“It’s a very nice, privileged feeling”

The official publication of the New Year Honours List for 2022 was released to commemorate the contributions made by British Asians in the UK and beyond.

Recognising men and women across all walks of life, the list honours those who have made a lasting impact on communities around the UK.

Many of the 1,278 people honoured on the list are community leaders or service people.

PM Boris Johnson said they “have inspired and entertained us and given so much to their communities.”

Numerous British Asian men and women have been included in the New Year Honours list for 2022.

8.4% of those included in the New Year Honours 2022 list are from an Asian ethnic group.

These prominent individuals have delivered services in areas of sport, arts, business and technology. They will be honoured with a British Empire medal and title in the coming months.

Human rights campaigner and counter-terrorism commissioner Sara Khan, paediatric cardiology professor Shakeel Ahmed Qureshi and actor Nitin Ganatra are a few British Asians who have been recognised.

Professor of paediatric Cardiology at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Foundation Trust, Shakeel Ahmed Qureshi said:

“It’s a very nice, privileged feeling as it wasn’t on my list of achievements I was targeting.

“I just went about my normal work and responsibilities and it’s nice to have those recognised.”

Another famous Asian on the list is Nitin Ganatra, known for his role in Eastenders as Masood Ahmed.

The Londoner was honoured with an OBE for not only his acting but the charitable work he is involved with. Nitin said:

“I just go about doing that without really seeking any attention or reward. I help people because I think we need to live in a world where we need to help people.

“So, then, to be recognised for it, it’s flattering.”

British Asians who have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List 2022 include:

Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)

• Sara Khan – Lately Lead Commissioner, Commission for Countering Extremism. For services to Human Rights and Counter Extremism.

Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

• The Right Honourable Professor Ajay Kumar Lord Kakkar – For services to Healthcare and Public Service.

Knights Bachelor

• Professor Shakeel Ahmed Qureshi – Professor of Paediatric Cardiology, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Foundation Trust. For services to Paediatric Cardiology and Charity.

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• Tanweer Ikram – Deputy Senior District Judge, Magistrates’ Court. For services to Judicial Diversity.
• Shalini Khemka – For services to Entrepreneurship and to the Economy.
• Professor Ravi Prakash Mahajan – Lately President, Royal College of Anaesthetists. For services to Anaesthesia.
• Professor Iqbal Singh OBE – Chair, Centre of Excellence in Safety for Older People. For services to Equality and Inclusion in Healthcare.
• Professor Kamlesh Khunti – Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine, University of Leicester and General Practitioner. For services to Health.

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Syed Viqar Ahmed – Founder and Chair, Community Energy London. For services to Community Energy, Decarbonisation and Community Benefit in London.
• Dr Syed Ahmed – Clinical Director, Health Protection Scotland. For services to the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme.
• Amir Ali – Lately Chair, Civil Court Users Association. For services to Court Users and the Law.
• Mohammed Asif Aziz – Director, Healthcare Services, Boots UK Ltd. For services to Pharmacy, especially Testing for Covid-19.
• Dr Hindpal Singh Bhui – Inspection Team Leader, HM Inspectorate of Prisons. For services to Custody Facilities during Covid-19.
• Alpesh Chauhan – Music Director, Birmingham Opera Company. For services to the Arts.
• Dr Japinder Dhesi – Lately Team Leader, Cabinet Office. For Public Service.
• Davinder Singh Dhillon – Chair, The Chattri Memorial Group. For services to the Commemoration of Indian Forces’ Contribution in the First World War.
• Mohammed Shabir Fazal – Headteacher, Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy. For services to Education.
• Sajdah Perveen Ghafoor – For services to Cultural Awareness and Integration in Cumbria.
• Jagtar Singh Gill – For services to the British Sikh and Interfaith Communities.
• Professor Ali Sadiq Mohammad Jawad – Professor of Rheumatology, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Consultant Rheumatologist. For services to Healthcare.
• Sharath Kumar Jeevan – Lately Chief Executive Officer, STiR Education. For services to Education.
• Hanif Mohamed Kara – Design Director and Co-Founder, AKT II and Professor in Practice of Architectural Technology, Harvard Graduate School of Design. For services to Architecture, to Engineering and to Education.
• Amritpal Singh Maan – Philanthropist. For services to the Sikh Community and to Charity.
• Professor Mahendra Gulabbhai Patel – Pharmacist. For services to Pharmacy.
• Rizwan Patel – Founder, Lint Group. For services to the Disadvantaged Communities in the UK and Abroad, particularly during Covid-19
• Arti Prashar – Artist, Director and Consultant. For charitable services to People Living with Dementia.
• Imran Faisal Shafi – For Public Service.
• Rohini Sharma Joshi – Lately Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Trust Housing Association. For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Dr Malur Sudhanva – Consultant Virologist, South London Specialist Virology Centre, King’s College Hospital. For services to Healthcare Science particularly during Covid-19.
• Rekha Thawrani – Global Head, NEC Contracts, Thomas Telford Ltd. For services to Infrastructure and British Exports.
• Sanjiv Vedi – Assistant Director, Head, Office of the Chief Social Care Officer for Wales. For Public, Charitable and Voluntary Service.
• Nitin Ganatra – Actor. For services to Drama.

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Zulkifl Ahmed – Lately Special Educational Needs and Disability Group Manager, Worcestershire County Council. For services to Education and to Young People.
• Dr Seema Safia Arif – For services to Health Care amongst the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Community.
• Syima Aslam – Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director, Bradford Literature Festival. For services to Literature.
• Dr Subramaniam Balachandran – Doctor and Lead, Cross Infection, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. For services to the NHS during Covid-19.
• Sushma Bhanot – For services to wellbeing and the community in Chigwell, Essex, particularly during Covid-19.
• Ayaz Mazeed Bhuta – For services to Wheelchair Rugby.
• Sofia Buncy – Founder, Muslim Women in Prison Project. For services to Prisoners and the community in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
• Arjmund Jabeen Butt – For services to HM Revenue and Customs and the BAME Community.
• Anita Choudhrie – Founder, Path to Success. For services to Disability Sports.
• Dr Baljinder Singh Dhanda – Co-Chair, UK Cyber Security Council Formation Project. For services to Cyber Security.
• Narinderjit Dhandwar – Business Relationship Manager, Barclays. For services to the Business and Financial Sectors in the West Midlands during Covid-19.
• Tara Chand Garlo – Paralegal Assistant, Crown Prosecution Service. For Public Service.
• Karime Hassan – Chief Executive and Growth Director, Exeter City Council. For services to Local Government.
• Rashid Tahir Iqbal – Chief Executive Officer, The Winch. For services to Young People.
• Professor Nazira Karodia – Lately Professor of Science Education, University of Wolverhampton. For services to the Chemical Sciences.
• Mumtaz Khan – For services to tackling Food Poverty in the UK and Abroad.
  Qamar Mahmood Khan – Chair of Trustees, Hamro Foundation. For services to Cricket and to Charity.
• Kaneez Khan – Coordinator, Near Neighbours, West Yorkshire. For services to Interfaith Relations, particularly during Covid-19.
• Bibi Rabbiyah Khan – President, London Islamic Cultural Society. For services to Local Government and Community Cohesion.
• Pravesh Kumar – For services to Theatre.
• Hardip Parkesh Singh Lawana – Senior Officer, Border Force, Home Office. For services to Border Security and to Workplace Wellbeing.
• Sanjay Lobo – Chief Executive Officer and Founder, OnHand. For services to Older People, particularly during Covid-19.
• Munir Faizal Mamajee – Managing Director, m2r Education. For services to Education and Exports.
• Kamini Harshadbhai Mehta – Chair, KPMG UK. For services to Trade and Investments in the UK and Female Entrepreneurs.
• Sobia Iqbal Nawaz – Customer Service Manager, Santander. For services to the Financial Sector and to the community in the London Borough of Hounslow during Covid-19.
• Simon Naresh Nayyar – For Political Service.
• Sayyed Osman – Strategic Director of Adults and Health, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. For services to the community in East Lancashire.
• Dr Sheila Pearson – Education, Outreach and Diversity Manager, Royal Astronomical Society. For services to Astronomy and to Diversity in Physics.
• Irna Mumtaz Qureshi – Co-Founder, Bradford Literature Festival. For services to Heritage.
• Avin Rabheru – Founder, Housekeep. For services to Entrepreneurship, and to Digital Innovation in the Cleaning Industry.
• Virinder Kuljit Kaur Rai – Business Manager, Against Violence and Abuse Charity. For services to the Charity Sector and to the communities in the London Borough of Redbridge and Derbyshire.
• Dr Amar Nath Rughani – General Practitioner and Provost, Royal College of General Practitioners, South Yorkshire and North Trent. For services to General Practice.
• Mandip Kaur Sahota – Founder, Strategies and Stories. For Charitable and Public Service.
• Dr Iram Sattar – General Practitioner and Trustee, Muslim Women’s Network UK and The Passage. For services to the Health and Wellbeing of Vulnerable People.
• Charan Kanwal Singh Sekhon – Senior Environment Officer, Environment Agency and Founder Chairman, SEVA Trust UK. For services to Charity, Diversity and the Environment, particularly during Covid-19.
• Mohammad Sehreen Seleem – For services to Disadvantaged Communities in East London.
• Mitesh Puspakkant Sheth – Chief Executive Officer, Redington. For services to Diversity and Inclusion in the Financial Services Sector.
• Mamta Rani Singhal – Volunteer, Institution of Engineering and Technology. For services to Engineering.
• Bharatkumar Jagatsingh Sisodia – For services to the Culture, to Heritage and to the community in Greater Manchester.
• Dr Bnar Talabani – Kidney and Transplant Medical Specialist, University of Wales and Immunology Scientist. For services to the NHS and to the Ethnic Minority Communities in Wales, particularly during Covid-19.
• Mandy Taylor – For charitable services in Yorkshire.
• Saleem Uddin – Category Director, Crown Commercial Service, Cabinet Office. For Public and Charitable Services.
• Abeda Suleman Vorajee – For services to Community Integration and Interfaith Understanding in Warwickshire.
• Professor Nalin Chandra Wickramasinghe – For services to Science, Astronomy and Astrobiology.

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire

• Mohammed Zoinul Abidin – Head of Universal Services, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. For services to Public Libraries.
• Nadia Nasreen Ahmed – Lately Community Champion, Morrisons. For services to the community in Edinburgh.
• Siraj Ali – For services to the community in Coventry, West Midlands particularly during Covid-19.
• Muhammad Kamil Ali – Volunteer Tutor, BPCD Trust, Luton. For services to Education.
• Mohmed Siddik Habiba Alli – Volunteer, Redbridge Covid-19 Mutual Aid. For services to the community in the London Borough of Redbridge during Covid-19.
• Hardip Singh Atwal – For charitable service in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway.
• Sulakhan Singh Dard – Ambassador, British Heart Foundation. For services to Healthcare in the Sikh Community.
• Rabinder Singh Dhami – Prevention Manager, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Fire and Rescue.
• Adill Hadi – Senior Youth Worker, Concord Youth Centre, Yardley, Birmingham. For services to Vulnerable Young People during Covid-19.
• Meena Hanspal – Charity Volunteer, Guru Nanak’s Mission and Vegetarian Rasoi. For services to the Sikh community in Nottingham.
• Akthar Hussain – Systems Engineer, Network Rail. For services to Diversity and Inclusion.
• Mohammed Jakir Ahmed Jabbar – Customer Services Front Line Manager, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to HMRC and to Diversity and Inclusion.
• Hamaad Ali Karim – Student Mentor. For voluntary service to Students and the Wider Community during Covid-19.
• Jahangir Khan – For services to the community in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, particularly during Covid-19.
• Ranjeet Khare – For services to the community in Woodford, London Borough of Redbridge during Covid-19.
• Rajesh Makwana – Director, Sufra NW London. For services to the community in the London Borough of Brent, particularly during Covid-19 in 2022.
• Mukesh Malhotra – For services to the community in the London Borough of Hounslow, particularly during Covid-19.
• Mohammed Afruz Miah – For services to Charitable Fundraising and to the community in Oldham during Covid-19.
• Saira Begum Mir – For services to the community in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, particularly during Covid-19.
• Gita Natarajan – For services to the community in Rugby, Warwickshire.
• Vinodkumar Mashri Jeram Pankhania – For services to the community in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
• Ragini Patel – For services to the community in Northolt, London Borough of Ealing, particularly during Covid-19.
• Pervez Sazzad Qureshi – For services to the Muslim Community in Greater London, particularly during Covid-19.
• Atikur Rahman – For services to the community in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, particularly during Covid-19.
• Bansari Nilesh Ruparelia – For services to the Hindu Community in Leicestershire.
• Khadijah Safari – Chief Executive Officer, Safari MMA. For services to Inclusion and Diversity in Martial Arts.
• Omair Ali Shah – For services to the community in Barking and Dagenham, Greater London during Covid-19.
• Irfan Hussain Shah – For services to Young People and the community in the London Borough of Redbridge, particularly during Covid-19.
• Sabir Mahmood Shaikh – For services to the Muslim Community in Palmers Green, London Borough of Enfield, particularly during Covid-19.
• Savraj Kaur Singh – For services to the community in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, particularly during Covid-19.
• Gulam Muhammad Ismail Teladia – Vice-Chair, Birmingham Muslim Burial Council. For services to the community in Birmingham, particularly during Covid-19.
• Sahil Usman – For services to the community in Blackburn, Lancashire during Covid-19 in 2022.
• Sajeev Vilvarajah – For services to the community in Clayhall, London Borough of Redbridge during Covid-19.

These prestigious titles are awarded to recognise those people who have committed themselves to serve and helping Britain in their particular fields of work and services.

Among them, these Asians have proved their dedication without a doubt. DESIblitz congratulates all of the honoraries on the New Year Honours List 2022!