The 2007 Asian of the Year award was presented to Lord Khalid Hameed, a medical doctor, at a glittering ceremony in central London on Monday night.

The award was established in 1975 to highlight the contribution made by Asians in Britain by the publishers the “Asian Who's Who International Directory”, now in its 32nd year.

Among those attending the glittering awards ceremony were Cherie Blair, wife of former prime minister Tony Blair, Baroness Sayeeda Hussain Warsi (Conservative) and Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham (Labour).

Khalid Hameed, a medical doctor, was made a non-party political peer for life in March this year - Baron Hameed of Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden

Lord Hameed has been chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council since 1997. He is also the High Sheriff of Greater London and chairman of Alpha Hospitals.

He is involved in a number of organisations and charities that help develop harmony between diverse faiths and cultures in Britain. He was given the Sternberg Award for 2005 for his contribution to further Christian-Muslim-Jewish relations.

Others awarded were:

• Avtar Lit, chief of Sunrise Radio for Asian Leadership in Promoting Harmony
• Tony Deep Wouhra, MBE, chief of the East End Foods for Asian Leadership in Europe
• Ashraf Chohan, General Secretary of India Pakistan UK Friendship Forum for Asian Leadership in Diversity

Previous Asian of the Year awardees include:

• 2006 Entrepreneur rice magnate Moni Varma
• 2003 Entrepreneur Karan Bilimoria
• 1993 Indian food chain owner Ghulam Noon
• 1992 Cricketer Imran Khan
• 1988 Labour MP Keith Vaz