Mahomed Gama

Mahomed Gama (1895 - 1965). He was born in old Mirpur, in the erstwhile princely state of Jammu & Kashmir. He served in the Mercantile Marine with the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company. He served on the SS Medina, which transported King George V for his Dehli Durbar Coronation to India. Mahomed Gama, had war service as a fireman in the First World War on the SS Khiva from 1917 to 1918. The SS Khiva transported American troops from New York to various ports in the UK including: London, Plymouth and Liverpool. He was a recipient of the Mercantile Marine War Medal and the British War Medal (also known as the General Service Medal). The scholarly giant on the South Asian presence in the UK, Dr Rozina Visram in her book 'Asians in Britain 400 Years of History' wrote 50,000 'lascar' لشکر seafarers served Great Britain in the First World War.

Mahomed Gama (1895 – 1965). He was born in old Mirpur, in the erstwhile princely state of Jammu & Kashmir. He served in the Mercantile Marine with the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company. He served on the SS Medina, which transported King George V for his Dehli Durbar Coronation to India. Mahomed Gama, had […]

Soundtrack to my life

Stories to tell: Celebrating meaningful music in South Asian culture This month is South Asian Heritage Month, where communities and organisations across the UK make time to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, and the history and identity of British South Asian people. SAHM was first celebrated in 2018 and each year explores a […]

Embracing Dual Cultures: A Journey of Resilience and Empathy in the NHS

Growing up in an extended family within a predominantly non-Asian neighbourhood, my early years were shaped by the values of hard work and determination instilled by my parents. Witnessing them juggle two jobs each to provide for our family left an indelible mark on my character, igniting a strong work ethic within me from a […]

Kalasetu – the Story of Indian Diaspora in Croydon through hand-painted silks

A borough as diverse as Croydon is symbolised by the plurality of its culture. South Asians form a large population of the borough. As part of the This is Croydon, The Mayor’s London Borough of Culture 2023 celebration, Subrang Arts initiated ‘Kalasetu’ – Kala means ‘Art’; ‘Setu’ means bridge – building cultural bridges with communities […]

Unveiling the Extraordinary Journey of Luthfur Rahman: A Restaurateur’s Triumph

Luthfur Rahman, is a trailblazing Restaurateur who has left an indelible mark on the culinary landscape for nearly 35 years. As the visionary founder of ‘The Mint Room‘ an esteemed Indian restaurant hailed as the No.1 in the UK by The Times, Luthfur’s journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the pursuit of excellence. […]

The Evolution of The British Indian Woman

What does it mean to be a British Indian woman? The Evolution of the British Indian woman  – an event which was screened at Kingston-Upon-Thames’ Rose Theatre in June 2013, explored the essence of a British Indian woman through the experiences of three branches of one family tree. A grandmother, who moved to the UK […]

Frangipani and daisy chains

Hiranya’s debut album, Frangipani & Daisy Chains, grew from her experience of race and identity following the 2016 Brexit vote. At turns tender, at turns fierce, she explores migration, colonialism and lineage. Part personal nostalgia, part history lesson; it contemplates belonging through the plants that are rooted in England and Sri Lanka’s folk traditions.  The musical […]

Being An Asian In Modern British Society – The Podcast

My name is Shaz Khan (Shahzadgai Khan). My story is very simple but my parents’ is not. I stumbled across an article that I wrote when I was 17 years old for my English A-level coursework. It was all about “Being an Asian in Modern British Society”, which is where the inspiration for this podcast […]

Rainbow Treasures – Poem by Preet Kaur Cox

1 / 2 Rainbow Treasures by Preet Kaur Cox I walked into a sweet shop of fabric. I stared in awe and wonder as assortments of every pattern, motif and colour danced around the room ready to be picked. The smell of silk fluttered through the air and floated in between the rolls which spun […]

One of the few – My journey as a British-Mauritian-South Asian

  We all have stories to tell. Mine is about being ‘one of the few’. I am incredibly proud of my South Asian heritage story. I am British-Mauritian-South Asian and I was born just north of London. Growing up in the 1980s, we probably were the only Mauritian family in our non-ethnically diverse town. I […]