Leading figures like musicians, community leaders, campaigners and choreographers are among South Asians honoured in the Queen’s New Year Honours List.

This year is the most ethnically diverse list yet, with 14.2 per cent of recipients coming from a black, Asian or ethnic minority background. In total, 1,239 people have received an award.

Among those recognised is inspirational coach Salma Bi who has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours for her services to cricket and diversity in sport.

Bi, one of cricket’s first South Asian female umpires, was recognised for her work in launching ‘Believe in Making A Difference

Chitra Sundaram for services to the South Asian dance sector who becomes an MBE.

Dr Harnovdeep Singh Bharaj for services to people with Diabetes in the South Asian community.

Shravan Jashvantrai Joshi for services to diversity and to the British Hindu Community.

Members from the community make up some of the 803 of the recipients who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities. 603 women are recognised in the List, representing 49% of the total.

In a year that has truly tested the resolve and determination of those on the frontline, the New Year Honours List includes 1,239 recipients, recognised for their extraordinary contributions in all four nations of the United Kingdom. Public sector workers make up 14.8% of the list and include firefighters, medical professionals, teachers, police officers and local government workers – all of whom are being recognised for making a huge individual impact, and in particular in the response to COVID-19.

The youngest recipient is 20 year old Samah Khalil, the Youth Mayor of Oldham. She receives a BEM for her work in empowering young people.

A list of those from the South Asian community and what they have been recognised for is below.

Companions of The Order of The Bath

Malini Nebhrajani Legal Director, Department for Health and Social Care Legal Advisers, Government Legal Department. For public service.

Commanders of The Order of The British Empire

Fayyaz Afzal Obe Circuit Judge, England And Wales. For services to The Judiciary and To Diversity and Inclusion

Professor Bashabi Fraser for services to Education, Culture and to Integration in Scotland

Wasfi Kani Obe Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Grange Park Opera. For services to music

Officers at The Order of The Empire

Professor Raad Shakir Professor of Neurology (Visiting), Imperial College London. For services to Global Neurology

Professor Sembukuttiarachilage Ravi Pradip Silva, Director Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey. For services to science

Anwar Ali Founder and Director, Upturn Enterprise Ltd. For services to Social Enterprise

Councillor Azhar Ali Leader of Labour Group, Lancashire County Council.

Professor Dhiya Al-Jumeily Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Liverpool John Moores University. For services to scientific research

Professor Farah Naz Kausar Bhatti Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

Tanjit Singh Dosanjh founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Prison Opticians Trust. For services to Optometry in Prisons and Reducing Re-Offending.

Nadim Ednan-Laperouse Mbe Co-Founder and Trustee, Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. For services to people with allergies.

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse Co-Founder and Trustee, Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.

Dipanwita Ganguli Principal, Sutton College. For services to adult education.

Fozia Tanvir Irfan for services to the community, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

Professor Partha Sarathi Kar Consultant and Endocrinologist, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.

Professor Suneetha Ramani Moonesinghe Professor of Perioperative Medicine and Consultant Anaesthetist, University College London. For services to Anaesthesia, Perioperative and Critical Care.

Lord Diljit Singh Rana Mbe Chairman, Andras House Ltd. For services to business and to the economy.

Asiyah Ravat Executive Principal, Star Academies. For services to education.

Mrunel Sisodia. For services to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, particularly during the Covid-19 Response

Gajan Lavan Wallooppillai for services to Equality and Community Cohesion.

Malini Nebhrajani. Awarded Companions of The Order of The Bath
Credit- U.K. Attorney General’s Office.

Members of The Order of The British Empire

Professor Alka Surajprakash Ahuja Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Royal College of Psychiatrists (Wales). For services to the NHS during Covid-19

Norah Al-Ani Director, Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre. For services to social justice and to gender equality.

Malique Jamal Al-Shabazz Constable, Merseyside Police. For services to policing and ethnic minority communities in Merseyside

Dr Nisreen Ala-Din Sahib Alwan Associate Professor in Public Health, Southampton University. For services to medicine and public health during Covid-19.

Humza Arshad Comedian and Writer. For services to education.

Rabinder Nath Bhanot Jp for services to wellbeing and community action, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

Dr Harnovdeep Singh Bharaj, Consultant, Diabetes and General Medicine. For services to people with diabetes in the South Asian community.

Aquiline Chivinge Senior Nurse Research Leader, for services to patients from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds

Itiola Durojaiye Diversity Policy Adviser, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. For services to diversity.

Avinash Dussaram Members Services Officer, Parliamentary Digital Service. For services to Parliament, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

Ismail Mohammed Gangat Founder and Proprietor, Azhar Academy Girls’ School, Forest Gate. For Services to Education. i

Anita Goyal For services to diversity and to female empowerment. She receives the accolade for a career in which she has reached 10,000 women with her work on female genital mutilation (FGM), menstrual discrimination and human trafficking.

Dr Mohammad Taya Haier Medical Director, for services to the NHS, particularly during the Covid-19 response and to the community.

Mohammad Imran Hamid for services to youth empowerment and social welfare projects.

Dr Amir Simon Hannan General Practitioner, Haughton Thornley Medical Centre. For services to General Practice.

Mursal Hedayat Founder, Chatterbox. For services to social enterprise, technology and the economy.

Syeda Islam For Services to the community particularly during the Covid-19 response.

Moinul Islam Founder and Project Manager, Outta Skool North West. For services to sport and education in the community, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

Shravan Jashvantrai Joshi for services to diversity and to the British Hindu Community.

Dr Shikandhini Kanagasundrem Director, Infection Prevention and Control and Consultant Microbiologist. For services to Microbiology, Infection Prevention and Control, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

Harjinder Kaur Kandola Chief Executive, Barnet, Enfield And Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust. For services to mental health, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

Abdul Majid for services to Integration in Glasgow and to charity in Scotland and abroad.

Arpal Morzaria Attendance and Wellbeing Champion, Risk and Intelligence Service, H.M. Revenue and Customs. For services to staff wellbeing

Hamid Motraghi Lately Chair, Home Office Race Network and Chair, Civil Service Race Forum.

Ruchi Nanda Lately Account Manager, Department for International Trade. For services to trade investment and to Business.

Mohamed Hazrath Haleem Ossman for services to the Sri Lankan community in the UK

Satyesh Parmar Consultant Surgeon. For services to Oral and Maxillofacial Cancer Surgery

Bhaven Pathak for services to Business and British Hinduism

Niraj Kumar Sharma Immigration Liaison Officer, Immigration Enforcement, Home Office.

Professor Hora Soltani-Karbaschi Professor of Maternal and Infant Health, Sheffield Hallam University. For services to higher education and to maternal and infant health

Salma Bi has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours for her services to cricket and diversity in sport.

Sasi Srinivasan Early Years Manager, London Borough of Brent. For services to education

Chitra Sundaram for services to the South Asian dance sector

Anjuu Trevedi Head, Regional Business Engagement, University of Leicester. For services to business Innovation

Rajinder Tumber Cyber Security Executive, Ernst And Young. For services to the cyber security industry

Shahab Uddin Director of Legal, British Olympic Association.

Manoj Varsani Founder, Sos Supplies. For services to protective care during the Covid-19 response

Haleema Yousaf for services to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

Medallists of The Order of The British Empire

Samira Ahmad Assistant Scientific Officer, Animal and Plant Health Agency. For services to animal health during the Covid-19 response and to the community

Dr Azeem Alam Co-Founder, Bitemedicine And Junior Doctor, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. For services to medical education during Covid-19. Dr Alam receives the BEM for founding BiteMedicine, which provides free medical education for medical students, physician associates and aspiring doctors during COVID-19, teaching over 10,000 students worldwide via online, live webinars.

Anand Bhatt Co-Founder, Aakash Odedra Company. For services to Dance and to the community

Salma Bi For Services to Cricket and to diversity in sport

Saran Chowdhary for services to Kidney Research UK, Organ Donation and South Asian Communities

Imran Ahmed Chowdhury for services to community cohesion

Golam Mahbab Alam Chowdhury Refugee Support Staff and Emergency Responder, British Red Cross. For services to healthcare during the Covid-19 response

Asha Rani Day Nurse, health visitor and clinical team leader. for services to the NHS and to minority ethnic equality during the Covid-19 response

Yasin Matthew Ross El Ashrafi Founder, Hq Recording Studio, Leicester. For services to young people, to music and to mentoring

Daljit Singh Grewal For Services to The Community, particularly during the Covid-19 response

Maya Joshi for services to the vulnerable

Steven Kapur Founder, Apache Indian Music Academy. For services to music and to young people

Sanjay Jayenedra Kara Trustee, Baps Swaminarayan Sanstha. For services to community cohesion and public and charitable Service in the UK

Samah Khalil for services to young people

Ziaul Khan for services to the Community

Nadeem Sadiq Khan Charity Helpline Housing Adviser and Team Leader, Shelter. For services to the homeless during Covid-19.

Haroon Mahmood for services to the community

Aakash Odedra Co-Founder, For services to dance

Ayesha Pakravan-Ovey Founder, The Plattery And Vital Meals. For services to charity and to vulnerable people during Covid-19

Harilal Narandas Patel for services to community cohesion

Khakan Munir Qureshi Senior Independent Living Officer. For services to LGBT equality

Dr Aminur Khosru Rahman for Services to education

Syedur Rahman for services to charity

Azizur Rahman Foods Section Manager, Marks and Spencer. For services to the community

Mohammed Usman Rakq Senior It Assistant, Glasgow Caledonian University. For services to education and to students with hearing impairments

Charandeep Singh Founder, The Sikh Food Bank. For services to charity

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

In a year when so many have made sacrifices to protect our NHS and save people’s lives, the outstanding efforts of those receiving honours today are a welcome reminder of the strength of human spirit, and of what can be achieved through courage and compassion.

The 2021 New Year Honours offer us an opportunity to salute their dedication and recognise many who have gone above and beyond in their contribution to our country.

As we begin a new year and continue to come together to fight this virus, may their service and stories be an inspiration to us all.