Asian Business Awards: Bestway Group named Asian Business of the Year
By Eastern Eye StaffNov 20, 2021
ONE OF BRITAIN’S leading wholesale companies won the coveted top award at the Asian Business Awards, hosted by Eastern Eye, on Friday (19).
Bestway Group was named Asian Business of the Year at a gala event held at the newly opened Londoner in Leicester Square.
Founded by Sir Anwar Pervez and his school friends, the group runs not only the country’s second largest wholesale chain but also the Well Pharmacy Group as well as Pakistan’s second largest cement business and the country’s third largest bank.
It grew from a single wholesale depot in London to a business whose revenues are now in excess of £4 billion.
In all, 10 awards were presented on the night as the Asian Business Awards returned to their pre-Covid format after pandemic lockdown restrictions last year.
Shailesh and Kalpesh Solanki launch the Asian Rich List with GP Hinduja.
Topping the list were the Hinduja family with an estimated wealth of £27.5 billion, followed by steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and his son Aditya (14.2bn) and mining magnate Anil Agrawal of Vedanta (7.5bn).
Some 400 guests, among them powerful politicians, multimillionaire entrepreneurs and captains of industry, gathered in a Covid-safe ceremony to celebrate the best of Asian businesses at the Londoner, a luxury hotel in central London, owned by leading Indian hotelier Jasminder Singh.
The Asian Business Awards are hosted by the Asian Media Group, which publishes Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat news weeklies as well as the Asian Rich List and the GG2 Power List.
It was the first awards event hosted by AMG after pandemic restrictions were lifted earlier this summer.
AMG managing editor Kalpesh Solanki said, “For 23 years the Asian Business Awards has been seen as the most significant and important way of recognising and encouraging excellence in the Asian business community.”
Noting the impact of the pandemic on people and communities, he said, “Businesses big and small have played a vital and integral role over the past 18 months.
“So it’s our duty to shine a light on these businesses and ensure we collectively applaud the great work of entrepreneurs.
“It’s important we pull the country and society out of these severe times and play our part in rebuilding the economy.”
Britain’s best Asian businesses were recognised on the evening as an array of awards were presented.
Sir Anwar Pervez’s son Dawood collected the Asian Business of the Year Award.
Ritu Sethi, senior partner of The Sethi Partner Solicitors, won the Businesswoman of the Year, sponsored by the Royal Mint. Her commercially successful firm is respected in the industry for the range and quality of its legal work.
Ritu Sethi (in sari) of the Sethi Partner Solicitors, won the Businesswoman of the Year.
Hovis CEO Nish Kankiwala, who has wide experience in running some of world’s biggest food and drink companies, was named The Asian Business CEO of the Year.
Nish Kanikwala of Hovis was the Asian Business CEO of the Year.
India-born Kankiwala is known to spend three weeks every six months visiting Hovis’ factories where he talks to colleagues, seeking their feedback.
Westminster Development Services (Hinduja Group) won the Restoration of the Year award for its work on the Old War Office, which will open as a Raffles Hotel next year and which also is marketing 85 private apartments as OWO Residences.
Sun Mark Limited, an export major with a portfolio of leading own brand products was the winner of the Asian Business Food and Drink Award 2021. Founded by Lord Rami Ranger, it has won many prestigious accolades, among them the Queen’s award for enterprise.
Sun Mark won the Asian Business Food and Drink Award 2021. Lord Ranger’s son-in-law Sunny Ahuja collected the award.
Lord Ranger’s son-in-law, who is in charge of the daily operations of the company, collected the award.
One of India’s best-known banks and a familiar name to most of the community in the UK, the State Bank of India, was named the Asian Business Bank of the Year. Throughout the pandemic, the bank remained open as an essential service and also provided its customers seamless service through its online operations and mobile app.
The Asian Business Property Developer of the Year Award was presented to Westcombe Group, which specialises in taking on Grade II listed buildings – converting schools, hospitals and army barracks into luxury accommodation.
Star Pacific, is one the fastest growing FMCG export wholesalers, was the winner of the Fast Growth Business of the Year award, supported by OakNorth Bank.
Since its establishment in 2010, Star Pacific has worked with some the world’s biggest grocery companies to export more than 500 product lines from its base in Hayes, Middlesex.
Indian industrialist Anil Agarwal, chairman of the Vedanta Foundation and the Anil Agarwal Foundation, was presented the Asian Business Philanthropy Award.
Anil Agarwal Foundation was presented the Asian Business Philanthropy Award.
The group is involved in charitable initiatives relating to education, health, ecological projects, sport and culture. Agarwal’s Healthy Villages Campaign, backing his Nand Ghar scheme, aims to improve rural healthcare centres and eradicate malnutrition, provide education and vital welfare services in India.
And in a year which showed the important role carehomes play, Angel Care/MS Care plc won the Care Home Operator of the Year, with Sandip Ruparelia, managing director of the company, collecting the award.
Ruparelia and his family run some the country’s leading care and nursing homes, including a purpose-built home for elderly Asians in Harrow, north London.
B&M CEO Simon Arora, Bestway’s Dawood Pervez and Vedanta’s Agrawal also took part in a panel discussion to talk about the impact of the pandemic and how businesses play a vital role in communities.
Guests at the event gave generously to Pratham, an education-focused charity in India.
Tributes were also paid to Ramniklal Solanki, who founded Garavi Gujarat, and who passed away in March 2020.
His son Kalpesh said, “We miss him dearly. He was a true pioneer; a leader and a heavy weight in his field winning accolades for his journalism.
“He received honours from the Queen - both an OBE and CBE, but his biggest honour was to help thousands of people and more importantly he gave us a voice. Not just a voice but one that was respected and heard.”
BBC presenter Nihal Arthanayake hosted the event, where sponsors and supporters included the Koolesh Shah Family Foundation, OakNorth Bank, The Londoner Hotel, Royal Mint, The Westcombe Group and Zee Entertainment UK.
To purchase a copy, see www.easterneye.biz/ARL/subscribe/ or via email Saurin Shah saurin.shah@amg.biz or by calling 0207 654 7737.
THE COST of UK government borrowing fell on Thursday, partially reversing the rise seen after Chancellor Rachel Reeves became emotional during Prime Minister’s Questions.
The yield on 10-year government bonds dropped to 4.55 per cent, down from 4.61 per cent the previous day. The pound also recovered slightly to $1.3668 (around £1.00), though it did not regain all its earlier losses.
The movement followed comments from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who told BBC Radio 4's Political Thinking with Nick Robinson that he worked “in lockstep” with Reeves and said she was “doing an excellent job as chancellor.”
Analysts told the BBC that markets appeared to back Reeves, with concerns that her departure could lead to a weakening of fiscal discipline. “It looks to me like this is a rare example of financial markets actually enhancing the career prospects of a politician,” said Will Walker Arnott of Charles Stanley. “If the chancellor goes then any fiscal discipline would follow her out the door and that would mean bigger deficits.”
Mohamed El-Erian of Allianz warned that risk premiums may persist. “I suspect that we will see some moderation, but we will not go back to where we were 24 hours ago,” he said.
Reeves, who became tearful during PMQs after a U-turn on planned welfare reforms that left a £5bn gap in her financial plans, said on Thursday she had been upset due to a personal issue. A Treasury spokesperson also confirmed it was a personal matter.
Reeves told the BBC that the welfare changes would be reflected in the Budget and reaffirmed her commitment to fiscal rules. Jane Foley of Rabobank said Reeves now faces difficult choices but added, “investors do place a lot of store in political stability.”
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Shubman Gill reacts to reaching his double hundred on day two of the second cricket test match against England at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham, central England on July 3, 2025. (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
SHUBMAN GILL etched his name in cricket history on Thursday (3), becoming the first Indian and Asian captain to score a double-century in a Test match on English soil as he powered India to a commanding position at Edgbaston.
The 25-year-old skipper scored 269 on the second day of the second Test, having shattered multiple records in a masterful innings that has put England to the sword.
Gill not only achieved a career-best knock but also posted the highest ever individual score by an Indian captain in Test cricket, surpassing the great Sunil Gavaskar's 221 at the Oval in 1979.
He reached his first Test double-hundred and walked off unbeaten on 265 at the tea, having taken 311 deliveries to reach the 200-run milestone. His innings, decorated with 30 fours and three sixes, saw him join an elite group of Indian captains alongside MAK Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni who have scored double-hundreds whilst leading the side.
The Punjab batsman's achievement is particularly significant as he becomes only the third Indian batter to score a double-century in England, following in the footsteps of legends Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid.
Previously, Mohammed Azharuddin's 179 in Manchester in 1990 was the highest score by an Indian captain in England, while his 192 against New Zealand in Auckland the same year held the record for the highest score by an Indian skipper in a SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) country.
Gill's innings has been marked by near-flawless execution. After resuming on 114 not out, the skipper continued his assault on England's bowling attack with clinical precision. He was particularly harsh on off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, whom he cover-drove for four and lofted for six.
The India captain also struck two fours in three balls off fast bowler Josh Tongue, showcasing his range with an on-drive followed by a flick off the hip that left fielders Joe Root and Zak Crawley scrambling unsuccessfully to prevent the boundary.
When England desperately introduced part-time medium-pacer Harry Brook in a bid to buy a wicket, Gill responded by striking him for three successive fours, the best being a textbook straight drive that underlined his technical excellence.
This remarkable innings comes just a week after Gill scored 147 in his debut as Test captain at Headingley, where India suffered a five-wicket defeat to trail 1-0 in the five-match series. His consistency at the top level has been extraordinary, with the double-century marking his seventh Test hundred in just 34 matches.
Remarkably, Gill has now scored centuries in each of his first two Tests as captain, joining an exclusive club of just seven players to achieve this feat.
India, who were sent in to bat by England captain Ben Stokes, had resumed Thursday's play on 310-5 after an excellent first day. They were eventually bowled out for 587.
Gill received excellent support from Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed 89 in an outstanding sixth-wicket partnership of 203 runs. When Jadeja was dismissed by Josh Tongue, recalled all-rounder Washington Sundar stepped up to provide further assistance to his captain.
The massive total represents a significant improvement from India's collapses of 7-41 and 6-31 that cost them dearly in the first Test at Headingley, demonstrating the team's determination to level the series.
(Agencies)
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Patrick Grant, Esme Young and Kiell Smith-Bynoe return as judges and host
The Great British Sewing Bee 2025 begins Tuesday, 15 July at 9 pm on BBC One.
The 11th series will see a new group of amateur sewers compete for the title.
Patrick Grant, Esme Young and Kiell Smith-Bynoe return as judges and host.
The show continues its popularity with weekly sewing challenges and heartfelt moments.
Great British Sewing Bee 2025 set to return on 15 July
The return date for The Great British Sewing Bee 2025 has been officially confirmed. The popular BBC One competition will be back on screens on Tuesday 15 July at 9 pm, bringing with it a fresh group of amateur sewers hoping to impress judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young.
Now in its 11th series, the show has grown into a mid-year television highlight, offering a combination of creativity, technical skill, and emotional storytelling. Hosted by Kiell Smith-Bynoe, the series follows contestants through a series of themed sewing challenges as they compete for the title of Britain’s best home sewer.
New faces and returning favourites
While the full line-up of contestants for The Great British Sewing Bee 2025 is yet to be revealed, anticipation is already building. The show is known for its warm tone and close-knit community feel, with viewers often quickly forming favourites among the competitors.
Each episode will once again feature three key rounds: the Pattern Challenge, the Transformation Challenge, and the Made-to-Measure final test. Contestants will need to show flair, precision, and creativity under pressure.
Previous highlights and special episodes
The most recent episode aired was a Christmas special in 2024, featuring celebrity contestants including Ian “H” Watkins from Steps, Kellie Bright from EastEnders, comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri, and reality star Charlotte Crosby. The festive-themed episode saw challenges such as making an advent calendar and reworking a children’s onesie, with Kellie Bright emerging as the winner.
Although The Great British Sewing Bee 2025 is starting slightly later than previous years, the BBC has confirmed its regular slot, and the series is expected to run weekly through the summer.
What’s next
Details on the specific themes and tasks for this year’s episodes have not yet been released. Fans of the show can look forward to another season of innovative designs, memorable reactions from the judges, and emotional farewells as contestants are gradually eliminated.
The Great British Sewing Bee 2025 continues to be a cornerstone of BBC One’s creative competition programming, building on over a decade of sewing success.
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An Indian soldier stands guard as national flags wave in the background
After the dastardly killing of 25 Hindus by terrorists in Pahalgam, India delivered a devastating blow to Pakistan. It sent the message that India will not tolerate terrorist attacks anymore. However, India seems to have lost the propaganda war. In any battle, propaganda plays a huge role.
There are two interpretations of how the brief conflict was suddenly brought to a close. The Indian interpretation is that the Pakistani commanders urged India to stop the conflict and India agreed. This in itself raises some crucial questions. If the enemy is urging you to stop, why would you? Certainly the great Chanakya's response would be to take full advantage of the enemy's weakness. Did India get any cast-iron guarantees that Pakistan will stop state-sponsored terrorist attacks? Did India ask for the immediate release of Sudhir Kulbushan Yadav who is in a Pakistani jail for nine years on false spying charges?
The Pakistani interpretation is that it was President Trump who brought an end to the conflict. Indeed, Pakistan has proposed that Trump should be given a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the conflict! On a world stage, it looks more plausible that Trump succeeded in putting pressure on India and he is trumpeting his success to the world.
I believe in India's version of events. However, India should show the world the proof by sharing the transcript of the conversation with the Pakistani generals. By not sharing with the world the proof of India's position, it is putting itself at a disadvantage. I for one cannot see any reason to keep the conversation a secret.
India has won every confrontation with Pakistan but at the negotiating table it has always lost out. Thus, the military gains have always been neutralised by Pakistan on the negotiating table. Here is a history of conflicts with Pakistan in which India gave away all the gains at the negotiating table.
In 1965, Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar against India. It was designed to infiltrate soldiers into Jammu and Kashmir and cause an uprising. Under international pressure, the then PM Lal Bahadur Shastri went to Tashkent and signed a peace treaty with Pakistan. While there, he died mysteriously.
The treaty called upon both sides not to interfere in each other's affairs. It was not worth the paper it was written on.
In 1971, another war broke out between India and Pakistan. India won the war which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. Even though India won the war, it failed to grasp any long-term gains. Indeed, Bangladesh was quick to ask the Indian army to leave once they had been liberated. The same Bangladesh today has turned against India and is persecuting Hindus.
Following the 1971 war, the then PM Indira Gandhi and Pakistan PM Bhutto signed a Shimla Agreement. Both nations committed to establish peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. Again, an agreement not worth the piece of paper it was written on. Indian forces had captured around 15,010 km² (5,795 sq mi) of land during the war but returned it after the Shimla Agreement as a gesture of goodwill.
In 1984, under the Prime Minister of Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian Army launched Operation Meghdoot, a military operation to seize control of the Siachen Glacier. This operation was a preemptive move as it was believed that Pakistan was also planning to take control of the glacier. In spite of the Pakistani attacks, India granted it Most Favoured Nation for trade status in 1996. However, Pakistan did not reciprocate. India withdrew its MFN status to Pakistan following the 2019 Pulwama attack.
On 24 December 1999, Indian Airlines Flight 814, commonly known as IC 814, was hijacked by five members of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. A plan to send in commandos to neutralise terrorists did not materialise. The then PM Vajpayee agreed to release three terrorists in exchange for the release of 160 passengers.
Of the terrorists released, Omar Sheikh went on to finance one of the hijackers of the 9/11 attacks and the kidnap and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl. Maulana Masood Azhar formed Jaish-e-Mohammed, a United Nations designated terrorist organisation. Maulana Masood was the mastermind behind the Parliament attacks in 2001, the 2016 attacks on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, and the killing of CRPF jawans in 2019 in Pulwama. He is responsible for hundreds of Indian deaths.
After the attack on the parliament in 2001, the then PM Vajpayee mobilised the army to attack Pakistan. Once again, due to international pressure, Vajpayee stopped the army.
LeT, the other terrorist organisation co-founded by Hafiz Saeed, is also responsible for many attacks on India. The blasts in Delhi in October 2005 which killed 44, train blasts in 2006 which killed over 200 people, and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in November 2008 that claimed 166 lives. The outfit also masterminded the Uri army base attack killing 19 soldiers in September 2016.
For the first time under Prime Minister Modi, India took offensive action. On 29 September 2016, teams of Indian Army Para (Special Forces) crossed the Line of Control into Pakistani-administered Kashmir to attack targets up to a kilometre within territory held by Pakistan. Around 35 to 40 Pakistani soldiers were killed or injured.
Between May and July 1999, a war took place between India and Pakistan after the latter occupied the Indian territory of Kargil. India successfully dislodged the Pakistani occupiers. In the conflict, 527 Indian soldiers were killed and 1,363 wounded. India's Jat Regiment managed to occupy a strategically important mountain peak on the Pakistani side of the LoC near Dras, Point 5070, and subsequently named it Balwan.
In 2010, a bomb blast in a crowded bakery in the city of Pune killed 9 people and wounded 57. Through all this, cultural exchanges were going on between the two countries.
We often talk about how Prithviraj Chouhan defeated Mohammad Ghouri many times and let him go free. However, in 1192, when Ghouri attacked with a larger army, Prithviraj Chouhan was defeated and killed mercilessly.
It seems to me that in spite of wave after waves of attacks from Pakistan, we have given them the opportunity to come back. I am sure Prithviraj Chouhan must be watching from Heaven and thinking that at least they cannot blame him only anymore. “They are doing the same today,” he must think.
With the new bonhomie between Trump and Pakistan, India might have missed a golden opportunity of neutralising Pakistan — instead they have been given a chance to attack India again.
I am a great fan of Modiji. He has transformed India but my love for Hindu Dharma and Mother India compels me to speak out.
(Nitin Mehta is a writer and commentator on Indian culture and philosophy. He has contributed extensively to discussions on Hinduism, spirituality, and the role of Gurus in modern society. You can find more of his work at www.nitinmehta.co.uk.)
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The council that approved the initiation of procurement for arms and equipment is headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. (Photo: Reuters)
INDIA’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the initiation of procurement for arms and equipment worth $12.31 billion (£9.05 billion), the defence ministry said on Thursday.
The council is headed by India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The approvals are part of a push to strengthen the armed forces through the purchase of various systems and platforms. The ministry said the proposals include armoured recovery vehicles, electronic warfare systems for the three services, and surface-to-air missiles.
“These procurements will provide higher mobility, effective air defence, better supply chain management and augment the operational preparedness of the armed forces,” the ministry said in an official statement.
Naval systems and battlefield upgrades
The DAC has also cleared the procurement of mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs), super rapid gun mounts (SRGMs), and submersible autonomous vessels for the Indian Navy. According to the ministry, “these procurements will enable mitigation of potential risks posed to the naval and merchant vessels.”
Among the other projects approved are the acquisition of an integrated common mobility card for the armed forces, high-power radar, air defence tactical control radar, advanced radio systems, and electronic warfare systems. The procurement of these items will help in improving situational awareness, enhancing battlefield transparency, and reducing the sensor-to-shooter loop.
The DAC also gave approval for the procurement of an integrated common inventory management system for the tri-services. The ministry said this would help in efficient management of ordnance stores and streamline inventory monitoring, strengthening the supply chain network.
All procurements from Indian vendors
The entire value of the approved proposals is to be procured from domestic sources. The ministry said, “All these procurements will be made from Indian vendors under Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) and Buy (Indian) categories, giving a boost to the Indian defence industry.”
According to the statement, this move is in line with the government’s goal of achieving self-reliance in defence production and promoting the Indian industry under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
The procurement will also involve the acquisition of guided extended range rockets and area denial munition type I for the Indian Army. The ministry said these will enhance the combat capabilities of the artillery forces.
The Defence Acquisition Council is the highest decision-making body in the Ministry of Defence for capital acquisition proposals.