London:
An NRI principal of a college has been honoured with a prestigious businesswoman of the year award for transforming her institution into one of the top in the UK.
West Nottinghamshire College principal and NRI chief executive Asha Khemka has been crowned as the Midlands Businesswoman of the year.
Since taking over at the Mansfield college in 2006, Khemka has transformed it into one of the top colleges in the country, with more than 25,000 students, a grade one "Outstanding" ranking from Ofsted and category 'A' financial status.
Khemka said, "It is an honour to receive this prestigious award and follow in the footsteps of such esteemed winners from previous years."
She fought off stiff competition to claim the prestigious honour at the annual Vitalise Women of the Year Luncheon and Awards, held at the Hilton Metropole, NEF in Birmingham, an official release said on Monday.
Khemka arrived in the UK from India, aged 25, with her husband and three young children and no formal qualifications. She overcame significant cultural and language barriers to become the first female principal of a UK college to be born and raised in India.