Hema Malini wins International Personality of the Year award

London: Bollywood actress and BJP MP Hema Malini has been honoured with the International Personality of the Year Award at the 12th Asian Achievers Awards here. England cricketer Kevin Pietersen received the 2012 International Sporting Personality of the Year Award from former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar. Receiving the honour at the Grosvenor House Hotel last night, 63-year-old Hema said she was happy that the organisers of the awards 2012, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, have chosen Sarvam Trust, a dream project of Arabindo Society as its charity. A total of 1,21,000 pounds was raised through auctions for the Sarvam Trust which is promoting education in rural areas in India. "India is a vast country which is progressing in a big way though there is a significant percentage of the population below the poverty line. The Sarvam Trust would be providing health, sanitation, education, art and culture under various projects in villages," Hema said. A bat with which India`s cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar scored his 100th century was auctioned for 6,000 pounds. Lord Gulam Noon, leading NRI entrepreneur and founder of Noon Products, won the Platinum Award for Life Time Achievement while Shahnaz Husain, pioneer and leader of herbal care in India won the Woman of the Year Gold Award. Other recipients of the awards were Nileeka Gunawardene, who established a successful dance company, Bollywood Dance London in 2010 (Gold Award for Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture), Subaskaran Alirajah, Group founder and Chairman of the Lycatel and Lycamobile Group of companies (Platinum Award for Business Person of the Year). Rear-Admiral Amjad Mazhar Hussain, Director and Controller of the Royal Navy UK was given Gold Award for Uniformed and Civil Service, Akaash Bhatia, boxer was given Platinum Award for Sports Personality of the Year. The Rt Hon Gregory Barker, MP, Minister of State in charge of India who was the Chief Guest, described India as a key ally of the UK and said, "There are so many opportunities for British companies to showcase their expertise in India." C B Patel, Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar said, "Asian Achievers Awards has raised nearly 5million pounds for various human service activities predominantly in India, UK and East Africa." PTI