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Rising Bharat Awards debut at UK Asian Business Council’s event

Since its 2016 launch, UKABC has partnered with organisations in over 45 countries.

Neil Lal (centre) with Kamal Prabhakar and Andrew Grocock.
Neil Lal (centre) with Kamal Prabhakar and Andrew Grocock.

THE UK Asian Business Council (UKABC) held its Christmas Networking event and the first Rising Bharat Awards on 2 December 2024 at the House of Commons.

The event, organised by Forty Green Media Group, highlighted entrepreneurship and collaboration, with UKABC Chairman Taha Coburn-Kutay urging attendees to share their experiences and the impact of the council on their professional lives.


In his welcome address, Sudeep Sakalle outlined UKABC’s efforts in helping UK companies expand globally and supporting overseas businesses in the UK.

Since its 2016 launch, UKABC has partnered with organisations in over 45 countries.

Neil Lal, Chairman of the India Council of Scotland, spoke on the Free Trade Agreement’s potential to enhance jobs and exports between the UK and India.

The event introduced UKABC’s new awards programme. The Chairman’s Awards encouraged individuals to nominate themselves, showcasing their achievements.

Award winners

The Rising Bharat Awards recognised the following achievers:

Sudeep Sakalle – UKABC Chairman’s Superman

Junaid Ahmed – UKABC Chairman’s Superman

Erin Coburn-Kutay – UKABC Chairman’s Superwoman

Aditi Chourey Sakalle – Rising Cake Artist of the Year

Kamal Prabhakar – Rising Payment Service Provider

Smita Patil – Rising Real Estate Group of Maharashtra, India

Shreyansh Jain – Rising Ethical Overseas Education Service Provider

Sagar Shah – Rising Indian Restaurant in Harrow

Mamit Agarwal – Rising Entrepreneur of the Year 2024

Vahid Jain – Rising Packaging Service Provider

Diplomats, MPs, and representatives from over 14 embassies attended the event, alongside business leaders and delegates from countries including India, Poland, Turkey, and the UAE.

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