18/07/2025
South Asian Heritage Month officially begins today, marking the start of a month-long celebration that runs until 17th August. It celebrates the diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of South Asian communities.
The theme this year is Roots to Routes – exploring the journey of growth and the evolving connections we make through generations. In this blog, Narendra, Chantalle and Panna share reflections on both their family histories and personal experiences – whether tracing deep ancestral roots or more recent paths. They also discuss how these moments have shaped their identities and sense of belonging.
Narendra Surti – My Heritage
My father arrived in the UK in 1963, unmarried and intending to stay temporarily, just long enough to earn some money to send back home. He came from a very underprivileged background, one of five siblings, and as the second eldest, he took the brave step to come to the UK.
He had a friend who had arrived in 1959, and they kept in touch through letters. When my father received an opportunity to come to the UK, he wrote to his friend asking if he could lend him some money to make the journey. His friend sent him £100, which was enough for a ticket and a passport, and so his journey began.
A few years later, my father’s younger brother wanted to get married. However, in our culture, it’s not customary for a younger sibling to marry before the elder one. So, my uncle asked my father to return to India to get married. Unfortunately, my father couldn’t afford the trip back. Instead, he encouraged his brother to go ahead with his marriage. But my uncle felt he couldn’t do that unless my father was also married. So he met my future mother and arranged a marriage on behalf of my father.
Their wedding ceremony was, from what I understand, quite lavish — even though my father couldn’t attend. My mother took her vows in front of his photograph, and they were legally married under Indian law.
Following tradition, my mother moved into her in-laws’ home, around 150 miles away, and spent the next eight months there while arranging her passport and travel to the UK. They were married in 1965, and she arrived in the UK in June 1966 — just weeks before England won the World Cup.
When she landed at the airport, it was the first time she actually saw my father in person. She was just 18 years old, arriving in a completely unfamiliar country to meet a husband she had only known through a photograph and a few letters. Despite these beginnings, their relationship blossomed — and a few years later, I was born.
Over the years, both my mother and father worked incredibly hard. My father was a master tailor by trade and spent much of his career working in East London. Before suffering a stroke in his early 50s, he worked for Harrods, specialising in crafting women’s coats — each one taking him around a month to complete.
My mother was considered fortunate (and the envy of others), as my father would make her custom versions of the same coats being sold at Harrods.
Growing up, our household was grounded in strong values: hard work, honesty, and humility. These are principles my parents passed on to me, and ones that my wife and I continued to instil in our own children.
Chantalle Desouza – Heritage in Harmony
I was born in Goa, India, and when I was seven years old, my parents made the decision to migrate to the UK along with my younger brother and me. My father was an accountant, and my mother was a secondary school teacher on the path to becoming a head teacher. They both sacrificed their established careers in Goa to provide a better quality of life, with better educational opportunities for our family.
As soon as we arrived in the UK, the cold air hit my face, so I had to quickly put on the thick over-sized winter jacket my parents had bought for me. It swallowed me, but it kept me warm. A few weeks went by, and my brother and I began getting ready for our first day at school. We were excited, but also very nervous as we didn’t know what to expect. It certainly took time adjusting, but we quickly made friends and adapted to our new way of life.
Fish and chips quickly became a hot favourite and as kids, we constantly craved McDonald’s; however, my parents insisted that we still stayed connected to our heritage and regularly ate traditional Goan dishes. Goan fish curry, spicy prawns and homemade masala dosas were a few of many dishes which mum prepared. Growing up, food was such an integral part of my family household and still remains the soul of my now Indo-Caribbean house.
Goan cuisine is a scrumptious blend of Portuguese and Indian influences. It is rich in seafood, rice, coconut and exotic spices. Recipes of traditional Goan dishes have been passed down through generations, each one carrying the memory of my maternal and paternal grandmothers (Aurita Fernandes and Magdalena Desouza).
You may wonder why there is such a strong Portuguese influence, this is because Goa was a Portuguese colony for over 400 years. The Portuguese brought Catholicism to Goa, and today, a huge population of the Goan community are Catholics, my family included. This has shaped a massive part of the Goan Catholic identity and how we celebrate certain festivals and feast days e.g. through pilgrimages, processions, fairs and dances. Goa is also well known for its beautiful churches and colourful villa’s – similar to the Portuguese style.
More recently, marrying into a Jamaican family has added new flavours and traditions to my Indian heritage. Sunday nights now include curry goat, served with chickpeas or Bombay aloo on the side, and samosas are now eaten with jerk wings. The Indo-Caribbean blend has created a beautiful fusion across two wonderful cultures. But it’s not just about the food – it’s the mix of shared values and morals. It’s the deep love for family and the respect we hold for our elders. It’s the strong sense of community and loyalty that has created this shared sense of belonging.
South Asian Heritage month is a time for me to reflect on my own upbringing – through food, music and the memories that shaped me, but also celebrate my roots that have grown richer. I haven’t lost my Indian self; instead, moving to the UK has allowed me to embrace new cultural influences. I continue to honour my heritage while finding my way within my beautifully blended worlds.
Panna Joshi – Unsung Valour: Honouring My Great-Grandmother’s Legacy
Every July and August, South Asian Heritage Month offers a chance to celebrate rich cultures, enduring traditions, and powerful stories of resistance and resilience. This year, I feel deeply privileged to share a story rooted in quiet courage, a story from my own family that reminds us that not all warriors stand on the front lines.
My Great-grandmother, Shivkuvarben Joshi was one such warrior.
During India’s struggle for independence, she played a pivotal supporting role in the movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, a man whose principles of nonviolent resistance shook empires and inspired civil rights campaigns across the globe. While my great uncle took to activism publicly, she remained behind the scenes, sheltering and protecting him and others like him from persecution under colonial rule.
Her home situated in Gujarat, India became a safe haven. British soldiers raided it on multiple occasions, searching for her brother and other activists, hoping to put an end to the voices demanding freedom. Despite the fear, despite the intimidation, she never flinched. Arrested and imprisoned on a number of occasions for standing by her beliefs, she endured hardship with fearless dignity.
She didn’t carry placards in protest marches, nor did she deliver speeches to crowds. Instead, her resistance lay in quiet acts of courage, harbouring the revolutionary, shielding the vulnerable, and choosing conviction over safety. It is because of brave hearts like hers and those of thousands in supporting roles, that India is a free country today.
Support roles are often overlooked in the pages of history. Yet they form the backbone of every movement. Whether it’s organising, caregiving, protecting, or simply being a steadfast presence in moments of chaos, these roles carry immense power. They may not make headlines, but they make history.
I had the honour of meeting my Great-grandmother when I was nine. I still remember the warmth of her smile and the most delicious meal she made for me. That memory, simple as it is, anchors her legacy in my heart.
As I celebrate South Asian Heritage Month, I celebrate her. I celebrate the strength and spirit of those who resist in silence, who endure with grace, and who fight without fanfare. My Great-grandmother’s legacy teaches me that we are all warriors, whether on the battlefield or in the quiet sanctuaries of justice.
May her story inspire others to value the unseen hands that hold movements together. Because sometimes, it’s the ones behind the curtains who shape the stage for freedom.
This article is for general information only. Its content is not a statement of the law on any subject and does not constitute advice. Please contact Reddie & Grose LLP for advice before taking any action in reliance on it.
