London/IBNS: Indian boxing legend Mary Kom, renowned as India's first-ever Olympic medalist in women's boxing, was recognized with the prestigious Global Indian Icon of the Year award at the annual UK-India Awards held in Windsor, England.

The 40-year-old former Rajya Sabha member expressed gratitude for the recognition, reflecting on her 20-year journey of dedication and hard work in the sport of boxing, reported EastMojo.

The award ceremony took place on Thursday night, where Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, presented the accolade to Mary Kom.

The event also bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award to acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, known for his notable contributions to cinema in both India and the United Kingdom.

The awards, organized by the India Global Forum (IGF) as part of UK-India Week, aimed to acknowledge outstanding leaders in various fields, including business, professional services, government, culture, and social impact.

The Nehru Centre in London, the cultural wing of the Indian High Commission, was honored with the UK-India Award for Significant Contribution to UK-India Relations.

Amidst the celebration, author Amish Tripathi, Director of the Nehru Centre, highlighted the influence of Indian culture on shaping global perspectives and expressed pride in contributing to the growth and popularity of Indian culture in the West.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) UK received the UK-India Award for Business Promotion Organisation of the Year.

Other notable awardees included CrowdInvest as Market Entrant of the Year, SannamS4 as Consultancy of the Year, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as Legal Practice of the Year, and ICICI Bank UK Plc as Financial Services Organisation of the Year. Mphasis was recognized as the Technology Company of the Year, while Action Aid UK won the Social Impact Project of the Year award.

These awards, now in their fifth year, aimed to honor exceptional contributions in strengthening bilateral ties between the UK and India. The winners were selected by a panel of industry experts and marked the penultimate event of the six-day UK-India Week.

The week-long event featured various activities, including a special reception hosted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street, during which he expressed his commitment to pursuing an ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) with India.

The UK-India Week served as a platform to foster collaboration and showcase the vast potential within the partnership between the two nations.