King Charles celebrated the contributions of the Indian diaspora at a special event in London marking the 20th anniversary of a charity he founded to combat poverty in South Asia.
Royal Patronage and Fundraising Success
As the Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust, the 77-year-old monarch joined hundreds of celebrity guests to highlight the charity's impact, which has supported more than 18.8 million people across the region. The gala evening also raised over £1 million towards the charity's causes in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Hitan Mehta, CEO of the British Asian Trust, expressed gratitude for the King's continued interest. "His deep and longstanding support for the British Asian Trust is a source of inspiration for our ambitions," said Mehta, who was awarded an OBE for services to the British Asian community two years ago. "We also celebrate the extraordinary impact being delivered across South Asia, made possible by the commitment and generosity of the British Asian diaspora and our wider partners."
Origins and Milestones
The British Asian Trust was created under the royal patronage of Charles, then Prince of Wales, after an India-Pakistan charity cricket event in 2007. It operates as a diaspora-led international development organization delivering high-quality programs in South Asia. During the event, the King was presented with a framed photograph from that match, featuring him in conversation with team captains Rahul Dravid and Shoaib Malik.
"This year marks a particularly special milestone as we begin celebrating the Trust's 20th anniversary... and the work is far from complete," said Lord Jitesh Gadhia, chair of the British Asian Trust.
Social Finance and Development Initiatives
The charity specializes in using social finance products to deliver development initiatives in South Asia. Its annual fundraiser supports work in child protection, education, livelihoods, mental health, and conservation. Recent highlights include the launch of a USD 4 million Nano Entrepreneurship Sustainability and Transformation (NEST) Outcomes Facility, India's first outcomes-based finance initiative targeting income growth for nano entrepreneurs. Other updates include Pakistan's first outcomes-based financing program for employment and a 98% reduction in human-wildlife conflict in project areas across South Asia.
Cultural Celebrations
The event brought together British artists of South Asian heritage, including Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Mahira Khan, Kunal Nayyar, Preeya Kalidas, and Gurinder Chadha. A performance by international recording artist Jay Sean and a film capturing the origins of the British Asian Trust were also featured as guests raised toasts to the charity's future success.
