Londoner Himanshu Jain, who co-founded the Bharat Cricket Community as a charity club that promotes healthy living and community integration to positively impact over 1,000 South Asian men in south-east England, has been honoured with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Points of Light award.
Through the support of its members, the club provides South Asian men from Barking, Sutton, Kent, and Southend with opportunities to engage in cricket – from beginner sessions to over 200 members playing in professional leagues. Since its formal launch in 2021, the club has expanded to include women and children in coaching sessions and team formations and now hosts the ‘Bharat Premier League’ and mini-tournaments every weekend.
Jain said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the Prime Minister’s Points of Light award. This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of the Bharat Cricket Community, my fellow trustee and co-founder Prasanth, and the numerous community and humanitarian initiatives I’ve been privileged to be part of, both locally and globally, such as the Leprosy Control Programme in India, which I am championing in the UK.
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“I am grateful for this acknowledgment and inspired to continue making a positive impact in our communities.”
Under Himanshu’s leadership, the club fosters community cohesion through award ceremonies, family days, and Dandiya events, offering a platform for the wider community to engage with and appreciate South Asian culture. The club encourages its members to contribute back, with many volunteering in local sports and rotary events, such as the London Marathon. Members also support Himanshu in raising awareness and funds for his “Leprosy Control Programme”, a programme that he runs in the UK to address the disease in South Asia.
Beyond cricket, Himanshu plays a key role in leading and supporting several charities, including the Barking & Ilford United Charities, an alms-house charity currently undergoing regeneration, and Lola’s Homeless Ladder, an east London charity supporting over 500 homeless people weekly.
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Himanshu also works with the Institute of Jainology on upgrading the Jainpedia initiative, which involves the digitisation, translation, and transliteration of over 5,000 manuscripts housed in British museums and libraries and is the incoming district governor for Rotary in London for the year 2024-25.
Himanshu’s Points of Light, regularly conferred by the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street to spotlight community champions across different fields, coincides with Baisakhi and Mahavir Jayanti this month.
*Info: Bharat Cricket Community; Jainpedia