Indian sporting legends Abhinav Bindra and Deepa Mallik shone at India Global Forum’s 6th Annual UK-India Awards in Windsor this week, receiving the ‘Special Recognition Award’ for their exemplary contributions to Indian sports and their inspirational journeys.
“For a global sport like the Olympics, it makes complete sense to have a closer relationship with the world's largest population. Every fourth or fifth person in the world is in India, so there's a lot of synergy there,” said Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic Gold medallist on India potentially hosting the Olympics.
“But more than infrastructure, I think what we need is a vision that actually transcends far beyond the sporting events itself. The Olympics, whenever held in India, has to be seen as a catalyst for change, how the Games can really address challenges and how it can seize opportunities…It really has to be a springboard for how we can make India healthier and make India a more inclusive country...We have to use it as a guide to make India better through sport,” he argued.
Expressing optimism about India’s prospects for Paris 2024 Paralympics, Dr Deepa Malik, the first Indian Woman Paralympic Medallist and Former President of the Paralympic Committee of India said: “In Paralympics, India's journey to Paris 2024 is going to be far better than Tokyo 2020. The number of sports have increased – the last time we participated in nine sports, this time we are participating in 12 sports. The women participation has increased; we do see a potential there for medals to grow. I do see them in double digits again.”
Social crusader Arunachalam Muruganantham was conferred the prestigious ‘Global Indian Icon Award’ for his revolutionary work in menstrual hygiene, impacting millions of women across India and the world.
The UK-India Awards honour the contribution of key figures and businesses driving the UK-India partnership The prestigious awards recognised outstanding contributions of leaders in business, professional services, government, culture and social impact, highlighting their remarkable achievements in strengthening bilateral ties.
Manoj Ladwa, CEO and Founder of IGF, set the tone for the ceremony: “India’s transformation is not only in India’s interest, but also in the interest of the UK, which I believe stands the most to gain and, in fact, most to contribute as a partner of choice in this incredible journey.
“Whether it’s our world class universities, our cutting-edge research institutes, our global supply chain networks, our sports and tech expertise, our defence & security capabilities, or the sheer financial might of the City of London, the UK has it all.”
Spanning across several categories, the UK-India Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in:
· Legal Practice of the Year - AZB & Partners
· Consultancy Firm of the Year - Grant Thornton
· Investment of the Year - Tata Group’s Agratas
· New Market Entrant of the Year - Zydus Lifesciences
· Social Impact Project of the Year – BT Group
· Research & Innovation Award - Serum Institute of India and Oxford University
· WomenIN Leadership Award – Ola Electric
· Culture and Creativity Award - Teamworks Arts
· Significant Contribution to UK-India Relations – The Science Museum Group
· Lifetime Contribution to UK-India Relations - Lord Anthony Bamford
· Global Indian Icon Award - Arunachalam Muruganantham
· Special Recognition Award – Abhinav Bindra and Dr Deepa Malik
The awards was the penultimate day of the week-long IGF London 2024. With over 300+ speakers, 2,000 participants, and 15 events across iconic venues in London and Windsor, the week-long IGF London 2024 encompassed a spectrum of topics — from technology and trade to culture and commerce showcasing the role of India, the UK and their global partners in tackling key challenges and unveiling new pathways to a limitless future, underpinned by innovation and collaboration.
MORE LIKE THIS…
*Info: India Global Forum; Catch up
