A personal reflection by Neil Lal
I did not seek either award. I want to be clear about that from the beginning.
When the UK Buddhist & Thai Council notified me in April that I had been named their Man of the Decade, I was genuinely surprised. When, less than a month later, the Gandhian Peace Society presented the same honour at the Scottish Parliament — with the same shortlist, including Prime Ministers and a future Prime Minister — I was humbled in a way I have not experienced before.
Two "Man of the Decade" awards. Thirty days apart. At two of the most distinguished venues in Scotland.
What It Means — And Doesn't Mean
I have been asked many times since: how does it feel?
The honest answer is that it feels like responsibility, not recognition.
The finalists for both awards included Rt Hon Boris Johnson, Rt Hon Rishi Sunak, and Sir Keir Starmer. These are leaders who have held the highest office in the land. That I was selected alongside them — and ultimately chosen above them — is not something I take lightly, nor with any personal pride.
It is a recognition of a community. My community. The Indian-origin community in Scotland and across the UK. Their work, their sacrifice, their bridges built quietly over decades — that is what was being honoured.
The Dalai Lama's Blessing
The Buddhist Council award on 11 May 2025, at the Wat Phra Dhammakaya Temple in Helensburgh, carried a special significance: a personal blessing from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
I am not a Buddhist by practice. But I have enormous respect for His Holiness's commitment to compassion as a way of living — not a philosophy to be admired from a distance. His blessing reminded me of what my grandfather taught me: that service must be sincere, not strategic.
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
The £100,000 Decision
At the Gandhian Peace Society ceremony on 29 May 2025 at the Scottish Parliament, a prize of £100,000 was presented alongside the award.
I declined it.
I asked that it be distributed to the poor and needy in India instead.
Some people found this decision surprising. But I did not. My grandfather came to Scotland with nothing. He built a life. My father built on that. I have built further still. The idea that I would accept prize money at an event honouring peace and service — while there are people in India who need food, healthcare, education — simply did not sit right with me.
It was not a performance. It was just the right thing to do.
What Comes Next
If these awards mean anything beyond the immediate moment, I hope they mean this: that a Scottish-Indian businessman from Glasgow can sit at the highest tables of British public life, earn the recognition of the most distinguished institutions, and remain, at the core, a servant of the people he represents.
That is the legacy I am working towards.
The Scotland-India relationship is at a historic inflection point. The Free Trade Agreement is signed. The opportunity is real. The community I represent deserves a champion at that table.
These awards are not the destination. They are, I hope, a vote of confidence for the road ahead.
Neil Lal was awarded Man of the Decade by the Gandhian Peace Society (Scottish Parliament, 29 May 2025) and by the UK Buddhist & Thai Council (Helensburgh, 11 May 2025).