Posted on: 29 July 2022
CNWL’s Staff Network held its first in person event for South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) this week to mark 75 years since the partition of India. Staff had an interesting discussion, sharing their experiences and then celebrated with samosas, onion bhajis and falooda.
South Asian Heritage Month (18 July to 17 August 2022) is now in its third year, and the theme for 2022 is Journeys of Empire, which reflects two major anniversaries taking place this year:
- 75th anniversary of the independence of India, Partition, and the creation of Pakistan (later known as East and West Pakistan)
- 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Ugandan Asians by Idi Amin
Varsha Dodhia, Co-Chair of the BAME Staff Network, hosted the event and was joined by Dr Fouzia Siddique, Lead for Workforce Development – Psychology. Many staff also watched and joined the discussion on Zoom.
Both Varsha and Dr Fouzia recollected stories from family members and friends who went through tragic circumstances, having to leave homes and the land where they grew up, becoming refugees.
Hearing stories from their own family and how they never talked about the events they went through during partition brought home the devastating impact it had on an estimated 10 million people, all of whom displaced and looking for safety.
Varsha said “the repercussions of what happened, the stories of what was told, that trauma lives with families.”
They both also spoke about how they identify and feel strongly linked to India, in particular the regions where their ancestry is from even though their families moved oversees. Varsha grew up in Kenya and Dr Fouzia in Dubai.
Dr Fouzia said, “I’m brown, I identify as Indian, I grew up in Dubai and I have found myself here [England] in the last decade. My identity is quite complicated, but I identify quite strongly as Indian…that’s where I get most of my values from.”
Varsha, using the analogy of samosas, explained that even though there are different religions, and now 3 separate countries, many cultural links bind all Indians together. She said, “everyone loves samosas and everyone makes them, but we all have our own way of doing them.”
The discussion moved on to what life in Britain is like for people from a South Asian background.
Varsha said, “No matter where we are in the world, we bring our culture and our sense of community travels with us; I see that in Kent, when the lorries were stuck on the motorway, the Khalsa community brought food to take to the drivers so they had something to eat.”
An important influence that cannot be missed and has been felt by all has been the contribution to the NHS. In the 50s and 60s, migrants from former colonies came to set up a life in Britain and help to re-build the country after the war. Doctors from India joined the NHS and inspired their families to do the same, ever since then, people of South Asian backgrounds have been at the core of our NHS, providing care for all across the country.
South Asian History is part of the NHS’ and together they will be linked and celebrated for many years to come.
Following a Q&A, staff spoke about caring for elderly relatives, the customs of end of life care at home and how the NHS needs to adapt so it can provide the care appropriate for all those within the community.
Thank you to everyone who joined this event. Talking through upsetting parts of history allows us all to better understand society today. It’s vital we use months like this to educate, celebrate and share stories.
Next year there are plans to do more in person events for South Asian Heritage a month. For more information on SAHM visit their website.
Penguin, the publishing company, in 2017 also created a list of recommended reading on the Partition of India. Read more.