Gracious Me wins top Asian award

Meera Syal won best female personality

Hit TV comedy Goodness Gracious Me has won two awards at a ceremony celebrating the achievements of Britain's Asian community.

Both received the awards at the Mega Mela BBC Asian Success, Innovation and Achievement show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

Nitin Sawhney won the music award

Asia Awards were also given out in categories highlighting achievement in music, media and film.

Judges included the Duchess of York and Nina Wadia, who also stars in Goodness Gracious Me.

Composer Nitin Sawhney won the prize for music. The London-based performer's fusion of east and west rhythms have earned him critical acclaim and led him to work with international artists such as Sting.

The film award went to Mohabbatein. It was shot on the Longleat estate by director Aditya Chopra and starred Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

It made £246,000 in its first three days of release, taking it to the ninth spot in the UK film charts at the end of last year.

The arts award went to Akademi. The London-based organisation was responsible for the hit dance spectacle Coming of Age at London's South Bank Centre last year.

Mark Tully: lifetime achievement award-winner

Former BBC Delhi correspondent Mark Tully carried off the lifetime achievement award.

Nobel Prize winner Professor Amartya Sen was commended for his work on famine, the welfare of children and women, and poverty.

Channel Four was also credited for its series of programmes on the Kumbh Mela festival, which attracts millions of pilgrims to the banks of the River Ganges every 12 years.

Wadi, who was also short-listed for the best female personality award, said: "The level of entries of nominees was incredibly high and made my job an absolute nightmare.

"It's fantastic to see that there are so many wonderful individuals out there who are making a difference to people's lives on a daily basis."

The event was co-hosted by the BBC's George Alagiah

But the BBC Asia Awards were not for famous names.

Kavita Brahmbatt, 12, won the young achievers award. She signs for her parents who are both deaf.

This means attending doctors appointments and even business meetings with them, signing critical and complicated information.

The event was hosted by BBC newsreader George Alagiah, and Sky news presenter Lisa Aziz.

BBC Director General Greg Dyke, Cherie Blair and news-making minister Keith Vaz were also on the guest list.

Winners in full:

Female Personality of the Year: Meera Syal

Male Personality of the Year: Sanjeev Bhaskar

Media Award: Kumbh Mela - The Greatest Show on Earth, Channel Four

Lifetime Achievement Award: Mark Tully

Special Commendation: Professor Amartya Sen

Achievement in Film Award: Mohabbatein

Music Award: Nitin Sawhney

Achievement in Sport: Respect All Fans Football Initiative (RAFFI)

Young Achievers Award: Kavita Brahmbhatt

Achievement in Arts Award: Akademi

Achievement in Enterprise and Innovation Award: Sasha Dhillon

Community Award: The Newham Asian Women's Project, London