UKABC Christmas Networking & Awards

UKABC’s Christmas Networking event and the Rising Bharat Awards brought international business leaders, diplomats, public representatives and community figures together at the House of Commons on 2 December 2024. The gathering was built around a simple belief: a professional network has value when people use it to open doors, exchange knowledge and help others progress.

Taha Coburn-Kutay hosted the programme with the UKABC team, including Sudeep Sakalle and Junaid Ahmed. Guests were invited to reflect on practical examples of relationships created through UKABC. This made the event more than a sequence of speeches. It became a record of how introductions, shared experience and trusted follow-up can support international expansion, partnership development and community activity.

The business discussion included the future of UK–India relations and the opportunities that stronger trade arrangements could create. Neil Lal outlined significant aspects of the Free Trade Agreement conversation, while Madhur Temle spoke about Rising Bharat and India’s ambitions for 2047.

Speakers considered employment, exports, technology, professional services and the importance of creating routes through which businesses can identify credible partners. In his welcome, Sudeep Sakalle explained UKABC’s role in helping British companies explore international markets and supporting overseas organisations entering or growing in the United Kingdom.

He placed the event within the Council’s wider record of parliamentary engagement, diplomatic relationships, international partnerships and practical business introductions. “The strongest networks are not measured by the number of contacts collected, but by the useful opportunities, trusted introductions and positive outcomes they create,” said Sudeep Sakalle, Vice President of UKABC.

The programme also marked an important development in UKABC’s recognition work. Ten awards were presented, including the first three UKABC Chairman’s Awards. Sudeep Sakalle and Junaid Ahmed received the Chairman’s Superman recognition, while Erin Coburn-Kutay received the Chairman’s Superwoman recognition.

The Rising Bharat Awards recognised Aditi Chourey Sakalle as Rising Cake Artist of the Year; Amoolya Vassa of TWPayz as Rising Payment Service Provider; Smita Patil of SSPL Group as Rising Real Estate Group of Maharashtra; Shreyansh Jain of Admissions Overseas Consulting Group as Rising Ethical Overseas Education Service Provider; Aditi Chourey of Shobha’s Rasoi as Rising Indian Restaurant in Harrow; Mamit Agarwal of Furnishings UK Ltd as Rising Entrepreneur of the Year 2024; and Vahid Jain of Green Bell Packaging as Rising Packaging Service Provider.

The audience reflected UKABC’s international reach. Diplomats and representatives from embassies and high commissions joined MPs, elected representatives, former political leaders, businesspeople and delegates from several countries.

Participants included Stanley Johnson and Linda Bell, John Le Fondré, Andrew Grocock, Graham Cook of Air India, Cheryll Rogers of FairBreak Cricket and Juan Cabrera, alongside representatives connected with the British Army, London government, the Commonwealth and international commerce. Taha Coburn-Kutay closed the event by thanking guests and contributors.

The afternoon demonstrated the kind of platform UKABC seeks to provide: a place where business, diplomacy and community leadership can meet, where achievement can be recognised with context, and where a conversation in Parliament can lead to practical activity after the event. The wider significance of UKABC Christmas Networking & Awards lies in the relationships behind the activity.

Business leaders, diplomats and community figures gathered at the House of Commons for UKABC’s Christmas Networking event, Chairman’s Awards and Rising Bharat Awards. UKABC’s work is designed to connect people who can contribute knowledge, access, experience or practical support. The Council’s role is therefore best understood through the quality of the conversations created and the follow-up those conversations make possible.

“The strongest networks are not measured by the number of contacts collected, but by the useful opportunities, trusted introductions and positive outcomes they create.”

— Sudeep Sakalle, Vice President, UKABC