East and South East Asian Heritage Month: Reframing Resilience
This year's theme for East and South East Asian Heritage Month is 'Reframing Resilience'. Rohini Thevathasan, ICU staff nurse, shares what this year's theme means to her.
Growing up in a Tamil-Bangladeshi household in the UK, I was surrounded by warmth, tradition, and a constant blending of cultures. My dad, born in Ipoh, Malaysia, is of Tamil ancestry—one of the three main ethnic groups that make up the Malaysian people, alongside the Malay and Chinese communities. Due to my grandfather’s work, the family moved frequently—living in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka—before settling in the UK. By 19, he was working in London’s financial sector.
My mum, originally from Chittagong, Bangladesh, moved to Liverpool at age 7 and later to London to study medicine, where she built her career. They met in London in the 1980s and chose to make it home. Together, they taught my sister and I the value of adaptability, resilience, and pride in our roots—even if they looked different in a new country.
Ipoh is known for its coffee (Kopi putih Ipoh) and I grew up watching my dad start every morning with a cup. That became a quiet ritual we shared, bonding over our mutual love of strong, sweet coffee. It’s one of many small but meaningful ways I’ve felt connected to my Southeast Asian roots.
Rohini"Being Southeast Asian means being part of a rich, diverse tapestry of experiences. It’s about carrying one's heritage with pride, staying open to growth, and reshaping resilience into something powerful, shared, and full of hope."
We have travelled to Malaysia and Singapore, where the warm air, rich flavours, and time with extended family bring back many memories for me. I loved going to the hawker centres, the use of spices, and dishes like chilli stingray—bold, comforting, and unforgettable, though sadly not quite the same with London pricing.
I think a lot of us with Southeast Asian roots—whether we migrated or grew up with migrant parents—feel that kind of nostalgia. I was talking to a colleague about how Malaysian food always tastes better at a hawker stall than in a fancy restaurant in central London. In that moment, I felt a sense of connection and belonging by our shared heritage and our experiences.
To me, being Southeast Asian means being part of a rich, diverse tapestry of experiences. It’s about carrying one's heritage with pride, staying open to growth, and reshaping resilience into something powerful, shared, and full of hope.
