English | Indian – NHS GP Trainee
My Mum was born in London, England, and my Dad was born in the Punjab in India. Both of their upbringings were quite traditional, however each side of my family believed very strongly in education. My Dad had come to the UK to work as a doctor, and my Mum, who was at University, had a summer job in the hospital he was working in. This is where they met. Something about taking my Mum to get her ears pierced, much to the horror of my Grandparents!
I was really fortunate in that my parents really made a conscious effort to amalgamate both cultures. We would always light candles when we celebrated Diwali, as well as deck the house out with decorations at Christmas. My Dad would cook curry and dhal on Fridays, and my Mum would make roast dinner on Sundays (sometimes with a dash of added garam masala). My parents were a big fan of a whole range of music, from Mozart to Queen to some Mohammed Rafi, as well as a whole host of 80s and Bollywood chart toppers. Though I grew-up in the UK, we were also quite integrated with the Punjabi community here, and we often attended weddings and other functions. Interestingly, I had never actually been to an English wedding until I was almost an adult!
I am really lucky that we are very close with both the English and Indian sides of the family, and we’d often have gatherings where everyone would come together. However, when it comes to England Vs India with the cricket, I just support the winner!
My upbringing has definitely made me open to dating people from other cultures. My fiancé is actually mixed Spanish/ Venezuelan, which hopefully means our wedding will be one heck of a party!
I was born in England, which means I have been influenced by British culture. However, growing-up, I have always been extremely proud of my Indian heritage, and was fortunate to be exposed to Punjabi culture, both in the UK and India.
Growing up in a mixed-race household has made me a lot more receptive to understanding differences in other cultures, and I feel this has made me a better communicator in both my personal and professional life. Also, living in a multicultural city like London, has allowed me to witness how diversity enriches all our lives. This is why it is so important we have these conversations, and use our voices to advocate for better representation, and education on issues relating to racial injustice.
I get a lot of questions about my ethnicity and surname, mainly from people who are just curious, and I am always happy and proud to tell them I am mixed-race. However, sometimes, people can make comments such as, ‘well you don’t look it’, or ‘couldn’t tell you’re Indian’. That I personally find quite challenging as I feel I have to sometimes justify my ethnicity to them. I believe this however stems from a lack of understanding of what it means to actually look mixed, and people not realising that it truly is a spectrum.
I first went to India when I was 12 years old. My Dad being first-generation meant that the majority of his family still lived over there. I had been fortunate to meet some of my family when they came to visit the UK, however I always longed to visit them in India. I remember feeling nervous about going somewhere that seemed so far away, but also excited to connect with another part of my culture, and finally meet the rest of my family. As soon as I arrived I felt so welcomed and was integrated almost immediately. I have visited India several times since then, and each time have a greater understanding and appreciation of the culture.
I am proud to work for an organisation such as the NHS that not only values inclusivity, but also welcomes and celebrates diversity.
If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would like to return with the fabulous Bhangra abilities exhibited by my cousins on the dance-floor at family weddings.
Working as an NHS Doctor, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the past few months have been pretty tough. Working long hours, in a very intense and unfamiliar setting, you are not only concerned over the wellbeing of your patients, but you are also worried about your own family and friends. I have found engaging with the health and well-being services at work has been very helpful, as well as having discussions with my colleagues, talking through our shared experiences. In my time outside of work, I therefore try to unwind as much as possible, and catch-up with my friends and family. During the lockdown, I made a few enthusiastic attempts to bake, though unfortunately it appears banana bread is not my calling!