A British Sikh senior medical professional with over 30 years of general practice (GP) experience has been knighted by King Charles III in the 2024 New Year Honours list, which includes honours for members of the England women’s football squad and charity workers.

Dr Amritpal Singh Hungin, Emeritus Professor of General Practice at Newcastle University, receives a Knighthood for services to medicine on a list released in London on Friday night, including nearly 30 Indian-origin healthcare professionals, philanthropists and community activists honoured for their selfless service to society. Professor Pali Hungin, as he is known, was the founding Dean of Medicine at Durham University and a former president of the British Medical Association (BMA).

“The New Year's Honours List recognises the exceptional achievements of people across the country and those who have shown the highest commitment to selflessness and compassion,” said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“To all honourees, you are the pride of this country and an inspiration to us all,” he said.

The list, released annually by the government’s Cabinet Office in the name of the British monarch, includes Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBEs) for Staffordshire GP Dr Chandra Mohan Kanneganti for services to General Practice and Senior Clinical Fellow of Imperial College London Dr Mala Rao for services to public Health, the National Health Service (NHS), and to equality and diversity.

Also receiving the prestigious CBE honour is Bidesh Sarkar, Chief Financial Officer at the Department for Business and Trade, for public service.

“This year’s New Year Honours List celebrates the most selfless, compassionate people in the UK. I send them all my warmest congratulations for what they have achieved,” said UK Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden.

“Our historic honours system exists to recognise these people and shine a light on their heroic contributions and achievements. I hope that the inspiring stories from across the whole of the UK encourage more people to nominate others for an honour in future,” he said. Among the British Indian Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBEs) include Baldev Parkash Bhardwaj for services to the community in Oldbury, West Midlands; Dr Dipankar Datta, Chair of the South Asia Voluntary Enterprise, for services to charity; Munir Patel, CEO of XRAIL Group, for services to rail exports; Dr Shriti Pattani, President of the Society of Occupational Medicine, for services to occupational health; Rajwinder Singh, Principal Project Sponsor of the Prison Infrastructure Team at the UK's Ministry of Justice, for public service; Vinaichandra Guduguntla Venkatesham, CEO of Arsenal Football Club, for services to sport.

The Cabinet Office said more than 1,200 recipients have been awarded this year for their exceptional achievements, including Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs) conferred upon a cross-section including British Indians such as Dr Sanjay Bhandari, Chair of anti-racism charity Kick It Out for services to sport and Jayshree Rajkotia, Trustee and Vice Chair of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan UK, for services to Indian culture.