Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Asian Business Awards honour over a dozen business personalities; pay tributes to Ugandan-Asian community

The annual award ceremony, which was hosted by the Asian Media Group, saw several dignitaries gathering at the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza in central London.

Asian Business Awards honour over a dozen business personalities; pay tributes to Ugandan-Asian community

AN industrialist whose business encompasses textiles, fertilizers and PET resin, a hotelier who advocates for London and an accomplished healthcare entrepreneur were among top winners at the Asian Business Awards in London last night (23).

Indorama’s Sri Prakash Lohia; Tony Matharu; and LycaHealth’s Prema Subaskaran were recognised for their high achievements at the annual event, which celebrates the best of Asian businesses in the UK.


More than a dozen businessmen and women were honoured on the night, which also saw the launch of the 2022 Asian Rich List, featuring the 101 wealthiest Asians in Britain.

SWN 1539 London mayor Sadiq Khan at Asian Business Awards 2022

And in a year that marked the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, the Asian Business Awards paid tribute to key members of the community through the presentation of the Pearls of Uganda awards.

Pharmacy businessman Dr Nik Kotecha and trade envoy Lord Dolar Popat and four others were honoured with the special awards.

SWN 1260 Dr Nik Kotecha (second from left) receiving the Pearls of Uganda award

Chief guest of the evening, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden said, “It truly is an honour to be here in a room of so many talented and esteemed guests. The sheer dynamism is incredible, a driving force to inspire the next generation of British entrepreneurs and professionals.

“The British Asian community continues to grow in stature. But of course, this comes as no surprise to me personally (Dowden’s mother worked in a pharmacy run by Asian family and his first job was working in a warehouse run by Asians).

“So throughout my life, I have seen firsthand the hard work, determination and entrepreneurship of the British Asian community.”

SWN 0796 The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden

More than 500 guests gathered at the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza in central London for the annual celebration of Asian businesses. The awards are hosted by the Asian Media Group, publishers of Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat newsweeklies.

AMG’s group managing director, Kalpesh Solanki, said, “Asian businesses are the vital engine of growth for every economy. For 24 years, the Asian Business Awards has been seen as the most significant and important way of recognising, celebrating and encouraging excellence in the Asian business community.

“As we celebrate success, we must remember that entrepreneurship is a noble endeavour, creating jobs and providing employment is to give someone a livelihood, a purpose, an opportunity to fulfil their dreams. And the Asian community has been at the forefront of this endeavour.”

SWN 0456 Kalpesh Solanki, Managing Director, Asian Media Group

London mayor Sadiq Khan, who unveiled the 2022 Asian Rich List, said, “The fact that the Asian Business Awards, the biggest celebration of Asian business success in Britain, is now in its 24th year really illustrates the colossal contribution Asian businesses make to our city and our country.

“London and the UK surely are better served stronger and more successful because of the efforts and accomplishments of everyone in this room.”

SWN 1415 (L to R) Shailesh Solanki, Inderneel, Sadiq Khan, Kalpesh Solanki

In all, 13 Asian Business Awards were presented on the night.

Westcombe Group’s founder Vraj Pankhania and his sons Kamal and Sunil took part in a panel discussion about how they built one of the most recognisable and successful luxury property development companies in the UK.

“My father started working for the British Army in the construction industry, building camps and he was always been in the construction industry. So the property runs in, in the blood,” said Vraj.

SWN 2515 (L TO R) Shailesh Solanki, Kamal Pankhania, Sri Prakash Lohia, Kalpesh Solanki, Nihal Arthanayake

“I was only 17 When I came here, and obviously had no money at all and had to start working buying and selling cars, until such a time that I have about £1000 depsoit and I managed to buy a £10,000 house in Westcombe. We tidied it up and sold it for £14,000.

“And from there on, I've never had to look backwards, buying buildings after buildings after buildings.”

Winners included hotelier Koolesh Shah, whose eponymous foundation has supported charities tackling poverty, homelessness and mental health. The Koolesh Shah Foundation won the Asian Business Philanthropy Award.

More For You

Apple India Reroutes 97% of iPhones to US Amid Tariff Push

Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023.

REUTERS

Foxconn sends 97 per cent of India iPhone exports to US amid tariff push

NEARLY all iPhones exported by Foxconn from India between March and May were shipped to the United States, according to customs data reviewed by Reuters.

The data showed that 97 per cent of Foxconn’s iPhone exports during this period went to the US, significantly higher than the 2024 average of 50.3 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child Fame Costs: HBO’s New Young Harry Potter Reboot Stars

The new trio cast as Harry, Hermione and Ron step into a world where childhood and fame rarely mix well

Instagram/harrypotter/Getty Images

From Hogwarts to headlines, the real cost of childhood fame for Harry Potter’s new stars

As HBO prepares to bring Harry Potter back to screens with a new television adaptation, excitement is high around the casting of Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout as the iconic trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. But amid the buzz, a quiet voice of caution has emerged. Chris Watson, father of original Hermione actress Emma Watson, is urging parents and the industry to tread carefully when it comes to child stardom.

Chris Watson is not speaking as a critic or industry insider but as someone who watched his daughter grow up inside a global franchise. Emma was nine when she landed the role of Hermione Granger, and what followed was a decade of public attention that reshaped her life. Her father remembers the shift vividly. “Her homework would go back to school on motorbikes,” he once said, pointing to the surreal logistics fame forced on them.

Keep ReadingShow less
Thunderstorms to Hit East & South-East England; Met Office

The warning indicates a high risk of disruption

Getty Images

Thunderstorms to hit East and South-East England as Met Office issues amber warning

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of eastern and south-eastern England, in effect from 20:00 BST on Friday to 05:00 on Saturday. The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north Norfolk.

The warning indicates a high risk of disruption, with flash flooding, power cuts, and hazardous travel conditions expected. The Met Office warns that flooding of homes and businesses is likely, and delays or cancellations to bus and rail services are possible due to surface water and lightning strikes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Crime boss who posed as male escort jailed for £20m cocaine plot

Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020

Photo for representation (iStock)

Crime boss who posed as male escort jailed for £20m cocaine plot

THE head of an organised crime group who claimed he was a male escort while masterminding an international operation to import cocaine into the UK has been sentenced to 21 years and three months in jail.

Kulvir Shergill, 43, from the West Midlands, told National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators he made a living through male escort bookings, teaching martial arts and working as a personal trainer.

Keep ReadingShow less
DJ Funky T’s Top Indian Music Picks; Playlist Revealed

DJ Funky T

My Playlist: DJ Funky T reveals his top Indian music picks

With a massive music collection spanning several decades, multi-genre DJ and music producer DJ Funky T found it challenging to narrow down just 10 songs he loves. Also known as Tony Hayer, his favourites range from Michael Jackson, Dr Dre and Fleetwood Mac to Bollywood, Punjabi, Hindi, Sufi and more. Some of these diverse influences feature in his own track Tu Meri Rani Si.

Before revealing his choices, he said: “The following golden tracks have stood the test of time. It was a hard call, as many more songs could have made this list. So, in no particular order from my current conscious memory, I present 10 Indian songs I love. Check them out and enjoy.”

Keep ReadingShow less