6
Political & Public
Asian Voice - Saturday 26th February 2011
Outstanding contributor Kartik.S.Raval
Asian Voice organised its fifth consecutive Political and Public Life Awards at Britain's one of the most prolific venues, the House of Commons, London on 17 February. The awards are given to people who have made significant contribution in the preceding 12 months on both public and political domain. Politicians who played an essential part in national and international politics while individuals who made a difference in their local community picked up awards for their efforts making annual Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards a massive success. In total 24 awards were presented in company of some of the most eminent politicians, entrepreneurs and community leaders. C B Patel, Publisher and Editor of Asian Voice said, “These awards have a unique tradition as the readers of Asian Voice and the members of the community nominate people whose work have been highly significant either on political or public domain before going through a panel of judges.” Compere for the evening was Priya Patel while Associate Editor of Asian Voice Rupanjana Dutta was present to garland each winner and award presenter. Valerie Vaz MP for Walsall South was called on stage to present the first set of awards. Group Chairman for Lycatel and Lycamobile, Subaskaran Allirajah was awarded as the International Entrepreneur of the Year for revolutionising Telecom industry within the community while Sunil Anand's Curry Fever grabbed Restaurant of the Year Award. C B Patel was asked to give the next award. Rt. Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education was presented with a deserving award of the Conservative Minister of the Year. Nadim Zahawi MP of Stratford on Avon was the winner of Conservative Backbencher of the Year Award. Managing Director of Training Connect, Pawan Srivastava presented the following set of awards starting with the Charity of the Year Award which went to Path to
Success for its enormous work in India. Another special guest for the evening was Sir George Young, Leader of the House of Commons and was asked to come on stage to give away the next awards to their deserving winners. Local Government Award saw joint winners; Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets and Dr. Neeraj Patil, Mayor of Lambeth. The Liberal Democrat Backbencher of the Year was grabbed by Dr. Julian Huppert MP for Cambridge. Sir George Young also presented Business in the Community Award to Director for Finance House Limited, Kantesh Popat, who while receiving the award said, “I am just a beneficiary here because behind me is an excellent team that have fulfilled every task to accomplish success and helped me make a significant contribution to the community.” Ed Davey MP, Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State was presented with Junior Minister of the Year Award. He said, “The community has given some of the most vibrant businesses and great entrepreneurs to this country. As a coalition government and I being a Business Minister I am keen to work with the Asian community to make this great country even greater.” Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP was requested to take over Sir George Young in presenting the winners with their awards. The first award he presented was the Community Award and High Sheriff of Greater London, Ranjit Mathrani was the winner. Renowned Film Editor Tariq Anwar was rightly awarded for his achievement in the movie The Kings Speech which for many is the film of 2010. This award came at the time when a lot has been spoken about the movie, The Kings Speech bagging awards while the great edi-
Mr Subaskaran Allirajah, Group chairman of Lycatel and Lycamobile receiving the International Entrepreneur of the year Award from Valarie Vaz MP
Nadhim Zahawi MP receiving the Conservative Backbencher of the year Award from Rt Hon Micheal Gove MP
Rt Hon Ed Miliband (center) winner holding up the Parliamentarian of the year award, CB Patel Publisher/Editor Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar (L) and Rt Hon John Bercow (R)
tor behind it not receiving acknowledgement. Contribution to Sport in the UK was the next category and Leicester City Football Club bagged the award. This year's Lifetime Achievement Award went to Nirmal Sethia, Chairman of Sethia Group, producers of Newby Teas. Mr. Speaker presented his last but one of the most prolific awards of the night, Parliamentarian of the Year Award which went to the Leader of the opposition and the youngest Labour party leader ever, Rt. Hon Ed Miliband MP. Receiving the award, Ed Miliband said, “I sincerely want to pay tribute to the amazing work Asian Voice and CB Patel have done in the past 39 years due to which today the newspaper is widely read and respected. I want to emphasize the importance me and my party attach to maintain the best relationship with the Asian community in Britain because they make an enormous contribution in every walks of life and the diversity they bring with them, enriches the essence of this
Mr Ed Davey MP receiving the Junior Minister of the year Award from Sir George Young MP, Leader of House of Commons
Mr Tariq Ahmed,Film Editor - The Kings Speech receiving the Special Award for Achievement in Film Award from the speaker of House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow
country.” Ed Miliband was asked to stay on the stage to give away the next few awards starting from the Journalist of the Year which went to Paul Lewis of The Guardian. He also presented Labour Backbencher of the Year Award to Anas Sarwar MP for Glasgow Central. The winner of the Columnist of the Year Award was a regular columnist for The Independent and The Evening Standard and the first non-white columnist for a national UK newspaper, Yasmin Alibhai Brown, who while receiving the award jokingly added, “I did not expect this award because I have offended so many people with my writing. I have offended CB Patel, Ed Miliband and Keith Vaz. But they are way too generous to give me this award.” Ed Miliband gave his last award to Rudolph Walker, famously known as Patrick Truman on the BBC Soap Eastenders as TV Personality of the Year. Rudolph Walker revealed, “I feel privileged receiving this award from the Asian
Rt Hon Micheal Gove MP receiving the Conservative Minister of the year Award from CB Patel Editor/ Publisher of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar
Mr Rudolph Walker from the BBC soap Eastenders accepting TV Personality of the year Award from Rt Hon Ed Miliband