Gaje Ghale was born on 1 August 1918 in Barpak, Gorkha District, Nepal. Barpak, a small village nestled in the rugged terrains of the Himalayas, is in a region that has produced some of the most esteemed soldiers to have served in the armed forces.
Records indicate that no Victoria Crosses were awarded to Indian soldiers specifically for their actions at Monte Cassino during The Second World War. However, Indian soldiers played a significant role in the gruelling battles for Monte Cassino, with many displaying exceptional bravery. One soldier, Sepoy Kamal Ram of the 8th Punjab Regiment, did receive the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Garigliano River in Italy in May 1944.
Mir Dast, a distinguished soldier from the Indian Army, was awarded the Victoria Cross for exceptional bravery in the First World War.
My dad was just a teenager when he arrived in Bradford in the 1970s. With the support of extended family he found work, learnt the language, and a few years later returned to Pakistan to marry my mum. I was born in the 80s, the second girl in a house of five children. We found […]
What does it mean to be a British Indian woman? The Evolution of the British Indian woman – an event which was screened at Kingston-Upon-Thames’ Rose Theatre in June 2013, explored the essence of a British Indian woman through the experiences of three branches of one family tree. A grandmother, who moved to the UK […]
Hiranya’s debut album, Frangipani & Daisy Chains, grew from her experience of race and identity following the 2016 Brexit vote. At turns tender, at turns fierce, she explores migration, colonialism and lineage. Part personal nostalgia, part history lesson; it contemplates belonging through the plants that are rooted in England and Sri Lanka’s folk traditions. The musical […]
Khudadad Khan wasn’t just the first Indian Victoria Cross recipient; he was a symbol of courage that transcended borders. Born in 1888, in what is now Pakistan, Khan joined the British Indian Army.
Known as The Flying Sikh of Biggin Hill, Hardit Singh Malik was the first Indian pilot of the First World War and would go on to become a distinguished diplomat.
More than a century after his death, Rifleman Gabar Singh Negi’s courage continues to inspire his homeland.
Indra Lal Roy, a name often lost to history, was a remarkable young man who soared into the skies of the First World War as India’s sole flying ace.
South Asian Heritage Month dates changed to "July" from 2026 — Learn more here →
