The venue was decked, red carpet laid out and the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane welcomed the 9th annual Asian Awards 2019.
Yet again, this year’s event was also hosted by the ace comedian and actor, Sanjeev Bhaskar.
Talking about hosting the ceremony, Sanjeev said:
“It was great. The Asian Awards are special because it celebrates people across diverse achievements from philanthropy to science.
Plus, it’s brilliant that these awards are pan-Asian.”
100 Years of Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre: Paying a Tribute to the Survivors
The awards commemorated the victims of the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre with the highest honour, The Founders Award.
Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, was a pivotal moment in India’s history and marks its 100th year anniversary on 13th April 2019.
The massacre was a key event which led to the eventual independence of India. The centenary anniversary on 13th April 2019 will mark a special day for India, a date which changed the course of the country’s history.
Paul Sagoo, the founder of The Asian Awards spoke about this crucial segment.
“The Jallianwalla Bagh massacre was an event which shaped the course of India’s history and remains one of the most pivotal moments for the country.
An atrocious act which saw 379 unarmed demonstrators killed and over a thousand injured, it influenced the mindset of Indian nationals towards the British rule and not forgetting, stirred the emotions of one of India’s greatest leaders, Mahatma Gandhi.
We have consulted with key historians in our research in what is probably the most important moment in Indian history.
We are honoured to observe the 100th anniversary of the Amritsar massacre at next year’s awards, and remember those who lost their lives by commemorating them with our highest honour, The Founders Award.”
Jay Shetty Wins ‘Outstanding Achievement Online’ Award
The splendorous evening commenced with a few British Asian personalities and rising stars walking the red carpet.
As such, it was an event that oozed of glamour and a few celebrity appearances, it welcomed a gathering of numerous guests with names such as:
- Star Trek actor Dominic Keating
- TV personality Lizzie Cundy
- Bollywood actress Lisa Haydon
- Doctor, TV Presenter Ranj Singh
- Punjabi music sensation Juggy D
- Former Bigg Boss contestant Sophia Hayat
- Big Brother runner-up Deana Uppal
- Eastenders actor Nitin Ganatra
- Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha, to name a few.
One of the key winners of the night was online viral sensation Jay Shetty, who received the first ‘Outstanding Achievement Online’ award for his incredible work in creating online content which focuses on wisdom, knowledge and peace.
The online star has featured in Forbes, Vogue and Huffington Post and incredibly has over 4 billion views worldwide.
He most recently featured on The Ellen Show, America’s highest-rated daytime TV show, hosted by the multi-award winning Ellen DeGeneres and was recently interviewed by British comedian and actor Russell Brand.
Sharing a few words on his triumph, Jay tells Filme Shilmy:
“I had no idea that I’d ever achieve this award because I just set out to help people find their passion, live their purpose and help them with mental health.
For me, I’m grateful to everyone who has liked, shared and commented on my videos because they are the ones who deserve this award.”
Here is the full list of winners:
Philanthropist of the Year
Arjun Waney OBE
Outstanding Achievement in Television
Nitin Ganatra
Outstanding Achievement in Science
Professor Jim Al-Khalili OBE
Business Leader Of The Year
Anand Verman
Outstanding Achievement in Music
Nitin Sawhney
Prestigious Founders Award
Joginder Singh (nephew of Bhagat Singh)
Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Culture
Alan Yau OBE
Rising Star
Singing sensation Rika
Outstanding Achievement in Sport
Mushtaq Ahmed
Outstanding Achievement Online
Jay Shetty
Social Entrepreneur of The Year
Tawakkol Karma (Nobel Prize Winner)
Outstanding Contribution to the Community
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Overall, The Asian Awards was yet another sparkling success.
Hats off to Paul Sagoo and team for their constant endeavour to honour Asians from all paths of life.
Also, heartiest congratulations to all the winners!
