Winners of the Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever Awards (YAYAs) 2025 were announced at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford.
Organised by the Bradford-based charity QED Foundation and supported by title sponsor York St John University, the awards honour young people of South Asian heritage aged 16 to 35 who have overcome barriers, disadvantage or discrimination to excel in their chosen fields.
Now in their fifth year, this year’s ceremony, held on 27th November, shortlisted 26 nominees across 10 categories.
The overall Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever of the Year prize went to Dr Madiah Mahmood, a Leeds doctor who survived life-threatening autoimmune encephalitis in 2016 before returning to her studies and graduating six years later.
Now a resident doctor at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, she has led awareness work for the Encephalitis Society and introduced new innovations within her department.
The Achievement in Media award went to Musharaf Asghar, the Dewsbury-born star of Channel 4’s Educating Yorkshire. Despite a childhood shaped by bullying and a debilitating stammer, he earned a degree in broadcast journalism and now works as a motivational speaker, helping young people manage anxiety, build confidence and see possibility in their futures.
Sheffield boxer and NHS cardiac intensive care practitioner Nohmaan Hussain took home the Sport award, while the Health and Mental Health category recognised paramedic Adil Mohammed, who grew up in a deprived Sheffield neighbourhood and led a successful campaign to install community defibrillators in Tinsley.
In the Arts and Creative Industries category, 24-year-old Awais Hussain from Bradford was commended for his work with Apna Heritage, documenting and celebrating South Asian migration stories.
Bradford student Mohammed Ali Adnan, a wheelchair user living with Spina Bifida, was honoured in the Education category for his determination and advocacy.
Entrepreneur Falaq Ujjala, founder of Skylight Lounge, won the Private Sector award, while trainee detective Aqsa Saleem was recognised for her trailblazing work in the Public Sector.
The Not-for-Profit award went to Aleem Bashir, chief executive of the University of Bradford Student Union, and the Overcoming Life Obstacles award was presented to Bradford business owner and single mother Sabba Nosheen.
The ceremony, hosted by comedian and broadcaster Noreen Khan, featured a keynote speech from Morrisons chief executive Rami Baitieh and messages of support from senior figures including Sir James Hill OBE and GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler.
Reflecting on the night, QED founder Dr Mohammed Ali OBE said the awards exist to shine a light on “gifted individuals” whose stories inspire communities across Yorkshire.
Deputy chief executive Adeeba Malik CBE added that the YAYAs continue to highlight the “great wealth of talent” in the region, reinforcing their status as a cornerstone of Bradford’s civic calendar since their launch in 2020.
