Senior Conservative MEP Nirj Deva has received the GG2 Editor’s Award for his Outstanding contribution to British and ethnic minority communities in his 25 years of public service.”

Mr Deva was presented the award last night at the GG2 Leadership Asian Media Awards -a gala dinner annual event attended by 800 people drawn from the highest levels of British Society together with the Deputy Prime Minister, Damian Green, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan including several British billionaires’, Members of the House of Lords and Commons and the Diplomatic Corps -that aims to highlight and showcase ethnic talent and leadership in the UK. Presented the by the Editor-in-Chief of Asian Media Group, the Editor’s Award recognizes his lifelong public service and relentless campaigning.

In particular his signal pioneering and ground-breaking achievements included being the:

First post-colonial Asian elected as a Conservative MP to the House of Commons1992

First non white Asian in the British Government PPS 1996

First Asian born MEP to be elected to European Parliament 1999

First Asian Deputy Lieutenant appointed 1985 representing Her Majesty The Queen (HM Lord Lieutenancy of London)

First Asian to be nominated by a major Political Group (ECR) to be President of the European Parliament 2010

He is the only Asian Conservative MP to be at nationally elected 5 times, to serve in public office now for more than 23 years 

A hugely respected figure in the South Asian community, Mr Deva has broken barriers throughout his career and spoken on issues close to his heart. As an MEP he works tirelessly on issues from human rights and trade to international development and humanitarian affairs. In particular he pioneered over 118 Legislative Acts including those to incorporate Property Rights into European Union Law for Development, to incorporate into EU Law grant aid as leveraged funds in partnership with the Private Sector turning Aid into Investments and is currently now the only International politician endeavouring  to draft a Peace Treaty for a denuclearized

He was born in Sri Lanka to a business and political family. His grandfather was a Senator in Sri Lanka’s first Independent Parliament and a prominent businessman; and his father the famous pioneering Eye Surgeon. He came to Britain to study aeronautical engineering and has never looked back since combining his roles in business and politics.

Mr Deva said: “I am honoured and humbled to receive this award. It is a true privilege to count myself an active member of this community, which has always given me so much, which has inspired, supported and driven me. I will continue to try to pay back this enormous debt of gratitude that I owe and to promote the very best of Britain.”