A new immersive exhibition celebrating the history of protests by British Indian women will open on Friday in Southall, west London. Titled Taking Up Space: Women and Protest in the Indian Diaspora, the three-day showcase at the OPEN Southall Arts Centre will highlight the stories of inspiring women and their fight for equal rights.
Curated by Megan Drabble, the exhibition focuses on four key moments in history, featuring notable figures like freedom fighter Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, activist Sheila Sengupta, and social reformer Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. It explores the written and oral history of women’s protests in the diaspora, presenting their words and experiences directly to the audience.
“I wanted to create a space for guests to learn about a history of protest unique to the Indian diaspora,” said Drabble, who has studied Dalit theater and politics in India. “This isn’t taught in schools, colleges, or most degree courses. South Asian women’s contributions remain largely untold. It is important that this exhibition exists as an educational and exploratory space for all ages.”
The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on these key historical moments and build a collective memory of women’s dissent within the British Indian diaspora. Each section is designed to immerse visitors in the stories, using methods and music that were central to the protests.
“Protest is an integral part of India’s history, from resisting colonial oppression to building an independent nation based on justice, liberty, equality, and democracy,” said Raul Lai, Coordinator of the Platform for Indian Democracy, which is organizing the event with support from the Monitoring Group.
“This legacy of protest continued as families migrated to the UK, where the British Indian community has fought for the same values. Women have always been at the forefront of driving progressive change, and we wanted to celebrate this inspiring legacy. The exhibition also encourages us to think about how we can ‘take up space’ in our communities, just like the women before us,” Lai added.
The Platform for Indian Democracy works to mobilize the British Indian community to uphold democratic values and ethical diplomacy in UK-India relations.
(This story has been slightly reworked from an auto-generated PTI feed.)
