Sanjay Majhu Wins Lloyds TSB Asian Jewel Award for Excellence in Business and Commerce Sanjay Majhu, chief executive of Glasgow-headquartered Harlequin Leisure Group, Europe's largest chain of Indian restaurants and the company behind the popular Ashoka restaurant brand, has won the Business and Commerce Excellence Award at the prestigious Asian Jewel Awards. Sponsored by Lloyds TSB, the Asian Jewel Awards was established to recognise the achievements and success stories within the Asian business and corporate sector throughout the UK. Mr Majhu was presented with his award before an audience of 800 at a special ceremony held at Old Trafford football stadium in Manchester. He said, 'I'm delighted to win this award, which I accept on behalf of all my fellow directors and staff at Harlequin, Apple and Starlighting. To be honest, I'd been quite content with my tour around Old Trafford - and the chance to touch Eric Cantona's team shirt - so winning this award is a real bonus!' A successful entrepreneur with an expanding portfolio of business interests, Mr Majhu has worked in the restaurant trade ever since landing his first part-time job as a waiter in the Ashoka West End, Glasgow while still at school. He assumed ownership of Glasgow-based Harlequin Leisure Group from Charan Gill, MBE, in an £8 million deal last March. Comprising 16 restaurants employing 350 staff and generating an annual turnover of £12 million, Harlequin Leisure Group is now gearing up for a period of rapid expansion. Mr Majhu has several other business ventures, including Starlighting Electrical Wholesale and the expanding Apple Pharmacy Group, which is revolutionising the pharmacy sector with its recent launch of a unique freephone prescription order and delivery service. Having started operating in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, only two years ago, Apple now has pharmacies in Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh.   top