• Earlier, she was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1997 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2015.

• What? British Indian Comedian, Actress Meera Syal awarded Damehood
• Honour Part of: King Charles III’s New Year Honours List for 2026
• Total Winners: 1,157
• Honours Title: MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), OBE (Officer), CBE (Commander), and DBE/KBE (Dame/Knight Commander)
• Youngest Recipient: Toby Roberts (20 years) honoured with MBE.
• Oldest Recipient: John Hearn (102 years) received BEM.

About King Charles III’s New Year Honours list:
Total Recipients: This year, a total of 1,157 recipients have been recognised for their exceptional contributions in arts, sports, community service, and politics.

• They have been honoured with various titles such as MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), OBE (Officer), CBE (Commander), and DBE/KBE (Dame/Knight Commander).

Prominent Personalities: Renowned British actor Idris Elba, singer and actor Cynthia Erivo, and 1984 Winter Olympics gold medallists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
Oldest and Youngest Recipient: The oldest recipient is 102-year-old John Hearn (BEM), and the youngest is 20-year-old Toby Roberts (MBE), Britain’s first Olympic gold medallist at Paris 2024.
Other British Indians: Other British Indians honoured include Upadhaya (Damehood), Dhruv Patel and Neeta Akhtar (CBE), and Pavan Popat (OBE).