The UK government announced the inaugural Dadabhai Naoroji Awards to honour individuals who have worked to strengthen the UK-India relationship over the years.

The three winners included UK India Business Council chair Patricia Hewitt in the commerce category, Dame Asha Khemka for services in the field of education and actor Madhav Sharma for culture. Khemka, who became the first India-born woman to be made a Dame in the New Year's Honours List earlier this year, described the award as a "recognition for the entire Indian community in the UK".

The awards were judged by ministers following nominations from the public and were presented at a Foreign and Commonwealth Office reception here last evening as part of the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.