London: Sir Gulam Noon, leading Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and Chairman of Noon products, known for readymade Indian food products, won the Asian Business Award for Community Services in London last night (Apr 13, 2004).

Sixty-eight-year-old Sir Noon received the award at the 8th Annual Gala Dinner for the Asian Business Awards hosted by Eastern Eye and Ethnic Media Group in London.

Prince Michael of Kent was the Chief Guest at the dinner attended by about 600 guests including Lord Swraj Paul, NRI industrialist and British Ambassador for Overseas Business, Lord Navnit Dholakia, President of the Liberal Democrats and Baroness Lady Flather.

According to the top 200 Asian Rich List released on the occasion, Lord Swraj Paul and family emerged as the fourth richest Asian in the UK with a total wealth worth 250 million Pounds.

The top honour went to Mike Jatania and family (cosmetics and beauty products) who are worth 500 million Pounds followed by Vijay and Bhikhu Patel (pharmaceuticals) (425 million Pounds) and Tom Singh (fashion) with 330 million Pounds.

According to the report, Lord Paul "has seen a rise in fortune this year".

"Lord Paul had a difficult year last year with restructuring and a loss of employees but since then has seen a marked improvement. He remains chairman of the company -Caparo - with his three sons responsible for day-to-day operations," the report said.

Noon's career began early in Mumbai, following the death of his father, with the family owned, Royal sweets.

However, he soon grew restless and in 1971 Noon settled in the UK.

"A combination of his own entrepreneurial drive and growth in the Asian food market meant that Noon was in the right place at the right time and, with impeccable timing, he was able to rapidly grow his business from 2 to 20 shops selling Indian sweets," the report said.

Noon's next stopover was in the US in the early 1980s where he spent four years working for the Taj Group.

Returning to the UK, in 1987 Noon set up the business that bears his name and in 1989 the company began trading and introduced chilled and frozen Indian food to a waiting UK market.

Noon currently owns the largest ready-made food manufacturing factory in the world. It was inaugurated in London in July 2003 by Prince Charles. The production capacity of the company has now doubled from one million to two million in ready meals per week, the report said.

Sixty-one-year-old Joginder Sanger, leading NRI hotelier, finds a place in the rich list 2004 with assets worth 20 million Pounds.

When he first came to London in 1962, he opened a travel agency making sales for Air India, and Pan America.

"He now has several business interests including the Washington Hotel in Central London and Mastcraft, a property and life assurance company in the competitive hotel industry," the report said. Sanger has purchased his own five-star Bentley hotel in the heart of London's Kensington.