Indian-origin 'unsung heroes' on King Charles’ 2025 New Year Honours List

2025 New Year Honours List recognizes diverse professionals for outstanding contributions across various sectors in the UK.

Community leaders, campaigners, academics, and medics are among over 30 Indian-origin professionals to be recognised in King Charles’ 2025 New Year Honours List released in London on Friday (December 27, 2024) night.

Ranil Malcolm Jayawardena, a Conservative member of Parliament of Sri Lankan and Indian heritage, has been conferred a Knighthood for political and public service along with recently resigned England men's football team manager Gareth Southgate, for services to the game.

More than 1,200 recipients are named on the 2025 honours list across all sectors, with particular commendation to role models in sport, healthcare, academia and voluntary service.

“Every day, ordinary people go out and do extraordinary things for their communities,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

“They represent the very best of the UK and that core value of service which I put at the centre of everything this government does. The New Year Honours List celebrates more of these unsung heroes, and I thank them for their incredible contribution,” he said.

The list, released annually by the Cabinet Office in the name of the British monarch, includes Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBEs) for Satwant Kaur Deol for services to further education, Charles Pritam Singh Dhanowa OBE for services to Competition Law, and surgeon Professor Sneh Khemka for services to healthcare, science and innovation and technology.

Others of Indian heritage receiving CBEs include Leena Nair, Global Chief Executive Officer of Chanel, for services to the retail and consumer sector; Mayank Prakash, President of the British Computing Society, for services to the advancement of technology professionals; and Purnima Murthy Tanuku OBE, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, for services to early years education.