Publish date: 28 July 2025
This South Asian Heritage Month, which runs from 18 July to 17 August,we’re shining a spotlight on some of the eight countries making up South Asia.
Today, we’re looking at India, a vast country with a population of nearly 1.5 billion people and a number of distinct cultures, languages, religions and cuisines, varying by region.
Our colleagues, Jemma and Harshil, have chosen to share what South Asian Heritage Month and their own Indian heritage means to them.
South Asian Heritage Month 2025: “Roots to Routes” - What it means to me
By Jemma Zaveri, Senior Pathway Coordinator at Hammersmith & Fulham Mental Health Integrated Network Teams (MINT)
As a British South Asian, South Asian Heritage Month offers a meaningful moment to reflect on both our origins and the journeys that brought us here. This year’s theme, “Roots to Routes,” perfectly captures the essence of our community’s experience - establishing deep roots in the UK while recognising the often difficult routes our families navigated to arrive here.
Many of our parents and grandparents faced racism, economic hardship, and cultural barriers when they first came to the UK. Despite these challenges, they built strong communities, preserved cherished traditions, and laid the foundations for future generations. Today, we celebrate not only our rich heritage but also the contributions we continue to make to British society.
This month is an opportunity to honour that resilience and reflect on how our shared history shapes our identity - both personally and professionally. It’s a time to recognise the richness of our roots and the strength of the routes that brought us to where we are today.
A tribute to my grandmother
I wanted to share a personal poem dedicated to my Ba (Grandmother), a woman whose love, quiet strength, and cultural legacy continue to guide me. Our family’s journey has taken us from India to Africa, Australia, and finally the UK. Through all those transitions, her presence has always been a grounding force.
The poem below, “Six Weeks of Forever,” captures cherished memories of summer visits, the rituals she passed down, and the connection I continue to feel with her - through language, food, prayer, and tradition.
Six Weeks of Forever
I grew up far from Australia’s shore,
At ten, we landed on UK floors.
But through the rain and playground calls,
Your voice still echoed in the halls.
Six golden weeks when school would end,
And I’d return to you again—
To clinking pots and morning song,
To where my little soul belonged.
You woke the house with prayer and chai,
A lullaby beneath the sky.
The sun would rise on simmered spice,
On jalebi curls and ganthiya—nice.
Ba’s white sari, light as air,
A quiet grace beyond compare.
Woven with courage, calm and deep,
A tender strength she’d always keep.
You showed me how to stir with care,
To fold the dough, to oil my hair.
Between the chimes of temple bells,
You taught me well—you knew the weight, I’d bear as eldest girl.
One quiet day, your hands found mine—
You slipped on bangles, small and fine.
Gold kissed my wrist—a shining start,
A circle warm around my heart.
Gujarati roots, so rich, so deep,
A part of me I’ll always keep—
In every prayer, each spice I blend,
In stories I now pass and share.
You’re in the lights of Diwali nights,
The Garba songs, the twirling sights,
In Lata’s voice, soft and divine,
And kites that danced in Rajkot’s sky.
Though you have gone, you’re never far—
You live within just as you are.
Cultural glossary
Ba – A Gujarati word for grandmother. A term of deep respect and affection in many South Asian families.
Chai – Spiced Indian tea made with black tea, milk, sugar, and aromatic spices such as cardamom, ginger, and cloves.
Jalebi – A popular Indian sweet made from deep-fried batter shaped in coils and soaked in sugar syrup. Known for its bright orange colour and crispy texture.
Ganthiya – A savoury Gujarati snack made from chickpea flour. Crunchy and lightly spiced, it’s often served with tea.
Sari – A traditional South Asian garment for women, typically a long piece of cloth draped elegantly over the body.
Temple bells – Bells found in Hindu temples that are rung during worship to invite divine presence and focus the mind during prayer.
Gold Bangles – Traditional circular bracelets worn in many South Asian cultures. Often gifted at milestones such as weddings or births, they symbolise prosperity, protection, and family legacy.
Gujarati – Refers to the language, culture, and people from the state of Gujarat in western India.
Diwali – The Hindu Festival of Lights, celebrating the victory of light over darkness. Marked by lamps, sweets, prayers, and fireworks.
Garba – A traditional Gujarati dance performed during the Navratri festival, involving rhythmic clapping and circular movement, often accompanied by vibrant folk music.
Lata – Refers to Lata Mangeshkar, one of India’s most iconic playback singers, renowned for her emotive voice and vast body of work.
Rajkot – A city in Gujarat, India, known for its vibrant culture and strong diasporic ties. For many British Gujaratis, it represents family roots and heritage.
From Mumbai to the UK: A warm welcome, a cold swim, and finding my place
By Harshil Gajjar, Learning & Development Partner
In 2002, I packed my bags and left the lively streets of Mumbai for the UK. I told everyone I was coming to 'study,' but secretly, I was also excited to escape the heat and finally wear some proper winter clothes!
People warned me about culture shock. “The food is boring” they'd say. “It always rains”. “People aren't friendly”. But honestly, I settled in quite easily. No big shocks, no real drama. I was ready for some huge cultural moment, but instead, I just grabbed a sandwich from the supermarket and thought, 'this works.'
I didn't really hold onto my old ways at first. I wasn't cooking big Indian meals or dancing at Diwali parties. I was more focused on passing my exams and learning how to cross the roads here, where everything seemed backward.
High school in the Isle of Man, though? That was quite an adventure. I faced some teasing, and one clever classmate even dared me to "go swim in the ice-cold Irish Sea." I don't think they expected me to actually do it. But I did! And you know what? I loved it. It was cold, yes, and maybe a little risky, but it definitely made me stronger.
Over the years, my identity has really changed. I'm not just someone from Mumbai living in the UK anymore, I'm a mix of both worlds. Like a chai latte, spicy at heart but perfectly happy waiting in a queue. I've gone from dodging rickshaws to learning how to navigate small talk in team meetings.
At West London NHS Trust, I can honestly say I've never been happier. It's rewarding, always interesting, and full of people who genuinely care. Plus, no one's asked me to swim in the Irish Sea in ages, so that's a definite plus.
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South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM), running from 18 July to 17 August, is a time to honour the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of South Asian communities across the United Kingdom (UK).