British-Bangladeshi philanthropist Nadia Samdani has been named a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to global art philanthropy and for supporting the arts in Bangladesh, South Asia and the United Kingdom.
The Birthday Honours list recognises the achievements of a wide range of 'extraordinary people' across the UK.
Samdani is the co-founder of Samdani Art Foundation in Bangladesh. Through her efforts with the Foundation, she has brought attention to Bangladeshi contemporary artists both at home and internationally. This has resulted in their works being included in major international public institutions and collections, reports bdnews24.com.
She also co-founded the Dhaka Art Summit, the highest visited art summit in the world, which welcomed 477,000 visitors in 2020. A key part of the Foundation's remit is to make art accessible to all, and provide opportunities for the local community to engage with art by bridging the gap between the local art scene and the international art world.
"It's an extraordinary honour to receive recognition for over a decade of supporting and nurturing artistic talent. It's been heartening to see the huge levels of public engagement with our work, and how the Foundation has fostered new cross-cultural dialogues between Bangladesh and the rest of the world," Samdani told PRNewswire.
“I am thrilled that this honour comes as part of celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen's 70-year reign, and her length of service and commitment is something I hope to emulate in my ongoing work.”
Other members of the British-Bangladeshi community were also on the list.
Badrun Nesa Pasha was honoured for her services to the Bangladeshi community in the West Midlands.
Pasha came to the UK in 1963 and became known as a voice for the victims of atrocities and genocide during the 1971 Liberation War, according to British broadcaster ITV. She later trained as a social worker and co-founded the Bangladesh Women Association, which has its own resource centre and has founded schools in the community.
Pasha is also a founder of the Sircer Pasha Welfare Trust, which has provided healthcare and primary education to over 250,000 women in rural Bangladesh.
Mohammed Abdul Munim was recognised for his service to the British Bangladeshi catering industry. Munim moved to England in 1989 and started a halal takeaway business called 'Sonali Tandoori' in Grove Park, London. He has held several senior positions on the Bangladesh Caterers Association.
This year's list of honorees also included author Salman Rushdie, illustrator Quentin Blake, actor Damian Lewis, presenter Clare Balding, fashion designer Stella McCartney, MasterChef's John Torode and Gregg Wallace and footballer Rio Ferdinand.
