UK's Power Girls

Founded in 1999 by Pinky Lilani OBE and Munir Samji, the Asian Women of Achievement Awards applaud and celebrate the commitment, dedication and determination of Asian women in the UK and from all walks of life. Now in its ninth year, the awards have grown in significance and have become crucial in raising public awareness of the achievements of Asian women in the commercial, professional, artistic and humanitarian sectors.

The nomination process for the AWA Awards is now closed and a total of 44 Asian women have been short-listed.



The awards are in eight categories and the nominations are:

Professional of the Year
This award reognizes women who have trained and qualified in their chosen professional practice, setting an example to other women.
Nominees:
Gauri Advani - Lawyer
Amrita Ahluwalia - Professor of Vascular Pharmacology 
Afshan Ahmed - Author
Sue Ashtiany - Lawyer
Sharmila Mehta - Lawyer
Nina Salooja - Haematology Consultant

Young Achiever of the Year
This award recognizes inspirational women under the age of 30.
Nominees:
Aliye Ninon Cornish - Musician
Nishma Gosrani - Banking
Rachel Liew - Recruitment
Snigdha Singh - Trader
Nikita Thakrar - Dancer

Arts and Culture Award
This award recognizes women in the fields of performing arts, management of arts and creative writing.
Nominees:
Shobana Jeyasingh - Choreographer
Wasfi Kani OBE - Musician
Janet Steel - Theatre Director
Stella Subbiah - Dancer/ Choreographer
Manjinder Virk - Actress
Nina Wadia - Actrees/ Comedienne

The Public Sector Award
This award celebrates women who have achieved success within senior executive and non-executive roles in the civil service, quangos, universities and national institutions.
Nominees:
Professor Soraya Dhillon - Professor at the University of Hertfordshire
Mumtaz Kassam - Lawyer
Nargis Khan - Labour councillor for the borough of Hackney in London
Asha Khemka - Principal of West Nottinghamshire College (WNC)
Sabeena Qureshi - Anaesthetics and paediatric consultant

The Social & Humanitarian Award
This award recognizes women involved in social and humanitarian work.
Nominees:
Abida Iqbal - Head of Southwark Muslim Women’s Association
Rajinder Mann - Black Leadership Initiative
Mehri Niknam MBE - Joseph Interfaith Foundation
Parveen Sheikh - Patient Partnerships Groups
Bala Thakrar - Asian Foundation for Philanthrophy

Business Woman of the Year - Corporate
This award recognizes Asian women in public and privately owned companies who are making a significant contribution to the success of their organisation.
Nominees:
Julie Chakraverty - Global head of fixed income analytics at global investment bank UBS
Naeema Choudry - Partner at law firm Eversheds
Ruby McGregor-Smith - Chief executive of business services group MITIE
Fiona Owen - Partner at Grant Thornton
Sayeda Rafiq - Bank of Ireland

Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
This award recognizes women for successfully setting up and running her own business.
Nominees:
Hasfa Abubacker - Pitch TV
Nahid de Belgeonne - Power Plate Fitness Studio
Dr Rabinder Buttar - ClinTec
Imtaz Khaliq - Bespoke Tailor
Pally Pagliuca - Benito Brow Bar
 
Media Professional of the Year Award
This award recognizes women working in the areas of broadcast, print or electronic media.
Nominees:
Kishwar Desai - Author, screenwriter, presenter
Navdip Dhariwal - Journalist
Arti Lukha - Journalist
DJ Neev - Radio presenter
Teji Singh - Pr and Media Professional
 

The winners will be announced at London's Park Lane Hilton on 20 May 2008.

Tickets to the awards ceremony are available from the Asian Women of Achievement Awards office on 020 7368 7129 or via the awards' website www.awaawards.com.