Nandita Parshad, the EBRD's Director for Power and Energy, has been named ‘Professional of the Year’ at the Asian Achievers Awards, which celebrate the United Kingdom’s Asian community.
According to the official website for the awards, which were organised by Asian Voice magazine, the category is for “Professionals in the field of medicine, law, education, banking, finance and others, who have scaled the heights of their chosen profession.”
Ms Parshad, originally from Calcutta, India, has been with the EBRD since 1992 and leads a team of 40 professionals, financing power and energy sector projects from Jordan to Mongolia. She received both her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from Princeton University in the United States.
She supports a number of charities based in Calcutta and is also an active volunteer with the Princeton Alumni Schools Committees in India and the United Kingdom.
'The nomination itself was unexpected, winning it even more so,’ Ms Parshad said.
‘I am especially proud that this year's awards recognise not only amazing achievements by the UK Asian community but also call attention to the very important work of the Lily Foundation whose chairperson, Lady Mohini Kent Noon, I know and highly respect.”
The 13th Asian Achievers Awards were held this year for the benefit of the Lily Foundation, which supports efforts to fight human trafficking and sexual exploitation of girls.
The awards were hosted by stand-up comedian Shazia Mirza and TV personality Ashish Joshi. Reverend Jesse Jackson, the American civil rights activist, and Cherie Booth QC were also in attendance.
Ms Booth, the evening’s guest of honour, spoke of the need for greater recognition of women’s role in society around the world.