Redhotcurry.com, a lifestyle portal for UK Asians developed by Mrs Lopa Patel, was voted the Outstanding Champion for the Internet & Technology section at this year's Windrush Achievement Awards 2003. Well-known campaigner Doreen Lawrence and broadcaster George Alagiah were voted popular Windrush Fellows, the highest accolade awarded by the 35 national judges in this year's event, with Rageh Omaar voted Newsmaker of the Year, marginally beating off RIMA 2003 winner Ms Dynamite.

The winners were announced at the 5th Annual WINDRUSH 2003 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS, a black tie event at the Intercontinental on Saturday 21 June. The unique Awards recognise the vast wealth of talent among African Caribbean, Asian & Oriental communities (while paying enough respect to White partners assisting their progress). Outstanding Merit Profile was won by Krishnan Guru Murthy of ITN. The positive print award went to the Observer, which narrowly beat the Guardian, winner of the past two years, while the Windrush Partnership Award for enhancing minority contribution through positive initiatives went to London Weekend Television.

Known as the People's Award for members of minority communities, and supported this year by Rudolph Walker, Gary Beadle, Cathy Tyson and the compere Felix Dexter, the event is deliberately low on celebrity and high on talent, hard work and achievements, as demonstrated by some remarkable winners. Patrick Vernon was the only double winner (Community Service, and Professional Achievement categories); Pirthipal Singh Kang won a Trophy for the Uniformed Services and a Certificate for professional Achievement and Lopa Patel (Redhotcurry.com) was an outstanding Windrush Champion for the Internet and Technology Section. Lopa said her win "I am absolutely thrilled to have won the Windrush Award. It is recognises the important role that the UK's 2.3 million South Asians play in the wealth, stability and culture of modern Britain and, more importantly, how technology can be used to unite this ethnic community".

Other Asian winners included Ms Divya Mathur, Programme Officer at The Nehru Centre in London who won the Arts Achiever of the Year and Professor Alimuddin Zumla who won the Professional Achievement Category. In her welcoming speech, Founder, Elaine Sihera, whose business celebrates 10 years this year of impacting on diversity management in the UK, spoke on the theme of achievement when she said, "Achievement comes in all shapes and forms. Yet the greatest obstacles to achieving are a lack of self belief, living in the past and a desire to be perfect."

She later added that "It was a wonderful, uplifting night, particularly for minorities who feel under-recognised by the mainstream, with a great atmosphere and many moving moments."

Sponsors of the evening were the Teacher Training Agency, the Department for Transport who were main sponsors; ACAS, decibel of the Arts council, England and Black Britain Online.

The Windrush Awards were launched in 1999, inspired by the BBC's special celebration of the arrival of the ship Empire Windrush and the first West Indian immigrants to Britain. These annual awards celebrate the legacy of those first pioneers. The final categories are as listed below.

FULL AWARDS WINNERS CATEGORIES

1. COMMUNITY SERVICE Champion

2. EDUCATION Champion Sponsored by the Teacher Training Agency

4. UNIFORM SERVICE Champion

5. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Champion Sponsored by the Department for Transport

6. SMALL BUSINESS PROPRIETOR of the Year Sponsored by ACAS

7. INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR Sponsored by Black Britain Online

10. POSITIVE MEDIA/PRINT Achiever of the Year Sponsored by the New IMPACT

11. ARTS ACHIEVER of the Year Sponsored by Decibel, The Arts Council

12. NEWSMAKER of the Year

13. OUTSTANDING PUBLIC PROFILE Award

14. WINDRUSH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARDS

15. The Windrush FELLOWSHIP Awards

Click here to read the full winners list.
Click here to visit the Windrush Website.

Top