Cherie Booth QC commented.

ABOUT PINKY LILANI

Pinky acts as development consultant with some of the major food companies in Europe including Sharwoods, Sainsburys, Safeway and Tesco. She shares her passion for Indian food with the hundreds of people who attend her Spice Magic corporate seminars in London on the art and techniques of Indian cuisine.

The Asian Women of Achievement Awards, of which she is Chairman, was her brainchild and the Patron of the Awards is Cherie Booth QC. It is an annual event held in London to acknowledge the achievements of Asian women. She is a mentor with the Prince's Youth Business Trust, a member of the Asia House special project committee, and helped to set up the Women's Interfaith Network to encourage communication and understanding between women of different faiths.

ABOUT THE FIRST WOMEN AWARDS

The economy needs to have more women who want to go into business or own businesses. To encourage the future generations of women to enter the business world the awards recognise those women who are being successful and are achieving that success on their own terms. The First Women Awards, now in their second year, aim to unearth and unveil a new generation of role models whether they are young entrepreneurs or low-profile pioneers of larger businesses who have broken new ground in business life.

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