Salman Rushdie, author of the Booker Prize-winning novel “Midnight’s Children,” leads a list of 40 professionals and community champions of Indian origin to be honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Others named for awards are the 96-year-old monarch’s 70-year reign, including a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for Avnish Mitter Goyal, Chair of Care England, for social care and philanthropy services.
On the occasion of Jubilee Honours to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years of service to the UK, the awards were declared for services to literature. “It’s a privilege to be included in such illustrious company, both past and present,” said the 74-year-old Salman Rushdie, born in Mumbai, he later attended Rugby School and King’s College, Cambridge, where he read history,” notes the citation for Rushdie, author of 14 novels. He’s facing a fatwa by Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini for his controversial novel “The Satanic Verses” over 30 years ago. The Champion of Honour is a special award granted to those who have made a significant contribution to arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period.
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) recognise a large number of British Indians who have contributed to their local community, including Councillors Pranav Bhanot and Ameet Jogia. Professor Indranil Chakravorty of the British Association of Physics of Indian Origin (BAPIO) and orthopaedic surgeon Professor Srimathi Rajagopalan Murali from the health care sector are among those to be conferred with an MBE. In the field of art and literature, Dr Chila Kumari Singh Burman, Sandeep Mahal, Professor Daljit Nagra and Dr Chithra Ramakrishnan are among those to be honoured. A forensic practitioner at Scotland Yard, Varsha Kumari Mistry has been conferred a Medalist of the Order of the British Empire for services to diversity and inclusion in policing and to the Hindu community. In tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, recipients have been awarded for their outstanding contributions across all sectors, but in particular for sustained public service, the environment and sustainability, and youth engagement.