GG2 Leadership Awards 2011 winners with Taru Sugandha Dhir in London.mov

THE GG2 Leadership Awards organised by the Asian Media & Marketing Group (AMG) at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge on November 23 recognised ten very special people for the their achievements in various fields.

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg was the chief guest. The GG2/EE Power 101 was launched by Clegg and Ramniklal Solanki CBE, the editor in chief of AMG, the hosts of the awards and publishers of GG2 and EE.

It was a celebration of the best of ethnic Britain and an opportunity to hear Nick Clegg speak about the challenges of leading the country.

Kalpesh Solanki, AMG managing editor made a keynote speech calling upon companies to recognise and promote Asian talent.

Guests enjoyed a sumptuous dinner and comedian Shazia Mirza entertained the audience before the awards for underway.

GG2 Hammer Award, given to a person who has been a pioneer was handed over to Lord Navnit Dholakia with a 40-year plus political career. He is currently the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. Lord Dholakia is one of the most senior Asian politicians in Britain.

Darra Singh took the GG2 Man of the year award. He is one of Britain's top civil servants, and one of three of the country's non-white permanent secretaries. He is also the chief executive of the Jobcentre Plus, the government agency charged with getting people back to work.

Nina Wadia was given the GG2 Woman of the Year award. She is one of the nation's top stars playing moody Zainab in Eastenders She played a wedding guest in Bend It Like Beckham. Wadia has also made her presence felt in Bollywood by starring alongside Rishi Kapoor as his wife in Namaste London. She has also released a movie this year called Four, produced by her own production company.

Sgt Dip Pun was given the GG2 Pride of Britain Award for his bravery. Defending a sentry post, he fought of a ferocious dozen-strong Taliban attack in Afghanistan. He managed to stop the insurgents from overrunning a base and killing his comrades behind him.

Tariq Jahan was handed over the GG2 Spirit of the Community Award for calming the community in the wake of the riots by his powerful oratory. He managed to do so while still grieving the loss of his 21-year-old son, victim of the violence in August.

Blind Sana Viner was presented with the GG2 Achievement through Adversity Award. Despite her disability, she competed to get a training contract like any other graduate and was taken on by Wragge & Co., a prestigious international law firm. She is currently based in Birmingham and has outshone many of her sighted colleagues with just a few adjustments and a pen for her guide dog.

Dr Diwan Nanda, an Indian-born entrepreneur who runs a company called Topsgrup was presented the GG2 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He is the global chairman of Topsgrup, which has its headquarters here in London.

Atul Pathak, who runs 20 successful McDonald's franchises was presented with the GG2 Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He employs 1,500 people who see him as an inspiration.

The GG2 Young Journalist of the Year Award given to Nazia Parveen, senior reporter at the Lancashire Telegraph. She has formidable skills as a journalist and has demonstrated the ability to cultivate and develop contacts to produce original stories. Many of her stories have been followed up by the nationals.

Nishma Gosrani took the GG2 Diversity Champion Award. She works as a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers where her clients include blue chip banks and businesses. She is described as 'remarkable', 'strikingly ambitious' and 'a high flyer to watch' by business and political leaders. Gosrani has also featured in the Movers and Shakers' Survey as one of Britain's most influential young women.

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