Leading NRI businessman Sir Gulam Noon, popularly known as the 'Curry King', has won the Life Time Achievement Award at this year's prestigious World Food Awards in London, for his contribution to the food industry.

Noon, who founded Noon Products in 1987 to produce ready to eat meals, specialising in the Indian and Thai food categories, said he was glad to have contributed to making ethnic foods such a major international industry.

Receiving the award at the London's Hilton Park Lane on Saturday night, Sir Noon said, "Ethnic food has come a long way since Noon Products first launched many years ago".

Meena and Kirit Pathak, owners of the Pathak Pickles, received the award for Outstanding Achievement while leading Indian restaurant 'The Cinnamon Club' was declared as the Restaurant of the Year.

Harry Dulal, of the World Foods Association said, their aim was to ensure that ethnic food was recognised as the important sector that it is.

"The calibre of our winners this evening - from Levi Roots (best new products) to legends of our industry like Sir Gulam Noon and Kirit and Meena Pathak - is a reflection of the fact world food is now a thriving and fast-paced industry that has long crossed over into mainstream markets," he said.