Meet your
2024
Achievers
Our achievers are some of the brightest young minds in the India-UK corridor. They are trailblazers, Innovators and thought leaders, shaping India's future and setting global discourse.
Arts, Culture and Entertainment
Asma Khan | Chef and Founder, Darjeeling Express
King's College London
Dr. Asma Khan, from legal academia to culinary fame, founded Darjeeling Express, starting as a home supper club. Her success led to roles as UN World Food Programme’s Chef Advocate and on the Mayor of London’s Business Advisory, recognition in "Chef's Table," and topping Business Insider's 2019 coolest food and drink list.
Arts, Culture and Entertainment
Atul Khatri | Comedian
University of Manchester
Atul Khatri, a Mumbai entrepreneur turned comedian, pursued stand-up to fulfill a personal goal. Blending his engineering and management background, he humorously orders soup "one by two" solo. Celebrated among India's top 20 comedians by CNN-IBN and a 'CEOs Got Talent' winner, his Netflix special in 2019 showcased his global appeal.
Business & Entrepreneurship
Harish R. Bhat | Brand Custodian, Tata Sons
University of Leeds
Harish Bhat, with 36 years at the Tata group, has held pivotal roles including as Brand Custodian at Tata Sons, MD of Tata Global Beverages, and COO of Titan's Watches and Jewellery businesses.
Recognised by Forbes as one of the top 10 most influential CMOs in the world in 2022 and 2023, he is a passionate marketer and bestselling author of six books, also known for his columns and poetry.
Law
Karuna Nundy | Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India
University of Cambridge
Karuna Nundy, an Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and an international legal expert, collaborates with governments on constitutional and legal drafting. Time Magazine recognized her among the 100 most influential people globally in 2022-2023. BBC termed her a ‘leading lawyer’, while the New York Times hailed her as a 'leading civil liberties lawyer' for her work on free expression.
Law
Samridhi Arora | Advocate-on-record, Supreme Court of India
University of Oxford
Samridhi Arora, a seasoned Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, serves as a member of UNESCO-IFAP (WGIA) and chairs the AI4IA Conference. Committed to making justice accessible, she earned a post-graduation degree from the University of Oxford and pursued Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School, focusing on public policy. She has championed landmark judgments benefiting the underprivileged and disabled.
Media
Sonia Singh | Journalist, Senior TV Anchor, Author, Editor
Cardiff University
Sonia Singh has been a journalist, senior television anchor, author & Editor of India's most respected news network, NDTV. In the last 3 decades, she has interviewed Prime Ministers, former Presidents, Nobel Laureates, and senior government ministers across political parties. She anchors the marquee interview show, ‘The NDTV Dialogues’, which brings together thought leaders in different fields for a conversation on Indian and global contemporary challenges.
Society and Policy
Elsa Marie DSilva | President, Red Dot Foundation Global
University of Oxford
Elsa Marie DSilva is the Founder of Red Dot Foundation (India) and President of Red Dot Foundation Global (USA). She pioneered Safecity, a platform that crowdsources experiences of sexual violence worldwide. Safecity, launched in 2012, is the largest crowd map on the issue in India and beyond. ElsaMarie co-founded the Brave Movement to end global childhood sexual abuse and Beyond Black, an art-driven social enterprise.
Sports
Neeraj Chopra | Reigning Olympic and World Champion
Loughborough University
Neeraj Chopra is the reigning Olympic, world and Asian Games champion in men’s javelin throw. He is also a former Commonwealth Games and Diamond League winner. From the Arjuna Award in 2018 to the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021, and the prestigious Padma Shri in 2022, he has been consistently honoured for his contributions to Indian athletics. He is also recognised as The Times of India TOISA Sportsperson of the Year in 2021.
Education, Science & Innovation
Dr Raghu Rama Pillarisetti | Specialist in Breast Cancer Treatment
Royal College of Surgeons
Dr. Raghu Ram Pillarisetti revolutionised breast cancer care in India, founding South Asia's first comprehensive Breast Health Centre and a charity for national awareness. He led South Asia's largest population-based screening program now expanding nationally across India. He also founded the Association of Breast Surgeons of India and was the driving force behind the formation the Association of Breast Surgeons of India.
Government and Politics
Conrad Sangma | Chief Minister of Meghalaya
Imperial College London
Conrad Sangma is the 12th and current Chief Minister of Meghalaya, India, assuming office in 2018. A member of the National People's Party, he comes from a political lineage. Conrad served as a Member of Parliament from Tura (2016–2018). Notably, he received the Best Project Award at the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2022 for Meghalaya Enterprise Architect, showcasing his commitment to technological advancements.
Government and Politics
Jayesh Ranjan | Government of Telangana
London School of Economics
As a seasoned civil servant, Jayesh Ranjan’s role includes policy development, investment attraction, and leveraging technology for governance and citizen empowerment. Under his leadership, Telangana has become a prime investment hub, especially in IT, life sciences, defense, aerospace, textiles, and food processing sectors.
Best Student Society
Warwick India Forum
University of Warwick
Warwick India Forum aims to raise awareness about India and provide a platform to address its socio-economic, political, cultural, and environmental issues. Hosting events year-round, including debates and social gatherings, they've featured renowned speakers like Shashi Tharoor and Kiran Bedi. Committed to enhancing India's global image, they aspire to become Europe's premier Indian conference.