NRI entrepreneurs win Asians of the year awards

PTI / Nov 21, 2006, 11:42 IST

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NRI entrepreneurs Moni Varma, founder of the Veetee brand basmati rice and Rami Ranger, founder-chairman of Sun Oil Ltd have won the Asian of the year and Asian Leadership in Europe Awards for 2006 respectively.

NRI entrepreneurs win Asians of the year awards

LONDON: NRI entrepreneurs Moni Varma, founder of the Veetee brand basmati rice and Rami Ranger, founder-chairman of Sun Oil Ltd have won the Asian of the year and Asian Leadership in Europe Awards for 2006 respectively.
Cherie Blair, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife, received the Asian Charity of the Year Award on behalf of the Loomba Trust, of which she is the President at a glittering ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel at Park Lane here on Monday night.
Tarique Ghaffur, CEE, Assistant Commissioner, the highest-ranking NRI police officer in the Metropolitan Police Service bagged the Asian Leadership in Diversity Award.
The 19th Edition of Asian Who's Who International brought out by its Managing Editor J S Sachar was also released at the function attended by Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius, Rama Sithanen, President of the Hinduja Group, G P Hinduja, MP, Keith Vaz and Lord Navnit Dholakia, Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.

Previous recipients of the Asians of the Year Award include Lord Swraj Paul, Keith Vas, Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Cricketer-turned-politician of Pakistan Imran Khan, Sir Gulam K Noon, founder of the Noon Products, Raj Loomba, Lord Navnit Dholakia, G S Gujral, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Kartar Lalvani, Ramola Bachchan and Surina Narula.
Sachar, who brought out the first Edition of Asian Who's Who, a veritable bible for the Asian community in the UK 31 years ago recounted the trials and tribulations the community had gone through during the last three decades and said "today the community has made a mark in all walks of life through its contribution to the economic prosperity of the country."

Receiving the award, 57-year-old Moni Varma, who had his early education in Ludhiana before moving to Malawi and the UK said he was "humbled" because it was a recognition of his hard work by the community.
Having run a successful steel business in Malawi, Moni moved to the UK and in 1985 set up a rice milling and packing business in the UK.
Since then he has established milling facilities in India and Pakistan and his group currently exports rice to about 50 countries from his five factories around the world.
In the case of Rami Ranger, MBE, it was literally a case of rags of riches.
An emotionally moved Ranger told the packed gathering that he would like to dedicate the award to his late mother, "who instilled the right values in me despite hardships she had to face."
He also thanked India for its democratic values which he said makes Indians to integrate anywhere easily and quickly.
He was born two months after his father Shaheed Nanak Singh, a prominent leader of West Punjab (now in Pakistan) was assassinated by religious fanatics when trying to save 600 students of DAV College, Multan, who were taking part in a procession against the partition of India.
The students were saved though Rami lost his father. His mother arrived in India, penniless, having lost her country, her ancestral home and the bread-winner of the family.
Rami came to the UK in 1971 to join his brother who was already here in Croydon.
Starting as a chef in a fast food chain, Rami later moved to an electrical retail chain before starting his first Company, Sea Air and Land Forwarding with a capital of 2,000 pounds from a shed in Hayes in 1987.
In 1999 he received the highest Award from The Queen - The Queens Award for Export Achievement.
In 1997 he launched his marketing Company - Sun Oil Ltd and started to represent British blue chip companies like Unilever, Cadburys, Nestle, Mcvities and Weetabix.
Subsequently he launched products - mostly non-alcoholic drinks - under his own brands: Laser, Pure Heaven, Golden Country, Royalty, English Breeze and Comfi which are sold in 47 countries. His business is currently spread in Germany, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Malta, Cyprus and Ireland. He was made a Member of the British Empire for his services to British Business and the Asian community in 2005.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Loomba Trust, Cherie Blair said the Trust, since its inception nine years ago, had made a difference in the lives of thousands of children of widows in India.
Recently the Trust has expanded its activity in South Africa as well. She also thanked Raj Loomba and his wife Veena for expanding the work of the Trust.
Tarique Ghaffur said he was lost for words as the award by the community meant a lot to him and the entire police force.

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