FILMMAKER Zoya Akhtar and British Indian chef Asma Khan were among the winners of the annual India-UK Achievers Honours in London, which recognises the achievements of Indian students and alumni who have pursued an international programme of study. The initiative, by the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK in partnership with the British Council in India and the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade, was launched last year with the aim of celebrating bilateral educational ties. At a ceremony earlier this week, the “Class of 2024” made up of high achievers across the arts, sports, entrepreneurship and medicine were honoured following a day-long conference entitled “The Future of Education”.

 

“I am pleased to see that for the second year, you are showcasing exceptional Indian talent that has been developed in the UK,” said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a message for the event on Wednesday. “I am extremely proud of the UK-India partnership and the Achievers Honours highlights the strong outcomes that can arise through partnership,” he said. Akhtar, the acclaimed writer-filmmaker behind box-office hits such as ‘Luck By Chance’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ and most recently ‘The Archies’, was conferred the Living Legend Award in recognition of her work in furthering an understanding of India on the global stage. She spoke of her degree in literature and sociology giving her a strong footing for her filmmaking career.

 

“I genuinely believe that literature and sociology have helped me immensely in making movies, and writing and telling stories,” Akhtar said. “However, I don’t believe one size fits all when it comes to your career path in the film industry… today films can even be made on a phone. I do feel it’s a lot easier these days. There is access to a lot more filmmaking tools today,” she said. The 51-year-old daughter of writers Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani addressed a session on Creative Economies at the conference, during which she reflected on her love of writing.