celebrating south asian heritage month 2026 theme: unity in diversity

Written By Rita Puri

South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM), celebrated each July across the UK, offers an important opportunity to recognise, reflect on and celebrate the rich histories, cultures and contributions of South Asian communities. In the context of coaching and mentoring, the month is more than a cultural moment. It is a call to deepen our practice, expand our cultural understanding, and champion inclusive coaching approaches that reflect the diversity of the clients we serve. Charmain Bucho and Rita Puri reflect on the opportunity to honour South Asian heritage, and advance inclusion in coaching, mentoring and supervision.

Why South Asian Heritage Month matters

SAHM is organised by the South Asian Heritage Trust, and was co-founded by Jasvir Singh CBE and Dr Binita Kane in 2018. The trust seeks to elevate the prominence of British South Asian history and heritage through education, arts, culture, celebration and commemoration.

Its mission is to deepen people’s understanding of the rich and diverse contributions of South Asian communities to society, and to shine a light on the histories, identities and lived experiences of people with roots in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The trust promotes intercultural dialogue, and encourages greater social cohesion among communities.

The 2026 theme, Unity in Diversity, invites us to:

  • Celebrate differences

  • Hold space without shrinking

  • Learn with curiosity

  • Stand together

  • Embrace joyful resilience

At its core, SAHM seeks to foster a deeper and more inclusive understanding of heritage, while promoting social cohesion and equity within UK society. These themes resonate strongly with the values of empathy, awareness and human connection.

South Asian Heritage Trust: A legacy interwoven with Britain

South Asian history is deeply intertwined with British history. From the impacts of the British Empire to post-war migration, these shared histories have shaped modern Britain in profound ways.

Millions of South Asian soldiers contributed to the World Wars, yet their stories remain under-recognised.

The Partition of 1947, one of the largest forced migrations in history, continues to influence generations today through its lasting emotional and cultural legacy.

Understanding this context is essential, not only for historical awareness, but also for meaningful engagement in coaching conversations.

The South Asian diaspora in the UK

The South Asian diaspora is one of the most significant and vibrant population groups in the UK today. According to UK Census data:

  • Indian heritage: ~1.93 million people (largest ethnic minority group) 

  • Pakistani heritage: ~1.66 million 

  • Bangladeshi heritage: ~651,000 

  • Sri Lankan heritage: ~400,000 

  • Smaller but influential communities from Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives 

These communities reflect diverse migration journeys, from post-war labour recruitment to highly skilled professional migration, contributing across every sector of British life.

Contribution, influence and leadership

South Asian communities have made remarkable contributions across:

Society and culture – from literature and journalism to music, fashion and cuisine, South Asian voices enrich the UK’s cultural landscape.

Education and professional life – South Asian students consistently achieve strong educational outcomes, with high representation in medicine, law, engineering and business.

Leadership and public life – The diaspora has broken barriers across business and politics, from FTSE 100 leadership roles to senior positions in government, including the UK’s highest offices.

This progression, from industrial labour in the mid-20th century to leadership in global industries today, illustrates a journey of resilience, adaptation and success.

The South Asian diaspora has embraced bi-cultural identities. By navigating displacement, isolation and racism; overcoming language and systemic barriers, and adapting to alien societal and cultural norms, the diaspora has built cross-cultural skills and competencies that are not always recognised and valued in the workplace. The pressure is always to assimilate to the dominant systems that operate in the workplace.

A coaching perspective: Why this matters for our profession

For coaching professionals, SAHM provides a powerful lens for reflection and growth in several ways:

Culture shapes identity – cultural heritage influences values, behaviours, communication styles and worldviews. Understanding this enables coaches to better connect with clients.

Move beyond assumptions – South Asia is often treated as a single cultural identity, yet it encompasses vast diversity. Effective coaching recognises this nuance.

Practise cultural reflexivity – coaching begins with self-awareness. Practitioners must examine their own cultural assumptions, biases and perspectives to engage authentically with others.

Individualism v collectivism – many South Asian cultures emphasise collectivism, respect for hierarchy and community-oriented success, contrasting with Western individualism. Coaches must adapt their approach accordingly.

Recognise bi-cultural strengths – many individuals navigate dual or multiple identities, developing resilience, adaptability and cross-cultural fluency. These are strengths that should be acknowledged and valued.

The role of EMCC and the coaching community

As a coaching and mentoring membership organisation, EMCC is uniquely placed to amplify the work of SAHM, and embed its values into professional practice. Here’s how we can support SAHM:

Raise awareness – share SAHM resources, events and educational materials across our networks

Promote representation – highlight South Asian coaches, leaders and voices within the profession

Encourage learning – facilitate conversations, workshops and reflective practice on cultural inclusion

Strengthen practice – integrate cultural humility and cross-cultural frameworks into coaching standards

Champion belonging – create psychologically safe environments where diverse identities are welcomed and respected

A message of reflection and celebration

Rita Puri writes: ‘The South Asian experience in the UK is shaped by both historical trauma and extraordinary resilience, a dual narrative that continues to influence identity and belonging today.

‘I am exceptionally proud of my combined South Asian Indian and British heritage that holds so much richness in ways of being and seeing from both perspectives.

‘In society I witness post-colonial trauma, from the upheaval, displacement, and indignities suffered and still felt by the community. I also witness the immense resilience, drive and determination to carve out a meaningful life in the UK. The strength of bi-cultural identities is the ability to transverse multiple cultures, to take the best and discard the worst, to integrate and yet hold cultural values.

‘There are thousands of people in the UK with a history just like mine. They form a community that shares these threads of history and creates a modernity that embraces the new while weaving in their heritage.’

It is important to bring voice and visibility to this rich experience, as an act of connection, cohesion and empowerment. This month is an opportunity to bring visibility to these stories, fostering connection, understanding and empowerment.

Join the celebration

This July, we invite all members of the coaching community to:

  • Reflect on your own cultural lens

  • Engage with SAHM events and storytelling

  • Celebrate the diversity that strengthens our profession

  • Commit to more inclusive and culturally aware coaching practice

Together, we can honour heritage, deepen understanding and build a more equitable future for coaching and beyond.

Let this month be a catalyst, not just for celebration, but for lasting change in how we coach, connect and lead.

Learn more and get involved

South Asian Heritage Month

Coaching resources

There are numerous coaching resources, books and articles from the Philosophy of Coaching: An International Journal. Here are two resources from the journal:

Books

Charmain Bucho is the EMCC UK Director for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. She is an executive coach and transformation leader with over 30 years of experience in the education and skills sector, and more than a decade of coaching and mentoring expertise. Charmain is Head of DE&I and a senior coach at City & Guilds, and co-founder of Auternative Coaching, a community interest organisation supporting neurodiverse individuals, families, and organisations. She specialises in change, leadership, strategy, product and proposition development, organisational and cultural transformation, and DEI.

Rita Puri is a cross-cultural coach who focuses on exploring and navigating cultural narratives and identities and how they manifest in people’s personal and professional lives. Initially certified as an executive coach, Rita continued to expand her coaching landscape to include cultural orientations as a way to bridge conversations between different cultural heritages. She finds this incredibly rich and rewarding work, and is always curious at what unites us rather than divides.

Please note that any views expressed by the authors are their own. The information presented here is accurate to the best of their knowledge, and is publicly available.

Published in the EMCC Newsletter July 2026

Rita Puri
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