Sonu Nigam wins 21st Century Icon Award in UK

Popular Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam has been honoured with the Magnificent Performing Arts Award at the annual 21st Century Icon Awards in London. Nigam was among a host of winners across a range of categories at a gala awards ceremony last week, devised as a celebration of dynamic entrepreneurs and successful individuals chosen from hundreds of nominations from around the world.

"I am truly humbled to be chosen for this award. The nominations were from 22 different countries and it means a lot to me that I was the one chosen for this honour," Nigam said in his acceptance speech ahead of the ceremony as he was engaged with his UK concert tour at the time.

The 21st Century Icon Awards are the brainchild of UK-based Indian-origin entrepreneurs Tarun Ghulati and Preeti Rana, co-founders of Squared Watermelon Ltd, who said the 2019 version attracted over 700 nominations which were narrowed down to 44 finalists.

The panel of judges included personalities across varied fields, such as British Indian peer Baroness Sandip Verma, Ibukun Adebayo from London Stock Exchange’s International Markets Unit and former British Olympic champion Denise Lewis, who met at the London Stock Exchange last month to decide on the final 18 winners.

Ghulati and Rana, organisers of the annual event, said in a joint statement: "The next generation of leaders and businesses are truly inspiring and we are absolutely thrilled to be a part of their journey and continued success."

Among some of the other winners at the ceremony last Friday included Kalli Purie, Vice-Chairperson of India Today Group who won the Outstanding Media and Entertainment Award; Charlotte Crosswell, CEO of Innovate Finance UK, who won the Specialist Professional Award; Asha De Vos, Marine Biologist, Ocean Educator and Pioneer Blue Whale Research within the Indian Ocean, who won the Inspirational Icon Award; and Rachael Burford, Rugby Player and Founder of Burford Academy UK, who won the Competitive Sports Award.