Amazing Starts Here podcast with Amber Gill

Amber Gill, Taiba Aqeel and Kiran Sahota recording the Amazing Starts Here podcast

Would you ever have thought Love Island and my Indian Women and War project had anything in common? If I was asked last year, I would have laughed but after being asked by the National Lottery to be part of a new podcast, I was completely surprised that it would lead me to work with Amber Gill. The podcast Amazing Starts Here explores stories that have been looking at histories we do not know about. My work had been selected to be part of the series and I was so excited. At the time I thought I might have been interviewed by a representative from the National Lottery. Then I found out it was going to be Amber Gill. I shared this with my young people, and I am now the coolest person they know.

My normal working environments are often in museums and libraries but here in King’s Cross I was in a wonderful recording booth and having lunch with Amber Gill discussing everything from history and why women are so overlooked in history. I was a historian on a photoshoot with no archives in sight. It was a magical day and we discussed why I decided to enter the history sector, why I focus on women’s history (Indian women), what it meant to get the funding and where I see the project going in the future. Joining myself and Amber was our student volunteer, Taiba Aqeel. Normally Taiba is chatty and full of questions, I think this was the quietest I had heard her (turns out she was a fan of Amber).

I knew questions would be about my project, such as why I think history should be more diverse, but I was not prepared to reflect on just how far I had come. From 2015 to present I have given my everything to ensure communities are allowed to have access to history, with the help of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. There were tears, laughter, and discussions. This podcast had me telling my entire journey: the ups, downs, and the challenges as well as the fun I have had along the way. The saddest part for me when reflecting was that sometimes I don’t always have the answers.

During lockdown I was working with young carers and young people in care, they had joined the project as they felt they wanted to be part of a learning group where they won’t be judged and can make friends. It worked out for a while - most of the young people were being moved on into other cities, far away from what they know. I never thought that the project would be a place that made young people feel safe. I know to young people it may seem that the teacher/grown up always has the answers to making life easier but for once I did not know what to do as the decision to move them was out of my control. When asked “can I come back to the project once I am settled?” the answer is always yes. Did I cry when sharing this story? Yes!

Taiba Aqeel, Amber Gill and Kiran Sahota

We also laughed at how the project has annoyed some male historians, who think discussing Indian women forced into sex work has no place in history. Lucky for everyone, I don’t listen to them and did what I wanted. I had so much fun throughout the day and honoured that I was selected to share my journey. Taiba had a fantastic day and had lots of photos to share with her friends. Did I ever think from when I first started researching that one day, I would be leading a national project about Indian women? No, I didn’t!

The main question I get asked was “Did we discuss Love Island?”, and I am sorry to disappoint we did not. We spoke about the treatment of women and what we will be doing to ensure women are included in all stories.

The podcast ‘Amazing Starts Here’ is currently available to download. https://omny.fm/shows/amazing-starts-here/believe-in-me-the-guardians-of-south-asian-history