UK honour for Lucknow doctor

Lucknow: Thirty-five years ago, he had left Lucknow for London to get higher education in medicine.

Last month, Dr Khalid Hameed, now a well-known medical practitioner in Britain, was appointed high sheriff of Greater London the first non-British to be appointed to this coveted post.

"It is an honour for me to be the first non-English to be appointed to the post and the biggest challenge is that I should not be seen as working only for the Indian community.

"My effort would be to increase communication between various communities and make them live and work together in an integrated and coordinated manner," he told this newspaper during his first visit to Lucknow after being appointed high sheriff of Greater London.

Dr Hameed, at present, is the chairman of the Alpha Hospital Group and the London International Hospital. He was conferred the 'Padma Shri' civilian honour by the Indian government and is the honorary physician to the president of India and the governor of Uttar Pradesh.

"Though I left Lucknow more than three decades ago, I have maintained my links with this city and its people. There has been amazing development in this city though a number of landmarks are vanishing. I wish the people would preserve the old landmarks," he says.

Replying to a question, Dr Khalid Hameed who has friends in almost every community in Britain denies that Asians are being victimised after the London blasts. "In fact, UK is one of the most tolerant countries that I have seen and there has been no victimisation on religious grounds.

"The tolerance level of the British has not gone down though there is a concern over terrorism. The fact that I have been appointed High Sheriff of Greater London after the blasts took place speaks volumes for the attitude that UK has towards Asians, particularly Muslims," he explains.

"Terrorism has no religion and it is unemployment and backwardness that drives youth to such anti-social activities. Muslims, as a community, remain backward though Indians are doing rather well in UK." The tenure of the ceremonial high sheriff's post is one year.