South Asian Heritage Month

“I am a third-generation immigrant (or second-generation British-Indian), which means my grandparents immigrated to the UK before my parents were born.  

Let’s start with my heritage from my dad’s side. In the 1940s, my great grandparents fled from Punjab, India, to Kenya after the riots and extreme violence that occurred. My Dadaji (grandfather) was three years old, and my Dadiji (grandmother) was born in Kenya after her parents immigrated there too. However, due to the expulsion of South Asians in Uganda by Idi Amin, my grandparents suffered significant racism in Kenya and fled to the UK in the late-1960s. My dad was then born in the 1970s.

My mum’s parents, Maa (grandmother) and Dada (grandfather) [both pictured right], have a different journey. After the Partition of India in 1947, and the uproar of violence that it caused, Dada immigrated to the UK in the 1950s – leaving Maa and their three children in Gujarat, India. All of my family battled against racism in the UK, so much so that it stopped my Dada from reuniting with Maa and their children; it was only in the 1960s when they joined him in East London. My Mum was born in the 1970s, while Dada supported the immigration of other Gujaratis to the UK. 

My heritage contributes significantly to my identity. I embrace and balance both British and the two different Indian cultures exhibited in my household in many ways, for example, through cuisine, music and traditions. The journey of my grandparents as they immigrated from the other side of the world and the experiences of my parents while they grew up in London demonstrates their resilience, determination and hard work which, in turn, inspires me to make the most of every opportunity to celebrate them. 

I was inspired to lead Leonardo’s South Asian Heritage Month celebrations because it is the perfect opportunity for others to acknowledge our heritage and also for ourselves to feel proud of where we come from, embrace our identity, and honour the stories of our ancestors.”

"I was born in a small rural village called Berkheri, in Haryana, North India. My Parents were farmers (after my dad retired from the police) and always encouraged me to be disciplined and educate myself, despite the financial struggles we experienced. I was a star student and loved school, which contributed to me being the highest attainder of my classes in India.

I came to England to study for a degree in Mechanical Engineering MSc; however, the bank withdrew the loan, my parents were not able to support me financially, and I had to drop out after my first term. I worked extremely hard, while supporting my family, and it took me four years to save up for my tuition fee. I enrolled on the course whilst working nights and attending classes during days – resulting in countless sleepless nights. Prior to my final exams, my parents had a road accident and my father did not survive, so I went to India to support my family. 

Upon my return, I had to restart my course with no option of resitting the exams and finally finished by repeating the same routine again. I joined a graduate programme with the National Grid, before moving into aerospace. After this, I attained a CEng with IMechE.

I have worked and learnt from a diverse range of people along the way, although I have inherited my work ethics from my parents. Their hard work, conscientiousness nature and never-giving-up attitude has allowed me to be where I am today. I enjoy giving back and supporting others as a STEM ambassador and a mentor.

It is extremely hard to start life in a new country. Despite my rocky start, I was able to settle in by embracing Indian food, the Sikh community and cricket. I am extremely grateful to my family (I would not be where I am today, if it wasn’t for them), friends and colleagues. I recently joined Leonardo as a Principal Mechanical Engineer in June 2023."

"My family came from Punjab to the UK in the 1960s, following other families to settle in Glasgow. Unusually, my father came to the UK after living in Brazil for 10 years!   

I was born in Scotland and have lived here my whole life. I regard myself as a Scottish Asian. Scottish food, education, culture, football and the even the weather have had a strong influence in my life and that of my children. I am proud to call Scotland home. I am also very proud of my Indian ancestry. We are fortunate that there is a strong Sikh Asian community in Scotland, allowing me to keep in touch with my religious and cultural heritage despite not being able to visit India as much as I would like.

My route to becoming an engineer was influenced by my father who always regretted not having the opportunity to progress his passion for mathematics into further education. As an engineer, I think my background has provided me with a natural work ethic, which is very common within migrant families. Within my career, I have been fortunate to work with people from many diverse backgrounds, which has helped to develop common understandings to solve problems on projects, and to develop friendships."

"The protagonist in my migration story is my father, and my journey is strongly linked to his experiences in youth and his professional career. My father travelled between Persia and South Asia for his education due to my grandfathers` international assignments. This included lengthy train journeys and strict boarding schools from a very young age.

My father then began teaching English to fund his studies, which included an overseas University of London Degree. This earned him a position in finance with an American multinational, which included a series of international assignments. The earliest of which was driven by the Iranian revolution in 1979, and came with some great stories about that challenging period. He would go on to posts in Athens, East and West Africa, Switzerland, London and eventually Manchester, which I would call home. He travelled with work to the United States and elsewhere and we often met with his international colleagues.

His experiences taught me a lot about the international environment. We learnt about how to adjust, being exposed to different cultures in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the US (including the various sub-cultures that existed within the regions). Hearing about his journey made me aware of the impact of politics and cultural differences, and sparked my interest in languages. Speaking with relatives abroad also made me bilingual, which became useful when learning French and Italian later in life.

My awareness and exposure to travel instilled an early interest in aircraft, hence my educational and professional path. Personally, my father’s journey has taught me resilience (noting that for almost all my life he was also a single parent) and openness towards different cultures and people. Professionally, those same learnings helped me within my own international experience in Italy and business activities all around the globe."

"Born in 1991, I grew up and went to school in the East London outskirts. Even when I was young, there was a strong South Asian presence in my area; a real sense of community. My parents settled in the UK in the 1980s after my Appa (Dad) finished a degree in Mechanical Engineering. They both were present in Sri Lanka during the 1986 riots where my Apappa’s (Grandfather) house was burnt down in the violence. The riots led to a number of Sri Lankan Tamils becoming refugees and is the reason for them immigrating across the world since then. 

I joined Leonardo in 2012, working in Industrial Engineering at Basildon on a graduate scheme, eventually progressing to my current role in Mechanical Engineering in 2020. In 2022, I took the position of STEM lead for the Ethnicity Inclusion network group, where we try to address the barriers that ethnic minorities face in our workplace and how we can tackle them."

"South Asian Heritage Month is a time to reflect on the rich cultural heritage and the unique experiences that shape who we are. For me, it is an opportunity to honour the journey of my father, who moved to the UK from a small village in Pakistan in search of better opportunities.

My father arrived in the UK with little more than hope and determination. He worked tirelessly to provide for our family, often juggling multiple jobs and the challenges of moving to a new place wildly different from Pakistan to ensure we had everything we needed. His resilience and dedication were unwavering, and his journey is a testament to the strength and perseverance that define so many immigrant stories.

Growing up, my father instilled in me the importance of education and hard work. He urged me to pursue my studies with dedication, always reminding me of the opportunities that lay before me—opportunities he himself did not have. His journey has been my greatest motivation and I am deeply grateful to my parents for the countless opportunities they have afforded me.

As we celebrate South Asian Heritage Month, I am proud to share my father’s story. It is a time to honour the past, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to a future filled with hope and promise. Let us continue to embrace our heritage, draw strength from our roots, and work towards a brighter future for generations to come."

"I grew up on the outskirts of West London, just under the Heathrow flight paths. In fact, I walked past Heathrow every day to get to secondary school. That part of London, Hounslow, is incredibly multicultural. Growing up, everyone's cultures were celebrated, creating a real sense of community. Our differences made us stronger. My mum would often cook amazing Afghan dumplings (Manto) and rice (Kablee Palow) for our regular community meet-ups.

My parents moved here in 1997 with very little, after the extended conflicts that devastated Afghanistan. Despite not having enrolled in higher education, they created a home for themselves and encouraged their children to pursue education, believing it to be the best opportunity for us.

Currently, I am studying mechanical engineering at the University of Southampton. I am currently on my placement year at Leonardo and hope to return for a graduate role. My heritage has played a vital role in shaping who I am. I deeply value my Afghan culture, which provides a unique outlook on the world. The stories from my relatives on how different life is, and the significant changes they faced moving to a completely new lifestyle, demonstrate their resilience and inspire me to embrace change and tackle hardship head-on."