Our Bureau
London
Ajit Mishra, a prominent India-born lawyer in the UK, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Freedom of the City of London’ award for his outstanding contribution to legal and public life. Mishra, who is the Founder and Chair of UK India Legal Partnership (UKILP), was conferred the award on January 23.
Chris Hayword, Policy Chairman of London Corporation, and Shravan Joshi, Deputy Chair of the civil affairs committee, nominated Mishra for the prestigious recognition.
On receiving the award, Mishra said, “I’m humbled to receive the Freedom of the City of London award. I started my legal career in the city of London, and it’s a proud moment to be recognized by the city.”
The award, given by the City of London Corporation, dates back to the 13th century and is bestowed upon individuals who make outstanding contributions to London and public life.
UKILP, founded by Mishra, is a dynamic networking platform that is rapidly gaining prominence as a leading hub for senior lawyers fostering connections between the legal communities of India and the UK.
Notable recipients of this award include the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru; former Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher; the first Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew; the first President of South Africa Nelson Mandela besides contemporary statesmen like John Kerry, former US Secretary of State; Microsoft founder Bill Gates; Nobel Prize-winning mathematical physicist Professor Sir Roger Penrose; singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran; Oxford Project lead who spearheaded the development of the Oxford– AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert; England football captain Harry Kane and England cricketers Sajid Mahmood and Ebony Rainford-Brent.
He is a dual-qualified lawyer and corporate partner at Knights. With more than two decades of professional experience in leading M&A and commercial transactions between India and the UK, Mishra has been a partner and head of the India desk at some of the best domestic and international law firms.
