MUMBAI: As the Indian press continues to hammer at Aishwarya Rai, one more international honour has come her way — the British government’s The Next Step World Diversity Champion award. The award, to be given by the British foreign office on November 24 this year, was instituted to honour individuals who have encouraged pride in being a member of the ethnic minority community as well as a stronger sense of personal fulfilment. The award, in collaboration with the Next Steps Foundation, is considered a prestigious step ahead for Ash in the international arena. She is expected to address issues related to ethnicity at the conference in November, where the other speakers are expected to be former US secretary of state Colin Powell and actor Jackie Chan. Says the actress: “I think it’s a great honour. Today beauty has come to be defined by many other far more profound qu-alities than looks and posture. I hope people would stop holding my looks against me and labelling me giggly and frivolous.” Taking Angelina Jolie as an example, she says, “I think she’s so gorgeous... and so real. She’s a student of yoga and she works for the UN. She’s a complete personality, and illustrates what feminine beauty means in the new millennium.” — HNS