The hunt is on to find Leeds’s most inspirational young Asians – as the deadline for entries into the Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever Awards closes on 19 June.
The Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever Awards – known as “the YAYAs” – are in their fourth year and celebrate the achievements of young Asian people in Yorkshire.
Last year’s winner of the title of overall Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever was Neil Bharat Patel from Leeds, for overcoming the challenges he faces as a South Asian and having cerebral palsy.
The annual awards celebrate young South Asians who have overcome disadvantages and have broken down traditional barriers to progress.
Wheelchair-bound Neil was nominated by his University of Bradford professor, after relocating from Leeds to London for his first professional job as a software developer. Finding London far less disability-friendly, his working day started at 5am finishing at 7pm, with a three-hour commute. Neil spoke of how the award had given him greater belief in himself, saying, “There is no limit in what you can achieve.”
Also nominated last year was University of Bradford graduate Zeeshan Hussain from Pudsey.
Zeeshan was diagnosed with an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis studying for his degree in software engineering. Despite temporary losing his sight and losing his grandfather from covid, he went on to gain a first-class honour.
On the nomination, Zeeshan said: “If I can use this moment to show others that life problems can be overcome, then I will be happy. If you just take things one step at a time, one day at a time, you can achieve anything.”
As well as the award for Overcoming Life Obstacles and an overall 2023 Young Asian Achiever of the Year, the YAYAs celebrate exceptional achievements in sport, health, the arts and creative industries, media, education, the private sector, public sector, not-for-profit sector, young entrepreneur, and achievement in school or college.
The awards are open to any young person aged 16 to 30 of South Asian heritage who was born in or lives and works in Yorkshire.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a gala dinner in November at Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford alongside business leaders, celebrities, and influencers.
The award ceremony will be presented by BBC TV and Radio presenter and stand-up comedian, Noreen Khan.
The YAYAs are hosted by the QED Foundation, a charity founded in Bradford in 1990. Today, QED is a key player in ethnic minority issues at both national and international level.
To enter or nominate a young person for the awards go to YAYAS – Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever Awards 2023.
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