Royal Brompton consultant paediatric cardiologist Dr Nitha Naqvi has been named among Britain’s most inspiring female role models.
She won the top award at the 20th Asian Women of Achievement Awards held at the London Hilton hotel in Park Lane in association with NatWest on Tuesday evening (30 April). The awards highlight the role that British Asian women play in culture, economics and social ventures.
Dr Naqvi was nominated for the Professions category by the mother of a young patient, but actually won the evening’s highest overall accolade – the Natwest Chairman’s Award. Nominees came from across the fields of business, the arts, media, sport, technology, and humanitarian causes.
Guests included Jordanian princess Badiya bint El Hassan and barrister Cherie Blair, who are patrons of the awards, as well as London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Dr Naqvi told the Evening Standard that she had learned her strong work ethic from her grandmother: “My grandmother was the first ever DJ in Pakistan, and all the men in the family died and so she supported all the children on her own.
“My dad came here with £50 in his pocket, worked his way up and then ended up becoming a doctor, as did my mother. I feel like I was born to be a doctor as I practically lived in the hospital until I was nine years old as my parents worked so much.”
After receiving the award, Dr Naqvi said: “I’m delighted to have won the award. The whole event was a much bigger deal than I had expected.
“I’m so proud to be able to live and work in the UK – to work for the amazing NHS and particularly for Royal Brompton.”
Read more about the awards in the Evening Standard, and Dr Naqvi's blog ‘Growing up in the NHS: a doctor's story’.