His Majesty The King joined leading figures from the worlds of entertainment, business and philanthropy as the British Asian Trust raised more than £1 million at its Annual Dinner and Reception in London.
More than 300 guests attended the prestigious event at the Peninsula London, where the charity celebrated its impact across South Asia and highlighted the role of the British Asian diaspora in supporting some of the region’s most vulnerable communities.
The King, who is Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, was welcomed to the event where guests viewed a short film charting the charity’s origins. The film reflected on the 2007 India-Pakistan charity cricket match which inspired the creation of the organisation nearly two decades ago.
Following the screening, His Majesty was presented with a framed photograph from the historic occasion, featuring himself alongside the captains of the two teams.
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The annual gala attracted a host of well-known names, with comedian and broadcaster Sanjeev Bhaskar hosting the evening. Among those in attendance were Meera Syal, Mahira Khan, Konnie Huq, Kunal Nayyar, Preeya Kalidas, Gurinder Chadha, Naughty Boy and Nihal Arthanayake.
Guests were also treated to an exclusive performance by British R&B star Jay Sean.
Speaking at the event, British Asian Trust Chief Executive Hitan Mehta OBE paid tribute to the King’s longstanding commitment to the organisation.
He said: “We are grateful for the continued interest our Royal Founding Patron, His Majesty The King, takes in the Trust’s work. His deep and longstanding support for the British Asian Trust is a source of inspiration for our ambitions.
“Tonight, we also celebrate the extraordinary impact being delivered across South Asia, made possible by the commitment and generosity of the British Asian diaspora and our wider partners.”
Sponsored by Westcombe Group, OakNorth and Godwit Travel, the gala raised vital funds to support programmes tackling child protection, education, mental health, livelihoods and environmental conservation.
The British Asian Trust, founded in 2007, has worked extensively with marginalised communities across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Sri Lanka. Since its inception, the charity says it has reached more than 18.8 million people through a range of social impact initiatives.
The organisation highlighted several major achievements from the past year, including securing a PKR 1 billion government guarantee for Pakistan’s first outcomes-based employment financing programme, endorsed by the country’s Prime Minister.
In India, the charity launched a $4 million Nano Entrepreneurship Sustainability & Transformation (NEST) Outcomes Facility, described as the country’s first outcomes-based finance initiative designed to help nano entrepreneurs significantly increase their incomes.
The Trust also reported a 98 per cent reduction in human and elephant casualties caused by human-wildlife conflict in its project areas, underlining the growing impact of its conservation work.
The evening served as both a celebration of nearly two decades of progress and a reminder of the continuing influence of the British Asian community in driving positive change across South Asia. With more than £1 million raised in a single night, the event reinforced the charity’s mission to create lasting opportunities for millions of people across the region.
