What is South Asian Heritage Month?
August 17, 2022, marks the last day of South Asian Heritage Month 2022. The month-long celebration started on July 18 and is in its 3rd year in the United Kingdom. The aim is to celebrate the heritage of people with roots in South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives.
It is a time to commemorate, mark, and celebrate South Asian history and culture, as well as to better understand the diverse heritage that continues to link the UK and South Asia.
This year, there are several events taking place throughout the country, these events and exhibitions aim to showcase the life and stories of South Asians living in the UK and the journeys from migration to present day.
Below is a list of some events that are still on-going, more events can be found here.
- Asian Roots in Redbridge: 10 April - 10 September, Redbridge Central Library, an exhibition exploring the history of South Asian life in Redbridge through a rich mix of historic objects, personal family photographs and oral histories.
- Where is Home? 2 July – 30 October, Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, an exhibition looking first-hand at those directly affected by the seismic cultural shifts of Partition and Idi Amin and explore how they have shaped modern Britain.
- South Asian Heritage Month Exhibition: 16 July – 1 January 2023, Bankfield Museum, an exhibition of art, costume, and cultural objects from the collection of Calderdale Museums and from members of the local British Asian community showcasing the ongoing cultural heritage of South Asia.
We also want to take this opportunity to highlight some of our members from South Asia who have emigrated and are making impactful strides in the UK and within the medical field.
Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram FRCP of RCP London entered medical school in Chennai in Southern India. He explains that his "parents were a great source of inspiration, with mum not only the first female graduate in the family but also the first female doctor, and her work ethic was incredible; 12–13-hour days were the norm".
Dr Rajaratnam, graduated from the University of Jaffna, in Sri Lanka and travelled to the UK in 1993 for postgraduate medical education. He has since been actively involved with the RCP for over two decades, supporting the College in a variety of roles, including hosting the MRCP-PACES exam regularly and examine both within the UK and internationally. He is incredibly passionate about education and firmly believes "we are no good to our patients if we do not nurture the next generation of doctors".
Wishing all those celebrating and have celebrated, a happy South Asian Heritage Month.