Nadia Samdani, a British-Bangladeshi art patron, has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to global art philanthropy.
The Birthday Honours list recognises the achievements of a wide range of 'extraordinary people' across the UK. The list of the receipent of the prestigious honours has been published on the UK govt website on Wednesday.
Samdani is the co-founder of Samdani Art Foundation in Bangladesh. She has brought attention to Bangladeshi contemporary artists both at home and internationally.
She also co-founded the Dhaka Art Summit, the highest visited art summit in the world, which welcomed 477,000 visitors in 2020.
Other members of the British-Bangladeshi community were also on the list.
Badrun Nesa Pasha was honoured for her services to the Bangladeshi community in the West Midlands.
Pasha came to the UK in 1963 and became known as a voice for the victims of atrocities and genocide during the 1971 Liberation War, according to British broadcaster ITV. She later trained as a social worker and co-founded the Bangladesh Women Association, which has its resource centre and has founded schools in the community.
Pasha is also a founder of the Sircer Pasha Welfare Trust, which has provided healthcare and primary education to over 250,000 women in rural Bangladesh.
Mohammed Abdul Munim was recognised for his service to the British Bangladeshi catering industry. Munim moved to England in 1989 and started a halal takeaway business called 'Sonali Tandoori' in Grove Park, London. He has held several senior positions in the Bangladesh Caterers Association.
This year's list of honorees also included author Salman Rushdie, illustrator Quentin Blake, actor Damian Lewis, presenter Clare Balding, fashion designer Stella McCartney, MasterChef's John Torode and Gregg Wallace and footballer Rio Ferdinand.
