Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | London | 20210524 | The photo is sepia tinged. Five men, leaning against railings in Piccadilly Circus. The men are all in their twenties and they look sharp, hopeful. They can't quite tear their eyes away from what's going on around them to look at the camera. One of them is presenter Krupa Padhy's dad, Chandu. It's 1965 and Chandu had just arrived in London from Tanzania. The other men come from Kenya, Malawi and even Yemen countries which all experienced extraordinary social change as British rule came to an end. The five men met while staying in the Central YMCA on Great Russell Street, London. Little did they know then that they would weave in and out of each other's lives for the next five decades. Scattered job opportunities, racism and economic hardship lay ahead - but the support network they created was to be a formidable force in helping them survive. The photograph captures a particular moment in history for a particular generation: one which experienced a double diaspora. In this five part series Krupa Padhy tells a very personal story of the men she grew up calling 'uncles'. We'll explore the lives of the five men; their hopes, their early experiences and the lives they went onto live, propelled by a desire to integrate into British society, and supported by life-long friendship. In the first episode we hear about their arrival in London. Krupa's dad Chandu arrived dressed in a suit on a cold winters day with very little except his accountancy bible. He described himself as so 'green' having grown up in Dar es Salaam where life was so simple and relaxed. Presented by Krupa Padhy Produced by Kate Bissell With thanks to Praful Patel for the photo. Left to right there is Champak, Fazel, Chandu, Indu and Pravin. A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to East Africa to the UK. A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to Africa to Britain. |
| 02 | Homeland | 20210525 | The photo is sepia tinged. Five men, leaning against railings in Piccadilly Circus. The men are all in their twenties and they look sharp, hopeful. They can't quite tear their eyes away from what's going on around them to look at the camera. One of them is presenter Krupa Padhy's dad, Chandu. It's 1965 and Chandu had just arrived in London from Tanzania. The other men come from Kenya, Malawi and even Yemen countries which all experienced extraordinary social change as British rule came to an end.
The five men met while staying in the Central YMCA on Great Russell Street, London. Little did they know then that they would weave in and out of each other's lives for the next five decades. Scattered job opportunities, racism and economic hardship lay ahead - but the support network they created was to be a formidable force in helping them survive. The photograph captures a particular moment in history for a particular generation: one which experienced a double diaspora. In this five part series Krupa Padhy tells a very personal story of the men she grew up calling 'uncles'. We'll explore the lives of the five men; their hopes, their early experiences and the lives they went onto live, propelled by a desire to integrate into British society, and supported by life-long friendship.
In this episode we hear about the Gujarati communities in East Africa where Krupa's Dad, Chandu and his friends called home. Their memories of swimming in the ocean off Tanzania are still so vivid. With tensions between the Gujarati communities and the newly independent governments increasing they had two choices to go back to their homeland in India or use their British passport to try and make in the UK.
Presented by Krupa Padhy
A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to East Africa to the UK. A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to Africa to Britain. |
| 03 | YMCA | 20210526 | The photo is sepia tinged. Five men, leaning against railings in Piccadilly Circus. The men are all in their twenties and they look sharp, hopeful. They can't quite tear their eyes away from what's going on around them to look at the camera. One of them is presenter Krupa Padhy's dad, Chandu. It's 1965 and Chandu had just arrived in London from Tanzania. The other men come from Kenya, Malawi and even Yemen countries which all experienced extraordinary social change as British rule came to an end.
The five men met while staying in the Central YMCA on Great Russell Street, London. Little did they know then that they would weave in and out of each other's lives for the next five decades. Scattered job opportunities, racism and economic hardship lay ahead - but the support network they created was to be a formidable force in helping them survive. The photograph captures a particular moment in history for a particular generation: one which experienced a double diaspora. In this five part series Krupa Padhy tells a very personal story of the men she grew up calling 'uncles'. We'll explore the lives of the five men; their hopes, their early experiences and the lives they went onto live, propelled by a desire to integrate into British society, and supported by life-long friendship.
In the third episdoe of Piccadilly Krupa discovers the important role the Central YMCA in London played in supporting these men as they established themselves in London. For Praful he'd not spoken Gujarati for many years having been sent to boarding school in the UK when he was 10. After finding it hard to find somewhere to live in London Praful walked into the Central YMCA and met Champak and friends all speaking Gujarati in the common room.
Presented by Krupa Padhy
A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to East Africa to the UK. A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to Africa to Britain. |
| 04 | Work | 20210527 | The photo is sepia tinged. Five men, leaning against railings in Piccadilly Circus. The men are all in their twenties and they look sharp, hopeful. They can't quite tear their eyes away from what's going on around them to look at the camera. One of them is presenter Krupa Padhy's dad, Chandu. It's 1965 and Chandu had just arrived in London from Tanzania. The other men come from Kenya, Malawi and even Yemen countries which all experienced extraordinary social change as British rule came to an end.
The five men met while staying in the Central YMCA on Great Russell Street, London. Little did they know then that they would weave in and out of each other's lives for the next five decades. Scattered job opportunities, racism and economic hardship lay ahead - but the support network they created was to be a formidable force in helping them survive. The photograph captures a particular moment in history for a particular generation: one which experienced a double diaspora. In this five part series Krupa Padhy tells a very personal story of the men she grew up calling 'uncles'. We'll explore the lives of the five men; their hopes, their early experiences and the lives they went onto live, propelled by a desire to integrate into British society, and supported by life-long friendship.
After arriving in London and completing their studies the next step was finding work. They'd studied hard to gain qualification in accountancy, law and engineering and didn't give up until they found employment but racism in their work place was never far away.
Presented by Krupa Padhy
A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to East Africa to the UK. A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to Africa to Britain. |
| 05 | Settled | 20210528 | The photo is sepia tinged. Five men, leaning against railings in Piccadilly Circus. The men are all in their twenties and they look sharp, hopeful. They can't quite tear their eyes away from what's going on around them to look at the camera. One of them is presenter Krupa Padhy's dad, Chandu. It's 1965 and Chandu had just arrived in London from Tanzania. The other men come from Kenya, Malawi and even Yemen countries which all experienced extraordinary social change as British rule came to an end.
The five men met while staying in the Central YMCA on Great Russell Street, London. Little did they know then that they would weave in and out of each other's lives for the next five decades. Scattered job opportunities, racism and economic hardship lay ahead - but the support network they created was to be a formidable force in helping them survive. The photograph captures a particular moment in history for a particular generation: one which experienced a double diaspora. In this five part series Krupa Padhy tells a very personal story of the men she grew up calling 'uncles'. We'll explore the lives of the five men; their hopes, their early experiences and the lives they went onto live, propelled by a desire to integrate into British society, and supported by life-long friendship.
In the final episode of Piccadilly Chandu, Praful and Champak reflect on the choices they made and the lives they strived so hard to achieve.
Presenter Krupa Padhy
A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to East Africa to the UK. A story of five men, who experienced double diaspora, from India to Africa to Britain. |