This exhibition at SOAS Gallery features works by 26 emerging and established artists from six South Asian countries, including newly commissioned pieces. (Un)Layering the Future Past of South Asia: Young Artists’ Voices provides a global platform for a new generation of South Asian artists spotlighting shared histories and resilience in the region. Curated by Salima Hashmi and Manmeet K. Walia, the exhibition brings together artists from six countries—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Afghanistan, whose works explore urgent themes such as ecological fragility, gender justice, displacement, and political unrest.
‘Ayah’ refers to South Asian women and ‘Amah’ to South East Asian women who served the British in Asia and other colonies as children’s nannies, nursemaids and ladies’ maids. For the last few years Hackney Museum has been researching the stories of ayahs in Britain and in east London in particular. These pioneering women were […]
My story begins with my grandfather, who plucked up the courage to travel aboard at the age of 22 and start a new life in the UK. I don’t think he would have thought that he would see three generations thereafter flourish and live an Anglo-Indian life in Great Britain. Beginnings in Siyod Vanmali Patel […]
Mir Dast, a distinguished soldier from the Indian Army, was awarded the Victoria Cross for exceptional bravery in the First World War.
As we celebrate South Asian Heritage Month with the theme ‘Free to Be Me’, I reflect on my unique journey and the challenges I’ve overcome as a South Asian woman. Growing up, there was an expectation that I would pursue a traditional career in engineering, medicine, law, or accountancy. While I did study engineering initially, […]
“Growing up in a city like London meant that from an early age I was exposed to many different beliefs and ethnicity. Growing up in a diverse community has allowed me to see people for who they are without focusing on what religion they practise or what country they come from or what colour their […]
Artists impression of Scotland’s First BIA Memorial Did you know that ‘The British Indian Army (BIA)’ played an instrumental role to protect Britain and contributed more than 4 million personnel and many other resources during both World War 1 & 2? The BIA was made up of personnel mainly from modern day countries such as […]
Did you know that during WW2, nearly 2.5 million personnel from the British Indian Army were deployed to help protect Britain at its time of need? A special Muslim contingent called ‘Force K6’ was a Mule Transport Corps a part of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC) from the British Indian Army (BIA). […]
Luthfur Rahman, is a trailblazing Restaurateur who has left an indelible mark on the culinary landscape for nearly 35 years. As the visionary founder of ‘The Mint Room‘ an esteemed Indian restaurant hailed as the No.1 in the UK by The Times, Luthfur’s journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the pursuit of excellence. […]
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 […]
South Asian Heritage Month dates changed to "July" from 2026 — Learn more here →
