Recognition

Awards & Honours

Twice named Man of the Decade in 2025. Honoured as Champion at the Billionaires for Peace Conclave, Mumbai 2026. A prize of £100,000 — declined and donated to those in need.

Gandhian Peace Society

Man of the Decade

29 May 2025

The Ceremony

Awarded at The Fleming Room, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh — one of the most prestigious settings in Scottish civic life.

Presented by:

  • • The Rt Hon John Le Fondre (former Chief Minister of Jersey)
  • • Andrew Grocock (CEO, Together UK Foundation)
  • • Dr Laszlo Kalman (Consul General of Hungary)
  • • Christian Albuisson (Conseiller des Français de l'Étranger)
  • • Foysal Choudhury MSP (Labour, event sponsor)

Finalists included:

Rt Hon Boris Johnson · Rt Hon Rishi Sunak · Sir Keir Starmer

Prize: £100,000

Declined. Neil asked for the prize money to be distributed to the poor and needy in India.

“I am humbled. It is not right for me to accept the prize money. Let it be given to those who need it most.”

— Neil Lal

UK Buddhist & Thai Council · Community Peace Prize

Man of the Decade

11 May 2025

The Ceremony

Awarded at Wat Phra Dhammakaya Temple, Helensburgh, Scotland — a sacred ceremony at one of Scotland's most significant Buddhist sites.

Special Honour

Personal blessing from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama — a rare and profoundly significant recognition.

Finalists included:

Sir Keir Starmer · Rt Hon Boris Johnson · Rt Hon Rishi Sunak

“There is no other parliamentarian in the United Kingdom who can match what Mr. Neil Lal has achieved, especially with his diplomacy skills.”

— Mrs Warakant McLaughlin

Chairperson, UK Buddhist & Thai Council

I Am Peacekeeper Movement · Billionaires for Peace Conclave

Champion Award

21 May 2026

The Ceremony

Honoured as Guest of Honour and presented with the I Am Peacekeeper Champion Award at the Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences.

The Conclave advanced the principle that Inner Peace is the Foundation of World Peace, with keynotes, panels on justice and peace, and the release of the I Am Peacekeeper Charter.

Notable guests included:

  • • Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra
  • • Shri Ram Nath Kovind, Former President of India
  • • Shri Ashok Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group
  • • Nobel Peace Laureates & global business leaders

Recognition

Praised by Dr. Huzaifa Khorakiwala, Founder of the I Am Peacekeeper Movement, for setting a benchmark for cross-border collaboration and goodwill.

“His diplomatic approach has set a benchmark for cross-border collaboration and goodwill.”

— Dr. Huzaifa Khorakiwala

Founder, I Am Peacekeeper Movement

Read the full press release →

Scottish Parliament

Motion S6M-17089

The Scottish Parliament formally commended Neil Lal's contributions to the Hinduphobia Report, presented to the Cross-Party Group on Challenging Racial and Religious Prejudice.

This parliamentary motion represents formal recognition of Neil's work co-authoring the first report of its kind to be endorsed at parliamentary level in Scotland — a landmark in the recognition and naming of anti-Hindu prejudice in the United Kingdom.

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