Community, Controversy and Culture: Inside Manchester's Indian and South Asian Scene

Manchester's South Asian communities are as diverse and dynamic as ever — generating thoughtful journalism, civic debate, and compelling storytelling that together paint a vivid picture of Desi life in the city today.

🏏 A Photo Essay Explores the Many Faces of Manchester's Indian Community

The Manchester Mill commissioned a photo essay documenting the city's Indian communities, timed to coincide with the England versus India Test match at Old Trafford. With over 69,000 people identifying as Indian or British Indian in the 2021 Census, Greater Manchester is home to one of the country's most significant Indian populations, with roots tracing back to migration from Gujarat, Punjab and Bengal in the mid-twentieth century. The essay takes readers from the Gita Bhavan Hare Krishna Centre in Whalley Range to the Indian Association in Withington, and to the Test match itself, revealing a community with diverse regional and linguistic identities increasingly finding common ground in a shared sense of Indian belonging. Long-standing community members reflect on how the city's Indian landscape has shifted over decades, even as the love of cricket continues to unite generations. [4]

⚖️ Hindus for Human Rights Raises Alarm Over Bajrang Dal Listing at Manchester Temple

The US-based advocacy organisation Hindus for Human Rights has issued a press release raising concerns about the listing of a group identified as 'Bajrangdal' at a Hindu temple in Manchester. The organisation's objection centres on the reputational and community implications of such an association being publicly connected to a place of worship in the UK. Hindus for Human Rights, which has a dedicated UK chapter, positions itself as a voice for pluralist and rights-affirming expressions of Hinduism, and has been vocal in challenging what it regards as the influence of Hindu nationalist organisations in diaspora spaces. The press release signals a wider debate within British Hindu communities about the boundaries between religious practice, cultural identity and political affiliation. [3]

🎬 Manchester-Set Crime Drama Apnas Heads for Nationwide Release

A British-Pakistani crime drama titled Apnas, which tells the story of cousins from the British-Pakistani community drawn into Manchester's criminal underworld, is building momentum ahead of a nationwide release. The production is rooted in the specific social textures and pressures of British-Pakistani life, with Manchester providing a defining backdrop to the narrative. The film has been generating considerable anticipation within British Asian entertainment circles, with its release representing a notable moment for South Asian storytelling on screen in the UK. Apnas joins a growing body of work that explores the complexity of British-Pakistani identity, family loyalty and urban life through a distinctly Desi lens. [5]

Sources: [4] manchestermill.co.uk · [3] Hindus for Human Rights · [5] EasternEye