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Salim
Kholwadia’s father arrived in Gloucester in the late 1950s and became
the first Asian to settle in the city, and Salim takes great pride
in his assertion that he was the first Asian to be born in Gloucester.
However,
his experiences at school were less than heart warming.
Salim
recalls: "In those days teachers didn’t think Asians could achieve
very much so I was not encouraged – I did not reach my full potential.
"From
then on, I knew I would have to work twice as hard to prove myself."
I knew I would have to work twice as hard to prove myself.
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| Outstanding
Adult Learner award nominee Salim Kholwadia. |
Salim’s
ambition was to become a civil servant, but it took years of hard
work at evening classes to get the qualifications he so desperately
needed, eventually building up an impressive list of GCSEs in English
Language and Literature and a host of qualifications in computer
skills and office technology.
He
achieved a BTEC NVQ Level 2 in Administration and most recently,
the European Computer Driving Licence.
His
determination eventually led him to his dream job, working for HM
Customs and Excise in Gloucester.
Very
soon he made his mark, devising new strategies to cut down on paper
bureaucracy and saving time and costs.
His
innovation and dedication was rewarded when he received the MBE
from the Queen for services to his employer.
For
an extremely modest man, Salim could not have hoped for more a public
recognition of his achievements.
"I
am a devout Muslim and believe very strongly that I should do the
very best I can at all times to help people as much as possible,"
he says.
"It
has taken me many years to get the job I wanted. I applied for hundreds
of clerical jobs and didn’t even get an interview."
But
Salim, who spends much of his spare time encouraging and supporting
friends and family in his community in their quest for learning,
says: "A good Muslim learns to be patient."
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