Bollywood meets Royalty at British Asian Trust Dinner

British Asian celebrities and Bollywood stars enjoyed a glamorous charity dinner with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at the Banqueting House in London on February 3, 2015.

Over 300 guests from across the British, Indian and British Asian community came together for the annual British Asian Trust Royal Dinner.

They raised over £1 million to support the Trust’s charity work and empowerment initiatives in South Asia.

Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji made a stunning entrance at the historical venue, dressed in a glittering gold sari by Sabyasachi.

Gurinder Chadha, producer of hit reality show Desi Rascals and director of the upcoming West End musical Bend it like Beckham, also rubbed shoulders with the royal couple.

Other Asian celebrities who attended the event include music DJ Naughty Boy, comedian Sanjeev Bhaskar, entrepreneur James Caan and former BBC presenter Tasmin Lucia-Khan.

Manoj Badale, the Trust’s chairman and a Cambridge University alumni, opened the evening.

Radio DJ Nihal, who is also one of the Trust’s ambassador, then stepped in to host the star-studded night.

One Direction’s Zayn Malik was sadly and strangely missed at the night.

Given his diehard fans recently raised over US$10,000 (£6,500) for the Trust in honour of his 22nd birthday, the superstar’s absence seemed all the more surprising.

https://twitter.com/1D_INOfficial/status/562860265856053248

Themed around ‘Unlocking Potential in South Asia’, the royal gala also launched a new anti-trafficking fund for India.

Home to almost half of the world’s trafficked population, this is a problem that India is keen to address urgently.

The fund is expected to support the existing work of the Trust in helping girls at risk of trafficking, as well as those affected by abuse and exploitation.

There is no one better than Kailash Satyarthi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, to deliver a keynote speech on this issue.

Kailash said: “I welcome the British Asian Trust’s focus on anti-trafficking initiatives.

“I have been globally campaigning against all forms of slavery and child labour for decades and I strongly believe that it perpetuates poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and population growth.”

It was also announced at the event that Sair Khan has joined the Trust as a new ambassador.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessors such as Michelin-starred Indian chef Atul Kochhar, the Coronation Street actor will contribute towards raising awareness for the Trust’s projects.

Despite the gravity of the issue in focus, the Trust made sure its guests were splendidly entertained.

In addition to a silent auction, the guests also enjoyed delightful performances by singer Ella Henderson and stand-up comedian Romesh Ranganathan.

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fàbregas and Australian singer-actress Holly Valance were among other gorgeous guests who made an appearance.

Holly, who attended with her husband Nick Candy, was breathtaking in a bright blue one-shoulder dress with silver and green beads lining – a clear nod to Asian couture.

Founded by Prince Charles in 2007, the British Asian Trust aims to address the extensive poverty and adversity in South Asia.

As the president of the Trust, Prince Charles has taken an active role in drawing funding and resources for the Trust.

Together with the help of its high profile and world-renowned ambassadors, the Trust has brought about positive changes to the livelihoods and education of over 1.5 million people in South Asia.