South Asian Heritage Month: where are you from?

South Asian Heritage Month 2026 takes place from 1 to 31 July, with the national theme “Unity in Diversity,” celebrating the breadth of South Asian communities across the UK and worldwide. To celebrate, our Diversity Inclusion & Belonging Lead Iffath Hussain shares her heritage, culture and history and the importance of South Asian Heritage Month.

Store owner – “Hello lady, come my shop! Buy one, get one free… Where you from? Morocco? Arab? Syria? Egypt? Saudi? Iran? Afghanistan? Tell me please…”

Me – “I’m from England.”

Store owner – “And your mum and dad?”

Me – “They were born in Pakistan.”

Store owner – “Noooooo… you don’t look Pakistani!”

The story of my life.

No matter which country I’ve travelled to, some version of this conversation has followed me around the world. It always begins with the same question: “Where are you from?” And often ends with: “You don’t look Pakistani.”

The funny thing is, my parents were born in Pakistan, but my grandparents weren’t, and if your family were anything like mine, you know you grandparents raised you too.

My grandparents were born before the Partition of 1947, when today’s India and Pakistan were under British colonial rule. Their story, like the stories of millions of South Asians, is one shaped by history rather than choice.

For almost two centuries, Britain’s colonial presence transformed the Indian subcontinent. Between 1858 and 1947, colonial rule left lasting political, economic and social legacies. The Partition that accompanied independence created two new nations and displaced an estimated 15 million people, making it one of the largest migrations in human history. Families were separated, communities were reshaped, and identities became tied to borders that had never existed before. I was raised on stories shared of the impact of this partition and the impact this left on many.

Perhaps that’s why the question, “Where are you from?” has never had a simple answer.

Allama Iqbal beautifully captured the idea that identity reaches beyond geography:

“Mazhab nahin sikhata aapas mein bair rakhna; Hindi hain hum, watan hai Hindustan hamara.”
“Faith does not teach us to bear enmity among ourselves; we are people of Hindustan, and Hindustan is our homeland.”

One place that has always held a special place in my heart is Toba Tek Singh.

It became my family’s hometown after Partition and still is today. Named after the Sikh saint Tek Singh, whose kindness inspired a settlement that welcomed travellers and strangers alike, Toba Tek Singh still carries that spirit today. The people I’ve met there are generous, warm and endlessly hospitable.

Sometimes I wonder whether that kindness is the real story of South Asia. Perhaps, not as much divides us as politics would have us believe. Perhaps, despite borders and history, our cultures, values, languages, food, music and spirituality continue to remind us that we have far more in common than we often realise.

Recently, I took an ancestry DNA test. The results surprised no one in my family, yet somehow answered the question I’d been asked my entire life.

• 88% Punjab— spanning both present-day India and Pakistan
• 6% Gujarat
• 6% Iranian Plateau

So… where am I really from? Maybe the answer isn’t a single country at all. Maybe I’m from centuries of movement, shared histories, changing borders and generations of people whose stories can’t be contained by a passport.

As Rumi wrote:

“Beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”

For me, South Asian Heritage Month is about much more than remembering the past. It reminds me of the generations who came before us and the legacy they left behind. It reminds me that our history is one of resilience, perseverance and hope. It reminds me that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Those who endured unimaginable hardship so that future generations could build new lives. It reminds me of both pain and love. And above all, it reminds me that there is far more that unites us than divides us.

As we celebrate South Asian Heritage Month, I hope we all take a moment to reflect on the richness of our shared histories, the strength found in our diversity, and the humanity that connects us across generations and borders.

So, I invite you to “edit” yourself less this month. Bring your whole self to work. Shine bright with all your identity and wear that crown throughout. Because here at South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, “we see diversity as a strength” – it’s the very statement in our behavioural framework. For this to come true you be you and be you proud!

I’d like to leave you with one of my favourite songs, “Main Te Meri Jaan” by Satinder Sartaaj, a beautiful reminder of love, belonging and the ties that transcend place.

Happy South Asian Heritage Month.

Peace and love,

Iffath Hussain
Diversity Inclusion & Belonging Lead