Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month

South Asian Heritage Month commemorates, marks and celebrates South Asian cultures, histories and communities, and runs from 18 July to 17 August each year.

Amerdeep Kaur, a solicitor at Drummond Miller LLP and member of the Law Society of Scotland's Equality and Diversity Committee, explains what celebrating the month means to her.

The theme of this year’s South Asian Heritage Month is ‘Stories to tell’.

My maternal grandfather came to the United Kingdom in 1959 from Punjab in India. He had to settle in a country that he knew very little about and did not speak the language of.

Thinking about this, he must have been very scared, having sacrificed a lot. I feel that the hope of a better life for many generations to come got him through.

My mother tells me of a time when he struggled to get to work in the local textile factory in the cold morning, due to problems with his knees.

My grandfather passed away before I was born, but I feel that I owe a lot to him. If it was not for the brave step that he took, my life would have been very different today.

People like him are key to my origin, my family’s journey and how I came to be where I am today. I am inspired by my grandfather and many others like him who deserve to be celebrated. Patience, humility and courage are the qualities that come to mind when I think of him. Today, I find myself in a very privileged position, one that my grandfather could only have dreamed of.

This month, I am joining millions of South Asian people who celebrate their heritage and their stories. The rich history and diversity of South Asian people who brought their culture here.

A variety of free, educational arts and cultural events showcasing and celebrating South Asian culture can be found on southasianheritage.org.uk. Although most of these events tend to take place South of the border, we have had some celebrations of late in Scotland, albeit unconnected to South Asian Heritage Month itself.

The recent Glasgow Mela is the largest free multi-cultural festival in the country, which brings music, dance, arts and vibrancy to the heart of Glasgow. This year drew an enormous crowd of 20,000 promoting their rich cultural heritage. Performers from around the world attend and the event itself is fun as well as educational. If you’re a food lover, it is also highly recommended to taste some South Asian cuisine.

With the Glasgow Mela being fresh in our minds, it is time to celebrate again! The Edinburgh Mela is due to take place in weeks to come with various venues across Leith. It allows children, young people and adults to feel a part of something. To feel represented.

I am proud to be a South Asian Scottish lawyer and I am sure my grandfather would have been even prouder.

Amerdeep is an Associate in the family law team of Drummond Miller LLP, located in their Bathgate office. She qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and has experience in all areas of family law work.