About Pinky Lilani
The Food Guru
Pinky came to the UK from India - never having cooked in her life. Self taught and encouraged by appreciation from family and friends she taught Indian cookery to adults, advised major supermarkets on the development of Indian dishes and wrote SPICE MAGIC an Indian culinary adventure. This was followed by television appearances and incorporating food as a central theme for corporate team building days. Her food-related appearances include 'Cooking with spices' at the V&A 'Encounters' exhibition, focusing on the meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800
"I cook from the heart" says Pinky Lilani OBE, "actually, I do everything from the heart!"
The Women's Champion
Some of the organisations, events and initiatives set up by Pinky:
THE ASIAN WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
THE WOMEN OF THE FUTURE AWARDS
THE INSPIRATIONAL WOMENS NETWORK
THE WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT AMBASSADORS PROGRAMME
THE WOMEN OF THE FUTURE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT
THE GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT AWARD
Background to the Programmes
The Asian Women of Achievement Awards, of which Pinky is Chairman, was her brainchild. The Patron of the Awards is Cherie Booth QC. Founded in 1999, it is an annual event held in London to acknowledge the achievements of Asian women.
In 2006, Pinky Lilani OBE launched her second awards ceremony after coming across a wealth of talent and promise from women aged 35 and under. The Women of the Future Awards rewards women who are achieving impressive results in diverse fields at a young age. The awards create role models for the younger generation and unearth inspiring stories.
Pinky runs the awards with publishing and events company Caspian Publishing Ltd.
Pinky is behind the Lloyds TSB Inspirational Women's Network which was launched on 2 July 2007. The network has developed from the informal community that has built up from both award ceremonies. The network is for women to provide support and create business relationships and to meet like-minded people.
In 2007 Pinky launched The Women of Achievement Ambassadors Programme which is being supported by Merrill Lynch. By appointing ambassadors, the message of high-achieving women can be taken into the schools. A-level students can be provided with tangible role models in diverse fields. The launch reception took place in October 2007 and the ambassadors now carry out regular visits to students.
Pinky runs the Global Empowerment Award to honour an individual leader whose vision inspires economic and social progress across the world: a remarkable individual who exemplifies outstanding leadership, responsibility and courage: a person who has contributed to inspiring others to champion progress and success. It is supported by Aviva plc. The 2008 winner was Indra Nooyi, global chief executive of PepsiCo, in recognition of her inspiration to women leaders across the world. The 2009 award is being presented to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
The Voluntary Worker
MEMBER: Court of Brunel University
JUDGE: MOSAIC Awards 2008, Prince of Wales Awards for young Muslims
PATRON: The Asian Womens Resource Centre, The National Black Police Association, The Westminster Society, Developments in Literacy (DIL)
FUNDRAISING FOR: The National Autistic Society, The Red Cross, The Caron Keeting Foundation, Mayor Of Croydon Charities
MENTOR: The Princes Trust
NATIONAL PROGRAMME LEADER: The Prince's seeing is believing programme
FOCUS: Inspiring & Empowering Young Women
Global connections
Pinky joined the Board of Global Diversity Practice in June 2010.
Pinky is on the Steering Group of the Cherie Blair Foundation.
Pinky was included in the 2009 Muslim Women Power List, honouring 50 of the most influential and powerful Muslim women within the working community in Britain.
She was also nominated as one of Britain's 100 Most Entrepreneurial Women 2009 by Real Business in association wtih Bank of Scotland Corporate and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lloyds TSB Jewel Award in October 2008.
Pinky has spoken at global conferences on subjects as diverse as racism and success. She also recently led a delegation of business women to Mumbai to encourage bilateral communications particularly between women.
She has recently joined the advisory board of Sapphire Partners
Recognition
Pinky was awarded the Lloyds JEWEL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008
In 2006, Pinky's portrait was painted by Alice Instone and was displayed in the Women of Influence series of the Twenty One Twenty First Century Women exhibition.
At the CBI First Women Awards in 2006 Pinky was awarded the Pwc Lifetime Achievement Award.