ACHIEVEMENTS by Asian people across the region will be honoured at a special award ceremony in Manchester next month.

High-flyers in the community will be competing for the accolades in six categories, including business, in the Asian Jewel Awards on February 7, at the New Century Hall.

Finalists in the business and commerce section include Mrs Meena Pathak, co-owner and director of product development at multi-million pound Leigh-based Pathak Foods; Mr Shaid Luqman, managing director of Manchester-based Pearl Holdings (Europe), the UK's largest provider of bridging loans for the commercial property market; and Mr Arnie Hira, director of the Manchester-based import-export Hira Group of companies with products including calculators, consumer electronics and mobile phones.

Small business contenders include Mr Yousuf Pandor, managing director of Deluxe Foods of Bolton, which supplies traditional Asian food to hotels, hospitals and schools, and Mr Mohammed Arshad Ali, managing director of Cheshire Homes (UK), in Stockport.

In the professional section, finalists include Ms Yasmin Uddin, a partner in solicitors Pannone & Partners and Mr Anup Shah, corporate finance partner with Deloitte.

Media and arts finalists include Granada Television presenter So Rahman and actress Shobna Gulati, who plays Sunita in Coronation Street.

Mrs Tahara Amin, head teacher at the Manchester Muslim Preparatory School is a finalist in the healthcare and education section.

The awards are sponsored by Lloyds TSB and the Institute of Asian Professionals, and recognise achivement by Asian people across the UK, with other award ceremonies held in Birmingham and London.

The Lloyds TSB lifetime achievement award will be presented to Dr Shiv Pande, of Stockport, national chairman of the International Doctors Association, and the first ethnic minority member of the General Medical Council, appointed in 1994.

Last year's awards attracted more than 300,000 nominations.

Mike Fairey, deputy chief executive of Lloyds TSB said: "Lloyds TSB is committed to strengthening our relationships within the communities in which we do business. Sponsoring the Asian Jewel Awards is an ideal opportunity to recognise and celebrate the wealth of experience and expertise in the Asian community today."

Khalid Darr, chairman of the Asian Jewel Awards said: "Asian men and women are injecting energy into communities, bringing new qualities to the world of business, introducing fresh thinking to the arts, fashion and modern pop culture." Tweet