Indian-Origin Writer Sunder Katwala Joins UK Funding Panel

Katwala, who has led the immigration and identity think tank since 2011, will help oversee the distribution of grants that total hundreds of millions of pounds each year. The fund supports community projects across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, from local volunteer groups to large national charities.

His appointment was confirmed by the UK government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the lottery distributor and ensuring that funds reach communities most in need.

Before joining British Future, Katwala was general secretary of the Fabian Society, a centre-left think tank, and worked as a journalist for the Observer and the Guardian. He has written extensively on multiculturalism and national identity.

The National Lottery Community Fund, previously known as the Big Lottery Fund, has awarded over £9 billion to more than 200,000 projects since 2004. Katwala's term begins immediately and will run until 2028.