UK Indian honoured by Hindu group

Prominent industrialist, Nat Puri was presented the first Excellence in Community Service award in UK.

Nat Puri, a prominent British Indian Nottingham industrialist, has been honoured with the first Excellence in Community Service award instituted by the Hindu Forum of Britain.

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Puri, 65, was felicitated during the Forum's annual ball, which was attended by several dignitaries, including India's High Commissioner Kamalesh Sharma.

"I'm deeply honoured by the award and I've no words to describe it," Puri said.

Puri donated one million pounds as relief for victims of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake.

Geoff Hoon, leader of the House of Commons, presented him the award. More than 400 dignitaries including prominent British Indians, ministers, celebrities and diplomats attended the event.

Those present included Lord Navnit Dolakia, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Keith Vaz, MP, Paul Collins, MP, Barry Gardiner, MP, as well as Paul Goggins, MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state for home office.

Puri came to Britain from India in 1966. After training as an engineer he eventually bought the firm where he got his first job.

He built it up into the Melton Medes group, a packaging-to-plastics conglomerate with sales of 100 million pounds.