Personal Reflections, Hidden Histories, and the Road Ahead My journey into the field of preserving South Asian and Muslim heritage in Scotland was not planned, it began with a question that I often pondered and reflected on, which my then teenage son asked: “Why are we in Scotland?” I did not realise then how deeply […]
A Story of Female Entrepreneurship, Empowerment and Community The rich tapestry of Scotland’s cultural landscape is woven with the vibrant threads of its South Asian community. Among one of the many most significant contributions of this community are the uncelebrated South Asian fabric shops in Glasgow, primarily run by women mainly in the Southside Govanhill […]
To highlight the amazing heritage and archaeology of India and Pakistan as well as encourage conversation, the MAHSA project is running a free, family friendly open day. There will be map based activities for kids, an AR sand box and small exhibits on maps and archaeology. Please join us at The Women’s Museum in Barking, a new museum embedded in the community and celebrating the stories and heritage of women.
Join our family fun day featuring community performances, stalls and activities celebrating South Asian heritage and culture.
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 […]
Background My mum was born in 1978 in Scotland to an English father and a Scottish mother, while my dad was born in 1966 in Bristol to an English mother and an absent non-white father. My paternal grandmother never disclosed any details about my dad’s father, but one of her friends provided my dad with […]
Artists impression of Scotland’s First BIA Memorial Colourful Heritage, a charity based in Scotland were granted planning permission by Glasgow City Council in December 2022 to construct Scotland’s first British Indian Army (BIA) memorial within the grounds of the iconic Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow. In August 2023, the ‘Memorial Brick Laying Ceremony’ was held […]
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 […]
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). […]
South Asian Heritage Month dates changed to "July" from 2026 — Learn more here →
