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South Asian writing in Britain: a timeline

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South Asian writing in Britain: a timeline

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Explore a snapshot of the vast wealth of literature written and published in Britain and Ireland by writers of South Asian heritage and learn more about the history of South Asian writing in Britain.

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South Asian writing in Britain: a timeline

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A snapshot of South Asian writing and literature in Britain. This timeline provides a snapshot of the vast wealth of literature written and published in Britain and Ireland by writers of South Asian heritage. Aimed at Secondary school teachers, students and librarians, we hope it will lead you to explore novels, plays, poetry and non-fiction by authors of South Asian heritage and learn more about the history of South Asian writing in Britain.1 Here we look at South Asia as encompassing the histories of the modern states of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and administered Kashmir. We recognise that identity is nuanced and that each writer defines themselves differently in relation to ethnicity, nationality and other aspects of their identity. We use the title ‘South Asian writing in Britain’ to highlight a region of writing, within which writers with connections to South Asia and Britain published their texts in Britain and Ireland.2 These connections are linked to British colonialism and imperialism, alongside diverse migration journeys and diaspora experiences. Some authors featured here were born in India during the East India Company’s rule (1757–1858) or Britain’s direct colonial administration (1858–1947), and migrated to or visited Britain; others migrated to Britain after World War Two, Independence and Partition, or other independence movements; while other writers have moved to Britain in more recent years, or were born and grew up here. Teachers and students may recognise many writers from their curriculums, including Meera Syal, Monica Ali, Daljit Nagra, Imtiaz Dharker and Seni Seneviratne. The design of the timeline particularly aims to support and contextualise the study of South Asian writing in Britain featured in English curriculums. It also aims to provide an idea of the breadth of writing. We feature many writers who have reached canonical statuses, from Dean Mohamed to Kamila Shamsie. We place these writers alongside works that broaden the representation of South Asian writing in Britain from writers such as Cedric Dover, Shelley Silas and Suhayl Saadi. This timeline provides examples of novels, poetry, plays, travel narratives, non-fiction and memoirs spanning from the 18th century up to the present day. We have also included entries that demonstrate initiatives to promote British and South Asian voices, including examples of notable publishing companies, literary organisations, theatre companies and magazines. Beyond these entries, there is also more literary history to uncover. For example, the 19th-century poet and playwright Madhusudan Dutt tried to publish in Britain, but his work was not accepted. In the 20th century, the activist, lawyer and politician Krishna Menon became a founding editor of Pelican Books (the non-fiction, educational imprint of Penguin Books) and made significant contributions to library services in St Pancras. Read together, we hope the timeline illuminates the literary and cultural heritages each writer emerges from, as well as the connections between some writers. Beyond this timeline, we hope you’re inspired to explore British and South Asian literature, arts and culture more widely. South Asian presence in Britain encompasses at least 400 years of history. To learn more about the relationship between South Asia and Britain see: South Asian Britain: Connecting Histories South Asian Diaspora Arts Archive British Library’s India Office Records and Private Papers British South Asian Theatre: mapping histories and practices The Next Act podcast Striking Women Bichitra: Digitised Tagore manuscripts

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Tanika Gupta's The Empress: historical context

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Tanika Gupta's The Empress: historical context

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In this article, Florian Stadtler explores key historical contexts for The Empress including the presence of ayahs, lascars, Dadabhai Naoroji and Abdul Karim in 19th-century Britain.

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The Empress 2023 playlist (RSC Shakespeare Learning Zone)

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The Empress 2023 playlist (RSC Shakespeare Learning Zone)

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The Empress directed by Pooja Ghai and written by Tanika Gupta was performed in The Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2023. In this series of Text Detective films, explore key scenes, context and themes.

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The Empress 2023 | Royal Shakespeare Company

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The Empress directed by Pooja Ghai and written by Tanika Gupta was performed in The Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2023.

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This pack supports the RSC’s 2023 production of Tanika Gupta's The Empress, directed by Pooja Ghai.

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The Empress Teacher Pack 2023 | Royal Shakespeare Company

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Classroom activities based around the 2023 production of The Empress, directed by Pooja Ghai.

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Discovering Historical Sources enquiry: Britain and India

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Discovering Historical Sources enquiry: Britain and India

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How did Britain’s involvement with India make an impact on the lives of both Indian and British people from c. 1750 to c. 1930? Explore these resources, including teachers' notes, student activities and expert films, on the East India Company and British rule in India.

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The Empress 2013 playlist (RSC Shakespeare Learning Zone)

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The Empress 2013 playlist (RSC Shakespeare Learning Zone)

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The Empress was commissioned by the RSC in 2013 and performed in The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. In this series of short films, Tanika Gupta along with director Emma Rice, designer Lez Brotherston and choreographer Ankur Bahl look back at the production.

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The Empress by Tanika Gupta was commissioned by the RSC in 2013 and performed in The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. In this series of short films, Tanika…

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The Empress with Tanika Gupta: CPD for English and Drama teachers

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The Empress with Tanika Gupta: CPD for English and Drama teachers

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In this session the award-winning playwright, Tanika Gupta, is in conversation with Dr Lesley Nelson-Addy, co-author of the Lit in Colour report. Dr Florian Stadtler discusses the play in context, using rich primary sources. And English teachers from Blue Coat School suggest dynamic ways of exploring The Empress with students.

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The Empress with Tanika Gupta: CPD for English and Drama teachers

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Bloomsbury Lit in Colour: In conversation with Tanika Gupta

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Bloomsbury Lit in Colour: In conversation with Tanika Gupta

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Part of Bloomsbury's Lit in Colour Partnership in collaboration with Penguin Books UK and The Runnymede Trust. Tanika Gupta delves deeper into the plot, overarching themes and historical context of The Empress.

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Bloomsbury Lit in Colour: In conversation with Tanika Gupta

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Penguin Lit in Colour Conference:  In conversation with Tanika Gupta

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Penguin Lit in Colour Conference:  In conversation with Tanika Gupta

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Tanika Gupta talks to Dale Collett, an English teacher at Blue Coat School, as part of the Lit in Colour Pioneers project.

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Penguin LiT in Colour Conference || Secondary session - in conversation with Tanika Gupta

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The Empress - Lit in Colour Teacher Conference Resources

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The Empress - Lit in Colour Teacher Conference Resources

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The resources in this pack are to support teachers who are considering auditing and amending their curriculums to include The Empress.

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The Empress - Lit in Colour Teacher Conference | Teaching Resources

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The resources in this pack are to support teachers who are considering auditing and amending their curriculums to include The Empress (KS4). This resource provides i

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Lit in Colour Research Findings

In partnership with the Penguin and Runnymede Trust Lit in Colour campaign, these webinars offer an exclusive early look at the Lit in Colour research report, and practical tips and recommendations for how you can make change in your classroom.

Penguin and The Runnymede Trust commissioned a team of academic experts to carry out research to better understand what barriers might be preventing more diverse texts from being taught in school, and to make practical recommendations for change.

Hear exclusive insights from the research team - Dr Velda Elliot, Lesley Nelson-Addy and Rose Chantiluke.
Research now available here
Please watch and send your thoughts to @tesresources #litincolour

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Penguin Lit in Colour resources and research

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Resources and research from the Penguin and Runnymede Trust Lit in Colour campaign

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These resources support the RSC's 2013 production of Tanika Gupta's The Empress, directed by Emma Rice. You can read the original programme and delve into short films and activities to explore the play's context, themes and processes.

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The Empress 2013 Resources | Royal Shakespeare Company

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Find activities, films and context on Tanika Gupta’s The Empress, directed by Emma Rice and staged in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 11 April to 4 May 2013.

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Rozina Visram and Florian Stadtler introduce the history of ayahs (Indian women who were employed in British households to look after children) and their presence in Britain. This film was created as part of Discovering Historical Sources. View the full film.

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Rozina Visram and Florian Stadtler explore the history of the Ayahs' Home in Hackney, east London, and reflect on the lives and experiences of ayahs. This film was created as part of Discovering Historical Sources. View the full film.

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Video clip: Mina Ayah's employment agreement

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Video clip: Mina Ayah's employment agreement

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Rozina Visram and Florian Stadtler examine a rare surviving employment agreement for a woman known as Mina Ayah. This film was created as part of Discovering Historical Sources. View the full film.

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Video clip: Mina Ayah's employment agreement

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Rozina Visram and Florian Stadtler introduce the history of lascars (seafarers) and their working conditions. This film was created as part of Discovering Historical Sources. View the full film.

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Rozina Visram and Florian Stadtler examine a Lascari-English phrasebook used by commanding officers to communicate with and give orders to lascars. This film was created as part of Discovering Historical Sources. View the full film.

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Explore more Discovering Literature articles

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Explore more Discovering Literature articles

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Explore 100 of our best loved articles, perfect for teachers of Years 10–13.

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Explore photographs, newspapers and unique sources connected to The Empress

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Explore photographs, newspapers and unique sources connected to The Empress