Topping the ‘Power 101 Britain’s Most Influential Asians 2015’ list, a British Muslim cabinet minister Sajid Javid was named the most influential Asian in the UK in the list released yesterday.
“I dedicate this honor to my parents for the sacrifices they made so we could have something more,” Javid said at the GG2 Leadership Awards ceremony, The Guardian reported.
Javid, of Indian origin, topped the list of 101 prominent people which includes Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace prize winner, musician Zayn Malik and artist Sir Anish Kapoor.
Described as a “determined young man,” Javid won the same title last year.
After a successful career in banking, has enjoyed a “meteoric rise” since joining the political scene in 2010, according to the GG2 Power 101 list compiled by the Asian Media and Marketing Group (AMG).
UK Prime Minister David Cameron, the chief guest at the ceremony, praised him for leading the way as a role model for other British Asians.
“I am incredibly proud that No. 1 on this power list is Sajid Javid, a brilliant Asian man who I asked to join the cabinet and I know we have a lot to do to encourage true opportunity and diversity in our country but doesn’t it say something that in two generations, you can go from coming to our country with so little to sitting around the Cabinet table?”
“That is the kind of country we are building,” Cameron revealed.
“Let us be clear, there is no place for intolerance in this country…we need to champion role models and if you are on this power list, you have the power to inspire,” he added.
The annual event is an initiative of the Asian Media and Marketing Group, publishers of ‘Garavi Gujarat’ newspaper from where the name ‘GG2’ is formed.
The list included fifteen people aged under 35, including former One Direction band member Zayn Malik; DJ Shahid Khan, known as Naughty Boy; the sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar, who is the daughter of Ravi Shankar and half sister of US singer-songwriter Norah Jones; and Ameet Gill, David Cameron’s director of strategy.
The Labour MP, Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, is placed in the 11th position; AmolRajan, editor of the Independent, was placed 13th; and Radio 4 Today program presenter Mishal Husain was in 16th place.
NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul and son Angad, chairman and CEO of Caparo Group of Industries, curry king Lord Gulam Noon and Deutsche Bank’s Indian-origin CEO Anshu Jain also find their place in the Power 101.
Source: onislam.net
