Celebrating the best of Asian-owned businesses

It was among a string of winners on the night, ranging from Asian pop legend Apache Indian to the bosses of leading packaging and metal polishing companies.

Around 550 people packed into the Ringside Suite at Wolverhampton Racecourse for the black-tie event, which included the surprise announcement that Ninder Johal, the popular high-profile chairman of the Black Country Asian Business Association, would be giving up the role after five years.

BCABA is now due to meet next week to start the hunt for his successor.

Mr Johal, whose Nachural events company organised the awards night, will remain in his roles on the Local Enterprise Partnership and as president of the Black County Chamber of Commerce.

Tribute

Mr Johal also used the opportunity to pay tribute to Ranjit Singh Power, the 54 year-old owner of the Ramada Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton, who was recently murdered while in India on business.

The night was also a success for charity Promise Dreams, with more than £5,000 raised from a raffle and auction.

The audience heard guest speaker Jindy Khera, managing director of Black Country-based edible oils firm KTC, explain how his family business had survived three recessions by keeping overheads and costs low, to grow from a corner shop in Walsall to a £200 million business employing 365 people in Wednesbury and Liverpool.

The big winner of the night was the family-owned Gill Group. The Business of the Year operates in sectors ranging from civil engineering and aggregates, to aviation, builders merchants and insurance.

With its headquarters a stone's throw from West Bromwich Albion's Hawthorns ground, Gill Group generates a turnover in excess of £50 million and employs more than 200 people. Its private jet operation has carried Premier League football teams such as Manchester City and Liverpool as well as Her Majesty The Queen.

The Business Person of the Year was Jitha Singh Sahota, who has built packaging firm CBS into a £27-million-a-year success story employing 200 people from its five-acre headquarters in West Bromwich.

A delighted Mr Sahota insisted his CBS colleagues join him on stage to celebrate the award.

Another high-profile winner was Asian music legend Apache Indian, aka Steven Kapur, who now devotes much of his time to working with young people at his Apache Indian Music Academy at the Handsworth campus of South and City College, Birmingham. He was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

A lifetime award was presented to Jagir Singh Dudrah of Wolverhampton company Midland Polishing & Plating, a business he started with just four staff in 1982. It now employs 200 people and has a turnover of around £12 million.

Other award winners included:

Business Start-up: Red Leaf restaurant, West Bromwich.

Young Entrepreneur: Bill Aulak, The Cake Shop, Wolverhampton.

Community Excellence: GNG Nursery, Smethwick.

Regeneration: Lakshmi sweet centre and restaurant, Wolverhampton.

Innovation and Enterprise: Interactive Education, Wolverhampton.

International Trade: Zeel Solutions, Wolverhampton.Mr Johal also spoke about the positive growth of the UK economy over the last five quarters and how businesses should look to maximise the opportunities available to them in an ever increasing global marketplace.

And he backed plans for more devolved powers for a combined West Midlands authority rather than decisions being made centrally; "We want devolved powers because we know best, not some toff sitting in Whitehall," he said.