Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month!
This year marks the fourth year of South Asian Heritage Month, which runs from 18 July – 17 August 2023.
South Asian Heritage Month was established to celebrate South Asian history and culture and is an opportunity for us to learn more about the countries in South Asia and their heritage and the theme this year is ‘Stories to Tell'.
🗣 Jimmy Kumar, our iCAN Birmingham Lead and Client Executive Senior VP - Risk Management Practice at Marsh tells us:
"South Asian Heritage month is all about celebrating culture, uniting communities and sharing our stories. Not only do we commemorate the hardship, struggles and sacrifices made by our ancestors but rejoice the rich values, traditions and the sense of identity instilled over many generations. Its a time to celebrate, commemorate and educate."
South Asian Heritage Month 2023 is all about celebrating the stories that make up our diverse and vibrant community – so we wanted to share some of our teams and iCAN Role Model’s stories with you!
🗣 Kumu Kumar, Head of Zurich Resilience Solutions UK at Zurich Insurance told us:
📌 What moments in your life have shaped who you are today?
"From an early age I knew I was different from the majority. In fact, it was often pointed out to me. I had a choice to try to blend in, or to embrace the fact I was different. I realised that due to my colour, it wasn’t possible for me to blend in. So I used being different to my advantage. To be memorable. To allow me to offer a different viewpoint. To be constructively disruptive. To move things to a better place.
I now realise that due to all the racism I’ve endured during my lifetime, it has not broken me, but made me stronger. Turning a negative into a positive, it means that I can cope with high pressure roles due to the resilience developed as a result.
My parents gave me a strong sense of duty and also a drive to do well in life.
Having recently celebrated 20 years of marriage, my wife has been a constant support during the lows and someone to celebrate the highs with too. She’s the yin to my yang."
📌 What experiences have taught you valuable lessons?
"The only person in charge of your career is you. If you feel dread on a Sunday, at the thought of work on Monday, you’re in the wrong job.
If you want to be successful, do something where your work aligns with what you are passionate about.
Be memorable – there is no such thing as bad PR! Just turn negatives into positive and don’t fret about your mistakes. They are there to help you grow.Never suffer in silence. Ask for help. There will always be someone to assist you."
We continued our stories by speaking with our newest iCAN Team Member Enamul Islam, our iCAN Mentoring Co-Lead and Insurance / Reinsurance Consultant at Jenzah Consulting, who tells us:
"Celebrating South Asian heritage is so important for me. My cultural background has played a significant role in shaping my career ambitions, my determination to achieve goals, my sense of community and numerous other qualities.
As a first generation British. I have the privilege of embracing and honouring the remarkable heritage of South Asia, while also embracing and cherishing my British values."
Enam also added:
"As the eldest in a large south Asian household, you swiftly grasp the significance of your choices on those around. Balancing respect for others' values and customs while staying true to your own beliefs provides valuable insights and perspective."
🗣 Tasneem Lulat, Head Of Risk at Atlanta Group and iCAN Role Model told us:
📌What moments have shaped you?
“I was around 11 years old when I first visited India, the homeland of my grandparents and my father, it was really powerful to see how they lived and it struck a chord with me and made me appreciate all the more, the journey and sacrifices they made to migrate to the UK and give us the opportunities that we’ve had. In South Asian communities we often feel an additional pressure to succeed but I now understand that it’s borne out of our parents / grandparents love and sacrifices and for them to see us grasp all the opportunities they didn’t have.”
📌What experiences have taught you valuable lessons?
“Having tried to cram quite a bit into the past few years from a career and an education perspective… and most importantly (and most life changing) becoming a parent, I’ve learnt that it’s important to maintain perspective and set clear boundaries. I constantly ask myself if that difficult day will matter next week, next month, next year? If not, is it worth allowing it to occupy your headspace? Have that mantra through recent life experiences have really helped shape me into the person I am today.”
🗣 Kirat Kaur Nandra, Credit Control Manager at Chubb, and iCAN Role Model tells us:
📌What moments in your life have shaped you today?
“As a daughter of immigrant parents from India, growing up in an environment dominated by cultural expectations that started at an incredibly early age, I was not encouraged to go to university, but to be a homemaker. At 16 I was asked what I wanted in life, my response - ‘not an arranged marriage and a flat in London, everything else would be a bonus.’ My strict loving, family wanted me to follow tradition because that was the life they knew and the culture I was born into, thinking it was the ‘norm.’
The ‘norm’ for me was vastly different, and although very hard to accept for many years, I stood my ground and my family were incredibly proud of my achievements, and the quiet confidence that gets me through daily, is deep rooted from them. Although it was not an easy journey, it was one they eventually understood, respected, supported, and accepted, and that means everything to me.”
📌What experiences have taught you valuable lessons?
“For me, success is changing the direction of someone’s life.
How we invest in today, we live tomorrow.
Listening, empathy, compassion, supporting others, learning, and growing from mistakes and being honest with myself has given me the strength to stand up for what I believe in and gives a voice for those who unable to find theirs at first.
Several ‘life’ events have thrown me off the path, but what I have learnt is whatever challenges life throws at us, it makes us resilient and grow. There is always hope and when we have hope we have a future. Do not feel you have to change your values and behaviours to be like others to fit in, we are all born to be different.
Lastly, representation matters, life has taught me that seeing people like you in your environment is important to growth, having a role model, mentor and sponsor will 100% help navigate you through this beautiful thing called life.”
🗣 Bijal Pael, Senior Solicitor at DWF and iCAN Role Model tells us:
📌 What moments in your life have shaped who you are today?
“My Dad came to the UK from Uganda in early 1970's and my mum came to the UK from India in late 1970. I grew up witnessing their struggles and their desires to work hard and provide for us. Showing respect and having good morals were a huge part of my upbringing. Living by those principles has certainly shaped who I am today. It doesn’t matter where you come from, if you do good, you will be remembered for the right reasons. It's a blessing to grow up with a blend of Asian and western values; respecting your roots and adapting to your surroundings certainly makes you a good all-rounder.”
📌 What experiences have taught you valuable lessons?
“There were times when I thought I might not be good enough or the right fit for a certain role. Those self-limiting beliefs only stopped me from pursuing what I actually wanted. Rejection taught me to keep going on. I no longer see my background, race or ethnicity as a hurdle. Do YOU and the rest will fall into place.”
🗣 Shazia Deenally, International Reporting Manager at Lloyd’s and iCAN Role Model tells us:
📌 What moments in your life have shaped who you are today?
“My maternal grandfather was a tailor, he farmed a sugar cane field, and grew tomatoes. My paternal grandfather was a tradesman, riding his bicycle from village to village, selling fabrics. The legacies they left behind with their kids have completely shaped who I am today. The mantra of “work hard”, “never give up” and “always strive for better” have been instilled from an early age, travelling all the way from Mauritius to the UK, and its made me who I am today.”
Want to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month with us and based in London?
Join us for South Asian Heritage Month: Celebrating Culture Through Dance and Music!
Please join us on Tuesday, 15 August at Marsh, London for a fun filled event including an opportunity to learn some South Asian dance moves, eat some great South Asian feed and network with other colleagues in the industry to share your experiences.
This event is open to all iCAN members and is free of charge. There are limited numbers and spaces are offered on a first come, first served basis so make sure to secure your ticket!
About iCAN
The Insurance Cultural Awareness Network (iCAN) is a leading organisation committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the insurance sector. Established in 2017, iCAN has been instrumental in spotlighting cultural awareness, fostering talent, and championing diversity within the industry.