Professor Meena Upadhyaya named among trailblazing business women in Wales

Professor Meena Upadhyaya moved to the UK, from India, when she was 19 years old. She has since developed pioneering tests to aid in the diagnosis of more than 20 genetic diseases, and in 2016, received an OBE for her services to medical genetics and the Welsh Asian community. Prof Upadhyaya is an internationally renowned medical geneticist and the first female British Indian professor in medical genetics in the UK. Alongside her research career, Prof Upadhyaya is also an avid advocate for women of ethnic minorities and is the founder of the Welsh Asian Women Achievement Awards (WAWAA) and Ethnic Minority Women in Welsh Healthcare (EMWWH). Speaking of WAWAA, Prof Upadhyaya was quoted by Business Live, saying: “I was given opportunities to develop myself in my work, so it’s my privilege to give back. Our aim is to empower Black and Minority Ethnic women, identify role models for them and facilitate community cohesion and integration.”