Look at any measure of success of Indians in the UK or US and you will see generally income and education levels higher than for all communities including white, time and again.
Look at the same data for Black, however you slice and dice it, and it does not follow. Yet if there is one community with which we probably reach out the least it is the black community.
Think about it. They’re not in your children’s posh schools or Oxbridge or in your pharmacies and legal offices or accountancy practices are they? I know they are not because I see the statistics.
Of course we meet other Indians. We reach out to Dharmic faiths – Sikhs especially. We reach out to the Jewish faith. But colour? Southall Black Sisters may be an exception based on ethnic origin and gender and crossing boundaries.
I am not preaching – many came from Uganda and Kenya and I cannot tell them they do not work with communities of different origins. And how can you if they are not in work places. My colleagues in Government, it so happens are black. But they’re the exception.
In this age of pledges – what are we to do? Well, I’ve become used to saying we will ensure in events and prominence we have women well represented – but let’s not forget other ethnic groups.
I work in finance. Private equity and hedge funds and with Civil Servants, having been a barrister. Yes – you got it – all massively under represented pro rata. Why does it matter? Because it is injustice. And to a Hindu, let alone a human (ask my two year old son) an injustice is intolerable and in our DNA to fight.
Yes we are phenomenal at all we have achieved with our work ethic and culture and blessed with all we have. But reaching out across networks as we did at TiE – the entrepreneur mentoring organisation or we do in the Civil Service or through my old Oxford College are all essential to break down barriers.
And I do not patronise. A black man was President of America before an Indian – for all our abilities – well we got PM of Ireland and CEO Microsoft I guess. But there is more for all to do. As a Hindu – it is my Dharmic duty to fight injustice. It’s how I show to myself I am Hindu – not alone by the Ganesh in my garden or the puja my grandmother taught me. Rituals are important – but living and practicing is equally so.
Anyway, as I say, I am not a Hindu, merely trying to be one. This is one way I can be.
