From its establishment in 1956, IWA Southall has been part of the story of post-war Britain and of the development of the Indian community in this country, writes Virendra Sharma
As the Indian Workers’ Association Southall (IWA Southall) celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2026, we are not simply marking seven decades. We are celebrating a remarkable institution, a proud history of public service and an organisation that has remained committed to the principle that people are stronger when they stand together.
From its establishment in 1956, IWA Southall has been part of the story of post-war Britain and of the development of the Indian community in this country. Its history is intertwined with the experiences of generations who came to Britain to work, raise families and build a better future, often facing discrimination, inequality and significant social and economic challenges.
Seventy years later, the world has changed enormously. Yet the fundamental values that inspired IWA Southall remain as relevant as ever: service, equality, dignity, solidarity, justice and community support.
A unique organisation with a distinctive identity
What makes IWA Southall particularly important is its distinctive identity. It has not been established as a religious organisation. It is not a regional organisation representing one part of India. It is not designed around a particular caste, denomination, political faction or sectional interest. It has sought to bring people together.
That principle is especially important when we consider the extraordinary diversity of the Indian community in Britain. India is a country of many languages, religions, cultures, regions and traditions. Those differences should be celebrated, but they should never become barriers between people.
IWA Southall has historically provided a platform where people could come together on the basis of their common experience, common interests and shared commitment to living and contributing positively to British society. This makes its 70th anniversary particularly significant.
At a time when society can sometimes become divided along religious, regional, political or cultural lines, there is a continuing need for organisations that say clearly: we can be different, but we can work together.
Supporting people in Britain
The story of IWA Southall is ultimately a story about people. For many decades, the organisation has provided advice, assistance, campaigning and support to individuals and families. It has stood alongside people when they needed someone to listen to them, advise them or help them understand their rights and responsibilities. For earlier generations, the challenges were often profound. Many migrants arrived in Britain with limited knowledge of the English language and unfamiliarity with British institutions. Some faced discrimination in employment, housing and everyday life.
Organisations such as IWA played an important role in helping people navigate these difficulties. Its work was not simply about responding to individual problems. It was also about campaigning for wider social change.
The history of Britain’s ethnic minority communities demonstrates that many of the rights and opportunities enjoyed today were not simply given; they were achieved through years of campaigning, organisation and public engagement. IWA Southall has been part of that tradition. Its contribution should therefore be understood not simply in terms of the number of people it has assisted, but also in terms of the wider social change to which it has contributed.
A voice for the India–Britain relationship
Another particularly important feature of IWA Southall’s legacy is its commitment to the relationship between India and Britain. The organisation has come to understand that the relationship between our two countries is about far more than government-to-government diplomacy. It is about people.
Millions of people in Britain have family, cultural, educational, professional or personal connections with India. Britain and India share deep historical links, but the relationship today should be based on partnership, mutual respect and a positive vision for the future. Trade, education, investment, culture, technology, tourism, and people-to-people relationships all play important roles. IWA Southall has been distinctive in maintaining a strong interest in the wider India–UK relationship while remaining rooted in the realities of life in Britain. This combination is important.
The Indian community in Britain should not be viewed simply as a community looking backwards towards its country of origin. It is an integral part of modern Britain, while maintaining deep and meaningful links with India. We should be proud of both.
India and Britain: A relationship for the future
As we look towards the next 70 years, the India–UK relationship has enormous potential. The younger generation of British Indians is increasingly working across borders, in business, education, science, technology, medicine, the creative industries and public life. The strengthening of the relationship between India and Britain can create opportunities for both countries.
IWA Southall can continue to make a valuable contribution by encouraging dialogue, understanding and cooperation. Its contribution should not be partisan. Indeed, one of its strengths is precisely that its work can reach across political and organisational boundaries.
The India–UK relationship is bigger than any one political party, government or organisation. It belongs to the people of both countries.
No regional divisions
IWA Southall’s inclusive approach is also particularly relevant today. India is a vast and diverse country. Punjabis, Gujaratis, Bengalis, Tamils, Telugus, Malayalis, Maharashtrians, Rajasthanis, Uttar Pradeshis, people from the South, North, East and West – and people of every linguistic and cultural background – have contributed to Britain’s development. IWA Southall’s identity has never been based upon promoting one Indian region above another. That is something worth preserving.
We should celebrate India’s extraordinary diversity while also recognising what unites us. The same principle applies to religion.
Britain’s Indian community includes Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and people of other faiths and no faith. Religious organisations play an important role in society, but IWA Southall’s role is distinct. It provides a non-religious, inclusive platform where people can come together around common civic and community interests. There is value in having both.
Independent community service
Another important part of IWA Southall’s tradition has been its commitment to serving the community through its own organisation, supporters and activities, rather than becoming dependent upon state funding or public money. Independence matters.
An organisation that campaigns, advises, and speaks up for people must be able to retain its independent voice. That does not mean rejecting cooperation with public authorities. On the contrary, constructive engagement with councils, governments and public institutions is essential.
But an independent community organisation can ask difficult questions, challenge injustice and advocate for people precisely because its primary responsibility is to the community it serves. That tradition deserves to continue.
Southall and the wider British story
It would be impossible to tell the story of IWA Southall without recognising the importance of Southall itself. Southall has become internationally recognised as one of Britain’s great centres of Indian and South Asian life. Its shops, businesses, cultural organisations, community groups and places of worship reflect the extraordinary contribution of generations of migrants. But Southall is not simply an Indian enclave. It is a British community.
The story of Southall is therefore part of the story of Britain itself – a story of migration, integration, entrepreneurship, public service, cultural exchange and social change. IWA Southall has been part of that story for 70 years.
Looking forward
Anniversaries can sometimes become exercises in nostalgia. The 70th anniversary of IWA Southall should be different. We should certainly remember those who built the organisation and honour those who gave their time, energy and commitment. But we should also ask what the organisation can contribute during the next generation.
The challenges facing communities today are different from those of 1956. Young people face new pressures. Families experience the rising cost of living, changing employment patterns and housing challenges. Communities are navigating a rapidly changing digital world. Britain itself is becoming increasingly diverse. There is still a need for advice, campaigning, advocacy and support. There is still a need for people to stand together.
And there is still a need for organisations that can bring people together without dividing them by religion, region or political allegiance.
Seventy years – and a future to build
IWA Southall’s 70th anniversary is therefore much more than a celebration of the past. It is an opportunity to reaffirm the values that have sustained the organisation for seven decades. Service without discrimination. Community without division. Campaigning without fear. India–Britain friendship without partisan boundaries. And an enduring commitment to supporting people in Britain.
IWA Southall has a glorious legacy. Its history belongs not only to those who have been members or office-bearers, but to the countless people whose lives have been touched by its work. As we celebrate 70 years, we should express our gratitude to the generations who built this organisation and recognise the contribution they made to British public and community life.
But, above all, we should look ahead with confidence. The next 70 years will bring new challenges and new opportunities. IWA Southall must continue to evolve while protecting the principles that have given it its distinctive character.
If it can continue to unite people rather than divide them, support people rather than exclude them, and strengthen the friendship between India and Britain while remaining firmly rooted in British society, then its best contribution may yet be ahead.
Seventy years of history is something to celebrate.
Seventy years of service is something to honour.
And seventy years of bringing people together is a legacy worth carrying forward.
Happy 70th anniversary to the Indian Workers’ Association Southall.
May its next chapter be as purposeful, independent and distinguished as the seven decades that came before it.
(Former Member of Parliament for Ealing Southall and President, Indian Workers’ Association Southall.)
