Elham Asaad Buaras
Dr Imranali Panjwani, Senior Lecturer in Law and Head of Diverse Legal Consulting at Anglia Ruskin University, was honoured with the GG2 Spirit of the Community Award at the 2025 GG2 Leadership & Diversity Awards. This prestigious award recognises his exceptional contributions to supporting asylum seekers through expert legal advocacy and his unwavering commitment to upholding the dignity and justice of marginalised communities.
The ceremony, held on March 4 at a central London venue, brought together distinguished figures from various sectors of public life.
As the founder and head of Diverse Legal Consulting, Dr Panjwani leads a specialist consultancy that produces country expert reports for asylum cases, with a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). His expertise plays a crucial role in legal proceedings involving asylum seekers, offering valuable insights into the socio-political and cultural dynamics of regions affected by conflict and persecution.
His consultancy is shaped by a multidisciplinary legal and philosophical framework, drawing on advanced study in scriptural exegesis, jurisprudence, philosophy, logic, and metaphysics. This scholarly depth allows Dr Panjwani to challenge prevailing assumptions within legal discourse, promoting a more expansive understanding of evidence and legal interpretation—particularly in cross-cultural and religious contexts.
“It allows me to draw on my heritage, training, and values to serve those whose legal needs are often overlooked, and whose voices deserve to be heard with clarity and compassion,” said Dr Panjwani. “Diverse Legal Consulting is an expression of my commitment to justice, scholarship, and humanity.”
Born in the UK to parents with roots in both India and East Africa, Dr Panjwani is the son of a refugee and an economic migrant. His mother fled Uganda during the 1972 expulsion of Asians under Idi Amin’s regime, arriving in the UK as a refugee. His father emigrated from Tanzania in the 1960s in pursuit of educational and economic opportunities. These personal histories have profoundly shaped Dr Panjwani’s worldview and fuelled his commitment to advocating for the rights and dignity of those displaced by conflict or systemic injustice.
With experience living and working across the UK, the Middle East, and Australia, Dr Panjwani brings a global perspective to his academic and legal endeavours.
Reflecting on the award, Dr Panjwani told The Muslim News, “I am extremely humbled to receive the GG2 Spirit in the Community Award. I thank God, my parents, wife, children, siblings, teachers, and community for their support and sacrifices, without which I would not be able to help those who live on the margins of society.
“If we are to forge ahead in these difficult times, we must never forget the golden rule – a rule that transcends religion, race, culture, gender, and country: ‘Treat others as you would wish to be treated by them’. Therefore, if the United Kingdom or any country is involved in wars abroad, directly or indirectly, and people flee from those war-torn countries, it is only fair that it should respect and welcome asylum seekers. Any political policy or media representation that seeks to ostracise asylum seekers is inherently unfair.”
Photo: Dr Imranali Panjwani, Senior Lecturer in Law and Head of Diverse Legal Consulting at Anglia Ruskin University, receives the GG2 Spirit in the Community Award—supported by the Royal Navy—from Shailesh Solanki, Commander Robert Jaffier (Deputy Race Advocate, Royal Navy), and Kalpesh Solanki.
