Lord Tariq Ahmad is a British businessman and a member of the House of Lords. He served as Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Commonwealth, and the United Nations at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Born in Lambeth to Punjabi-speaking immigrant parents from Pakistan, Ahmad was educated at Rutlish School and began his career in 1991 with NatWest, later becoming Head of Marketing and Branding.

In 2004, he joined Sucden Financial as a Director of Marketing, Strategy, and Research. Active in community service, he was Vice-President of the British Muslim youth organization AMYA from 1999 to 2008 and served as a governor at Wimbledon Park Primary School.

A committed Conservative, Ahmad became a Councillor in 2002 and was Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2008 to 2010. He is part of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and held leadership roles within its youth organization. In recognition of his contributions to British foreign policy and community integration, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honors. Indispora is proud to have Shockat Adam in our Global Government list.

Lord Waheed Alli is a prominent British media entrepreneur and Labour politician. He has held key roles in major media companies, including Planet 24, Carlton Television, and Silvergate Media, where he served as CEO until 2022.

Appointed to the House of Lords in 1998 as its youngest and first openly gay peer, he has been a champion for LGBTQ+ rights, leading campaigns such as the repeal of Section 28 and pushing for equal age of consent.

Alli’s influence extends beyond politics; his philanthropic efforts and entrepreneurial ventures have solidified his status as a trailblazer in both media and public service. He remains connected to his Caribbean roots and continues to shape the Labour Party’s future through his fundraising and advisory roles. Indispora is proud to have Lord Waheed Ali in our Global Government list.

Jas Athwal is a British Labour politician and Member of Parliament for Ilford South, elected in 2024. Prior to his parliamentary career, he led Redbridge London Borough Council, during which he spearheaded major housing initiatives, including building the first new council homes in Redbridge in a decade. Under his leadership, the Labour Party secured decisive victories in local elections, expanding their influence in the borough.

Athwal is a successful entrepreneur, founding children’s nurseries in Essex and Derby. He has been an advocate for housing reform, homelessness reduction, and support for unaccompanied refugee children. His commitment to social issues continues as he serves in Parliament. Indispora is proud to have Jas Athwal in our Global Government list

Sureena Brackenridge is a British Labour Party politician who has represented Wolverhampton North East as its Member of Parliament since 2024.

Raised on the Ashmore Park Council estate in Wednesfield, Brackenridge has deep local ties to her constituency. She was selected as the Labour candidate in November 2022 and successfully contested the 2024 general election, securing a majority of 5,422 votes. Her election marked a significant victory for Labour in the area. Brackenridge made her maiden speech in Parliament on 25 July 2024, showcasing her commitment to addressing issues affecting her constituents.

Her career is rooted in advocating for the community in which she grew up, and she continues to work on behalf of Wolverhampton North East. Indispora is proud to have Sureena Brackenridge in our Global Government list.

MP Coutinho was elected the Member of Parliament for East Surrey in 2019. Growing up, she watched her parents work as family doctors in the NHS, listening to people’s problems and solving them as best they could. It is in that spirit that she hopes to serve the people of East Surrey. As an MP, she is now working as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to HM Treasury.
At the beginning of her career, she worked in emerging markets in the City of London. After a few years, she decided to leave that job to work in social justice policy – from education to financial inclusion to the regeneration of Britain’s most deprived communities. After five years, she became a Special Adviser and worked for then-Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak. As an MP, she is now working as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to HM Treasury. In June 2020, she set up the East of Surrey Local Economic Taskforce with neighbouring MP Crispin Blunt to bring decision-makers across Surrey together to drive the local economic strategy. She is also the only sitting MP on the Surrey Growth Board. In Westminster, she is on the Advisory Board of the think tank Onward, and she is a member of Policy Exchange’s Indo-Pacific Commission.
Claire graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Maths and Philosophy.

Dhesi MP was elected as Member of Parliament for Slough (UK) in 2017, becoming the first ever turbaned Sikh MP in any European Parliament. He was re- elected in 2019.
In Parliament, he has served as a member of the Defence Committee, HCLG (Housing, Communities & Local Government) Committee, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, and was elected to serve as UK delegate to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He is Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Western Rail Link to Heathrow and spearheaded the campaign for National Sikh War Memorial. He is also currently the Shadow Minister for Railways.
Prior to Parliament, Tan studied Mathematics with Management BSc at University College London, MSc Applied Statistics at Oxford University, before an MPhil at Cambridge in South Asian history. After his studies, Tan ran his own construction company in Scotland. He also served for a decade as an elected councillor in Gravesham, where he subsequently became Mayor in 2011. During this time he became a Cabinet Member, Constituency Party Chairman and had many voluntary roles (School Governor; Alzheimer’s & Dementia charity Trustee; Mencap Society advisor and Independent Police Advisory Group member).

Lord Dholakia was the Chairman of Brighton Young Liberals between 1959 and 1962 and then moved to representative politics, being elected to Brighton Borough Council 1961-1964. In 1966 he became Development Officer for the National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants and later pursued work with the Community Relations Commissioner. In 1969 he became Secretary of the Liberal Party’s Race and Community Relations Panel. Then, from 1976 he worked for the Commission for Racial Equality and most recently he was a member of the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain.
His first job was as a Medical Laboratory Technician at Southlands Hospital.
Lord Dholakia came to study at Brighton Technical College. He has also completed schooling in Tanzania and India. He is a keen photographer, gardener, enjoys traveling and cooking.

Kirith Entwistle is a British Labour Party politician who has represented Bolton North East as a Member of Parliament since the 2024 general election.

Born in Southall, London, to Kenyan Indian grandparents and a father from Delhi, she brings a diverse background to her political career. Entwistle graduated from the University of Portsmouth in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies.

Before her election, she served as a policy, communications, and public affairs manager for WaveLength Charity, advocating against loneliness and previously working for the Royal British Legion.

Notably, she is the first Sikh to represent Bolton North East and has been active in the Young Fabians executive committee, highlighting her commitment to community service and youth engagement. Indiaspora is proud to have Kirith Entwistle in our Global Government Leaders List.

Lord Gadhia has provided significant input on strengthening UK-India relations, and has been associated with some of the largest investments between the UK and India. He came from Uganda to the United Kingdom. He is affiliated with the Conservative Party. He has accompanied delegations to India with several prime ministers, and was a key figure in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to the UK in November 2015.
Lord Gadhia is a British investment banker and businessman.He was also appointed by HM Treasury to the Board of UK Financial Investments in 2014. He is an active philanthropist both personally and through The Gadhia Foundation, supporting a wide range of charities in the UK and overseas. He has also been a Patron of the British Asian Trust established by HRH The Prince of Wales.
Lord Gadhia was educated at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge where he received a Masters in Economics, and the London Business School where he was a Sloan Fellow. He has great interest in philanthropy.