Indian-Origin Professionals Among Top Honorees in 2025 New Year Honours List
The 2025 New Year Honours List, announced by King Charles, honors over 30 professionals of Indian origin for their remarkable contributions to British society in fields such as healthcare, education, academia, sports, and public service. One of the distinguished honorees is Ranil Malcolm Jayawardena, a Conservative MP of Sri Lankan and Indian heritage. He has been knighted for his outstanding contributions to politics and public service.
Among the notable individuals awarded Knighthoods are Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, and former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street. Additionally, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the recipients for their selfless contributions to their communities, acknowledging that the New Year Honours List celebrates those who embody the values of service and dedication.
Several Indian-origin professionals were awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), including Satwant Kaur Deol for her work in education, Leena Nair, Global CEO of Chanel, for her services to retail, and Mayank Prakash for advancing technology. Other prominent figures include Purnima Murthy Tanuku, CEO of the National Day Nurseries Association, and Professor Nandini Das from Oxford University.
The list also includes awardees of the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), such as Professor Sanjay Arya, Jasmine Dotiwala, and Monica Kohli. The prestigious Companion of Honour was awarded to Nobel Prize-winning author Sir Kazuo Ishiguro for his literary contributions, while Stephen Fry was knighted for his work in mental health awareness.
The Cabinet Office highlighted that 54 percent of this year’s awardees have made remarkable contributions to their communities, with 12 percent coming from ethnic minority backgrounds.
