As tributes pour in for Prince Philip, we reveal his legacy on British Asians
By Barnie Choudhury
Prince Philip crossed generational divides and helped south Asians to transform Britain, according to politicians, business, global and Commonwealth leaders.
They also told Eastern Eye that the duke was wrongly characterised as racist, when he truly cared deeply for equality.
Buckingham Palace announced the death of the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on Friday (9).
Those who paid tribute to him said he was a “true public servant”.
“He did it quintessentially quietly, because he was somebody who wanted to get things done,” Commonwealth secretary-general, Patricia Scotland, told Eastern Eye. “He didn't want to talk, he wanted action, and so if you think about all the things he did, it was a life of service.
“He never forgot the Commonwealth servicemen and women who served along with him in the war. He wasn't a desk officer. He was on the front line. He put his life on the line throughout the whole of that period, and he was seen as a hero.”
The duke was loyal to his adopted country and its monarch, his wife of 73 years, Queen Elizabeth II.
“He stood right beside Her Majesty The Queen,” said Scotland. “It might have been walking two steps behind her, but he stood right beside her in support of the Commonwealth and in support of equality between nations.
“If you look back in the 1950s, when the Queen talked about the new Commonwealth being a new creation, it had nothing to do with Empire, but to do with equality, equality of people’s and races.”
Hard childhood
People often forget, said Lord Gadhia of Northwood, that Prince Philip faced many hardships growing up.
“He was an outsider, who came to the UK with very little, and was a self-made young man before marrying into the House of Windsor,” the cross-bench peer said.
“These are circumstances which many migrant communities can relate to. This background might explain why Prince Philip was so keen to reach out to other faith communities.
“His pioneering work on interfaith dialogue and linking this with topics such as business ethics or protection of the natural environment, is one of his important legacies.
“Across the UK and Commonwealth, we should all be grateful for the Duke of Edinburgh’s long and distinguished life of public service. I doubt we will see the likes of him again.”
Championing the Commonwealth
Those who knew the duke said the Commonwealth, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, held a special place for him.
In 1956 Prince Philip founded the Commonwealth Study Conferences when 300 emerging leaders “from all sectors of society met to discuss the human problems of industrial communities”.
One of those who benefited from this scheme was Amjad Hussain.
In 1976, aged 18, Hussain joined the Royal Navy, and he ended his career as the first and only person of colour to be rear admiral, the third highest ranking officer in the fleet.
He told Eastern Eye, “If you imagine 200 people in a conference hall, we've each got to present our findings. Up to that stage I thought, here’s a man who's had a lifetime of opening supermarkets.
Prince Philip(Photo credit: Chris Jackson-Pool/Getty Images)
“But he was sharp and throughout this long day he listened to every presentation, critiqued them.
“There were instances that he was able to bring up insights because of the vastness of his experience, which showed that he hadn't been opening supermarket. He'd spent a lifetime learning and seeing things that the rest of us were never going have the privilege to see on that scale.”
Prince Philip, he said, also had the ability to win his harshest critics over. In Hussain’s group were trade union leaders.
“A lot of the trade unionists were very anti the Duke of Edinburgh. They didn't want to meet him, and we were supposed to be having dinner with him afterwards.
“So, I said, if during the day you think he's a prat, then don't come to dinner, but if he isn't, then you come to dinner. They all turned up, and they all said, I'm sorry, I was wrong, he really is the real deal.”
Duke of Edinburgh awards
Also in 1956, the duke launched his now life-changing Duke of Edinburgh or D of E awards. It was aimed at boys aged between 15 and 16, but since then girls also carry out activities meant to teach them about self-confidence, teamwork and resilience.
Ashok J Rabheru became a D of E trustee in 2000, until stepping down 10 years later. Today the founder of tech firm Genisys Group is chair of the joint funding board for UK and international engagements for the awards.
Prince Philip, he said, was incredibly generous to him, especially at his first trustees meeting.
“He made sure I sat next to him, and I learned a lot from him,” Rabheru recalled. “We get a full stack of papers. I had looked at them, but I had not 100 per cent digested them.
“So, it was an amazing experience for me to notice his attention to detail, connecting with it, and it shook me a bit, to be honest.
“I learned from that how you’ve got to be prepared for such meetings. It has helped me personally, how I conduct myself in my own company, and the expectations on my directors to really seriously be well prepared for any meetings.”
The Duke of Edinburgh Award has helped 6.7 million young people. (Photo by Irish Government - Pool/Getty Images)
As a deputy lieutenant of Buckinghamshire and D of E trustee, Rabheru met the duke on many occasions.
“I was blessed, with my wife, to have triplets, so every now and then there'll be some event,” he said. “If he saw me, he would always acknowledge my presence, and he would always ask me, how are your triplets?
“He also remembered my company's name, and for him to relate to an individual is a mark of a special person.”
Put people at ease
Thousands of south Asians in Britain and in Commonwealth nations have won D of E gold, the highest award. Only then would the recipient have met the duke.
Sky Correspondent, Inzamam Rashid, was 19 when he first met Prince Philip. Being the only Asian in the room, the duke noticed the young man from Warrington in Cheshire.
“He looked at my group and said, ‘I hope they didn't make you carry all the bags’, and then he turned around to my mum and dad and pointed at me with his long, bony finger and said, ‘This is your boy is it?’ My dad just turned around with ‘We're very proud of him.’ And he [Prince Philip] then walked off, and that was that.”
For many, this anecdote could have been portrayed as yet another politically incorrect gaffe about which the media characterised the late prince.
But Rashid was adamant that this was not the case.
“It was a very natural conversation, it made me laugh and by any means, I didn’t feel insulted, I was laughing with him,” said the Sky News journalist. “I just enjoyed how human he was and how he turned around and spoke to my parents.
“I think he was just very human. We don’t think of royals as humans, but he was, and I was not offended by that a single bit. My parents weren't offended by what he said, a single bit. It was just funny, and he included you.”
Misunderstood prince
The late duke’s forthrightness was misunderstood, said those who met and worked with him.
“He had this mischievous little glint in his eye, but he was absolutely serious too, but he didn't take himself seriously,” said Secretary-General Scotland.
“People said that he was salty, but what I will remember is his generosity of spirit, his dedication to others, his commitment to the armed services men and women from across the Commonwealth.
“The fact that he did not forget them, that he didn't forget those who were poor, and who were disadvantaged, and who were left behind because he never left them behind.
“He went to the furthest regions reaches of our Commonwealth to the tiniest islands in the Pacific, the Caribbean and elsewhere, he never forgot any of them.”
Those who knew him have spoken about his dedication to his queen.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip leave St Paul's Cathedral in London on March 13, 2015 (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Renowned chef, Cyrus Todiwala, a deputy lieutenant of Greater London, was responsible for the first luncheon for the queen’s golden jubilee in 2012.
It took a year to plan and prepare, and it was not until the night before the lunch that his team were told who they were cooking for.
The menu, a fusion of British and Indian cuisine, was tested and tasted by the royal chef, and it more than passed muster.
What struck Todiwala was the intellect and knowledge the duke possessed.
“As you may or may not know, that Asian vulture is almost at 98 per cent decline, and the RSPB asked me if I would host a dinner to raise money for the vulture project,” he told Eastern Eye.
“So, naturally I asked my dear friend Lord Bilimoria to say a few words for the project, because we are very concerned about the vultures.
“One day we met at the palace, and the duke out of the blue, said, ‘how's your money collection going?’ And it completely floored me.
“How would he know I thought? Until I realised, he was a patron of the RSPB. So, he must have read somewhere, that we were trying to raise £90,000 pounds for a project to be set up in Asia.”
Interfaith relationships
But the duke’s respect was not just for nature. He also respected world religions.
“The many well-deserved tributes paid to Prince Philip, have recurring themes,” said Lord Ghadia.
Prince Philip at the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Hounslow in 2004. (KIERAN DOHERTY/AFP via Getty Images)
“His impeccable track record of service and duty, by supporting the queen, representing the nation and promoting the work of countless charities.
“For the Indian community these attributes are easily recognisable as ‘sewa’ and ‘dharma’, amongst the noblest of virtues for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists.”
In 1990 Prince Philip, as president of the World Wide Fund for Nature, met 21 Jain leaders at Buckingham Palace. They presented him with the ‘Jain Declaration on Nature’, which set out the religion’s fundamental values of being in harmony with the environment.
This, said Nemu Chandaria from the Institute of Jainology, marked the recognition of the faith in the UK.
“In these years, we have found HRH to be a great supporter of the environment, of our community and of young people,” said Chandaria. “His passing will be a huge loss for the nation and his family. We pray that his soul finds eternal peace.”
Few will deny that the Britain of 1953, when the duke became consort to the queen, is different from today.
Research in 2020 suggested that a third (34 per cent) of 18- to 24-year-olds wanted to abolish the monarchy.
But for Ashok J Rabheru, the chair of the D of E joint funding board for UK and international engagements, Prince Philip left an indelible mark of creating young people who are resilient, thoughtful and who, like the duke, believe in public service.
“I'm an old timer, and I miss him immensely,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to have regular interfaces with him, sometimes in big events, sometimes on a one-to-one basis. He's left a lasting effect on me, and I absolutely miss him.”
SECRETARY-GENERAL PATRICIA SCOTLAND
In 1956, he created the Commonwealth Study Conference, and it was the first of its kind. It was something that picked industrialists and scientists and people from all walks of life, men and women. Think about how unusual this concept was. Leadership that wasn't just about leadership in government, it was about leadership in industry, liberal leadership and civil society, leadership and science leaders.
What he did was that he saw that there was going to be this new technological world and that it had to be inclusive. He was into computers and he was a modernist and a reformer and innovative thinker. He also highlighted issues on climate change long before it was fashionable.
Former prime minister John Major (L) introduces Baroness Scotland (R), to Queen Elizabeth. (ANDREW MATTHEWS/AFP via Getty Images)
The thing is that the Duke of Edinburgh award was for everybody, and that meant it was for the greatest and the least. There were people who will not be academic, who haven't got anyone to invest in them, to support them and the Duke of Edinburgh awards did that. It enabled people to take advantage of their inherent talents, it celebrated, it highlighted, it enabled them to have a outlet for inspirational innovative ideas that they would never have had.
You know, Dame Kelly Holmes talks about how the Duke of Edinburgh gave her a sense of confidence that she wouldn't have had. If you look at those who were most advantaged by that they were those who were marginalised. The Duke of Edinburgh awards changed people's lives.
INZAMAM RASHID
In our gold award, we only had quite a small group of six of us in total, but I think when you've got a smaller group, you've got to work harder. You've got to learn about confined spaces with people. You've got to go and use nature to go to the toilet and stuff like that. It was a very raw experience, and I think that's what really pulls you back down to earth and gives you a sense of grounding.
Inzamam Rashid
Leading up to the presentation [of the gold award] I was a bag of nerves. I was thinking this is Queen's husband. In terms of in terms of fame, this is as famous as it gets. But genuinely it was like having a chat with, with a mate, he was a genuine laugh. He made things very normal. He made things very simple and all the while it being incredibly special.
We chatted about cricket because I mentioned cricket in my speech. This thing that I love so much, which is so dear to my heart, in St. James's Palace in front of King Henry the Eighth’s fireplace, talking about cricket with the Duke of Edinburgh. He said, ‘Show me your forward defence’. So, I showed him la shadow forward defence. And then he went and whacked his shadow forward defence now, as well
It was only a brief chat that we had afterwards because he had hundreds of people speak to. But the fact that he took the time out, to congratulate me and push my tie up, because it was a bit wonky and a bit loose, and then talk to me about cricket, it was such an incredible moment.
CYRUS TODIWALA
It's more than desire to ensure to see that you create challenges for young people to succeed in life. I think that is a desire, because he himself came from a very troubled background, because he didn't have the best childhood as a prince would have had. And that must have taught him so many lessons of trying to invigorate young minds into being independent into being successful into charting a path towards their personal growth and successful future.
I put a photograph on my Instagram account of Prince Philip talking to my father in 1950, and it's gone viral, and I'm getting asked all sorts of questions. That is 1950 when my dad met him. Until my dad passed away that was a moment of glory for him. He spent five minutes talking to an Indian. He didn't have to, so he always make time for people. I think that makes a huge difference.
Prince Philip with Cyrus Todiwala's father (@instagram)
Prince Philip must be remembered for all the positive things he did. He may have made a few wisecracks that people always latch on to. But, there was a sense of humour. People always distort the humour. It is witty to be able to talk sometimes as royal to be able to talk like a common man, and I think he tried to bridge that gap as much as he could, because Her Majesty the Queen cannot do that. She has to maintain her posture and her stature all the time. But he could afford to do that every now and again.
Let me give you an example of his humility. I had taken some of my pickles for the chef of the palace. Later on, Prince Philip went the chef’s office, and he ate a couple of the chutneys, he told him, please thank your friend, Cyrus, that I enjoyed those chutneys Why would he tell that person to get in touch with me and tell me that he liked them?
UK MPs are set to hold a key vote on assisted dying on Friday, which could either advance or halt a proposed law that would allow terminally ill adults to end their lives under strict conditions.
The vote follows several hours of debate in the House of Commons and will decide whether the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny or is dropped altogether.
As MPs gather for the third reading — their final opportunity to debate the bill’s content — demonstrators from both sides of the issue are expected outside parliament.
“This is about real people facing the prospect of a painful and undignified death either for themselves or a loved one,” said MP Kim Leadbeater, who is leading the bill. “The injustice and inhumanity of the status quo means we cannot wait any longer to offer them the hope of a better death.”
The legislation would apply to adults in England and Wales with an incurable illness and fewer than six months to live.
It would require patients to administer the life-ending medication themselves, with approval needed from two doctors and a panel of experts.
If passed, the law would bring England and Wales in line with other countries that permit some form of assisted dying.
Concerns and changes
Supporters of the bill say it would offer more protection and choice to people nearing the end of life. Opponents argue it could put pressure on vulnerable individuals.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has raised concerns, stating last month that it had “serious concerns” about safeguarding people with mental illness, and said it could not support the bill in its current form.
MPs initially backed the bill by 330 votes to 275 in November. Since then, changes have been made, including a ban on advertising assisted dying and provisions allowing health workers to opt out of taking part.
The current vote comes as several MPs have shifted their stance, and political parties are allowing a free vote. The outcome remains uncertain.
Vote tally and next steps
An ITV News tally of about half of all MPs suggests 153 support the change, 141 are opposed, 21 remain undecided and another 21 are expected to abstain.
Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords must pass the bill before the end of the current parliamentary year, likely in the autumn, for it to become law.
If approved and granted royal assent, assisted dying services would not begin for at least four years.
Legal and regional developments
The government’s impact assessment, published this month, estimates that 160 to 640 assisted deaths could occur in the first year of implementation, rising to about 4,500 by the tenth year.
Prime minister Keir Starmer is expected to support the bill, but some cabinet members, including the health and justice secretaries, have spoken against it.
Assisted suicide is currently punishable by up to 14 years in prison in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Separate legislation is being considered in Scotland, and the Isle of Man passed an assisted dying bill in March, becoming the first British territory to do so.
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Zhenhao Zou, 28, was jailed on Thursday after being found guilty of multiple offences. (Photo: Reuters)
A CHINESE postgraduate student convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in the UK and China has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a London court.
Zhenhao Zou, 28, was jailed on Thursday after being found guilty of multiple offences. Police say there is evidence he may have targeted more than 50 other women.
Zou targeted young Chinese women, inviting them to his flat in London under the pretext of studying or having drinks, before drugging and assaulting them. He filmed nine of the rapes using hidden or handheld cameras. Only three of the 10 victims have been identified so far.
‘Planned and executed a campaign of rape’
Sentencing him at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Rosina Cottage said there was “no doubt that you planned and executed a campaign of rape” that had caused “devastating and long term effects”.
She said that while Zou appeared “well to do, ambitious and charming”, this image masked a “sexual predator”. He had treated his victims “callously” as “sex toys” for his own gratification, she said, and posed a “risk for an indefinite period” due to his desire to assert “power and control over women”.
Zou, wearing a dark suit and glasses, listened to the sentence via a translator. He will serve a minimum of 22 years, taking into account time already spent in custody.
A former engineering student at University College London, Zou was found guilty in March of 28 offences. These included 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, one count of false imprisonment, three counts of possessing butanediol with intent to commit a sexual offence, and 10 counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image.
He raped three women in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023. Two of the rape charges related to one woman.
Victims speak of trauma
Several victims gave impact statements during the sentencing, describing the psychological effects they continue to suffer. These include nightmares, self-harm, and isolation.
One woman said she remembered “wandering like a trapped animal trying to find an exit” after the attack.
“What happened that night is etched into my soul forever,” she said. She added that Zou’s family was “very powerful in China” and that she feared he would “seek revenge”.
Police appeal for more victims to come forward
After the sentencing, Saira Pike from the Crown Prosecution Service said Zou was a “serial rapist and a danger to women”.
“His life sentence reflects the heinous acts and harm he caused to women and the danger he posed to society,” she said.
She said that analysis of footage and online chats had shown the former student’s “meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes”. Pike also praised the “courageous women” who came forward and whose evidence, along with Zou’s own videos, helped secure his conviction.
Since his conviction, 24 women have come forward following an international police appeal, saying they believe they may have been assaulted by Zou.
The Metropolitan Police believe there may be more victims and have appealed for them to come forward.
Commander Kevin Southworth said, “Our investigation remains open and we continue to appeal to anyone who may think they have been a victim of Zou.”
“Please come forward and speak with our team – we will treat you with empathy, kindness and respect.”
Zou also studied in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2017.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Mother (C) of First Officer Clive Kunder, co-pilot of the Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad last week, mourns after his mortal remains were brought to his residence, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo)
AIR INDIA said on Wednesday (18) it will cut international operations on its widebody aircraft by 15 per cent for the next few weeks, citing ongoing safety inspections and operational disruptions following last week's deadly crash of one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Authorities continue to investigate the crash of flight AI171, which killed 241 people and marked the world's deadliest aviation disaster in a decade.
Inspections had been completed on 26 of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft, and those 26 have been cleared for service, the airline said.
The cuts to some routes, effective until at least mid-July, were being implemented "to ensure stability of operations, better efficiency and minimise inconvenience to passengers," the Tata Group-owned airline said.
The remaining planes will be checked in the coming days and additional checks are also planned for its Boeing 777 fleet, Air India added.
In an interview with Indian broadcaster Times Now, Chandrasekaran said Air India flight 171's right engine was new and installed in March 2025, and that the left engine was last serviced in 2023.
The Dreamliner was fitted with GE Aerospace's engines. "The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023," Air India said.
"Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight," the airline added.
It said the pilots were accomplished flyers. "The flight was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a highly experienced pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft.
"First Officer Clive Kunder, had over 3,400 hours of flying experience."
The London-bound jet burst into a fireball when it smashed into a residential area of Ahmedabad moments after take-off, leaving at least 38 people dead on the ground.
Initial checks since the crash on Air India's Dreamliners "did not reveal any major safety concerns", the country's civil aviation regulator said earlier this week.
India's aviation investigative unit said on Thursday (19) the probe was "progressing steadily".
"Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway," the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said in a statement.
Air India also cited geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and "night curfews in many European and East Asian airspaces" as contributing factors behind flight cancellations, which have totalled 83 over the past six days.
India's aviation investigative unit said the probe was "progressing steadily" (PTI photo)
Routes with reduced frequency until July 15, 2025:
North America
Delhi-Toronto: Reduced from 13x weekly to 7x weekly Delhi-Vancouver: Reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly Delhi-San Francisco: Reduced from 10x weekly to 7x weekly Delhi-Chicago: Reduced from 7x weekly to 3x weekly Delhi-Washington (Dulles): Reduced from 5x weekly to 3x weekly
Europe
Delhi-London (Heathrow): Reduced from 24x weekly to 22x weekly Bengaluru-London (Heathrow): Reduced from 7x weekly to 6x weekly Amritsar-Birmingham and Delhi Birmingham: Reduced from 3x weekly to 2x weekly Delhi-Paris: Reduced from 14x weekly to 12x weekly Delhi-Milan: Reduced from 7x weekly to 4x weekly Delhi-Copenhagen: Reduced from 5x weekly to 3x weekly Delhi-Vienna: Reduced from 4x weekly to 3x weekly Delhi-Amsterdam: Reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly
Australia
Delhi-Melbourne and Delhi-Sydney: Reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly
Far-East
Delhi-Tokyo (Haneda): Reduced from 7x weekly to 6x weekly Delhi-Seoul (Incheon): Reduced from 5x weekly to 4x weekly2
1Suspended until June 30 .
2To operate 3x weekly from June 21 to July 5 , and 4x weekly from July 6 to July 15 .
(with inputs from PTI)
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Family members and relatives of Megha Mehta, who died in the Air India plane crash, during her funeral at a crematorium, in Ahmedabad, Sunday, June 15, 2025.
MORE than a week after an Air India flight crashed in Ahmedabad, 220 victims have been identified through DNA testing and the remains of 202 of them handed over to their families, Gujarat health minister Rushikesh Patel said on Friday.
The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 was carrying 242 passengers and crew when it crashed on June 12, killing all but one person on board. Nearly 29 others were killed on the ground when the aircraft hit a medical complex in Meghaninagar shortly after take-off.
Authorities have been using DNA testing to identify the victims as many bodies were charred or damaged beyond recognition. “So far, 220 DNA samples have been matched, and relatives of these victims were contacted. The mortal remains of 202 victims have already been handed over to their kin. The process to identify more victims is underway,” Patel said.
According to Patel, among the 202 identified individuals, there are 160 Indians — including 151 passengers — along with seven Portuguese nationals, 34 British nationals and one Canadian.
He added that 15 sets of remains were sent by air, while 187 were transported by road. Earlier, the state government had said DNA samples were collected from 250 victims, including those on board and those killed on the ground.
Airline says aircraft was 'well-maintained'
Air India, in a statement on Thursday, said the aircraft involved in the crash was properly maintained before the flight. “The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023,” it said.
“Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight,” the airline said.
Indian authorities have not yet released the cause of the crash involving the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said the investigation was “progressing steadily.”
“Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway,” the bureau said.
At least 38 people died in the residential neighbourhood the plane struck. The crash resulted in widespread destruction, making identification of some victims difficult. Civil hospital medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi said that by Thursday evening, 215 victims had been identified by DNA testing, all but nine of them passengers.
Joshi added that the remains of about 15 victims had been transported by air. Six people injured in the crash remain hospitalised, with one expected to be discharged soon and the others in stable condition.
Details of passengers and crew
According to Air India, the flight had 169 Indian passengers, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese and one Canadian on board, in addition to 12 crew members.
The airline also shared details of the flight crew. “The flight was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a highly experienced pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft,” it said. “First Officer Clive Kunder had over 3,400 hours of flying experience.”
The aircraft caught fire shortly after take-off and crashed within minutes, turning into a fireball as it fell onto the ground.
India’s civil aviation regulator said preliminary checks on other Dreamliner aircraft had not revealed any major safety concerns since the incident.
ASIAN businessmen have donated generously to the ruling Labour party and the Liberal Democrats in the first quarter of 2025, the latest data from the Electoral Commission has revealed.
Property tycoon Maqbool Ahmed was the biggest Asian donor, contributing more than £75,000 to Labour, while Amin Hemani gave £50,000, and Lord Waheed Alli contributed £35,000 in January. Businessman Sudhir Choudhrie made six donations totalling more than £23,000 to the Liberal Democrats, data from January to March showed.
Choudhrie was the top donor among Asians in the preceding quarter.
Meanwhile, Reform UK received donations from Mohamed Amersi and Bassim Haidar, who each gave £25,000 during the first quarter.
The data, published by the Electoral Commission last Tuesday (10), also showed that Asians have demonstrated an increasing interest in Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, while support for the Conservatives has declined.
Labour donor Ahmed was the second biggest individual contributor to the party during the period as he gave £75,180 in February. Lords minister and former Labour general secretary Reginald Collins was the top individual donor with £350,000. Ahmed began his journey in property development in 1984, after qualifying as an accountant. He made his first purchase in inner-city Birmingham, renovating neglected properties into family homes. He later expanded into commercial properties.
Ahmed brought in his brother Fazal in 1992 to help manage the increasing number of developments. Their firm, MIA Properties (Birmingham) Limited is one of the leading property development groups in the Midlands.
Hemani, who donated through Scottish Labour in January, is a major shareholder in Fieldgate Properties (UK) Limited, a London-based property development company established in 2004. It focuses on building project development and operates out of the City of London. Hemani shares ownership of the company with Christopher Attwood.
Media entrepreneur Lord Alli has been a long-time supporter of the Labour party. Over the past three decades, he has built a diverse business empire spanning the media, retail, entertainment and technology industries. Born to a Hindu mother and a Muslim father of Indo-Caribbean descent, Lord Alli ranks among Labour’s most significant donors, having contributed over £700,000 from his estimated £200 million fortune to the party.
London Hotel Group, led by directors Gauhar Nawab and Meher Nawab, donated £3,750 to Labour in March.
PG Paper Company Ltd, with Puneet Gupta and Poonam Gupta listed as directors, donated a total of £3,928 to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s party during the period.
The Conservatives, under Kemi Badenoch, raised more d o n a t i o n s than any other major political party in the first quarter of 2025, according to the data. Bansols Beta Limited, with director Moonpal Singh Grewal, contributed £3,000 to the Tories, and Faith Hotels Limited, under the directorship of Tejinder Chetal, donated £5,000 to the party in February.
The Tories received over £3.3m, while Labour collected £2.3m during the same period. Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats each secured £1.5m.
Businessman Ramesh Dewan, who has interests in commercial real estate and publishing, emerged as a notable donor to the Lib Dems. He made a onetime donation of around £3,000 to the party in January.
Other recent contributions to the Lib Dems include Nagwa MSA Abdelmottaleb and Ahmed AA Hindawi, each donating £12,500. London-based care provider, Goodcare Limited, led by Dr Arujuna Sivananthanan and Karthika Sivananthanan, made two donations to Reform UK, totalling £15,000 in January.
Jackie Killeen, director of electoral administration and regulation at Electoral Commission said: “Over £12.95m in donations was accepted by political parties in the first quarter of 2025. The UK political finance regime has high levels of transparency, and we know that voters are interested in where parties get their money from. This publication is an important part of delivering this transparency for voters. “
However, there are parts of the system that need strengthening, and we have been calling for changes to the law in three key areas: to limit company donations to the money that they have made in the UK; to legally require parties to conduct know-your-donor checks on donations to assess and manage their risks; and to ensure that those who donate to unincorporated associations are permissible donors.”
“The UK government is currently considering these recommendations as part of reforms to the political finance regime. Addressing the gaps would help to improve coverage of the donation controls and ensure voters can have confidence in the political finance system.