The event will be co-hosted by actor Nitin Ganatra OBE and Sky News presenter Anila Dhami, with presenter and choreographer Nileeka Bose hosting the red carpet arrivals
The shortlist for the 23rd Asian Achievers Awards – the UK’s most prominent and longstanding celebration of British Asian achievement – has been revealed. The prestigious awards ceremony will take place on Friday, 19 September 2025, at the London Hilton on Park Lane, drawing nearly 600 distinguished guests, including celebrities, business leaders, and global stars. In recent years, the combined net worth of those in the room has regularly exceeded £25 billion.
This year saw a record 500-plus nominations across nine categories: Arts and Culture, Business Person of the Year, Community Service, Entrepreneur of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Media, Professional of the Year, Sports Personality of the Year, and Woman of the Year. Over the past month, a diverse panel of judges has carefully reviewed each entry to compile a final shortlist representing some of the most inspiring stories in the South Asian community.
The judging panel reflects a broad cross-section of British society, spanning public service, business, entrepreneurship, and the media. Judges include Dr Poonam Gupta OBE (CEO, PG Paper), Alison Eddy (Former Regional Managing Partner, Irwin Mitchell LLP), Sunil Mohindra (President, TiE North), Mina Tailor (Senior Manager, UK Customer Propositions and Marketing, HSBC), journalist Remona Aly, and Cary Sawhney MBE (film festival director and programmer).
This year’s nominees highlight the scale and diversity of South Asian talent in the UK. Among them are Neerja Birla, billionaire founder and chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust; Frank Khalid OBE, owner of West London Film Studios, Elbrook Cash and Carry, and Chak89; Indhu Rubasingham MBE, artistic director of the National Theatre; Sunny Gill Singh, the first British South Asian referee in the Premier League; and Amrit Dhaliwal, CEO of Wallfinch Franchising.
“While Britain faces global economic and political headwinds from multiple sides, South Asians have again showed their resilience and ability to contribute to building the nation,” says Pratik Dattani, Managing Director of EPG, which organises the Awards. “They have created jobs, innovated, broken down barriers, and enriched the cultural fabric of our country. Congratulations to all the shortlist and best of luck for the Awards.”
The Asian Achievers Awards, supported by State Bank of India (UK) and charity partner Parkinson’s UK, continue to champion the contributions of individuals across sectors. This year’s partners also include low- and no-alcohol drinks brand Khoki United, think tank Bridge India, Fortnum & Mason, Entrepreneur India magazine, award-winning single malt Indri, media partners Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar and LycaRadio, as well as catering partners Madhus.
The event will be co-hosted by actor Nitin Ganatra OBE and Sky News presenter Anila Dhami, with presenter and choreographer Nileeka Bose hosting the red carpet arrivals. Entertainment will include a performance by Indian-Canadian singer Raghav, known for selling over 1.4 million copies of his debut album Storyteller and winning a MOBO Award, two UK Asian Music Awards, and an Urban Music Award. Stand-up comedian Eshaan Akbar and a special table performance will also feature.
A charity auction for Parkinson’s UK will be led by Thomas Forrester from BBC’s Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip.
The 2025 shortlist is as follows:
Arts and Culture: Bhavin Bhatt; Indhu Rubasingham MBE; Tani Gill; Tanika Gupta MBE FRSL.
Person of the Year: Amrit Dhaliwal; Bilal Farooq; Frank Khalid OBE; Rishi Patel; Prof Selva Pankaj.
Community Service Person of the Year: Juhie Radia; Lemona Chanda; Dr Manpreet Dhuffar-Pottiwal; Syed Muhammad Faisal Sami.
Entrepreneur of the Year: Anisha Joshi; Jimal, Nishal and Devik Solanki; Namita Khade; Parul Ganatra; Sharan Pasricha MBE.
Media Person of the Year: Emb Hashmi; Jessica Memon; Shamim Chowdhury; Vaishali Bhardwaj.
Professional of the Year: Professor Aisha K. Gill CBE; Maulik Darji; Sangita Bodalia; Shalini Gupta.
Sports Personality of the Year: Asmita Ale; Kyle Kothari; Harmanpreet Sandhu; Sunny Gill Singh.
Woman of the Year: Fatima Zaman; Nadia Paneandee; Neerja Birla; Srabani Sen OBE; Tania Arslan.
With its rich legacy and ability to spotlight extraordinary talent, the Asian Achievers Awards once again demonstrates the extraordinary impact of South Asians in the UK – from arts to sports, business to community leadership – honouring those who inspire the next generation.
