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NRIs Given Honors by Queen in UK for exceptional achievement or service

London, Jan 03, 2015
NRIpress.com/ N. Malik/R Verma/ Gary Singh

The Queen’s New Year Honours list has been announced and sees :"recognises distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organisations of all kinds". 1,044 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level. 329 at BEM, 472 at MBE and 243 at OBE. In total 1,196 people have received an award.

5.7% of the successful candidates from British Asians have been selected for the prominent titles of Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) among others.

Below NRIs have been recognised in the New Year Honours List for 2016. Ranging from local government, enterprise and charity, their services to their local communities have been inspired:

1

Harpal Singh KUMAR Chief Executive, Cancer Research UK.

- Honours for services to Cancer Research. (Middlesex)

Jalandhar (PB) NRI, chemical engineer, consultant and Chief Executive of numerous trusts and charities- became responsible for strategic direction and day-to-day operational management for Cancer Research UK , before becoming the CEO in 2007.Kumar attended St. John's College, University of Cambridge, where he gained an M Eng degree and an MA degree. Then he enrolled for an MBA at Harvard Business School where he won the Ford Prize and the Wolfe Prize

2

Samir DESAI Peer to Peer and Financial Inclusion Innovator.
- Honours for services to Financial Services. (London)

 I'm responsible for driving the company strategy, overseeing the company’s finances and managing the day to day operations at Funding Circle. I have previously worked extensively in the financial services sector.

Experience-Funding Circle-Co-Founder and CEO Funding Circle- September 2009 – Present (6 years 5 months) London. He was an Executive at Olivant, a private equity investor in financial services businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Prior to this, he was a management consultant at BCG number of major UK and global banks and insurers on strategy, new product initiatives, and operational efficiency. Funding Circle is the global leading marketplace where investors directly lend to small businesses in the UK, US, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. Small businesses borrow between £5,000 and £1 million, while investors receive high, stable returns for the long-term. Since mid 2010 Funding Circle has facilitated $1.8bn of loans to over 15,000 businesses globally.

-Investors include over 45,000 individuals, institutional investors, local councils, universities and the UK Government backed British Business Bank. -Trustee:Neil Desai Foundation ,January 2009 – Present (7 years 1 month). The Neil Desai Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales set up by the late Neil Desai's family and friends to donate to and support causes that were important to him.


3

Dr, MBE Chairman, Sun Mark Ltd.

Honours for  services to Business and Community Cohesion. (Moor Park, Hertfordshire)

Raminder Singh Ranger, CBE, 69, an entrepreneur and social and political reformer. -His business interests span from his principal company, Sun Mark Ltd, which is an international marketing and distribution company, but he also has companies and business interests in diverse fields ranging from shipping to beverage manufacturing to property development. His company, Sun Mark, is the only company to have been awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise for five years running and he has now been honoured by the Queen on eight occasions. He is the Chairman and Managing Director of Sea Air and Land Forwarding Ltd, also a Queens Award for Export winner

4

Daljit, Mrs LALLY, Deputy Chief Executive, Northumberland
County Council

- Honours for  services to Integrated Care.

-A qualified Registered General Nurse (RGN), holds a BA(Hons) Business and Finance and an MBA (2002) from Durham University.
-Daljit is the Corporate Director of Community Services and Housing employed in a formal joint role between Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Northumberland County Council.
-In this role Daljit is the combined Director of Adult Social Services and the Executive Director of Community Services. Daljit is jointly responsible to the Chief Executive of Northumberland County Council and the Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
-Daljit has held a number of clinical and management roles in the private and public sectors.

5

Raj NAYYAR, a Policy Adviser, London, HM Revenue and
Customs.

- Honours for services to Tax Policy. (Middlesex)

Raj Nayyar- Lead official, HM Revenue and Customs ……
consulting on draft legislation to effect proposed changes as recommended by the Office of Tax Simplification(OTS). This relates specifically to liability for earnings-related National Insurance Contributions (NICs) from employment related securities(ERS) income earned by internationally mobile employees (IMEs).
Responses, enquiries about the content or scope of the document, and requests for hard copies should be sent to Raj Nayyar, HMRC, Room 1C/17, 100 Parliament Street, London SW1A 2BQ

6

Kala, PATEL Managing Director, Kiddycare Limited
(Nurseries).

K--Honours for services to the Childcare Business.
(Leicestershire)ala Patel was just 22 when she started her first nursery by converting office space with a bank loan and a £65 a week Enterprise Allowance.
Ms Patel has grown the business into a group of five nurseries in areas of deprivation in the city, supporting the predominately Asian community, struggling families and children with special educational needs
7

Gurmukh SINGH Patron, Khalsa Aid.
-- Honours for services to
Community Cohesion and charity.
(Middlesex)

Gurmukh Singh belongs to villiage Bassian, near Raikot in Ludhiana district, is the patron of Khalsa Aid.

Gurmukh Singh, a patron of Khalsa Aid, a UK based charity run by Ravinder (Ravi) Singh. Patron for Khalsa Aid - Sir Gurmukh Singh
-Gurmukh Singh is a much respected and established member of the Sikh community in the UK and across the world. He is well known and held in great esteem amongst Sikh academia.

He is also known for his charitable work and is himself involved in many charitable causes across India providing assistance to the needy in many areas of rural India. He has been an avid supporter of the work of Khalsa Aid for the last 15 years
-He was the first senior ethnic and Sikh identity Civil Servant to represent UK abroad during a changing race relations environment
-He had promoted the idea of a 'round-table' of UK Gurdwaras and organisations, first as the open BritishSikh Consultative Forum started in 2002 and more recently the Sikh Counci UK"

8

Meena Upadhyaya,   Professor of Medical Genetics at Cardiff University

- Honours for services to Medical Genetics and the Welsh Asian community.
(Cyncoed, Cardiff

Upadhyaya held a number of roles in public life including Trustee for Women Equality Network for Wales (Wen WALES), Mentor for students for University entrance and
-Governor for Hindu Cultural Association (HCA).
-She has a PhD from Cardiff University and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists in Molecular Genetics.
- In 2010, Prof Upadhyaya won the Inspire Wales Award for Science & Technology and has received a Recognition Award from the Welsh Government in 2011 for her many contributions to Medical Genetics.
-Meena is also the founder and chairman of the Wales Asian Women Achievement Awards (WAWAA) which aim to empower Asian women throughout Wales and to better promote and applaud their input and support of all aspects of Welsh life.

9

Miss Rekha MEHR

- Honours for  services to Entrepreneurship and
Enterprise.  (London)

Rekha Mehr, founder of Pistachio Rose, a London baking boutique
-She grew up surrounded with flavours from India as well as the English homeland, and developed a love for sweets & desserts from a very early age.
-She wanted to share these experiences by merging the best of both to create an elegant range of cakes, biscuits and pastries
-Foodie & pioneer for great Indian sweets and desserts. Great Taste Winner 2013. Young British Foodie Finalist 2013.

10

Dr Jayshree MEHTA, 66, President, Bharat Hindu Samaj, the Hindu Temple and Chair, Sangam Indian Women's Association.

- Honours for services to the community  and Community Cohesion in Peterborough

-Bharat Hindu Samaj was established back in 1974 soon after the arrival of Ugandan Asians in 1972 to UK & Peterborough.
-.She is president, Bharat Hindu Samaj, the Hindu Temple and
She is chair woman of the Sangam Indian Women’s Association
-She has always done what she wanted to do with volunteering, and never wanted anything back

-After retiring early from Medicine, she has been involved mainly in Community & voluntary work over the years
-Founder Member & Chair Sangam - Indian Women's Association
She  run Indian Women's association for leisure, pleasure, information & sharing social/cultural skills
-She was a Doctor at NHS Trust March 1972 – August 1987 (15 years 6 months)
- She got MBBS, from Seth G S Medical College Mumbai
MBBS, DObst, Obstetrics 1967 – 1971

11

Karnail Singh Pannu:

-Honoured for services to the community in Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire

Karnail Singh Pannu, 77, the chairman of Windsor and Maidenhead Community Forum (WAMCF) and lives in Clare Road.
-He said: "Getting this award was a great surprise for me. My friends, colleagues and my family are delighted."

12

Mukesh Sharma DL: Managing Director of the Selective Travel Management, Sharma has been honoured for his services to the Travel Trade in Northern Ireland

Mukesh Sharma, M.D World Travel Centre/Selective Travel.
-In March 2015, Mukesh was appointed as Deputy Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast.
- In 2011 he acquired Selective Travel, a significant operator in the niche business of corporate travel services for universities, including QUB, securing a contract worth £35m from the Southern Universities' Purchasing Consortium in England. He oversees the entire NI operation and has created a flagship travel company with 68 employees and an annual turnover of £50m.
- In 2009, he headed up a merger with McNeill Rigby Travel to form one of Ireland's largest travel agencies McNeill & Thriftway Worldwide Travel a key move that reshaped the industry and elevated NI's competitive position across the UK.
-Director ArtsEkta/Belfast Mela/Moving on Music. Deputy Lieutenant of Belfast. Passions: Arts,Culture, Northern Ireland.

-A former managing director of Delta Airlines in NI and a Consort Travel Group board member.
-He is a shareholder and managing director of family-run business Thriftway Travel established in 1982.
-He quickly developed an aptitude for the business positioning the company as Ireland's largest long-haul specialist 'ticket-consolidation' business.

13

Gurdev Singh RAYAT 76, established a place of worship for the Sikh community

Honours BEM for his work in Greenwich, London  at the Asian Community Centre, Plumstead Community Centre and at the Greenwich Inclusion Project.

Gurdev Singh Rayat 76, established a place of worship for the Sikh community, and led campaigns against racism and discrimination and has been involved in promoting community cohesion and better race relations. His positive leadership has enabled the borough to develop a range of projects that promote better community relations.

14 Dr Suresh Chandra Vasistha:

Dr. Suresh has been honoured for his services to the community in the London Borough of Redbridge

Dr Suresh Chandra Vasishtha, 79, from Clayhall, has also been recognised with an MBE for services to the community in Redbridge

15 Satpal Singh NAHL Officer, Bradford Group, HM Revenue and Customs.

Honours for services to Taxpayers and Public Administration. (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

16 Prathibha, Mrs RAMSINGH District Operations Manager, Work
Services Directorate, Department for Work
and Pensions

Honours for services to Jobseekers and Employer Engagement in London.

Civil Division - Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
St. James’s Palace, London SW1
THE QUEEN has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following promotions in, and appointments to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: O.B.E.
To be Ordinary Officers of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order:
Mrs Prathibha RAMSINGH
District Operations Manager, Work Services Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions