Latest news with #ColourfulHeritage
Glasgow Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
‘Remarkable' Mosque paid tribute to Glasgow's ‘first Asian GP'
He was born in India in 1938 before migrating to Pakistan and settling in Multan. He became a doctor in 1965 after working as a trainee surgeon when the war broke out between India and Pakistan. After leaving the army to pursue a career in medicine, Dr Kausar came to Glasgow in 1972, where he said he 'fought' to become a GP. Speaking in an interview with Colourful Heritage, he said: 'Outsiders were not allowed to become GPs here and the local GPs only gave us very minor, underpaid and overworked duty jobs. They (British Medical Association) offered me the same, but I said I wanted to be a partner. They didn't give me a job. READ NEXT: 'Many great memories': The Pogues inducted into Barrowland Hall Of Fame "Then I said I'd open my own surgery so I looked for a place in Pollokshields and submitted an application to open my surgery there. They said 'unless you have a thousand patients, we will not give you any money which means you will be giving a free service so how will you live, eat and pay the bills'. He served as a medical officer in the 1965 war (Image: Facebook) "I said it's no problem, I'll see for myself but they still rejected my application. They refused to allow me to become a GP even though I was fully trained in all aspects. I appealed, and it was rejected again. I made a final appeal to the Secretary of State and told them I would fight it up to the European Committee." An independent inquiry was set up following his appeal and soon after, he applied for a GP role at a practice in the west end and was given the job. He said: "I was the first GP who fought and got his rights on his merits." READ MORE: 'We will always be grateful': Barras stall announces closure - and new plans Following the news of his passing Glasgow Central Mosque, where he was heavily involved, has paid tribute to him. Omar Afzal from Glasgow Central Mosque said: 'I was saddened to hear of the passing of Dr Kauser. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones at this time. He lived a remarkable life as a physician, a soldier, a poet, and much more. 'He dedicated many years of his life to the Glasgow Central Mosque, where he served as General Secretary, bringing with him the decorum and strength such an office demands. 'Remarkable' Mosque pays tribute to Glasgow's 'first Asian GP' (Image: Facebook) 'He was also a formidable advocate for Muslim communities in Scotland; often speaking truth to power, and challenging misconceptions around Islam and Muslims. 'Well over a thousand mourners took part in his funeral prayer - a reflection of the impact that he had, and the way he touched people's lives. 'Whilst his warmth and wisdom will be sorely missed, his legacy will live on through the impact he made across civil society.' Lawyer and Activist, Aamer Anwar, also paid tribute to him, in a post he said: 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. Surely we belong to Allah (SWT) and to Allah (SWT) we shall return. Sad to hear Dr Kauser has passed away. Dr Kauser spent much of life serving the Muslim community and the wider community. For many years, he was the President of Glasgow Central Mosque. He was a pioneer, a trailblazer, a father to the community and will be hugely missed.
Glasgow Times
10-05-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Call to build war memorial at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum
The memorial would be built in the grounds of Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to commemorate the sacrifices and contributions of British Indian Army (BIA) soldiers to the Allied war effort. This comes after a successful eight-year campaign by the charity Colourful Heritage. Read more: Unique café beneath iconic Glasgow landmark hits the market after eight years The charity has said that tens of thousands of pounds are now needed in order to fulfil the project. The organisation has been striving for greater recognition of the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and others from various of nations who fought in the world wars. Around 89,000 BIA soldiers lost their lives in the Second World War. Dr Saqib Razzaq, project officer and head of research at Colourful Heritage, said: "Millions of soldiers from South Asia including present-day Pakistan, India & Bangladesh fought alongside British troops to defend our democracy, and their legacy must never be forgotten. "It is fit and proper that Scotland has a national memorial to all faiths of the British Indian Army, reminding future generations about Scotland's diverse history and the importance of inclusivity." The proposed memorial in Glasgow, which implements ideas from more than 100 young people in Scotland, will include a chattri (dome) design for the roof and natural stone columns to match Kelvingrove's architecture. It is anticipated to cost around £270,000 to build, with around £60,000 raised so far. Rear Admiral (rtd) Mark Beverstock, president of Poppy Scotland, said: "The ambitious plan for a lasting memorial in Glasgow to the brave men of the British Indian Army, a potent force that had grown to over 2.5 million men by the end of the war, would provide a lasting focal point to honour their sacrifice." Politicians from across Holyrood have also thrown their weight behind the campaign. Humza Yousaf, SNP MSP for Glasgow Pollok and former First Minister, said: "As nations across Europe come together to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, it is crucial that we do not forget the incredible sacrifices of 2.4 million soldiers who made up the British Indian Army during World War Two. "Almost 90,000 soldiers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms; we must not air brush their contribution from history." Read more: 'Fantastic work': School near Glasgow given high praise by inspectors Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader and MSP for Glasgow, said: "The VE Day anniversary is a fitting moment to recognise the contribution of soldiers from the British Indian Army in the Second World War. "Tens of thousands of young men from different faiths travelled halfway around the world to answer Britain's call, and these soldiers must never be forgotten. "Eighty years on, a memorial in Glasgow would stand as a permanent reminder to Scots whose ancestors are from India or Pakistan that they have a stake in our country's proud history." Pam Gosal, Scottish conservative MSP for West Scotland, said: "Commemorating those who gave their lives in both world wars is something we are all passionate about, and is something both Scotland and the UK does very well. "But it's also right that we can remember the many South Asian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. "The campaign has my full support."
Scotsman
09-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
VE Day: SNP urged to embed teaching of Asian and Muslim heritage in schools
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has been urged to embed 'the story of Asian and Muslim heritage in Scotland' into the school curriculum amid VE Day commemorations being used to better mark the sacrifices of the British Indian Amy (BIA) to the Allied war effort. Three British Indian Army soldiers, pictured outside Buckingham Palace in 1945, after receiving their Victoria Cross medals for bravery during the Second World War (Picture: Keystone/Getty Images) Campaigners have received planning permission to construct a memorial at the grounds of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow to commemorate the BIA soldiers' contribution. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The campaign follows an eight-year battle from charity, Colourful Heritage, but tens of thousands of pounds are now needed to make the project a reality. The organisation has been seeking greater recognition for the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and others from a range of nations who fought in the world wars. Around 89,000 BIA soldiers lost their lives in the Second World War. Colourful Heritage has now penned a letter to Ms Gilruth, appealing for her to embed Asian and Muslim heritage into learning. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth | PA In the letter, seen by The Scotsman, Dr Saqib Razzaq, project officer and head of research at Colourful Heritage, has called for 'the education curriculum in Scotland to be updated to include the story of Asian and Muslim heritage in Scotland', so that 'collectively we can build a greater sense of togetherness'. She said: 'As the nation marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we have been seeking greater recognition of the sacrifices and contributions of British Indian Army (BIA) soldiers who contributed to the Allied war effort. 'Scotland has a special connection with the BIA through a mainly Indian Muslim contingent from the Punjab, including present-day Pakistan called Force K6. Fourteen soldiers from Force K6 died in Scotland while training in harsh conditions with British troops, with nine of them laid to rest at Kingussie cemetery in the Highlands.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Saqib Razzaq, project officer and head of research at Colourful Heritage | Contributed 'With work underway as part of the Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC), and all eight curricular areas being updated, this is an opportune moment to ensure all Scottish children are taught the story of Asian and Muslim heritage in Scotland. As part of the CIC, we urge you to impress on Education Scotland the importance of making this part of the curriculum.' Politicians from across Holyrood have also backed the campaign for a memorial in Glasgow. A visualisation of how a British Indian Army memorial at Kelvingrove in Glasgow could look | Contributed Former first minister Humza Yousaf said: 'As nations across Europe come together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, it is crucial that we do not forget the incredible sacrifices of 2.4 million soldiers who made up the British Indian Army during World War Two. 'Almost 90,000 soldiers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. We must not air brush their contribution from history. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'That is why I fully support Colourful Heritage in their ambition to have a permanent memorial built in Glasgow to commemorate the significant contribution the British Indian Army made, in both world wars, in the fight against fascism and authoritarianism.' Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar added: 'Eighty years on, a memorial in Glasgow would stand as a permanent reminder to Scots whose ancestors are from India or Pakistan that they have a stake in our country's proud history.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Scotland's curriculum enables schools to meet the needs of their own school community and supports teachers to value religious and cultural diversity. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Our Anti-Racist Curriculum principles aim to support schools in providing modern, relevant and responsive contexts for learning for all children and young people. They state that pupils will experience a curriculum that meaningfully recognises and fairly represents the rich and diverse communities in Scotland.
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Zandra Rhodes urges Kent youngsters to draw every day
Kent-born fashion designer Zandra Rhodes is urging young people from the county to draw every day as part of a project to inspire local Rhodes, who has kept sketch books since she was at Medway College of Art in the 1960s, is making the plea as part of her Colourful Heritage project aims to work alongside schools with 16 and 17-year-olds from socio-economically deprived backgrounds in the Medway area to inspire them and give them the opportunity to learn from Ms Rhodes' said: "I have one rule, that I must do a drawing every day. That's why I encourage you to draw every day – it might be a vase of flowers you draw or a place you visit or a person you see." Ms Rhodes said a key part of her sketch booking process was starting on page one and filling every page without ripping any added: "Don't be digital all the time - do things with your hands and see where it leads you and the ideas that it might bring your way."The project is a partnership between the University for the Creative Arts and The Zandra Rhodes Foundation.
