Join WhatsApp Channel
The shortlist for the 24th Asian Achievers Awards, the UK’s longest-running celebration of British Asian excellence across multiple fields, has been announced ahead of the awards ceremony on September 18, 2026, at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
According to a statement from the Awards committee, more than 600 guests, including celebrities, business leaders, and global figures, are expected to attend the event. Over the past several editions, the combined net worth of attendees has consistently exceeded £35 billion.
This year, the Awards received more than 500 nominations across all categories, with judges spending the past month selecting the finalists. The award categories include Arts and Culture, Business Person of the Year, Community Service, Entrepreneur of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Media, Professional of the Year, Sports Personality of the Year, and Woman of the Year, the statement noted.
The judging panel was selected to represent a broad cross-section of society, spanning public service, business, entrepreneurship, and the media. This year’s judges include Avnish Goyal CBE, Chairman of Hallmark Care Homes; Caroline Rassell, CEO of Parkinson’s UK; Raj Baddhan, CEO of Lyca Radio; Rajesh Agrawal, Founder and CEO of Fairgrowth Group; Rishini Weeraratne, Editor of The Sun (Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka); and Simon Arora, former CEO of B&M Retail.
According to the statement, this year’s shortlist highlights the breadth of talent across the South Asian community. Nominees include U.S. PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai; Pakistani women’s football player Mariam Mahmood; property developer and entrepreneur Kamal Pankhania; King’s College London President Prof. Shitij Kapur; restaurateurs Des Gunawardena, Karan Gokani, Subodh Joshi, and Sujay Sohani; Mesba Ahmed MBE, CEO of sports charity London Tigers; model Neelam Gill; and human rights advocate Prof. Sunita Toor.
Speaking about this year’s awards, Pratik Dattani, Managing Director of EPG, said: “We received one of the strongest sets of submissions we’ve ever had at this year’s Asian Achievers Awards. Judges looked for examples of leadership, impact, and contribution to the community.”
Referring to Britain’s ongoing economic and social challenges, Dattani added, “Our Awards showcase the very best of what our community has to offer. They showcase inspiration, innovation, and resilience.”
The ceremony will once again be hosted by actor Nitin Ganatra OBE. Indian Asian R&B fusion pioneer Rishi Rich will perform alongside Pakistani classical vocalist Ustad Rafaqat Ali Khan, known for his work in Krrish, Dhokha, and Coke Studio, according to the statement. BBC Man Like Mobeen star Tez Ilyas will also return to perform a stand-up comedy set.
The event’s charity partner is Pardada Pardadi, an organization that works to promote the social and economic empowerment of girls and women in Uttar Pradesh through “education, health and hygiene, community development and economic empowerment.”
Achievement in Art and Culture
- Anjana Vasan, BAFTA award-winning theatre and TV actress
- Neelam Gill, Model
- Nikita Pathakji, Winner, Great British Menu
- Pravesh Kumar MBE, Founder and CEO, Rifco Theatre
- Saurav Dutt, Author
Achievement in Community Service
- Dr. Pam Gosal MBE, Candidate for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Mesba Ahmed MBE, CEO, London Tigers
- Nazim Ali, Charity Fundraiser, Ramadan Runner
- Sujan Katuwal MBE, Founder, Panas Gurkha Restaurant
Achievement in Media
- Tommy Nagra, Former Director of Content, BBC Children in Need
- Aaron Paul, Football Commentator
- Balvinder Singh Sanghera, Founder and CEO, runVT
- Sarita Sabharwal, Presenter, LycaRadio
Achievement in Sports
- Aaron Rai, Golfer, US PGA Championship Winner
- Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Former Medical Director, Arsenal FC
- Mariam Mahmood, Footballer, Pakistan Women’s National Team, Wrexham AFC Women
- Sanjeev Sharma, Owner and Director, Southall Football Club
Business Person of the Year
- Abbas Esufally, Deputy Chairman, Hemas Holdings plc
- Des Gunawardena, Founder, D3 Collective Limited
- Kamal Pankhania, CEO, Westcombe Group
- Priyanjith Weerasooria, Group MD, FINCO Holdings
- Rajiv Batra, Executive Chairman, Batra Group
Entrepreneur of the Year
- Karan Gokani, Co-Founder, Hoppers
- Nilofar Jaques, Founder, Anayah Jewellery
- Rhim Shah, CEO, Arva AI
- Roheel Ahmad, CEO, Forsyth Barnes
- Sanjeet Manek, Founder, Sandea Wholesale
- Subodh Joshi and Sujay Sohani, Co-Founders, Shree Krishna Vada Pav
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Announced on the night
Professional of the Year
- Chaitanya Tatineni, CEO, Curium Biopharma
- Fezaa Sheikh, Partner, Kingsley Wood
- Manthi Wickramasooriya, Partner, Quinn Emanuel
- Prof Shitij Kapur, Vice Chancellor and President, King’s College London
- Rushanka Amrutkar FRAS, Data Governance and Analytics, Environment Agency
Woman of the Year
- Dipna Anand, Chef, Author and Culinary Instructor
- Farzana Baduel, Co-Founder and CEO, Curzon PR
- Prity Somani, Co-Founder and Director, Kara Healthcare
- Prof Sunita Toor, Prof, Human Rights and Gender, University of Sheffield
- Venya Wijegunerwardene, Chief Strategy Officer, Spark Foundry UK
Full details at https://asianachieversawards.com/asian-achievers-awards-2026-shortlist-announced/.
