Early South Asian Migration to the UK – Three Pounds in my Pocket

Kavita Puri joins the UKPHA Bookclub in conversation with Jassa Ahluwalia, to talk about her critically acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series ‘Three Pounds in my Pocket’, which has charted the social history of British South Asians over four seasons, decade by decade covering the 1960’s to 2000’s.

Kavita Puri

Kavita Puri is an award-winning journalist, executive producer and broadcaster for the BBC. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed book “Partition Voices: Untold British Stories.”

BBC broadcaster, journalist & author of ‘Partition Voices’ Kavita Puri has been charting the social history of British South Asians from the early post-war years. Many arriving from the Indian subcontinent came with as little as three pounds due to strict currency controls. In her award-winning BBC Radio Four series, ‘Three Pounds in my Pocket,’ she hears personal testimonies of the pioneer generation and later their children. The Guardian described the radio series as "captivating and epic." It weaves the political and social context of the time with the individual experience: what life was like for the early arrivals, how their wives who came later adjusted to Britain, and how the second generation made their way in the country of their birth. Eye-opening, moving, and sometimes amusing, this is an untold period of British history.

Buy 'Partition Voices: Untold British Stories' here >>

Pav Singh

Author, Pav Singh joins bookclub to present the definitive account based on harrowing victim testimonies and official accounts reveals how the largest mass crime against humanity in India's modern history was perpetrated by politicians and covered up with the help of the police, judiciary and media.

Anam Zakaria

Using the oral narratives of four generations of people - mainly Pakistanis but also some Indians - attempts to understand how the perception of Partition and the 'other' has evolved over the years.

Dr Shashi Tharoor

Former UN under-Secretary General and politician, Dr Shashi Tharoor discusses his international bestseller ‘The Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India. Shashi is In conversation with BBC journalist and broadcaster Kavita Puri,

Dr Radha Kapuria

How both music and dance played a vital role in state craft and deeply influenced the Indo-European diplomatic relationship even though it is often overlooked by historians. From performances of the legendary corps of ‘Amazons’ acting as “gifts” to European visitors, to striking a coin in Moran’s name, music and dance played an intrinsic role in the Court.

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