When my parents arrived in London in the 1960s, they joined a wave of South Asians who crossed continents in search of opportunity. They left Kashmir with hope in their hearts and boarded planes to the city that called immigrants across the former British colonies. 

Like so many from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and beyond, they grew up reading British authors and learning through a British-style education system. In many ways, London did not feel like an entirely unknown land. It felt familiar enough for them to imagine they could create a home there.

What they could not predict was the intensity of the racism and discrimination they would face. It came in many forms, sometimes subtle and sometimes painfully direct. Yet they navigated every challenge with quiet determination. They kept their heads down, worked long hours and refused to lose momentum. Their resilience became the foundation on which my own life was built.

I am the daughter of that generation of economic migrants. Their struggles and sacrifices shaped everything that followed.

Growing Up on the Edges

I grew up in a London suburb during a time when ethnic minorities instinctively formed alliances with one another. Afro-Caribbeans, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans and others knew that our shared experience of exclusion created a unique kind of solidarity. We stood together because we understood what it meant to be treated as outsiders.

As a child, you do not always realise you are different. You simply want to fit in. But growing up as a minority gives you certain instincts very early in life. One of those instincts is the ability to read a room. Outsiders learn to observe before speaking. We learn to understand subtle signals, quiet shifts in tone and invisible hierarchies.

Another instinct is adaptability. You become skilled at adjusting your behaviour to suit your surroundings. This happens without conscious thought. It simply becomes the way you move through the world.

And then there is the work ethic that children of immigrants absorb. You are taught that you must work twice as hard for the same outcome. It becomes a natural part of who you are.

These skills eventually became strengths in my career in communications. They shaped the way I interact with people, understand environments and make sense of the world around me.

My First Steps Into Media

My relationship with the media began when I was ten years old. Before school each morning, I delivered newspapers on a daily paper round. I still remember the weight of the papers, the sound of rain hitting the plastic covers and the smell of ink on damp mornings. In Britain, rain was a constant companion. At that age I did not know that this simple job would be my first step into a field I would later devote my life to.

My parents’ work ethic meant that I grew up with a relatively middle-class upbringing. I attended both state and private schools, which allowed me to move between different social environments. This experience exposed me to different aspects of British society and gave me a strong understanding of class differences as well as cultural ones. It helped me understand people from all walks of life and made me comfortable with diversity in the broadest sense.

Falling in Love With Difference

As an adult, my curiosity about people from different backgrounds influenced my personal life as well. I met my husband, Marco, an Italian man from a very different socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic background. He was different from me in every possible way, and I have always been drawn to people who are different. Not because I seek contrast for its own sake, but because difference offers opportunities to learn and grow.

This love of difference became a core personal value and later a core value at Curzon PR, the strategic communications firm I founded. Diversity, although often politicised today, is at the heart of innovation. Cities like London and New York flourish because they bring together people with different cultures and perspectives. When people feel included and valued, they feel safe enough to express their best ideas. That is when creativity and innovation begin.

Building a Career Without a Map

People are often surprised when they learn that I have never worked in PR for anyone else and never studied it formally. Yet I have been running Curzon PR for more than 16 years. On paper, this looks unconventional. In reality, it is a familiar story for many children of immigrants. We often enter fields without traditional pathways, driven by curiosity, discipline and a willingness to work harder than anyone else.

Hyper-curiosity helped me learn quickly. Resilience carried me through the highs and lows of building an agency where business can often swing from feast to famine in a week. Understanding different cultures helped me to navigate the world for opportunities beyond the UK, we have worked with clients from Ukraine to Canada, from Gabon to Spain and also the US which often feels like a second home.

Over time, Curzon PR grew into an award-winning firm that works with governments, international corporates and not-for-profit organisations. My career expanded in unexpected directions. I became the Resident PR Expert at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. I began lecturing around the world and today I serve as President-elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. I also am the co-host of Stories and Strategies, the world’s most listened to PR podcast.

The Inheritance of Resilience

Looking back, I recognise that my story is not just my own. It is the continuation of my parents’ journey and the journey of countless South Asian immigrants who arrived in Britain with courage, and little else. Their bravery and sense of adventure became the foundation of my confidence to travel the world and work seamlessly with clients across frontier, emerging and developed markets. Their sacrifices gave me the freedom to pursue opportunity and recognise the privileges their generation hold.

The traits that once felt like burdens, such as being different or being treated as an outsider, eventually became the strengths that defined my career. I often think back at their lives and realise that the second generation need to grow in different ways. They need to think about self care, boundaries and mental health, especially when their parents work so hard, often to the detriment of their mental health and life satisfaction. 

Life is a bit like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once you have met the needs of food, shelter and freedom from threats, you can move towards self-actualisation, a privilege some first generation immigrants struggle to reach as they provide for their families ‘back home’ to assuage their guilt for leaving.

Where We Go From Here

As the world becomes more polarised, it is easy to retreat into familiar spaces. Yet the South Asian diaspora has always thrived by the sheer diversity of the Subcontinent. Our strength lies in our ability to live in and between worlds. We carry multiple cultures within us. We see difference not as a threat but as an opening. We read rooms instinctively and build bridges naturally.

My story reflects what many of us already know. The resilience of immigrant families can lead to remarkable achievements. Curiosity can overcome gaps in experience. Being different can shape strengths that emerge later in life. Openness to others can unlock both personal and professional growth. The children of immigrants often create possibilities that previous generations could never have imagined. In doing so, we honour the journeys that brought us here and the futures that will follow.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.

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