In May, Pukaar Group was honoured to launch its annual Ethnic Media Awards at London’s prestigious House of Lords, and to be hosted by Lord Mohamed Shiekh.
The event took place on May 20 at the venue’s stunning Cholmondeley Room and Terrace. It was designed to celebrate inspiring ethnic individuals across the UK who are making great strides in their chosen field – the world of Media.
It was attended by a wealth of successful individuals from within the industry, with six given special awards for their ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Media’.
They were named as; Rajiv Popat, Rajinder Baddhan, Priti Raichura, Nimesh Joshi, Balvinder Sidhu and Anushka Arora.
Four inspiring individuals were also honoured with special ‘Lifetime Achievement Awards’, for the massive contributions they have made during the length of their careers.
These were; Sameena Ali-Khan, Carol Hinds, Kamlesh Purohit and Herdle White.
Ms Ali-Khan, who has been a familiar face on ITV Central News since 2005, used her acceptance speech to thank her parents, and to encourage young people to take up a career in journalism.
“We’ve paved the way, so there is no stopping you”, she told guests on the night.
“We did face racism, we did face opportunities that we felt we could have had, but didn’t get to take.
“You now have those opportunities that we had to fight for, so please take them, enjoy them and make them your own”.
The atmosphere at the House of Lords was one of triumph and joyous celebration, with BBC Radio Leicester’s Jo Hayward acting as Master of Ceremonies, ensuring that spirits were high and that proceedings ran smoothly.
Special guests included Rob Nixon, Acting Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, Nishan Canagarajah, Vice Chancellor of the University of Leicester, and Natalie Elphicke MP, who all presented awards on the night.
Speaking at the event, Lord Mohamed Sheikh praised the Ethnic Media Awards and hailed them “a great platform for recognising talented individuals who continue to work hard, and shine within their chosen fields”.
“My respect and sincere congratulations go out to all the winners and everyone involved in the setting up of these awards”, he added.
“The winners and nominees of these awards are being recognised and I hope they will be encouraged to progress further in their chosen fields”.
Nominations are currently being sought for the first Ethnic Media Awards, which will take place in the Spring of 2023.
To find out more, visit: www.ethnicmediaawards.com
