Prime minister Rishi Sunak has awarded an Asian-origin London resident for promoting cricket and making a positive change within the south Asian community.
Himanshu Jain, who co-founded a charity cricket community for south Asian men, got the daily Points of Light award on April 10.
The Prime Minister makes daily announcements of the winners to recognise outstanding individual volunteers.
Jain created the club to provide opportunities for over 1,000 South Asian men from Barking, Sutton, Kent and South-end communities with opportunities to engage in cricket, from beginner sessions to playing in professional leagues.
Since its formal launch in 2021, the club also trains women and children, and hosts the ‘Bharat Premier League’ and mini-tournaments every weekend.
The club encourages its members to contribute back, with many volunteering in sports events like the London Marathon.
Members also support Himanshu in raising awareness and funds for his ‘Leprosy Control Programme’, a programme meant to address the disease in South Asia.
Jain said he was "deeply honoured and humbled" to receive the award.
"This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of the Bharat Cricket Community, my fellow trustee and co-founder Prasanth, and the numerous community and humanitarian initiatives I've been privileged to be part of, both locally and globally," he said.
Himanshu is the 2312th recipient of the Points of Light award, which was first launched in April 2014.
Monks sit on a stage next to portraits of tsunami victims as people take part in an interfaith ceremony at the Ban Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Park in southern Thai province of Phang Nga on December 26, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)
