Manisha Bhati

By: Manisha Bhati

My names Manisha i'm married aged 28 and was born bought up in the Midlands after marriage moved down to Hertfordshire.

My experience of being British asian is my connection with Indian arts and Culture. With my frequent trips to my Local arts the MAC in Birmingham. I have also have a connection with being British asian through my desi uni mates, going to asian gigs predominatly bangra at the time. I was distant from this scene though, growing up from child to teens is what makes me who I am today.

My experience of British asian culture at time was fusion dance, mixing Western and asian arts. I was bought up in the stereotype age and tried to move as far away from British asian culture as people knew it at the time whether is was Bangra chicken curry arranged marriages Academic Brilliance. I felt that these were issues I was being stigamatised about and seperated me from both my asian and white counterparts. Of course thankfully we have moved from these stereotypes and I can now say with ease and releif that I'm proud to be Indian and proud of being British also.