By ANISAH ARIF
The New Years Honour List for 2019 has been revealed and a large number of members from the South Asian community have made the cut.
The New Year’s Honours List recognises the services and achievements of people across the UK including those contributions of those who work in the education and children’s services sectors including head teachers, governors, teachers, social workers, foster carers, school governors, and those who work in adoption and early years.
The list of honours is published twice a year – the New Year Honours and the Birthday Honours in June. The ceremonies to present the award are held throughout the year and are called investitures. There are around 25 investitures every year, with 50 recipients receiving awards at each ceremony either held at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.
This year, Mustafa Suleyman is awarded a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for his services to the UK technology industry.
A left-leaning activist, Mustafa is a 33-year-old entrepreneur and the co-founder of the artificial intelligence lab DeepMind.
The company, which specialises in machine learning, advanced algorithms and systems neuroscience, was sold to Google in 2014 for £400 million.
Dozens of emergency service workers have also been recognised in the list that highlights extraordinary response to major terrorist incidents in London and Manchester, with a total of 43 awards.
They include an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for Dr Malik Ramadhan, the head of A&E at the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel, who operated through the night on 12 victims of the London Bridge attack.
Over in Leeds, Saleem Tariq was awarded OBE for his services to Children social care. As a deputy director of Children and Families for Leeds City Council, Saleem puts children and young people at the heart of everything.
He said: “Leeds’ Children’s services have been on an improvement journey since 2009. I have been privileged to play my part in driving forward these improvements.
“Being awarded an OBE is a personal honour and makes me very proud. However, it is also a recognition of the work that staff in the council and its partners have undertaken to improve outcomes for children. There is still much to do and I will continue to play my part for children and families in Leeds and elsewhere.”
Here in Bradford, Ruby Khalid Bhatti also received an OBE for her services to Young People and to Housing.
A woman named Caroline Schofield was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award for services to the education and to the community in northern Pakistan.
Nasar Mahmood, chairperson of the British Muslim Heritage Centre, was recognised for his services to community relations in Manchester.
Aamer Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal, was recognised for his services to Muslim community development.
Jamshaid Ahmad, a London immigration officer, was awarded a Member of the British Empire award for his services to law and order.
Fateha Ahmed was awarded for services to diverse communities in Wales.
Riaz Alidina, the head of financial institutions and business risk at Lloyds Banking Group was awarded for services to small business banking.
Tariq Mahmood Dar was awarded for his services to charity and to the community in Brent, London, while Zuffar Iqbal Haq was awarded for public and political service.
Mohammad Muaaz Khan, founder of Eid Unwrapped and convener of the Public Service Youth Foundation, was awarded for services to young people, whereas Mufti Halal Mahmood received his MBE for services to community cohesion in Oldham.
There were some who were awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) like Faeeza Vaid, The Executive director of Muslim Women’s Network UK. For her services to Women’s Rights. (Birmingham, West Midlands)
Faeeza Vaid, from Birmingham, helped set up the Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWN) helpline four years ago.
It has helped more than 1,700 women escape from problems including forced marriage and honour-based violence.
Ms Vaid said more bespoke services for marginalised communities were needed.
“I call myself a Muslim feminist,” Ms Vaid said. “My faith tells me I need to stand for equality and justice.
“I see it as my life’s work to speak for those who may not have a voice.”
Ms Vaid, 34, joined MWN in 2008 and became the charity’s executive director in 2011
Others awarded an OBE from the Asian community involved:
Farooq Ur Rehman Chaudhry- For services to Dance and Dance Production,
Abyd Karmali- Managing director of Climate Finance, Bank of America Merrill Lynch- For services to International Climate Change and to Sustainable Finance,
Nasar Mahmood. Chairman, British Muslim Heritage Centre- For services to Community Relations in Manchester.
Mohamed Hassan Yousef Mahmoud, Imam, London- For services to the community in London.
Dr Vijaykumar Chhotabhai Kalidas Patel, Chief executive Officer, Waymade Pharmaceuticals – For services to Business and to Philanthropy.
Dr Malik Jonathan Ramadhan, Consultant and Divisional director in Emergency Care, Barts Health NHS Trust- For services to Healthcare. (London)
Sukhjeev Sandhu, Founder and chief executive officer, Audeliss and Involve – For services to Diversity in Business. (London)
Other MBE awards went to:
Amali Chivanthi De Alwis. Chief executive officer, Code First: Girls. For services to Women in Technology. (London)
Saeed Atcha. For services to Young People and to the community in Greater Manchester. (Bolton, Greater Manchester)
Rajinder Singh Bajwe. For services to the Hospitality Industry and to charity in Glasgow. (Dunbartonshire)
Sujata Banerjee. For services to Dance. (London)
Paramdeep Singh Bhatia. For voluntary service to Minority Communities. (Truro, Cornwall)
Abul Kalam Azad Choudhury. Founder, Azad Choudhury Academy and Welfare Trust. For services to Education in Bangladesh. (Birmingham, West Midlands)
Gopal Krishan Gupta. Founder and Solicitor, Gupta and Partners, and Founder, Gupta Group. For services to British Business and to Philanthropy. (Moor Park, Hertfordshire)
Zuffar Iqbal Haq. For public and political service. (Oadby, Leicestershire)
Monojaha Polly Islam. For services to charity and to the UK Bangladeshi community. (Bedfordshire)
Nisha Sujata Katona. Founder and director, Mowgli Street Food Group Ltd. For services to the Food Industry. (Wirral, Merseyside)
Mandeep Kaur. Sikh Chaplain to the Armed Forces. For services to Armed Forces Personnel and to the Sikh community. (Birmingham, West Midlands)
Mufti Helal Mahmood. For services to Community Cohesion in Oldham. (Oldham, Greater Manchester)
Ishver Patel. For services to charity in the UK and Abroad. (Wellingborough, Northamptonshire)
Pinakin Ishvarlal Patel. Prevent Co-ordinator and Chair, London Prevent Network. For services to Community Cohesion and to Preventing Radicalisation. (Wisbech, Cambridgeshire)
Pratap Pawar. Dancer and Choreographer. For services to Dance Culture and Community Cohesion. (Osterley, Middlesex)
Mohammed Ridwan Ahmed Rafique. Diversity and Inclusion manager, Immigration Enforcement, Home Office. For services to the Promotion of Inclusion in the Home Office and to the community in Sandwell. (West Midlands)
Farshid Raoufi. Station Commander, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Equality and Inclusion. (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire)
Mamun Ur-Rashid. For services to Business and to the community in Govan Glasgow. (Glasgow)