A Story of Female Entrepreneurship, Empowerment and Community The rich tapestry of Scotland’s cultural landscape is woven with the vibrant threads of its South Asian community. Among one of the many most significant contributions of this community are the uncelebrated South Asian fabric shops in Glasgow, primarily run by women mainly in the Southside Govanhill […]
UNBREAKABLE Book One WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME… A TRUE ACCOUNT OF A YOUNG INDIAN BOY LIVING IN AN ERA OF RACIAL HATRED Jag Singh www.jagsingh.uk INTRODUCTION THE 14TH DECEMBER, 1980, IS ETCHED into my mind and will be forever. There I was, a mere ten-year-old boy, totally astounded by what I saw in front of […]
In the heart of the largest community of Indians living outside of India, 312 people at The Peepul Centre, Leicester, and over 1,000 streaming live on YouTube, officially recognized the ill-fated S.S. Tilawa, also described as “The Indian Titanic.” Attendees memorialized the loss of 280 lives, and expressed thanks and recognition for the rescue mission […]
A short documentary to tell the stories of two families from Punjab whose family laid roots in the 1950s. The aim of the film is to show the shared history between these families and others in the black country and help celebrate diversity. In the 1950s, families travelled thousands of miles from Punjab to the […]
As the saying goes, “Like mother, like daughter.” In the case of creative talents, this couldn’t be more true. The influence of a mother’s creativity can leave a lasting impact on her children, shaping their own artistic endeavours and passions. In this journal I explore the profound impact my mother’s creative legacy has influenced me and how Sohavi was truly born. Roots to routes explores my late mothers life journey from birth in Kenya to India as a teenager and eventually returning to Kenya in her 20’s , to marry my father Sardar Tirlochan Singh Dhamu, to emigrate to London from Nairobi in October 1973 and live out the rest of her life. Despite experiencing loss and trauma, she endured difficulties n her younger years and made the best of her life in my fathers trusting hand, he led her to a new life in London.
What does it mean to me? ‘Roots to Routes’ means bringing our history to light and telling it as it truly was. My mother’s journey from Karachi, Pakistan to the Liverpool docks is something we didn’t discuss until I was in my late thirties, prompted by my 8-year-old son’s project for Windrush. Hearing my […]
‘Ayah’ refers to South Asian women and ‘Amah’ to South East Asian women who served the British in Asia and other colonies as children’s nannies, nursemaids and ladies’ maids. For the last few years Hackney Museum has been researching the stories of ayahs in Britain and in east London in particular. These pioneering women were […]
Kent Saheli Group (KSG), a charity based in Kent, celebrated Teeyan with 700 women attending at Fort Gardens, Gravesend on Sunday 21 July 2024. Teeyan, also known as ‘Teej’ or ‘Teeyan Da Mela,’ is a traditional festival that celebrates the monsoon season and women’s sisterhood. Women from various parts of the UK gathered to celebrate […]
My story begins with my grandfather, who plucked up the courage to travel aboard at the age of 22 and start a new life in the UK. I don’t think he would have thought that he would see three generations thereafter flourish and live an Anglo-Indian life in Great Britain. Beginnings in Siyod Vanmali Patel […]
My first recorded writing was my scribbles in my grandad’s diary that proclaimed “Book is god.” Who knows what was going on in my head to write that? When I discovered that tattered diary and found my writing, I realised decades later, it’s on brand for me. I grew up in a family with limited […]
South Asian Heritage Month dates changed to "July" from 2026 — Learn more here →
