COVER STORY: Indians in U.K.
POWER & INFLUENCE
An A-list is always exciting. More so when you look at those who constantly influence India’s image overseas. These are men and women who are ambassadors of India, leading torch-bearers that determine largely how India is viewed in the eyes of the world, through their actions, achievements and attitude

A recent exercise called GG2 Power 101 by the Garavi Gujarat Publications listing the 101 most influential Asians in the U.K. has come up with a compilation that includes a host of Indian origin political stalwarts, businessmen, bankers, writers among others.

Mr L N Mittal Mr S P Hinduja Mr Keith Vaz

Keith Vaz, the Indian-origin Labour MP, has emerged as Britain’s most influential Asian in the list. It includes the likes of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, the billionaire Hinduja brothers and leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul. 56-year-old Vaz, Labour MP from Leicester East and chairman of the powerful Home Affairs Select Committee has been a parliamentarian for over 25 years. He was among the original modern gang of four ethnic path-breaking politicians, including the late Bernie Grant, Paul Boateng and Dianne Abbott, who made it into the House of Commons in 1987. He has been put in the category of ‘Politics’.

Lord Swraj Paul Mr Salman Rushdie Dr Kartar Lalvani

Indian-origin steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal takes the second position, he is in the category of ‘Industry’.
The billionaire Hinduja Brothers, S P Hinduja and Gopi Hinduja, Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Hinduja Group, come third on the list, while leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul is listed at the 22nd position, included in the category of ‘Business’.

Ms Sayeeda Warsi Mr Anshu Jain Mr Sadiq Khan

Reputed author Salman Rushdie is 24th (Writing) and Dr Kartar Lalvani, founder of Vitabiotics, the market leader in the UK is 30th (Pharmacy) on the list. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Minister of State in the Foreign Office, looking after faith communities within the department for communities and local government is 4th on the list (Politics).

Anshu Jain, Co-CEO of Deutsche Bank is 5th (Banking) on the list while Indian-origin artist Anish Kapoor CBE is 6th (Art). 

Sadiq Khan, Shadow Justice Minister is 7th (Politics) while Lord Navnit Dholakia, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords is 8th (Politics) on the list.

Lord Navnit Dholakia Mr Suma Chakrabarthi

Suma Chakrabarthi, head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is 9th (Public Service) on the list, while Rabinder Singh, the first Sikh High Court Judge in Britain is 10th (Law). Christopher Grayling, MP, Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, Cabinet Office, who was the Chief Guest, released the GG2 Power 101 and presented the GG2 Leadership Awards, 2012, at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, last night.

Ramniklal Solanki, Editor in Chief of GG2 said, “The 101 personalities chosen are high achievers in every sense. I am immensely proud of the Asian community’s contribution to British life and this is proof of the amazing strides that our community has made over the years.”

December 2012


click here to enlarge