Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month – Roots to Routes
Date
The MPA celebrates South Asian Heritage Month: Roots to Routes
Every year in the UK, from 18 July to 17 August, South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) invites us to reflect on, appreciate, and celebrate the rich cultures, deep histories, and vibrant communities that represent South Asian heritage.
Launched at the House of Commons in 2019 and officially celebrated for the first time in 2020, SAHM has grown into a nationwide movement. It’s a time not only for celebration but for education, awareness, and recognition of the significant contributions that South Asians have made and continue to make across all sectors of British society, including the arts, business, science, politics, and the creative industries.
2025 Theme: “Roots to Routes”
The theme for SAHM 2025, “Roots to Routes”, speaks powerfully to the dual nature of identity. It invites us to honour our histories and cultural origins (“roots”) while acknowledging the ever-evolving personal and collective journeys we take (“routes”).
For the South Asian diaspora in Britain, this theme is especially resonant, embracing both the richness of ancestral traditions and the modern realities of navigating life, work, and creativity in a multicultural society.
In the music industry, “Roots to Routes” also represents a sonic journey: from the classical ragas of the Indian subcontinent to British-Asian fusion genres, grime, Bollywood-inspired pop, and more. This blending of cultural heritage with contemporary expression defines much of the innovation we celebrate in today’s music scene.
South Asian Influence in the Music Industry
South Asian music, both traditional and modern, has left an indelible mark on the UK music landscape. Artists like Nitin Sawhney, M.I.A., Jay Sean, Anoushka Shankar, and newer voices like Priya Ragu continue to challenge stereotypes and redefine what British music looks and sounds like.
In the workplace, particularly within music publishing, licensing, and A&R, it’s crucial to actively support and amplify these voices, not just during heritage months but all year round. This can be achieved by promoting diverse talent pipelines, creating platforms for underrepresented artists, and integrating inclusive programming into company culture.
Ways to Celebrate South Asian Heritage Year-Round
Honouring South Asian heritage doesn’t have to be confined to one month. Here are some meaningful and accessible ways individuals, teams, and companies can engage all year:
Dive into Music & Culture
- Curate playlists that showcase South Asian artists across genres from qawwali to UK garage.
- Incorporate South Asian music into event programming, sync opportunities, or ad campaigns.
Read, Watch & Learn
- Read novels by authors such as Arundhati Roy, Kamila Shamsie, or Mohsin Hamid.
- Watch films and documentaries like The Lunchbox, White Tiger, Made in Heaven, or Brick Lane.
- Attend South Asian theatre productions or dance performances that explore identity and migration.
Celebrate with Food
- Organise team lunches at South Asian restaurants
- Host potlucks or virtual cook-alongs celebrating different South Asian cuisines.
Educate and Reflect
- Run DEI workshops focusing on anti-racism, unconscious bias, and cultural awareness, specifically including South Asian perspectives.
- Share staff blogs or internal newsletters highlighting personal stories of heritage.
- Encourage colleagues to explore their cultural histories and share their experiences.
Amplify Voices
- Use your company’s platforms to spotlight South Asian artists, professionals, and changemakers.
- Commission guest speakers or panellists from South Asian backgrounds for talks, especially on intersectionality, creativity, and representation in the arts.
Celebrate Cultural Festivals
Mark key dates in your workplace calendar and organise inclusive celebrations of:
- Diwali – Festival of lights
- Eid al-Fitr – Celebrating the end of Ramadan
- Holi – The festival of colours
- Vaisakhi – A spring harvest festival important in Sikhism
- Pongal – A Tamil harvest celebration
These events are opportunities to learn more about the stories, values, and joy at the heart of South Asian traditions.
Why It Matters in the Workplace
Representation and inclusion are not just about fairness; they are also about creativity, innovation, and authenticity. In the music and entertainment industries, diverse teams and inclusive leadership lead to better storytelling, wider audiences, and more impactful art.
Creating an environment where people feel seen and celebrated fosters psychological safety, builds trust, and leads to higher engagement. By taking the time to recognise and understand South Asian heritage, we make our industry more equitable and more enriching for everyone.
Let’s Keep the Momentum Going
SAHM is not just about looking back; it’s about building forward. Whether you’re South Asian or not, taking the time to understand and celebrate this rich cultural heritage benefits us all. It helps us dismantle stereotypes, champion diversity, and create spaces where everyone’s story matters.
So, as we honour Roots to Routes this year, let’s continue the journey, listening, learning, celebrating, and creating together.
Meet our South Asian Singers, Musicians and Composers
Music in the Indian subcontinent is not merely entertainment; it is an ancient cultural treasure woven into the very fabric of life. The roots of its musical traditions stretch back thousands of years, visible in archaeological finds from the Indus Valley Civilization (like terracotta drums and figurines playing instruments) and enshrined in texts such as the Natya Shastra (c. 2nd century BCE–2nd century CE), an encyclopaedic treatise on music, dance, and drama. Over centuries, Indian music evolved into sophisticated classical systems, Hindustani in the north and Carnatic in the south, each with elaborate ragas (melodic frameworks) and talas (rhythmic cycles). Music was celebrated in royal courts, temples, Sufi shrines, and folk festivals, serving as both a sacred offering and a means of storytelling, emotion, and community bonding.
This profound musical heritage laid the groundwork for the dazzling array of musicians, singers, and composers who emerged across the Indian subcontinent from the 1940s onward, shaping both classical and popular music on a global scale.
The 1940s–1960s: The Golden Era of Classical and Film Music
In the 1940s, Indian classical music continued to thrive under the stewardship of towering figures like Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar virtuoso who later introduced global audiences to Indian music. His collaboration with Western artists, including George Harrison of The Beatles, profoundly shaped world music. Alongside him was Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, a sarod maestro whose performances and teaching in the United States helped popularize Indian classical music internationally.
In the realm of vocal music, Lata Mangeshkar and her sister Asha Bhosle emerged in the late 1940s and early 1950s as legendary playback singers. Lata’s ethereal voice became synonymous with Bollywood, while Asha’s versatility spanned pop, cabaret, ghazals, and classical-based songs.
Film music in India saw the rise of extraordinary composers such as Naushad, who masterfully blended classical ragas with cinematic orchestration. His work in films like Baiju Bawra (1952) set new standards. Shankar-Jaikishan, another iconic duo, defined the sound of 1950s and 60s Bollywood with lavish orchestration and unforgettable melodies in films like Shree 420 and Junglee. Famous composers included Madam Mohan, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Roshan, and Usha Khanna.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_male_composers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_women_composers
In Pakistan, Noor Jehan, the “Malika-e-Tarannum” (Queen of Melody), was both a renowned playback singer and a celebrated actress. She began her career in pre-partition India but became a leading voice in Pakistani cinema and music after 1947.
1970s–1980s: Expanding Horizons
The 1970s ushered in experimentation. In India, composers like Bappi Lahiri, R.D. Burman and Biddu infused Bollywood with modern instruments, electronic sounds, and diverse musical styles. Songs like “Mehbooba Mehbooba” from Sholay introduced Middle Eastern and Western influences.
Mohammed Rafi was one of the most celebrated and influential playback singers in the history of Indian cinema, known for his versatility and vocal range across various genres. He was incredibly popular and considered one of the greatest singers of the Indian subcontinent, and his songs continue to be cherished decades after his death. Anwar, who sounded exactly like Rafi, was a lead singer in many hit films.
Mukesh became somewhat synonymous with jilted love (‘Aansu bhari hain yeh jeevan ke raahe/Jaane kahan gaye woh din’), Mahendra Kapoor became the voice of patriotic songs (‘Mere desh ki dharti’,) and Manna Dey was preferred for classical raga-based compositions.
Kishore Kumar became a beloved playback singer known for his playful energy and unmatched versatility, delivering romantic ballads and comic songs with equal brilliance.
Shailendra Singh, Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Amit Kumar, Alka Yagnik, Mohd Aziz, SB Balasubramanium, Yesudas, and Shabir Kumar are all well known for their versatile style in singing. Most have gone on to sing successfully in films and theatres in the following decades.
In Pakistan, Nazia and Zoheb Hasan hit the scene with Asian pop music infused with Western sound. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan transformed the centuries-old tradition of Qawwali, a devotional Sufi form, into an international phenomenon. His collaborations with Western artists introduced millions worldwide to the spiritual power of his voice.
Sri Lanka fostered artists like W.D. Amaradeva, whose work blended Sinhalese folk music with Indian classical traditions, shaping modern Sri Lankan identity through music.
1990s–2000s: New Sounds and Global Fame
The 1990s brought dramatic change. In India, A.R. Rahman burst onto the scene with his soundtrack for Roja (1992), blending Indian classical, folk, electronic, and world music into a contemporary sound that won him global acclaim, including Oscars and Grammys for Slumdog Millionaire (2008).
Indian pop exploded outside film music. Artists like Sharon Prabhakar and Alisha Chinai (“Made in India”), Daler Mehndi (“Tunak Tunak Tun”), and Lucky Ali pioneered the Indi-pop wave, creating hits that redefined the music industry.
Pakistan’s rock scene flourished with bands like Junoon, credited as the founders of “Sufi Rock,” combining spiritual poetry with electric guitars. Singers and bands like Strings, Jaal, Shezad Roy, Ali Hayder, Abral Haque, Awaaz, Atif Aslam and Ali Zafar became cross-border stars, beloved in both Pakistan and India.
Bangladesh’s music scene grew vibrant, with icons like Runa Laila, renowned for singing in multiple languages, and bands like LRB and singers like James, who brought rock and pop into mainstream Bangladeshi music.
2010s–Present: Digital Age and Global Collaborations
The last decade has seen an unprecedented blending of styles and the democratisation of music through digital platforms. In India, composers like Pritam and Amit Trivedi continue to innovate film music, while indie artists like Prateek Kuhad have gained global recognition, even featuring on former U.S. President Barack Obama’s playlist.
The Pakistani music show Coke Studio has been a groundbreaking platform, reviving folk songs and fusing them with contemporary sounds. Artists like Ali Sethi and Momina Mustehsan have found fame through soulful renditions and modern arrangements.
Sri Lanka’s music scene has also become increasingly diverse, producing artists like Bathiya and Santhush, who fuse Western pop, Sinhalese, and Tamil musical traditions.
Bangladesh has witnessed a rise in fusion and independent music, with younger artists experimenting across genres while maintaining strong folk roots. Platforms like Gaan Bangla promote Bangladeshi talent globally.
Female artists have increasingly claimed space. In India, singers like Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan have become dominant voices in playback singing.
In Pakistan, women like Zeb Bangash have beautifully blended traditional Pashto and Urdu folk with modern pop sensibilities.
Meanwhile, classical music continues to thrive. Artists like Shubha Mudgal (Hindustani classical and contemporary fusion) and Anoushka Shankar (sitar) keep traditional forms alive while exploring new directions. Anoushka, Ravi Shankar’s daughter, has carved her niche through cross-cultural collaborations and experimental albums.
A Timeless Tradition Continues
From ancient temple chants and royal courts to the digital streaming era, the Indian subcontinent’s music has always been a source of profound cultural identity, spiritual connection, and artistic innovation. The region’s musicians, singers, and composers from the 1940s to the present have not only preserved this ancient heritage but also propelled it forward, creating new languages of sound that resonate across borders and generations.
Their artistry, whether in intricate ragas, devotional qawwalis, Bollywood anthems, or indie pop hits, embodies a musical tradition that is both timeless and ever-evolving, a reminder that in South Asia, music has always been more than entertainment. It is a living celebration of history, emotion, and the human spirit.
Their music not only entertains but carries history, identity, and emotion, resonating across generations and borders. The journey from the 1940s to the present reveals a dynamic evolution, a testament to the enduring creativity and cultural wealth of South Asia.
Resources
https://southasianheritage.org.uk/about-the-south-asian-heritage-month/
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/current-events/10-ways-to-honor-south-asian-heritage-month/
https://www.nhsconfed.org/news/supporting-south-asian-heritage-month
https://www.instagram.com/southasianheritagemonth_uk/p/DH-f8c6MiuH/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
For more information or to join our Respect Employee Network, please contact:
Helen Choudhury
Head of DEI, CSR and Wellbeing
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Safiyah Olaide
DEI, CSR and Wellness Officer
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