Culture Secretary Sajid Javid has topped a power list of the most influential Asians in the UK, ahead of teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai and One Direction singer Zayn Malik.

Javid, who in April became the first Asian male Conservative cabinet minister after rapidly rising through the ranks of the party, will collect his award at a ceremony in London tonight.

The Power List, compiled by the Asian Media and Marketing Group, said Javid earned the title for being the only Asian voice at the heart of the Government's senior decision-making process and his commitment to "opening the cultural doors for all Britons in the UK".

He pushed 17-year-old Malala, who became the youngest ever Nobel prize winner last month for her work championing global education rights for girls, in to second place after taking the number one spot last year.

Mr Javid said: "Culture is more than a privilege. It's at the core of who we are and how we define ourselves.

"If you're not engaged with our cultural life, you're not engaged with our national life. And in 2014, too many Britons are culturally disenfranchised."

The Bromsgrove MP, a former managing director at Deutsche Bank who was grew up in Bristol, has been tipped by some as a potential future leader for the Conservative Party.

The father of four, whose father Abdul arrived in Britain in 1961 from Pakistan with just £1 in his pocket, turned to politics to ''give something back'' after reportedly earning more than £20 million during his high-flying banking career, The annual power list, now in its fourth year, named Labour MPs Keith Vaz and Sadiq Khan at number three and seven respectively and Tory MPs Priti Patel and Shilesh Vara at numbers six and nine.

One Direction singer Zayn Malik, recognisable to millions of young music fans across the world, made it to number 10.

The list features 19 women, including BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty and BBC Radio One presenter Jameela Jamil as well as the directer of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti.

Kalpesh Solanki, managing editor of the Power List, said: "The GG2 Leadership Awards recognise & celebrate achievement of exceptional individuals who have excelled and broken through barriers.

"Their triumph through adversity makes them remarkable people who deserve to be recognised."