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Rights activist gets Asian Women's award
Shami Chakrabarty, director of the London-based rights group Liberty was presented the top Asian women's award.
A high-profile human rights campaigner was presented the top Asian women's award at a gala event on Thursday night attended among others by the spouses of Prince Charles and Tony Blair, both in Indian dresses.
Shami Chakrabarty, director of the London-based rights group Liberty, took the top honour at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards - designed to celebrate achievements of Asian women across different sections of the society.
Liberty campaigns for civil and human rights in Britain and Chakrabarty is known for her strongly-held liberal views, often articulated on television and in newspaper columns.
Liberty's most recent campaign has been against the British government's efforts to introduce compulsory identity cards, which the rights group argues, impinges on peoples' right to privacy and freedom from discrimination.
Among the 700 guests was culture minister Tessa Jowell and actress Meera Syal, who said: "there's no such thing as a typical Asian woman. We are complex.... We are always compelling."
Mrs Blair agreed, saying the purpose of the award was "to try and override stereotypes and show to people what the reality is of being an Asian woman in Britain today".
Other awardees included North London head teacher Bushra Nasir (professional of the year); Shell's highest-ranking female employee Jyoti Munsiff (corporate businesswoman of the year); and Prof Shaneeh Ali, the first woman professor of law in Pakistan (public sector award).
The young achiever award went to Londoner Ayesha Hazarika, who works for music industry giant EMI by day and is a stand-up comedienne by night.
Heir apparent to the British throne Prince Charles, his wife Camilla, Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife Cherie and England football coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's partner Nancy Dell'Olio attended the event. All three women went for the Indian look in their choice of outfits.
