The University of Kent is delighted to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month this year, between the dates of the 18th of July and the 17th of August.
British South Asians form a large percentage of the UK population, and naturally encompass a significant number of the staff and students represented within the vast community here at the University of Kent. The contributions of these Brits to entertainment, politics, science, sports, and many other areas central to British culture cannot be understated, rather, it is important that we take the time to recognise and celebrate such achievements.
Indeed, one of the core messages behind South Asian Heritage Month is seeking to understand, commemorate,, and celebrate the diverse cultures, communities and history that tie the UK and South Asia together.
According to the South Asian Heritage Trust (https://southasianheritage.org.uk/), South Asian Heritage Month encompasses several independence days connected to South Asian countries. The beginning and end dates of SAHM particularly call back to two significant events in 1947; the 18th of July marks the date that the Indian Independence Act gained royal assent from King George VI, whilst the 17th of August marks the date of publication of the Radcliffe Line, which established where the borders between India, West Pakistan, and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) would be.
In 2023, the theme of South Asian Heritage Month is ‘Stories to Tell’. We have therefore chosen to focus our efforts on gathering articles which shed a light on the perspective of South Asian Brits in the 21st Century, as well as the past that has shaped us all. This will include written interviews with the authors of last year’s South Asian Heritage Week’s stories, that along with a plethora of resources, will be released over the coming weeks. We also invite you to check out the developments on our new South Asian Heritage page, available here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusivity/student-edi/history-months/south-asian-heritage.
We hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer – and, of course, South Asian Heritage Month!