Leading Indian businessman Sir Gulam Noon, whose 'curry' empire is worth around 55 million pounds, has been named among 100 most influential Muslims in Britain.
LONDON: Leading Indian businessman Sir Gulam Noon, whose 'curry' empire is worth around 55 million pounds, has been named among 100 most influential Muslims in Britain.
The 'Power list' includes lords, lawyers, authors, sporting icons, pre-eminent academics as also giants of industry who have made "significant contribution to the social, cultural and economic well being" of Britain.
Cricketer-turned politician of Pakistan Imran Khan, Labour peer Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn and actor Art Malik, along with boxer Amir Khan, singer Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, Harrods boss Mohamed al Fayed and Irene Khan- head of Amnesty International are among those included in the list.
Sir Noon is Chairman and Managing Director of Noon Products Ltd, specialists in chilled and frozen ready-to-eat meals, and the man credited with bringing authentic Indian foods to British supermarkets.
He was honoured with Member of British Empire (MBE) in 1996 and a Knighthood in 2002.
The list, compiled by Power 100 website and sponsored by the Islamic Bank of Britain (IBB) was compiled from some 6,000 nominations, and judged by a 16-strong panel including Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Lord Bhatia and Gayasuddin Siddique of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain.
A spokesman for the IBB, Sultan Choudhury, said "We wanted to highlight the positive contributions made by British Muslims to society - contributions that are in complete contrast with media connotations that somehow Muslims are linked to terrorism, are not as educated, or are segregating themselves. The opposite is true - we are integrating and contributing across a wide range of fields,"
Choudhury said the Muslim community contributes more than 31 billion pounds to UK's economy. All those who figure in the list were honoured at a function last evening.
Excellence awards were also given to nine guests including Hany El Banna, founder of Islamic Relief, and Haifa Fahoum Al Kaylani, chair of the Arab International Women's Forum.
Lord Patel, Britain's first Asian peer, said he was 'absolutely delighted' to be included in the Power 100, which he said "can only help improve perceptions of Muslims in Britain."
Journalist Rageh Omaah, also on the list, said "Anything that helps to remind people that there's a mainstream British Muslim community that has no problem being proud to be British and Muslim is a good thing."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}