South Asian Heritage Month dates changed to "July" from 2026 — Learn more here →
The South Asian Heritage Trust seeks to elevate the prominence of British South Asian history and heritage through education, arts, culture, celebration and commemoration.
Our mission is to deepen people’s understanding of the rich and diverse contributions of South Asian communities to society, promote intercultural dialogue, and encourage greater social cohesion among communities.
The trust aims to achieve the following objectives:
By pursuing these objectives, the South Asian Heritage Trust aims to grow a deeper and more inclusive understanding of history and heritage, promote social harmony and cohesion, and contribute to a more equitable and inclusive society for all.
Develop and deliver educational programs that highlight the history, heritage, and cultural contributions of South Asian communities in Britain, including workshops, seminars, and training sessions for schools, community organisations, and the wider public.
Organise and showcase arts and cultural events, such as exhibitions, performances, and festivals, that celebrate the diversity and creativity of South Asian communities and promote greater cross-cultural awareness and appreciation.
Commemorate and celebrate key historical events and figures that have shaped the South Asian experience in Britain, such as the partition of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the arrival of the Windrush generation, and the contributions of South Asian soldiers.
Collaborate with other organisations, institutions, and individuals to amplify the reach and impact of our mission and to build bridges across communities.
South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) came about over a cup of chai in December 2018 when the founders came together to discuss how people’s understanding of the interconnectedness between Britain and South Asia could be better understood in the UK.
Proposing the concept of ‘South Asian Heritage Month’ at the House of Commons. In July 2019, SAHM ran its concept launch.
The Trust’s first project “South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) had its inaugural launch in 2020. During this four-week period, the volunteers organized and held over 60 official and over 100 unofficial events.
South Asian Heritage Month also went viral on social media including trending on Twitter and most importantly, engaged families, grassroots community groups, and organizations up and down the country.
This year saw the biggest SAHM yet, with a wide range of online events on our official calendar covering many topics from:
With limited socialising, the strategy was to pursue the celebrations online and encourage at-home users to enjoy and take part.
In 2022 the theme “Journeys of Empire,” was chosen for the South Asian Heritage month, to coincide with two key anniversaries: 75 years since Indian and Pakistani independence and also 50 years since the expulsion of Asians from Uganda.
Through this lens, SAHM 2022 explored how the legacies of empire continue to shape identity, migration, belonging and community life in Britain today.
As the lead organiser of South Asian Heritage Month, the South Asian Heritage Trust curated and supported a nationwide programme of storytelling, education and cultural celebration.
20 online events hosted directly by the Trust, featuring historians, artists, authors, activists and thought leaders from across the diaspora.
Over 60 in-person events supported or co-produced by the Trust.
30+ collaborative events with SOAS, University of London, including panel discussions, performances and heritage exhibitions.
Partnerships with museums, libraries, universities and community organisations to deliver the remaining in-person programme, reflecting regional and intergenerational diversity.
From academic lectures on colonial histories to poetry readings, food festivals and youth-led panels on identity and race, SAHM 2022 provided a platform for reflection, education and celebration, reaching thousands of attendees in person and online.
Some of the Trust’s key contributions in 2022 included:
National Events Calendar: A public-facing hub for all SAHM events, helping individuals and organisations connect, promote and attend activities throughout the UK.
Digital Access: High-quality livestreams and recordings made the programme accessible across geographies and generations.
Strategic Collaborations: Deepened institutional partnerships with bodies like SOAS, The British Library, and local councils to expand reach and impact.
Thought Leadership: Featured voices such as Dr Ranjana Das, Dr Yasmin Khan, and Professor Susheila Nasta, exploring migration, gender, empire and cultural memory.
In a year that demanded honest conversations about the legacies of British imperialism, SAHM 2022 created inclusive spaces for South Asian communities, and wider society, to reflect on the past, challenge the present, and imagine a more equitable future.
The Trust remains committed to building a national framework for South Asian heritage, one that centres lived experience, promotes cross-cultural understanding, and celebrates the creative and historical contributions of South Asians to British life.
In 2023, building on the reflective tone of previous years, the 2023 theme “Stories To Tell” placed a spotlight on storytelling as a tool for empowerment, connection and cultural preservation. It encouraged individuals across the South Asian diaspora in the UK to share personal, community and intergenerational narratives, addressing themes of identity, migration, family, faith and belonging.
👉 Read more about the 2023 theme here
As the organisation behind SAHM, the South Asian Heritage Trust continued to grow the month’s scale and impact by offering a more decentralised, accessible and collaborative approach:
110+ events were supported and publicised through our expanded online events hub, which for the first time allowed the public to submit their own events for national visibility.
👉 Upload or explore events on the SAHM hub
A core calendar of events hosted directly by the Trust, alongside programming by partner organisations nationwide.
Ongoing collaboration with the Royal British Legion, supporting South Asian military visibility and remembrance through curated storytelling, campaigns and resources.
Continued engagement with local authorities, museums, universities and libraries to host events that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of British South Asian communities.
Some of the Trust’s key contributions in 2023 included:
Digital Reach: The expanded online platform gave communities and organisations the tools to host and promote their own SAHM events, democratising access and fostering local leadership.
Public Resource Kits: Toolkits were updated and reissued, including:
The SAHM Toolkit – for organisations planning their own events.
The Schools Pack – enabling teachers to explore South Asian heritage with their students.
The Events Kit – with digital assets and guidance for event promotion.
The Royal British Legion Partnership Pack – highlighting the role of South Asians in British military history.
👉 Access our free SAHM toolkits
Collaborative Programming: The Trust worked closely with partner institutions and councils to help deliver and promote locally-driven programming that aligned with the year’s theme.
A strong local programme featured:
Journeys to Tell – A discussion on migration in Newham, with oral historian Farzana Iqbal and filmmaker Leah Rustomjee.
Chai Tales – A community storytelling event centred on LGBTQ+ South Asian voices, featuring Saima Razzaq and Mufseen Miah.
👉 View Newham’s SAHM 2023 programme
The “Stories to Tell” exhibition brought together community narratives and visual storytelling, alongside a screening of A Thin Wall, a documentary on the legacy of Partition.
Hosted weekly wellbeing and mindfulness sessions throughout August and September, designed to engage the South Asian community in culturally sensitive mental health practices.
Launched two long-form archival initiatives rooted in the SAHM 2023 theme:
Tales of Brown Boys in White Spaces
Making Sri Lankan Stories Visible
👉 Explore Race Archive events
Published reflections and hosted webinars on the lived experiences of South Asian professionals in UK mental health care, sparking valuable dialogue on identity, bias and representation.
👉 View content from the Royal College of Psychiatrists
South Asian Heritage Month 2023 reaffirmed the importance of cultural storytelling, not only as an act of remembrance, but as a form of resistance, pride and future-making. Through digital and physical platforms, we helped empower communities to share their truths and make space for underrepresented voices.
The South Asian Heritage Trust continues to build a national framework that champions shared heritage, promotes intercultural understanding, and celebrates the contributions of South Asian communities to life in modern Britain.
In 2024, the South Asian Heritage Trust celebrated five years of delivering South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) across the UK. The year’s theme “Free to Be Me” embraced self-expression, cultural pride and community visibility.
The 2024 theme invited South Asians of all ages and backgrounds to explore what it means to live authentically. Through storytelling, fashion, music, digital content and public events, the month provided space for individuals to connect with their identity and heritage on their own terms.
👉 Read more about the 2024 theme here
As the national organiser of South Asian Heritage Month, the South Asian Heritage Trust coordinated, supported and promoted a wide-reaching programme of celebration, education and expression:
120+ events were featured on our online events hub, including both community-led activities and high-profile institutional programming. The site now also enables the public to upload their own events, strengthening our year-round engagement infrastructure.
120+ personal stories, blogs and creative contributions were published on our platform, forming part of our growing digital archive that documents lived experiences and intergenerational memory.
The theme was officially launched in Birmingham, kicking off the month with a vibrant showcase of local and national voices.
Our new SAHM merchandise shop was launched, featuring bunting, flags, enamel badges and apparel. These items were embraced by schools, libraries and local councils looking to proudly mark the month in physical spaces.
Visit the SAHM Shop
NHS Organ Donation Partnership: A multi-year collaboration with NHS Blood and Transplant focused on raising awareness about organ donation in South Asian communities. In 2024, this included listening circles, myth-busting sessions, and a focus during Organ Donation Week in September.
Royal British Legion: Our ongoing partnership continued with new digital content, and stories amplifying the historical and contemporary contributions of South Asians in the armed forces.
Free-to-download toolkits supported teachers, community organisers and workplaces in delivering local celebrations. These included:
SAHM Schools Pack
Event Planning Kit
Corporate Sponsorship Toolkits
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust marked the month with multi-site celebrations, interactive learning events and cultural showcases aimed at recognising staff and patients’ heritage.
Organised as part of a Trust-led partnership with NHSBT, these community-focused discussions explored cultural perceptions around organ donation in safe, open forums.
In every region, local authorities and grassroots groups took up the theme and ran inclusive, vibrant programming—from exhibitions and storytelling sessions to creative workshops.
South Asian Heritage Month 2024 was our most wide-reaching and participatory edition yet. With an expanded digital platform, a national shop, 120+ personal stories, and more than 120 events across the country, the Trust created space for genuine storytelling, celebration and connection with a documented staggering 400 Million plus global reach.
We remain committed to making South Asian heritage visible, accessible and meaningful all year round.
