Asians recognised in the Queen's New Year's Honours List 2012
1st January 2012

The Queen's New Year's Honours List is published today, recognising the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom. The vast majority of people recognised include those supporting the "Big Society" by making a real difference to their local community through volunteering, fundraising, social action and philanthropy. Among Asians honoured are Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan who receives a knighthood for the study of the translation of DNA information into protein by ribosomes; with CBEs for Professor Dinesh Kumar Makhan Lai Bhugra, Dr Tahir Ahmed Mahmood and Ruby McGregor-Smith, CEO of Mitie plc. People honoured with an MBE for helping their community include Anant Barodekar, who for over 25 years has made a major commitment to the training and welfare of young people with special needs, arising from ethnic and cultural differences or educational, social or other problems.

Philanthropy has also been a prominent theme amongst the recipients with 14 philanthropists receiving awards at knighthood and CBE level. The list includes knighthoods to Paul Ruddock, Chief Executive of Lansdowne Partners, who has contributed to the revival of the Victoria and Albert Museum and other cultural institutions; to (Herbert) Doug Ellis, who became heavily involved in charity work through his chairmanship of Aston Villa Football Club, and has made substantial personal donations to the NSPCC and other institutions; and to Rodney Aldridge, Chairman of the Aldridge Foundation, who was a founder sponsor of the Academy Programme. Awards at CBE level include Dr Naim Dangoor who has continued to provide hands-on and extensive personal support of education and charitable giving even though he is now in his 90s.

Industry and the Economy make up 12 per cent of the awards and include a knighthood for Michael Bear, the Lord Mayor, for his service to regeneration, charity and the City of London. There is a knighthood for David Reid, lately Chairman, Tesco plc; and a knighthood for Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline. The awards at CBE include Helena Morrissey, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Newton Investment Management Ltd, who formed the 30 Percent Club to press companies to employ more female directors.

Science and Technology makes up three per cent of the awards and there are knighthoods for Professor Andre Geim and Professor Konstantin Novoselov, Nobel Prize-winning Professors of Physics at the University of Manchester.

In total 984 people have been recommended to The Queen for an award:

828 candidates have been selected at MBE and OBE level, 587 at MBE and 241 at OBE.
70 per cent of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity.
There are 420 successful women candidates on the List, representing 43 per cent of the total. Women candidates include 1 GBE, 7 Dames, 27 CBEs and 3 CBs.
12 per cent of the successful candidates come from ethnic minority communities.

The New Year Honours List 2012

Knights Bachelor - Knighthoods

Dr Venkatraman RAMAKRISHNAN Scientist, Medical Research Council, Laboratory of Molecular Biology. For services to Molecular Biology. (Granchester, Cambridgeshire)

Order of the British Empire - Commanders of the Order of the British Empire

Professor Dinesh Kumar Makhan Lai BHUGRA Lately President, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London. For services to Psychiatry. (London, SW2)

Dr Tahir Ahmed MAHMOOD For services to Women's Health. (Kirkcaldy, Fife)

Ruby, Mrs MCGREGOR-SMITH Chief Executive Officer, MITIE Group plc. For services to Business and Diversity in Business. (Berkshire)
Order of the British Empire - Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Order of the British Empire - Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Zahoor AHMED Chairman, Gifts International. For services to International Trade. (Birmingham, West Midlands)

Durdana, Mrs ANSARI For services to Muslim Women in the UK. (South Ruislip, Middlesex)

Mohammad HABEEBULLAH, JP For services to the community in Greater Manchester. (Greater Manchester)

Sylvia, Mrs MAHARAJ, Chair of Licensing Committee, Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court. For services to the Administration of Justice. (London, E18)

Amin Mohamed MAWJI For public and voluntary service. (London, SM2)

Jehangir SAROSH President Emeritus, European Chapter, World Council on Religions for Peace. For Services to Inter-Faith Relations. (Watford, Hertfordshire)

Order of the British Empire - Members of the Order of the British Empire

Dr Syed Nayyer Abbas ABIDI For services to the Black and Minority Ethnic community. (Greater Manchester)

Mohammed AKRAM, JP For services to the British Pakistani community in Scotland. (Edinburgh)

Anant BARODEKAR Founder of Club 25 for Young People. For services to Young People. (Formby, Merseyside)

Kulvinder BASSI Community Rail Team Leader, Department for Transport. (London, TW3)

Councillor Mohammad BHATTI For services to Local Government and to the community. (Chesham, Buckinghamshire)

Sayeeda, Mrs CHOWDHURY Outreach Worker, Longsight Sure Start Children's Centre, Manchester. For services to Children and Families. (Greater Manchester)

Surjit Singh GHUMAN Founder of Panjab Radio. For services to Broadcasting. (Hayes, Middlesex)

Hifsa Haroon, Mrs IQBAL, DL For services to Community Cohesion in Staffordshire. (Staffordshire)

Dr Hasmukh JOSHI Lately General Practitioner. For services to Medical Education and to the Royal College of General Practitioners. (Pontypool, Torfaen)

Mini, Mrs JOTI Health Visitor, Bridgeton Health Centre. For services to the NHS and the community in the East End of Glasgow. (Bearsden, Dunbartonshire)

Dr Raman KAPUR Chief Executive, Threshold. For services to People with Mental Illness in Northern Ireland. (Belfast)

Mohammed Saeed MOUGHAL For services to the community in Birmingham. (Birmingham, West Midlands)

Anwer Ibrahim Issa Ismail PATEL Managing Director, Cohens Chemist Group. For services to community pharmacy. (Bolton, Greater Manchester)

Madhurika, Mrs PATEL For services to the Indian community in Greater Manchester. (Stockport, Greater Manchester)

Hanif Mohammad RAJA For services to Inter-Faith Relations in Scotland. (Glasgow)

Bajloor RASHID Restaurateur and President, Bangladesh Caterers Association. For services to Bangladeshi Catering. (Ashford, Kent)

Ms Harbans Kaur SINGH For services to the community in Hounslow. (Isleworth, Middlesex)

Bakhshish Singh SODHI For services to Race Relations in Gravesend. (Kent)

Inderpal-Singh SUMAL For public service (West Midlands)

Lila, Mrs THAKERAR Pharmacist. For services to the community in the London Borough of Harrow. (Harrow, Middlesex)

Mohammed Foiz UDDIN For services to Community Cohesion. (Birmingham, West Midlands)

Umesh VALJEE Cricketer. For services to Deaf Cricket. (Wembley, Middlesex)

Akram ZAMAN, JP Chairman, Protocol. For services to the community in Northamptonshire. (Northamptonshire)

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