The UK-India Awards 2026 celebrated the exceptional individuals, institutions and organisations driving one of the world's most dynamic bilateral partnerships. Held as part of the landmark 10th edition of UK India Week, the awards recognised outstanding leadership and enduring contributions across trade, investment, financial services, innovation, healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, social impact and sport.
A defining moment of the evening was the recognition of Hon. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, and the UK-India FTA Negotiating Teams with the Exceptional Leadership in Elevating UK-India Ties award for their pivotal role in delivering the landmark UK-India Free Trade Agreement, a milestone that marks a new era of economic collaboration between the two nations.
The evening also honoured distinguished leaders and organisations whose work has strengthened the UK-India corridor over the past decade:
As UK India Week marked its tenth anniversary, the awards served not only as a celebration of achievements but also as a reaffirmation of the shared ambition, innovation and partnership that continue to define the UK-India relationship. Looking ahead, the UK-India Awards remain a testament to the people and institutions shaping the next chapter of growth, collaboration and global impact.
Grant Thornton
Uday Kotak, Founder & Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank
Wockhardt
British Council
British Asian Trust
Premier League
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
UK-India FTA Negotiating Teams
Piyush Goyal
Lord Karan Bilimoria is the founder of Cobra Beer, a household brand in the UK and one of the most awarded beers in the world.
In 2006, Karan Bilimoria was appointed as the Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, becoming the first-ever Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords. From July 2014 to July 2024, he served as the seventh Chancellor of the University of Birmingham. He served as President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from 2020 to 2022. Since January 2025, Karan has served as Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) UK.
Sir Ian Blatchford was appointed Director & Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group from November 2010 and combined this with the role of Director of the Science Museum from December 2010. Previously Sir Ian was Deputy Director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, after having joined as Director of Finance & Resources.
Sir Ian has been President of the Royal Literary Fund since November 2020. Sir Ian was Chairman of the National Museum Director’s Council (2017-2021). He was Chairman of the Governors of De Montfort University (2011 – 2018). He was awarded a Knighthood in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to Cultural Education.
Sir Ian is the author of The Art of Innovation from Enlightenment to Dark Matter with co-author Dr Tilly Blyth and co-presented the accompanying BBC Radio 4 series.
Dame Patricia Hewitt was the first recipient of India Inc’s Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting her now half-century of connection with India and the British Indian and East African diaspora communities. In 1997 she became the first woman MP in Leicester - her late husband’s birthplace and the UK’s first majority-minority city. As MP for Leicester West and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (2001-2005), Patricia made India her top international priority and served as chair of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) from 2008 to 2016. She is now chair of the international advisory board for the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (OICSD) at Somerville College, Oxford.
Lord Gadhia is a British Indian investment banker and businessman and has been a Member of the House of Lords since September 2016. He was previously Senior Managing Director at Blackstone based in London and has over 25 years' financial services experience, having also held senior positions at Barclays Capital, ABN AMRO and Baring Brothers.
He currently serves on the boards of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, Taylor Wimpey plc, Compare The Market Limited and the Court of the Bank of England. He was previously a board member of UK Financial Investments Limited (UKFI) and UK Government Investments Limited (UKGI), the centre of excellence for corporate finance and corporate governance for the UK Government, between 2014-2022.
Lord Gadhia is a member of the UK-India CEO Forum, having been appointed by the Prime Minister. He graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in economics and attended the London Business School as a Sloan Fellow. He has also served as a Trustee of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity and of Nesta.
Priti has served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs for His Majesty’s Official Opposition and the Conservative and Unionist Party in the United Kingdom since November 2024. She is one of the most high-profile figures in UK politics having held senior roles in Government with responsibilities including security and counter-terrorism measures, immigration, law and order, finance and employment. Her positions in Government include Secretary of State for Home Affairs (2019-2022), Secretary of State for International Development (2016-17), Minister of State for Employment (2015-16) and Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (2014-15), as well as being the first ever UK-India Diaspora Champion.
Priti has a longstanding interest in foreign affairs, security and defence matters and through her roles in Government has worked with international partners to coordinate operations between security and intelligence services. Priti also increased investment in the UK’s counter terrorism services and coordinated with international partners to combat terrorist threats, as well as tackling organised crime that crosses borders. In Government, she introduced new laws to prosecute criminals, reform immigration controls, and to combat malign threats posed by foreign agents through the National Security Bill, which put in place new measures to prevent foreign interference in our democracy and makes it harder for foreign states to conduct espionage, sabotage and assassination in the UK. Priti was a leading figure in the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, working to support those displaced by the invasion and to introduce sanctions on Russia.
Priti also pioneered reforms to the delivery and accountability of overseas development assistance to improve its effectiveness, value for money and integration with wider strategic objectives. She also introduced a range of domestic measures to increase police numbers to record levels and new laws to protect women and girls from domestic abuse and sexual violence.
The Right Honourable the Baroness Usha Prashar of Runnymede, CBE, PC, is an independent member of the House of Lords. She was appointed in 1999.
She has led and chaired a number of public and voluntary organisations with distinction. She has also served as non-executive director of private sector organisations.
In the House of Lords she has served on several Select Committees and Chaired the EU Justice Sub Committee. Currently she serves on the Justice and Home Affairs Select Committee.
Her expertise is criminal justice, constitutional issues, international relations, education and social and public policy.
The organisations she has led as Chief Executive or chaired include: Runnymede Trust, National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Parole Board, Civil Service Commission, Judicial Appointments Commission, National Literacy Trust, Royal Commonwealth Society among others.There is no selected code to improve.
For six years she was Deputy Chair of British Council and steered the UK/ India year of culture.
She also served as a member of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice and the Iraq (Chilcot)Inquiry.
Until recently she was Chair of Cumberland Lodge, an educational charity, trustee of Beacon Collaborative, Nationwide Foundation and inaugural Chair of UK Council of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Currently she is member of Advisory Board of IE University in Spain, Chair of Inclusive Histories Project's Advisory Group and Humanities Advisory Board of Royal Holloway University. She is an Advisor to Nationwide and Sky.
Sima Ganwani Ved is the Founder and Chairwoman of the renowned Apparel Group. The multi-billion-dollar company based in the UAE has firmly established itself as one of the largest retailers in the Middle East with an impressive portfolio of 85+ prestigious brands across 2,100+ stores in 14 countries, supported by a dedicated workforce of over 20,000 employees. Over the years, Sima Ganwani Ved’s achievements garnered numerous professional and personal awards and accolades including The Philantropreneur of the Year, Retailer of the Year, Great Place to Work, Great Women’s Award and Emirates Woman of the Year Awards.
Sima Ganwani Ved, born in Africa, embarked on a remarkable journey that would shape her into the successful entrepreneur she is today. In the 1970s, she relocated to Dubai alongside her self-made entrepreneur father, immersing herself in a world of ambition and opportunity. She later moved to the UK to pursue her education, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree from King’s College London, followed by an MBA in Business Management. At the age of 20, Sima Ganwani Ved made her foray into the business world as a Department Manager in her father’s shopping mall. This experience laid a solid foundation for her work ethic and reinforced her commitment to sound business principles.
In addition to her remarkable achievements in the business world, Sima Ganwani Ved is also an active member of various global organizations such as YPO and CEO. Sima Ganwani Ved’s compassionate nature extends beyond her professional pursuits and that led her to mentor her teenage daughter, Sarisha Ved to launch her own Athleisure brand, F5 Global where 100% of the profits from the “Fees for Tees” collection go towards children’s education. Simultaneously, Sima Ganwani Ved also mentored her eldest daughter, Selina Ved, to establish NESSA, a social e-commerce beauty platform.
Sima Ganwani Ved’s persona is a blend of diverse talents. In the early 2000s, she expressed her creative side by writing a newspaper column and dabbling in play acting, receiving accolades for both. She also hosted “Hi Tea with Sima Ved” on Star Plus International, showcasing her versatility.
Sima Ganwani Ved, with her entrepreneurial spirit, philanthropic heart, and creative flair, continues to be a beacon of inspiration in the business world. Her story is not just of business success but of a person's holistic growth in various facets of life, making her an exemplary figure in the international business community.
