Asma Khan 'feels special' after Honorary Doctorate from UEL
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Published
10 September 2025
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Award-winning entrepreneur, restaurateur, author and women’s advocate, Asma Khan, was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration at one of the Royal Docks School of Business and Law (RDSBL) Summer 2025 graduation ceremonies.
The honorary doctorate was formally presented to Asma Khan on Tuesday, 9 September 2025, at a graduation ceremony held on the Docklands campus. Asma, who is the founder of the Darjeeling Express restaurant, was honoured with the accolade in recognition of her passionate, caring and fearsome leadership, and her philanthropic efforts.
Born in Calcutta, India, Asma moved to the UK in 1991. She graduated from King’s College London with a PhD in Constitutional Law in 2012, but her true passions lay in cooking and food. What initially began as a local supper club grew in size before she began hosting pop-ups and eventually opening her own restaurant in 2017.
Passionate about the rights of women and girls, Asma founded the charity Second Daughter, which incentivises families to educate their children by providing a feeding programme within school. The charity operates in the UK but also in patriarchal South Asian societies where second-born girls are often denied education and married off young. Through both her business and charitable endeavours, Asma has created opportunities and tackled injustices. Her restaurant’s kitchen is staffed exclusively by women, none of whom have had any formal culinary training – a groundbreaking move in a male-dominated industry.
On receiving her Honorary Doctorate, Asma Khan said:
It feels really special to be conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of East London, especially at such an exciting time of growth for the institution. Having recently been shortlisted for both University of the Year and Business School of the Year, it’s clear that UEL is going from strength to strength.
“I particularly admire UEL’s focus on providing opportunities to better the life chances and open doors for those from marginalised communities – including women from South Asian backgrounds.
“I strongly believe that education can transform your entire trajectory - and that of your family. It provides a shield to protect you as you walk through life.”
Three months after opening her restaurant, Asma was asked to feature on ‘Chef’s Table’, a series which showcases culinary stars around the world. This catapulted her restaurant into the spotlight, and Asma began attracting A-list diners.
However, the road to success hasn’t always been smooth. During COVID-19, she faced eviction from her rented restaurant space and the prospect of losing £300,000. She managed to adapt to a takeaway business and keep her staff employed throughout the pandemic. After the pandemic was over, the restaurant moved back to a larger space within its former location, a testament to her positive mental attitude and self-belief.
To the RDSBL students graduating, Asma had these words of inspiration and advice:
“Be proud of who you are, especially in today’s world. Your race, your faith, your skin colour – these are your badge of honour. You have the education - this amazing space has given you the key to open every door. Visualise yourself successful - if you don’t believe in yourself, why will anyone believe in you?
“Visualise hope. In Calcutta in the 80s, we’d have long power cuts – often you’d spend the whole night without electricity. My father, my mother and my siblings would sit outside or on the roof, because it was too hot. My father would share stories and advice, he would say: ‘Never imagine the night is endless. Nothing you’re going through will last – the darkness is always temporary. Listen to the birdsong. Be that voice in the dark.’ Eventually, the light would come through, and dawn would break. He’d tell me: ‘This is faith – faith that you will never have a burden heavier than you can carry. Faith that the darkness is not endless. Be that ray of hope – for your loved ones, your colleagues, your friends. This will see you through tough times.”