Bhaven Pathak receives an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List of 2021, for services to Business and British Hinduism

Bhaven Pathak, Founding Trustee of Yog Foundation and Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Canopius Group, has been awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for Services to Business and to British Hinduism.

On hearing the news, Bhaven Pathak MBE said:

“I am deeply humbled to receive this honour, and I take the opportunity to acknowledge my late Mother, whose abiding example of ‘seva’, or dedicated service, inspires me, both at work and in the community.

Yog Foundation and its remarkable team continue to translate traditional precepts into meaningful educational, healthcare and poverty relief operations on the ground. We are but one example of a youth led, British Hindu project that benefits thousands of people regardless of their religious affiliation or background.

British Hindus have overcome many barriers in order to find their voice in our society and we still have a long way to go. This wonderful award spurs me on to help my community play its full potential in the regeneration of our country at this time of immense global vulnerability. In this, I know I have the blessings of my Guru and my other teachers. This award is ultimately a reflection of their guidance and encouragement.”

“I am delighted to learn that Bhaven has been selected for this special honour. I am proud of his efforts and hope that he keeps serving the community and the blessings of Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan will always be with him”

Amish Tripathi, Director of Nehru Centre, London, and bestselling author said:

"I am most impressed by Bhaven’s commitment to India's ancient heritage and culture, while also continuing to work for the good of the UK. As a British-born person of Indian heritage, he has helped keep alive the rich and ancient culture of India through the promotion of Indic languages, bhajan performances, speeches and festival celebrations. He has inspired British Indian youth to embrace and take pride in their heritage and faith. I am delighted that his contributions have been recognised by Her Majesty."

“I wish my heartiest congratulations to Bhaven on receiving this award from Her Majesty the Queen. This is a matter of pride for our community both in the UK and in India.”

“I am delighted that Bhaven’s work in the community has been recognised with this award. He has done tremendous and inspirational work with Yog Foundation and at a time when community is more important than ever he has been an excellent role model.”

Michael Watson, Chief Executive and Chairman of Canopius Group said:

“At Canopius we place great value on leadership, diversity and social responsibility. I am therefore very proud that Bhaven Pathak, a key member of our team, has been recognised by Her Majesty for giving back to the wider community. That he has done this while successfully discharging a demanding role in our company says much about his drive, capacity and professionalism. I look forward to even more accomplishments from Bhaven in the years ahead.”

Krish Raval OBE, Director of Faith in Leadership said:

“An icon of his generation, Bhaven Pathak MBE is a thought leader in business and in the Indo-British relationship. His integrity, resourcefulness and faithful community work through the Yog Foundation are needed now more than ever.”

Chetan Halai, Associate Director, Rare Recruitment and CEO of Yog Foundation said:

“Bhaven’s tenacity and vision remain invaluable to the Yog Foundation’s expanding work with thousands of young people like me. I am delighted to see his selfless service over more than two decades being recognised.”

Bhaven Pathak MBE was raised in a single parent family, spent a part of his childhood in care and has risen from poverty to become a successful corporate executive in the City. His early experiences have motivated him to advise, mentor and invest in young entrepreneurs, small business owners and others who come from similarly underprivileged backgrounds.

Bhaven has cultivated a deep knowledge of the Hindu scriptures and is fluent in the Gujarati, Hindi and Sanskrit languages. He has drawn on original sources to deliver over 500 compelling katha (speeches), bhajan events (devotional songs) and poojas (prayer services). He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought series.

Since his university days, Bhaven has worked tirelessly for charitable causes. He has helped establish temples in the UK and also started Yog Foundation - a UK charity that brings local communities together for the public good. He has led Yog Foundation’s range of activities to include moral reasoning classes for children, health and wellbeing facilities, regular food bank drives and initiatives that counter loneliness and build community resilience. Yog Foundation’s activities are free and open to all.

He has a twenty-year record of delivering and sponsoring imaginative voluntary projects which impacted thousands of lives. These accomplishments sit alongside his full-time corporate leadership role, where he has led more than 50 mergers, acquisitions and investment projects in the global financial services industry.

Bhaven is husband to Puja and father to three, each of whom keep him rooted firmly to the ground. He holds a BSc (Hons.), Post Graduate Diploma and an Executive MBA and was made an MBE for services to Business and British Hinduism by Her Majesty the Queen in the New Year’s Honour’s List of 2021.