Sir Mota Singh,

London: Sir Mota Singh, the United Kingdom's first Sikh and Asian Judge, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year, received the ‘Pride of India Award' 2009, instituted by the India International Foundation (IIF).
Indian High Commissioner Nalin Surie presented the trophy at the 6th annual awards of the Foundation here on Monday night in the presence of a distinguished gathering, including non-resident Indian industrialist Lord Swraj Paul.
'More democratic'
Lord Paul, recipient of the ‘Pride of India Award' last year, lauded the outstanding achievements of India and said “sometimes India is more democratic than most of the Western countries.”
Sir Mota Singh has held various positions in Kenya and the U.K. in the legal fields. Sir Mota Singh, 79, was raised and educated in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1954, he shifted to England to study law.
He joined the English Bar in 1967, and within months, developed a successful practice in civil law. Sir Mota Singh said: “India, which was considered as a third world country only a few years ago, is now on the brink of being a super power.”
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan chairman Manek Dalal, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, was awarded for his outstanding achievement in 'Administration'
Asavari Pawar, a writer and daughter of well-known Kathak dancer Partap Pawar, received the award in the field of Art and Culture.
Teji Singh, founder of Sterling Media, was given the 'Business Award', while solicitor firm Zaiwala & Co's founder Saroshi Zaiwala received the 'Judiciary and Law Award'.
Balwant 'Bobby' Grewal, a philanthropist who walked from Amritsar to Kanyakumari and Edinburgh to London to raise funds for bowel cancer research in the U.K. and India — bagged the President's Award, while Sun Mark Ltd. founder Rami Ranger was given the 'Business House Award.'