London:Â 4 British Punjabis, have been named in Queen Elizabeth’s New Year’s Honours List for 2014.
A total of 1,195 candidates have been selected for honours this year, with 610 successful women candidates representing 51 per cent of the total.
The honours system recognises people who have made achievements in public life and committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.
The list, founded in 1917, is decided by an honours committee, which goes to the Prime Minister who then recommends the names to the Queen for the official award.
The Queen releases two honours lists every year – her Birthday Honours in June and News Year’s Honours in December.
In line with the overall theme this year, women are well represented among the Asian set too with OBE for Gill Harjagbir Bal, headteacher of Wembley High Technology College in London, for services to education.
Next in order of prominence are the Member of the British Empire (MBE) awards. Wolverhampton-based Sadhu Singh Gakhal, vice-chair of the British Sikh Consultative Forum, for services to the Sikh community. Satbir Singh Jassal, general practitioner and medical director of Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People, for services to palliative care for children and young people
Two British Punjabis have been singled out for the British Empire Medal (BEM) – Amarjit Kaur Bakhshi for services to the community in Hounslow, south-west London, and Jasvir Jassal for voluntary service to community football in Middlesex.