"South Asia is a land of rich culture, heritage, and tradition. I am proud to be a South Asian.

"It is important to express ourselves and be proud to be part of this heritage. Glorious food, amazing history and architecture, beautiful colourful clothes, and hardworking folk.

"South Asia has contributed vastly to the field of education, health, industry, fashion, handicrafts, films, music to name a few...and of course cricket!

"I am proud of the fact that there is a sizeable number of South Asian doctors, nurses, allied professionals and other professions working and making a positive contribution to the NHS.

"We should celebrate this contribution to mark this occasion."

Aneesha is a trainee cognitive behavioural therapist with Sheffield Talking Therapies.

"When I first started school, I often found it difficult to balance my South Asian culture with Western values. During this time, I found myself feeling alienated amongst my white peers who didn’t understand why I spoke a different language at home or why I was not allowed to do certain things. Discussing my culture and religion with others was both difficult and isolating. Things changed in secondary school and university where I established a wider network of friends, all from various backgrounds. I became confident in my own skin and started to admire the traditions and customs of being South Asian.

"My heritage as a South Asian Muslim woman is an important part of my identity, embedded with rich history, even richer food, traditions, and values. South Asian culture growing up was learning the importance of faith, family, community and learning to be resilient through hardship.

"I recall the stories told to me by my grandfather who came to the UK after the second world war with no money but hope in his heart for a better life in a country where no face was familiar or looked like his own. His family became those who came with him from across South Asia. It was my grandad who taught me the importance of family and communities and trusting in God's plan. We were taught the importance of celebrating our diversity and uniqueness, even if others didn’t.

"From the language to the music, the flavoursome food to South Asian values, my identity has shaped my worldviews. My South Asian heritage has taught me the importance of multiculturalism and respecting all cultures.  My identity is a combination of these factors. This together enables me to value all groups of people from different cultures and backgrounds while maintaining a strong bond with my own.

"Celebrating my South Asian heritage is important to me as it reminds me of the people who are most important to me and who have taught me the most important life lessons. Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month is important to me because growing up in a South Asian community has been a very important part of my life and has shaped the decisions I make and my outlook on life. I love my culture as it has allowed me to offer compassionate, culturally sensitive care to a diverse range of patients and appreciate other cultures while also understanding the importance of always trying to put myself in my patient’s positions.

"Furthermore, South Asian Heritage Month is important to me because it gives me the time to appreciate how much my community has gone through and achieved to get to where we are now as a community. However, it is also important to me because it also shows me the work that still needs to be achieved. Despite at times the unconscious bias that exists and negative stereotypes which can be restricting, working on breaking these barriers is something I believe is paramount and keenly try to do."

Iqra is a project support officer working at Centre Court.

"I am proud of my Pakistani/Kashmiri heritage and my British heritage. 

"Kashmir has the best cinematic scenery, with beautiful mountains, amazing food with great hospitality."