Over 40 Indian-origin achievers on King Charles III’s Birthday Honours List

Independent expert committees meet twice a year to review nominations. A main committee finalizes the list, which is then sent to the British Prime Minister for approval. The honours are officially awarded by the reigning monarch in their name.

Among the notable honourees is Dr. Parvinder Kaur Aley, Director of Global Operations at the Oxford Vaccine Group, University of Oxford, who has been honoured as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her remarkable services in vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another distinguished recipient is Professor Prokar Dasgupta, Foundation Professor of Surgery at King’s Health Partners and Chair in Robotic Surgery and Urological Innovation at King’s College London, who has been conferred with an OBE for contributions to surgery and science.

The honours list also includes esteemed British Indian business leaders. Anuj Chande, Partner and Head of South Asia Business Group at Grant Thornton UK LLP, has received an OBE for his remarkable services to international trade and investment. Hina Solanki, the founder of Sol Cosmedics, has been recognized as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for contributions to business and charity.

The list, released by the UK government in London on Friday night, comprises a total of 1,171 recipients. Among them, 52 percent have demonstrated outstanding work in their communities, either in a voluntary or paid capacity, while 11percent of successful candidates come from an ethnic minority background.

UK Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden said, “this year’s honours list is a testament to ordinary people who have demonstrated extraordinary community spirit, and I pay tribute to all those who have been recognised today.”   

Novelist Martin Amis, who recently passed away, has been posthumously knighted for his services to literature. Award-winning British filmmaker Stephen Frears has also been knighted, and fashion magazine ‘Vogue’ editor Dame Anna Wintour and author Sir Ian McEwan have been appointed as Companions of Honour.

Additionally, several Indian-origin individuals have received honours for their exceptional contributions. Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Anju Kumar has been awarded an OBE for her services to women’s health and welfare in Wales. District Crown Prosecutor Varinder Hayre has been recognized for his services to law and order in London, while Sunand Prasad, Chair of UK Green Buildings Council, has been honoured for his contributions to regeneration.

Several individuals have received MBE honours, including physiotherapist and specialist hand therapist Roma Bhopal for services to physiotherapy, Bawa Singh Dhallu for political and voluntary service, violinist Jyotsna Srikanth for services to music, and Ritu Khurana for services to music and broadcasting as a disc jockey and broadcaster.

The list also encompasses approximately 10 recipients of Indian heritage who have been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM). Among them, Balvir Mohan Bhalla founder Super Cool Friends Charity, has been recognized for his services to the community in Ilford, London Borough of Redbridge, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pianist and composer Rekesh Chauhan has been honored for his contributions to music, charity, and mental health in the British Asian community, and Kailash Malhotra has been acknowledged for his services to kidney organ donation for minority ethnic groups as a Peer Educator Volunteer at Kidney Research UK.

The King’s Birthday Honours recognize individuals who have made significant achievements in public life and have dedicated themselves to serving and helping Britain. These honours are announced annually on the eve of the monarch’s official birthday – which is celebrated with pomp and pageantry in June.

Balbir Kaur and Kuldeep Singh Dhillon said, “we are both incredibly honoured and grateful to receive this award. We hope to continue serving the Birchwood community, as it brings us so much pleasure to help the people around us that we class as family,” who have both been awarded BEMs for services to the community in Birchwood, Cheshire.

(With inputs from PTI)

Updated: 17 Jun 2023, 12:26 PM IST