The annual Queen’s Birthday Honours have an added fervour to them this year as they mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years of service to the UK. In tribute to the 96-year-old monarch, recipients have been awarded for their outstanding contributions across all sectors, but in particular for sustained public service, the environment and sustainability, and youth engagement.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “This historic Platinum Jubilee is not only a celebration of the monarch but of the qualities she possesses.
“The honours she confers this week reflect many of those qualities that have been invaluable from all different walks of life and to communities across the UK. I pay tribute to all of this year’s winners. Their stories of courage and compassion are an inspiration to us all.”
Over 40 professionals of Indian descent have made this year’s royal cut, led by the Mumbai-born author of the Booker Prize-winning novel ‘Midnight’s Children’, Sir Salman Rushdie, who is conferred as a Companion of Honour, an exclusive club with membership limited to just 65 people at any given time, for services to literature.
Others honoured with some of the higher royal awards include a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for Avnish Mitter Goyal, Chair of Care England, for services to social care and philanthropy. Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBEs) include hotelier Kishorkant (Vinu) Bhattessa for charitable and voluntary services, particularly during COVID-19 and Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) recognise a large number of British Indians who have contributed to their local community, including Councillors Pranav Bhanot and Ameet Jogia.
“I’m thrilled and humbled to receive this significant recognition for my academic and voluntary work,” said Dr Nikita Ved, Research Fellow and Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Oxford and co-founder of the 1928 Institute dedicated to British Indian research, who received an MBE for services to COVID-19 Response.
“Although myself and others have reservations on the phrase ‘Member of the British Empire’, I am accepting this award in the spirit of being acknowledged, particularly at my age as I feel many young people are overlooked for their hard work,” said the 32-year-old academic.
Here’s a roll call of academics, healthcare experts, community champions and artists of Indian heritage to make the 2022 Jubilee Honours list of 1,134 high-achieving individuals…
Sir Ahmed Salman RUSHDIE Author. For services to Literature (London, Greater London)
Rohinton Minoo KALIFA OBE Chair, Network International. For services to Financial Services, to Technology and to Public Service (London, Greater London)
Avnish Mitter GOYAL Chair, Care England. For services to Social Care and to Philanthropy (Billericay, Essex)
Navin Fakirchand SHAH Lately London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow. For Political and Public Service (London, Greater London)
Ramesh Kanji VALA OBE Consultant, Ince Group plc. For services to the community and to the Covid-19 Response (London, Greater London)
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Kishorkant BHATTESSA (Vinu Bhattessa) Managing Director, Mandeville Hotel Group and Trustee, Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Temple. For charitable and voluntary services, particularly during Covid-19 (London, Greater London)
Dr Shamil CHANDARIA For services to Science and Technology, to Finance and to Philanthropy (Stanmore, Greater London)
Jasbir Singh DHESI Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Cheshire College South and West. For services to Education (Wrexham, Clwyd)
Shivani LAKHANI Society Team Lead, Covid-19 Taskforce, Cabinet Office. For services to Vulnerable Communities during the Covid-19 Response (London, Greater London)
Sumeet Kaur MATHARU Chief Pharmacist, Defence Primary Healthcare, Ministry of Defence. For services to Armed Forces Healthcare (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands)
Rohit NAIK Headteacher, Hope School, Liverpool. For services to Education (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Vippen Paul SAGOO Founder, Global Asian Awards. For services to the Asian community, and to Diversity and Inclusion (London, Greater London)
Tariq Navid SHAH Philanthropist. For services to Charity (Doncaster, South Yorkshire)
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Pranav BHANOT Councillor, Chigwell Parish Council. For services to the Community in Chigwell, Essex (Chigwell, Essex)
Dr Chila Kumari Singh BURMAN Artist. For services to Visual Art, particularly during Covid-19 (London, Greater London)
Professor Indranil CHAKRAVORTY Chair, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Institute for Health Research and Consultant Physician, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to the Healthcare Sector (St Albans, Hertfordshire)
Dr Umakant Ramchandra DAVE Consultant Physician, Swansea Bay University Health Board. For service to the NHS (Swansea, West Glamorgan)
Sanjeevini DUTTA Director, Kadam Dance. For services to Dance (Luton, Bedfordshire)
Ameet JOGIA Councillor, London Borough of Harrow and Co-chair, Conservative Friends of India. For Political and Public Service (London, Greater London)
Dr Manojkumar Narottam Liladhar JOSHI DL Volunteer. For voluntary services to the community in Bradford during Covid-19 (Bradford, West Yorkshire)
Chunilal Odhavji KAKAD For services to the community in the London Borough of Brent (London, Greater London)
Barjinderpall LALL Head of Skills, JGA Group, London. For services to Apprenticeships and Skills Training (Greenford, Greater London)
Nitin Natwarlal MADHAVJI (Nick Madhavji) Founder and Chief Executive, Joskos Solutions Ltd. For services to Education, to Business and to Charity (London, Greater London)
Sandeep MAHAL Lately Director, Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature. For services to Literature, the Arts and Culture in Nottingham (Walsall, West Midlands)
Kiritkumar Jamnadas MODI (Kirit Modi) Honorary President, National Kidney Federation and the National Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Transplant Alliance. For services to Organ Donation particularly in Ethnic Minority Communities (London, Greater London)
Professor Srimathi Rajagopalan MURALI Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to International Doctors working in the NHS (Wigan, Greater Manchester)
Professor Daljit NAGRA Chair, Royal Society of Literature. For services to Literature (London, Greater London)
Sharan PASRICHA Founder, Ennismore. For services to the Hotel Industry (London, Greater London)
Kawan Deepakchandra PATEL Lately Deputy Director, Head of Social Contact, Cabinet Office and Covid-19 Directorate Lead, Home Office. For services to the Covid-19 Response (London, Greater London)
Bhawana Ramanbhai PATEL Human Resources Consultant, Defence Business Services, Ministry of Defence. For services to Defence (London, Greater London)
Bharat PATEL For services to the community in Greater London, particularly during Covid-19 (Watford, Hertfordshire)
Dr Chithra RAMAKRISHNAN South Indian Classical Vocalist and Dancer, and Founder Director, British Carnatic Choir. For services to the Promotion of South Indian Classical Music and Dance (Solihull, West Midlands)
Gurvinder Singh SANDHER Chief Executive Officer, Cohesion Plus. For services to the Arts and to the community in Kent (Longfield, Kent)
Harshad Purshottam SAUJANI JP Community Safety Educator, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Fire Safety (Leicester, Leicestershire)
Suman Raj SHRESTHA Professional Lead, Royal College of Nursing and Nurse Consultant in Critical Care, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. For services to Critical Care Nursing (Crowthorne, Berkshire)
Sanjaykumar Jayantilal VADERA Chief Executive Officer, The Fragrance Shop and Per-Scent. For services to International Trade (Altrincham, Greater Manchester)
Dr Nikita Kirit VED Research Fellow and Lecturer in Medicine, University of Oxford. For services to the Covid-19 Response (London, Greater London)
Ameeta VIRK Markets Leader, Department for International Trade. For services to the Economy (Bristol, City of Bristol)
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Lakshmana Rao KASTALA Founder and Chair of Trustees, DREAMSAI. For charitable services to the community in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire)
Varsha Kumari MISTRY Forensic Practitioner, Metropolitan Police Service. For services to Diversity and Inclusion in Policing and to the Hindu Community (London, Greater London)
Jayesh Kumar Dayarambhai SOLANKI (Jay Kumar Solanki) For services to Dance and to the community in Greater London (London, Greater London)
