Co-founder of British Indian Medical Association wins 2024 Diana Award

A London-based student who co-founded the British Indian Medical Association (BIMA) to address the critical need for mentorship and support among Indian-origin medical students was on Thursday named among the winners of this year's Diana Award.

Harroop Singh Bola, 23, has been recognised for going above and beyond in his daily life to create and sustain positive change.

Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, the award is backed by her sons – William, the Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex – as an accolade for a young changemaker in the field of social action and humanitarian efforts.

“It is both a profound honour and a valuable opportunity to be recognised with the Diana Award for our efforts in addressing and bridging inequalities within the British Indian medical community,” said Bola.

“This recognition underscores the importance of inspiring others to become changemakers and future leaders in health care," he said.

Bola overcame significant personal challenges as a first-generation medical student at Imperial College London to create a thriving community when he co-founded BIMA in 2020.

Now in his final year at the leading university, he attracted praise for demonstrating exceptional leadership by heading four committees, collaborating with the General Medical Council (GMC) and championing increased British Indian representation in health care.

Under his stewardship, BIMA has grown to a membership exceeding 2,000 and has delivered over 250 events, reaching more than 7,000 individuals globally.

The organisation provides extensive career support, mentorship, and cultural initiatives, and Bola has personally mentored hundreds of aspiring medical leaders. His contributions have been widely recognised with accolades and success that he also credits to the support of his colleagues Virensinh Rathod and Dr Amar Rai.

“We warmly congratulate our new Diana Award recipients from across the world who are dedicating their time to making positive change. These young people demonstrate that young people have the power to change the world; a belief also held by Diana Princess of Wales. We know by receiving this honour they will inspire more young people to get involved in their communities,” said Diana Award CEO Dr Tessy Ojo.

This year the Diana Award received over 1,700 nomination submissions from around the world, making it the most competitive year yet.

All Diana Award recipients are recognised for dedicating a minimum of 12 months to leading positive social change through a variety of activities from campaigning and educating, to fundraising to delivering services.