A UNIVERSITY of York student has been shortlisted for an award in the Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever Awards (YAYAs).

Ruhee Dawood, 23, is a STEM student at York, having moved to the city when she was awarded the Sharifah Sofia Albukhary Scholarship to study chemistry at the university.

She has been nominated for the YAYAs Achievement in School or College award category for mentoring in STEM subjects, along with 33 shortlisted candidates, stretching from Keighley to Rotherham to York.

The YAYAs, which launched in 2020, celebrate young people aged 16-30 of South Asian heritage who were born, or are living or working in Yorkshire.

This year, it will be presented live audience of 250 invited guests for the first time, staged at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford tomorrow night (Thursday, November 4) after its inaugural event had to be held online only due to the Covid restrictions.

Dr Mohammed Ali OBE, founder and chief executive of QED Foundation, which organised the YAYAs, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to stage the YAYAs live for the first time.

“The online event last year was great but there’s nothing quite like seeing people’s faces in person as their names are announced.

“The quality of entries from across Yorkshire has been fabulous.

"The stories of all those shortlisted are inspirational and, in many cases, moving and humbling.

“Many of the candidates have overcome great obstacles to achieve what they have and it’s wonderful to be able to share their stories.”

The nominees, aged 18-30, include a female cricket star born in a Bangladeshi refugee camp, a doctor who creates drone videos, a young entrepreneur who established a property business, and a TV actor who’s vying for Hollywood.

The awards will be hosted by BBC TV and Radio presenter and stand-up comedian Noreen Khan and Professor Akbar Ahmed, chairman of Islamic studies at American University and former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK.

To watch online, visit: event.sparq.me.uk/yaya-awards-2021