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Jasvir Singh trails this summer’s celebrations, open to all and with the theme ‘Free to Be Me’, by focusing on the diversity of South Asian heritage barristers and judges, and the trailblazers who led the way
This summer marks the fifth year of South Asian Heritage Month in the UK. Running from 18 July to 17 August each year, the purpose of the awareness month is to commemorate and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities, as well as for wider society to better understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia. South Asia is made up of eight countries, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and people of South Asian heritage account for 1 in every 4 people on the planet.
The dates for South Asian Heritage Month are underpinned by the events of 1947 in South Asia, namely the independence of India, creation of Pakistan, and Partition of two distinct regions, Punjab and Bengal. 18 July 1947 was the date on which the Indian Independence Act gained royal assent from King George VI, while 17 August 1947 was the date on which the line of Partition was published. Partition saw over 10 million people displaced and upwards of 1 million killed in the violence and chaos which followed.
Barristers played a pivotal role in what happened in 1947. The father of independent India, Mahatma Gandhi, and the first PM of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, were both members of Inner Temple. Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder and first leader of Pakistan, was a member of Lincoln’s Inn. Cyril Radcliffe, the civil servant tasked with setting down the line of Partition, and Liaquat Ali Khan, the first PM of Pakistan, were also from Inner Temple. Lincoln’s Inn can also claim the first woman to study law at Oxford and the first female advocate in India, Cornelia Sorabji. A bust dedicated to her can be found in Lincoln’s Inn library.
However, South Asian Heritage Month goes way beyond just what happened almost 80 years ago. The motto for the month is Celebrate, Commemorate, Educate. At the Bar, this can mean celebrating the diversity of South Asian heritage barristers and judges, commemorating and remembering the trailblazers who led the way to greater diversity within our ranks, and educating ourselves about the role played by South Asians in legal reforms over the years.
It is also worth noting that, according to government statistics, about 8% of all barristers and 5% of silks are from Asian backgrounds, but there is still no South Asian or indeed any person of colour sitting as a judge at the Supreme Court, something which must surely be rectified in the near future.
The theme for 2024, ‘Free to Be Me’, resonates deeply with me. As an openly gay Sikh man who wears a turban, the Bar has perhaps been the only place where I have felt completely at ease with who I am from the outset, and where what makes me stand out has been celebrated. I am also aware that not everyone feels able to be themselves, for whatever reason that may be, and I truly hope that the theme allows people to talk about the barriers they face in their lives when it comes to their intersectional identities.
To find out more about South Asian Heritage Month, please visit southasianheritage.org.uk. You can check out the toolkits we have created to help you put together your own event in your chambers or elsewhere. You can also have a look at what is taking place near you on our events page. The month is for everyone, regardless of your own heritage and background, and you can share your own stories with us via our website.
Help us make South Asian Heritage Month 2024 one to remember!
Jasvir Singh Degun CBE is a family law barrister at Lamb Building and co-founder of South Asian Heritage Month. He is the main Sikh contributor on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Thought for the Day’, and he was named ‘Alumnus of the Year’ by King’s College London in 2023.
This summer marks the fifth year of South Asian Heritage Month in the UK. Running from 18 July to 17 August each year, the purpose of the awareness month is to commemorate and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities, as well as for wider society to better understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia. South Asia is made up of eight countries, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and people of South Asian heritage account for 1 in every 4 people on the planet.
The dates for South Asian Heritage Month are underpinned by the events of 1947 in South Asia, namely the independence of India, creation of Pakistan, and Partition of two distinct regions, Punjab and Bengal. 18 July 1947 was the date on which the Indian Independence Act gained royal assent from King George VI, while 17 August 1947 was the date on which the line of Partition was published. Partition saw over 10 million people displaced and upwards of 1 million killed in the violence and chaos which followed.
Barristers played a pivotal role in what happened in 1947. The father of independent India, Mahatma Gandhi, and the first PM of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, were both members of Inner Temple. Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder and first leader of Pakistan, was a member of Lincoln’s Inn. Cyril Radcliffe, the civil servant tasked with setting down the line of Partition, and Liaquat Ali Khan, the first PM of Pakistan, were also from Inner Temple. Lincoln’s Inn can also claim the first woman to study law at Oxford and the first female advocate in India, Cornelia Sorabji. A bust dedicated to her can be found in Lincoln’s Inn library.
However, South Asian Heritage Month goes way beyond just what happened almost 80 years ago. The motto for the month is Celebrate, Commemorate, Educate. At the Bar, this can mean celebrating the diversity of South Asian heritage barristers and judges, commemorating and remembering the trailblazers who led the way to greater diversity within our ranks, and educating ourselves about the role played by South Asians in legal reforms over the years.
It is also worth noting that, according to government statistics, about 8% of all barristers and 5% of silks are from Asian backgrounds, but there is still no South Asian or indeed any person of colour sitting as a judge at the Supreme Court, something which must surely be rectified in the near future.
The theme for 2024, ‘Free to Be Me’, resonates deeply with me. As an openly gay Sikh man who wears a turban, the Bar has perhaps been the only place where I have felt completely at ease with who I am from the outset, and where what makes me stand out has been celebrated. I am also aware that not everyone feels able to be themselves, for whatever reason that may be, and I truly hope that the theme allows people to talk about the barriers they face in their lives when it comes to their intersectional identities.
To find out more about South Asian Heritage Month, please visit southasianheritage.org.uk. You can check out the toolkits we have created to help you put together your own event in your chambers or elsewhere. You can also have a look at what is taking place near you on our events page. The month is for everyone, regardless of your own heritage and background, and you can share your own stories with us via our website.
Help us make South Asian Heritage Month 2024 one to remember!
Jasvir Singh trails this summer’s celebrations, open to all and with the theme ‘Free to Be Me’, by focusing on the diversity of South Asian heritage barristers and judges, and the trailblazers who led the way
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