Business Wire India
The UK-India Awards, organised annually by UK-headquartered India Global Forum (IGF) to celebrate all those companies, organisations and individuals working tirelessly to make the UK-India partnership a winning proposition across all sectors, marked the culmination of UK-India Week 2022.
The Guest of Honour at the fourth annual UK-India Awards VIP ceremony at Fairmont Windsor Park, near London, on Friday evening (July 1) was the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, in honour of his own dedication towards strengthening this important bilateral relationship.
In a moving speech, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “My story, my family’s story, is really our story. The story of the 1.5 million British Indian people."
“Those values don’t just define our past. They point the way to our future. Because ultimately, however strong our shared history, those of us who care about the relationship between our country of origin and the nation we call home must avoid falling into the trap of nostalgia. India isn’t looking to the past. And nor can we. We need to move forward."
“A relationship rooted in those enduring values of hard work, sacrifice, education, family, and service. But a relationship reimagined. Where the brightest talent from both our countries travel back and forth to study and work. Where we are close trading partners on goods and services. And where we freely exchange world-class ideas and innovation. All as a partnership of equals.”
Reflecting upon his childhood, the senior Cabinet minister added: “I learnt early on that family matters. Families nurture our children and teach them good conduct; support us, unconditionally; pass on culture, religion, identity. No government could even begin to replicate the profound bonds family forms."
“And like so many British Indian families, of all faiths, we came together to serve the community. And still do. This Sunday, I’ll be at the Mandir in Southampton, where I grew up, for our family prayer day. We’ll cook and serve lunch for the whole community, just as we do every year."
“Because that’s the lesson I learnt from my parents. An ethic of service. Whether working in the shop, or delivering medicines to elderly people at home, or even just out and about in town, people would stop and thank my Mum and Dad. I found that incredibly inspiring. And ultimately that’s why I became an MP. I want to have the same impact on my North Yorkshire constituency as they did on our hometown.”
The UK-India Awards 2022 Winners include:
- Legal Practice of the Year: CYRIL AMARCHAND MANGALDAS
- Financial Services Organisation of the Year: ICICI BANK
- Consultancy of the Year: GRANT THORNTON
- Technology Firm of the Year Award: HCL TECHNOLOGIES
- Investment of the Year Award: RELIANCE INDUSTRIES
- New Market Entrant of the Year Award: TIDE
- Business Promotion Organisation of the Year: WEST MIDLANDS INDIA PARTNERSHIP
- Social Impact Project of the Year: AKSHYA PATRA FOUNDATION
- Special Award for Contribution to UK-India Cultural Ties: KANIKA KAPOOR
- Lifetime Contribution to UK-India Relations: BARONESS USHA PRASHAR
*More on the Awards and Shortlist here.
The Awards are the result of deep deliberations by an eminent jury:
- Professor Soumitra Dutta, Dean, Said Business School, University of Oxford
- Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Parliamentarian, House of Lords
- Kate Hampton, CEO, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)
- Harpreet Kaur, Winner of BBC Apprentice 2022, Owner, Oh So Yum
- Andy Street, Mayor, West Midlands
Professor Manoj Ladwa, IGF Founder & CEO, said: “IGF seeks to open up opportunities of a new global India to the world through engaging the very best minds in the most incisive conversations and debates. It's about setting tomorrow’s agenda today!"
“The last two years have been challenging. But with challenges come opportunities to reimagine our future partnerships and achieve that Quantum Leap that Prime Minister Modi has hailed as within our grasp. These awards are about celebrating that reimagining of the UK-India partnership.”
Over the course of a power-packed week, senior ministers, lawmakers, business leaders and influencers addressed the central theme of UK-India Week 2022, celebrating 75 years of UK-India relations with Reimagine@75. The week opened on June 27 with the Creative Industries and Cultural Economy Seminar at the Nehru Centre in London and has since covered the Climate Finance and Technology Summit as well as the strategic forum at Taj Hotel, London.
The UK-India Week is organised by IGF annually as a celebration of the myriad facets of this important bilateral relationship. The 2022 edition (27 June to 1 July) was packed with a high-powered agenda, covering trade and economic exchanges, climate action, healthcare, technology, innovation and much more.
*Follow the action @IGFupdates #UKIndiaWeek
The UK-India Awards 2022 Winners
Special Award for Contribution to UK-India Cultural Ties: KANIKA KAPOOR
For this special Chairman’s Choice Award, India Global Forum celebrates a very special person who came to the UK, overcame adversity and is now an icon who through her enchanting voice enthralls millions. Kanika Kapoor was born and raised in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. From Mumbai to the UK in 1998, Kanika has straddled her music career between India and the UK, winning many accolades over the years, including for chart-topping and globally acclaimed tracks like ‘Baby Doll’ and ‘Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan’.
Lifetime Contribution to UK-India Relations: BARONESS USHA PRASHAR
One of the most coveted awards of the evening honours and celebrates a lifetime of contribution to public service and UK-India Relations. It takes dedication, perseverance, and courage to consistently stand up and be counted for what one believes in. The Lifetime Contribution awardee is one such lady. Born in Kenya, Usha Prashar came to the UK in 1964 to study for her A-levels, before graduating in Politics & Sociology from Leeds University and obtaining a Masters degree from Glasgow University.
Now chair of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI) in the UK, she provides wise counsel and guidance on matters of policy and opportunity to both governments and business leaders.
Legal Practice of the Year: CYRIL AMARCHAND MANGALDAS
CAM as its widely now known, is India’s biggest law firm, led by the immensely respected Cyril Shroff.
No discussion on Indian business laws is complete without the CAM view. In the past year, CAM has been advising the UK Government on the ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations with India.
Financial Services Organisation of the Year: ICICI BANK
ICICI Bank is one of India’s leading multinational banking and financial services institutions. It has a presence in over 15 countries, and growing.
Under the leadership of Loknath Mishra, ICICI UK prides itself on its digital banking offer, with customers able open a current account within minutes. ICICI Bank’s NRI services and provision of 24/7 support make it a go-to bank for UK-India transactions.
Consultancy of the Year: GRANT THORNTON
Grant Thornton is one of the most dedicated supporters of Indian companies investing in the UK. Its annual ‘India Meets Britain’ Tracker is always eagerly awaited, as is now its annual report ‘The Diaspora Effect’ on the impact of British Indian owned companies in the UK, which it co-produces with FICCI UK.
Grant Thornton is of the most trusted names in the UK-India corridor with much credit going to partner Anuj Chande and business development lead, Chandru Iyer.
Technology Firm of the Year Award: HCL TECHNOLOGIES
Founded almost 50 years ago, HCL is one of India’s original IT garage start-ups. Today it operates from 52 countries, with revenues of over 11 billion dollars.
In the UK, HCL has been recognised as Top Employer in the UK for 15 consecutive years and for its notable CSR support during the Covid pandemic to charities such as the Prince’s Trust and Save The Children.
Investment of the Year Award: RELIANCE INDUSTRIES
Reliance Industries £125-million acquisition of UK-based sodium-ion technology company Faradion, signifies a major step-change in UK-India climate action collaboration.
It is a shining example of British innovation meeting India’s manufacturing and scale opportunities, creating jobs and business opportunities in both countries.
New Market Entrant of the Year Award: TIDE
Launched in 2017, London-based Tide is a leading business financial platform in the UK for SMEs.
It selected India as its first international market in 2020, and now employs over 350 highly skilled workers in its Hyderabad Technology Centre, with plans to boost further.
Tide has set out ambitious plans to incubate 500,000 women led SMEs in India by the end of 2027 and recently launched the Tide Women Entrepreneurs Mentorship Programme.
Business Promotion Organisation of the Year: WEST MIDLANDS INDIA PARTNERSHIP
The West Midlands, dubbed the ‘Beating Heart’ of the UK’s relationship with India, is home to the second largest Indian diaspora community in the UK
It is therefore no surprise that it receives the second-highest amount of Indian investment after London.
Much credit goes to the recently established West Midlands India Partnership and its comprehensive India strategy.
* In the judging, Mayor Andy Street recused himself from this category
Social Impact Project of the Year: AKSHYA PATRA FOUNDATION
Akshaya Patra is the world’s largest midday meal provider for under-privileged children. It has provided over 3 billion meals across India linking the need for education with the need for nourishment.
During Covid, Akshaya Patra launched a state of the art kitchen in Watford through which is provided over 500,000 nourishing Ayurveda inspired vegetarian meals to the most needy. The charity has also been hugely active in providing food relief to the victims of the war in Ukraine.
*In the judging, Lord Gadhia recused himself from this category
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