LAKSHMI MITTAL, the steel tycoon, was a generous donor to the Labour Party when Tony Blair was prime minister – there was one payment of £125,000 and two of £2 million each. "I believe that the Labour party has made a significant and very positive impact on the overall prosperity of the United Kingdom since it came to office in 1997," said Mittal, justifying the gifts. 

RABINDER SINGH QC has a pioneering CV and is continuing to break down barriers 22 years after entering the legal profession. In October, he became the first Sikh High Court judge after being sworn in at the Royal Courts of Justice. Singh, who was born in Delhi, became only the second lawyer from an ethnic minority background to be promoted to the senior level of the judiciary.

MEERA SYAL is that rare breed: able to exceed in almost any function she chooses. Whether it's acting, her first love, writing, award-winning no less, or comedy, in which she first established herself in the national consciousness, she possesses an abundance of talents and a range, still the envy of many. And to cap it all off, she also has an MBE, awarded in 1997.

AMIR KHAN is one of the country's most popular sportsmen. He is also one of the very few Asians at the very peak of a global sport that counts the US as its most important fan base. His reputation with every successful world title defence there continues to grow and if further proof was needed of his steadily rising stock, it was an invitation to dinner at the White House this September along with other leading Muslim sporting figures.

NINA WADIA remains one of the most recognised Asian faces on television. Away from the television screen, she continues to add to her repertoire and released her first feature film produced by her own company, Oh My! Productions in October. The company formed with her music composer husband Raiomond Mirza made Four, a low budget crime heist, involving a husband, his wife's lover and a kidnapping. 

RAVI BOPARA is one of the very few Asians who commands a regular place in England's evolving one-day team. He looks as though he may finally established himself at international level in the shorter form of the game.