Posted: 07/05/15
College principal Dame Asha shortlisted for national award
Principal and chief executive of West Nottinghamshire College Group, Dame Asha Khemka, is in the running for another prestigious accolade.
Dame Asha has been announced as a finalist in the First Women Awards 2015.
Now in their 11th year, the awards – founded by leading industry title Real Business and employers’ organisation, the CBI – celebrate the achievements of inspirational women from a variety of businesses and professional sectors.
There are 12 categories in total, with winners chosen by a 20-strong judging panel including Morella Kayman, co-founder and vice-president of the Alzheimer’s Society, Vin Murria DBA, chief executive of the Advanced Computer Software Group, and Dawn Elson, business transformation leader at Gatwick Airport.
Dame Asha, who is widely regarded as one of the country’s leading educationalists, has been shortlisted in the First Women of Public Service category. She is up against Safia Minney of People Tree, Helen Milner of the Tinder Foundation, Laura Dietz of the Royal Navy, Rona Kotecha of the Mara Foundation, and Catherine Rushforth of Catherine Rushforth & Associates.
Dame Asha said: “I feel honoured to be shortlisted for this award in the company of such esteemed women leaders from sectors as diverse as business, media, public service, manufacturing, engineering, and science and technology, to name just a few.
“It is further proof that colleges are now regarded as major businesses in their own right, and ones that make a significant contribution to our economy and to UK Plc.
“While this personal recognition is very humbling, it is also testimony to the hard-working and dedicated staff who make West Nottinghamshire College the success story that it is.”
Presenter, writer and BAFTA-winning broadcaster Clare Balding will host the awards ceremony on Thursday 11 June at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square. Winners will follow in the footsteps of hugely successful previous recipients including Nora Senior, executive chair of Weber Shandwick in the UK and Ireland, and Sarah Weir OBE, chief executive of The Legacy List.
Since joining the college in 2006, Dame Asha has collected a string of accolades including the National Jewel Award for Excellence in Healthcare and Education, the Asian Woman of Achievement award, and Businesswoman of the Year title.
She was recognised for her services to further education with an OBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours List and a Damehood in the 2014 Honours List.
Last year, Dame Asha received the coveted Woman of the Year accolade from Prime Minister David Cameron at the GG2 Leadership Awards, just weeks after receiving an inaugural Dadabhai Naoroji Award from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
