Harroop Singh Bola, 23, from London has been recognised with the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts — the Diana Award.
Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Award is given out by the charity of the same name and has the support of both her sons – HRH The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.
Harroop co-founded the British Indian Medical Association (BIMA) in 2020 to address the critical need for mentorship and support among British Indian medical students. As a first-generation medical student at Imperial College London, he overcame significant personal challenges to create a thriving community. Now in his final year, Harroop has demonstrated exceptional leadership by heading four committees, collaborating with the General Medical Council, and championing increased British Indian representation in healthcare.
Harroop Singh Bola said: "It is both a profound honour and a valuable opportunity to be recognised with the Diana Award for our efforts in addressing and bridging inequalities within the British Indian medical community.
“This recognition underscores the importance of inspiring others to become changemakers and future leaders in healthcare."
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His contributions have been widely recognised, earning him accolades such as the Outstanding Service Award from Imperial College Union, the Exceptional Educator Award from MedAll, and the 2024 Akindolie Medical Scholarship as the primary recipient. Harroop attributes much of his success to the unwavering support of his colleagues such as Virensinh Rathod and Dr Amar Rai.
Under his stewardship, BIMA has grown to a membership exceeding 2,000 and has delivered over 250 events, reaching more than 7,000 individuals globally. The organisation provides extensive career support, mentorship, and cultural initiatives, and Harroop has personally mentored hundreds of aspiring medical leaders. His efforts have inspired similar initiatives and fostered meaningful change within medical communities across the UK. Notably, he spearheaded community engagement with the Asian Cancer Support Group, further amplifying his impact on public health and community wellbeing.
This year, around 80 volunteers representing over 30 countries came together in panels, read through and marked each nomination against five key criteria: vision, social impact, inspiring others, youth leadership, and social action journey. The 2024 Diana Award received over 1,700 nomination submissions, making this the most competitive year yet.
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Dr Tessy Ojo CBE, CEO of The Diana Award, said: “We warmly congratulate our new Diana Award Recipients from across the world who are dedicating their time to making positive change. These young people demonstrate that young people have the power to change the world; a belief also held by Diana Princess of Wales.
“ We know by receiving this honour they will inspire more young people to get involved in their communities.”
*Info: BIMA; Diana Award 2024