Leading NRI doctor Lord Khalid Hameed has been adjudged Asian of the Year 2007 for his outstanding work in various walks of life, including his contribution to health service.

Sixty-six-year-old Lucknow-born Dr Hameed is currently chairman of the Alpha Hospital Group and also chairman & chief executive officer of the London [Images] International Hospital, which is a new centre of excellence being created for cancer, heart and the brain.

The award was presented to Lord Hameed at the Asian Who's Who 2007 function organised by its Editor J S Sachar at the Hilton Hotel in London on Monday night.

The selection panel for the award included Lord Karan Bilimoria, CBE; S P Hinduja, chairman of the Hinduja Group; Moni Varma; Rt Hon Keith Vaz, member of Parliament; former minister Lord Navnit Dholakia, OBE; Dr A F A Sayeed and J A Kabasi OBE.

Other award winners were Dr Avtar Lit, chief of Sunrise Radio and pioneer of Asian Broadcasting in the UK (Asian Leadership in Promoting Harmony); Tony Deep Wouhra, MBE, chief of the East End Foods (Asian Leadership in Europe) and Dr Ashraf Chohan, general secretary of India Pakistan UK Friendship Forum (Asian Leadership in Diversity).

Cherie Blair, wife of former British pime minister Tony Blair [Images] was also present on the occasion.

Lord Hameed, who arrived in London from India in 1968, has worked for three teaching hospitals in London.

Following this he developed a successful practice in Central London and was appointed chief executive officer and executive director of the Cromwell Hospital, London, before he took over as chairman of the Alpha Hospital Group.

Thanking the selection panel for bestowing him the honour, Dr Hameed said the London International Hospital, now under construction, would be operational in 12 months.

He is also chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council and is a trustee of many charities.

He is involved in interfaith work and dialogue for which he undertakes public speaking.

In 2005 Lord Hameed was awarded the Sternberg Award for his work in interfaith matters. He was also chosen for the Ambassador of Peace Award in 2007 by the International Federation for World Peace.

He has national honours from five countries, including the UK, which awarded him the CBE. He was appointed High Sheriff of Greater London for 2006-2007 by the Queen, an office which is 1,000 years old.

Lord Hameed was elevated to life peerage as a member of the House of Lords this year.