Meet our Ambassadors
The Role of an Ambassador
SMEF ambassadors help to raise awareness of SMEF’s work and add much needed capacity to the trustee board and the staff group.
Ambassadors support SMEF by attending events to talk about SMEF’s work and encourage others to get involved in SMEF and its projects and activities.
This is a really important role as it will help SMEF to reach new people, inspire new fundraising activity, and thank SMEF’s supporters for the work they are doing.
Ajibha Judi Linney MBE - Chair and Founder Ambassador
With over 40 years of experience spanning the NHS, Local Authorities, and voluntary and community groups, Judi has a remarkable background. Her roles as a nurse, midwife, health visitor, and Director of Public Health reflect her dedication to healthcare.
In 2008, Judi was honoured with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her outstanding contributions to healthcare and community relations. Her voluntary work includes founding Twins Trust UK, serving as a hospital Governor, and assisting with ESOL training for refugees.
Of South African Indian origin, Judi values fairness, respect, and equal opportunities. Her vision for SMEF is to empower minoritised communities to reach their full potential and collaborate with partner organisations to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Raj Chhetri – Founder Ambassador
Raj is a founding member and has been a trustee of SMEF for the past fifteen years. He has given his service to SMEF with complete dedication and commitment to serving SMEF and its communities. Raj has worked hard for all SMEF’s diverse communities with passion, raising the flag for SMEF in all his activities in the county.
SMEF does not want to let go of Raj, so we are thrilled to announce Raj Chhetri as the first SMEF Ambassador. We are honoured to have him take on a pivotal role in representing SMEF, its community members and promoting awareness of the work SMEF is doing. SMEF could not have a better person for its first ambassador. Raj will continue his dedicated service to SMEF with his usual care and loyalty and will undoubtedly enhance our collective efforts, making a profound difference in the lives of SMEF's communities and groups. Raj is a reliable and trustworthy individual, a cherished friend of SMEF and we are sure that without his significant contributions, we wouldn't be where we are today.
Abdul Hamid - Ambassador
With over three decades of experience serving the community, my journey has been one of dedication and compassion towards those in need. Over the past 17 years, Mr Hamid has been an active member of the local resident’s association, advocating for the community's concerns. Additionally, for 15 years, he has served as an interpreter and translator for Surrey Police. His commitment to environmental sustainability was acknowledged with the Recycle Champion Award from Woking Borough Council.
Alongside a colleague, he currently organises a weekly men's and women's social group. The aim is simple: to bring people together for socialising, conversation, and fun, including those with disabilities. As a SMEF ambassador, his goal will be to strengthen bonds within SMEF's multi-faith member groups, encouraging interaction and collaboration. He will also try to address any emerging issues and connect with other organisations to showcase SMEF's achievements and initiatives, fostering unity and understanding. We are honoured to have Mr Hamid as our Ambassador, so he can assist us towards a more connected and compassionate community, where everyone feels valued and included.
Ritesh Aswaney – Ambassador
Ritesh grew up in Mumbai, where he completed his Bachelors in Engineering in Information Technology, setting the foundations for a successful career in IT. He moved to the UK shortly after university and has worked on some of the largest IT transformations in Europe including the NHS National Program for IT, and large telecoms and retailers. He is a Senior Director with a Cloud SaaS provider in the UK, with over 20 years of expertise in his domain.
Ritesh has been involved with social work and volunteerism since 2014, first through the Art of Living and latterly through the Surrey Hindu Cultural Association (SHCA), where he is a Founder-Trustee. He is passionate about Hindu culture and works tirelessly to create awareness amongst the younger generation through organization of cultural festivals with the team of volunteers at SHCA, which are often attended by hundreds of families. These get-togethers also provide a forum for the elderly to commune and build connections within the community.
He has been a key leader in the organisation of Woking’s annual Diwali parade, which brings together people from all communities and backgrounds, and has become a part of the town's cultural tradition. He is devoted to the causes of children's nutrition and welfare of the girl child and does his best within his means to support these causes both in a personal capacity and through fundraising.
In his role as a Trustee of SHCA, Ritesh has partnered with SMEF, representing the Asian Hindu voice in forums such as the Surrey Police Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel and SMEF Minorities Ethnic Stakeholder Reference Group. He is supporting SMEF staff to help SMEF get the most value out of their use of the CRM platform and regularly attends SMEF’s events. He remains committed to the cause of championing under-represented voices and firmly believes that diversity truly brings out the best in any organisation.
Meeta Joshi - Ambassador
A Guildford resident for 29 years, Meeta brings a diverse skill set to SMEF. She holds qualifications in Physics, IT Telecoms Engineering, Media & Developmental Communication, and is an accredited Strength scope consultant.
With experience spanning private, public, semi-government, and NGO sectors, Meeta has managed multimillion-pound IT/Telecoms projects for blue-chip organisations like Ericsson and
Vodafone in the UK. She's also an accomplished TV Producer, Director, and Editor, having worked on national telecasts in India.
Recognised for her community work, Meeta was awarded by a community organisation at the Houses of Parliament. Her passion for coaching, empowering women, and supporting human rights is evident through her involvement in UN sessions and interfaith speaking engagements.
As an Ambassador, Meeta aims to elevate SMEF's profile, emphasising multicultural diversity and collaboration among faith communities for peaceful coexistence.
Sat Luthra – Ambassador
Born and brought up in Uganda, Sat came to London in 1970 and trained as a teacher before returning back to open a nursery school. When all Asians were expelled by Idi Amin in 1972, she moved to the UK permanently and now lives near Newlands Corner - a place that reminds her of the Rift Valley in East Africa and reflects her love of open spaces. Sat is a firm believer that it is essential to protect such areas for future generations.
Sat is now retired from Surrey County Council, where she specialised in teaching English to children from diverse linguistic backgrounds, as well as teaching at adult education centres and sharing her love of learning with others.
Her guiding principle is service, and she strives to live by it. Over the years, she has raised funds for charities such as Mencap, the Fountain Centre, and the Royal Surrey County Hospital—climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in support of the latter. Sat has supported Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum for many years, serves as a trustee for Surrey Hills, and is a member of the Guildford in Bloom committee. In addition to this she has been proud to serve as a school governor, helping to support the education and wellbeing of local children.
In her spare time, Sat enjoys participating in U3A activities such as Chi Gung, calligraphy, and anthropology group trips. Gardening is another one of her great pleasures.
