One of the most prominent corporate and community leaders of Indian origin was inducted into a prestigious Hall of Fame last fortnight.
East Tamaki Health Care Director Ranjna Patel became the first Indian to decorate the Hall of Fame of ‘Co. Of Women,’ an organisation of high achievers based in Auckland.
Fashion Designer Dame Trelise Cooper and Emerald Group Chief Executive Diane Foreman were also inducted into the Hall of Fame at a Ceremony held at the ASB North Wharf Cube on May 15, 2014.
Rigid process
The three women were chosen based on a set of criteria including significant (a) national/global success (b) impact on their industry (c) activities that support female success and (d) philanthropic endeavours to make a wider difference
The induction ceremony featured Korowai designed specifically for the Hall of Fame ceremony by fashion designer Kiri Nathan. The Korowai were transferred from previous inductees.
The nomination process, open to the public, begins in March every year at the Co.Of Women Entrepreneur Week.
Tora Lorigan, Founder of the Organisation said that by the age of 16, all three women had left school with the expectation of marrying young and raising a family. They were honoured this year for their significant contribution to the New Zealand and global economies, generous support of female success and philanthropic endeavours,” she said.
Explicit examples
She said that the Hall of Fame was launched in 2012 to create explicit examples of the diversity of female entrepreneurial success, both to honour these women who have paved the way and in doing so to encourage other women on their own journey.
“The Hall of Fame honours those whose success has paved the way, whose brilliance has changed the way things get done and whose generosity has impacted our world for good.”
Awards Winner
Mrs Patel has indubitably been an architect of the success behind East Tamaki Health Care (of the Nirvana Health Group) which began about 37 years ago as a small GP established by her husband Dr Kanti Patel in Otara, Auckland. Since then it has grown to be the largest private healthcare provider in the country with 21 healthcare centres located throughout Auckland with more than 800 staff (including the White Cross) serving about 170,000 registered patients.
The Group follows strict codes of management and healthcare delivery practices, earning a number of awards and honour. The Company won the Indian Newslink Supreme Business of the Year Award’ in addition to winning in the ‘Best Innovation Business’ and ‘Best Professional Services Business’ categories and being a finalist in the ‘Best Large Business’ category in 2009.
Other interests
Her other professional interests envelope Total Healthcare Otara (Executive Trustee), Bank of Baroda (Director on the Board), NZ Asian Leadership Group, Lottery Auckland Community Distribution Committee (Member).
Mrs Patel is also associated with a number of community, social and religious organisations. Among them are International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation (Trustee), Counties Manukau Police (Member South Asian Advisory Board), New Zealand Indian Central Association Women (Chair), NZ Global Women (Member), Women Presidents’ Organisation (Member), Manukau Institute of Technology Indian Community Advisory Group (Chair), Manukau Indian Association (Executive Member).
