Rewriting the story for South Asian representation

“I’ve always loved working with kids,” says Sanam, a current Early Years Teach First trainee.

Sanam joined Teach First in 2024, drawn to the programme’s structure and values: “I liked the values that [Teach First] had, especially around commitment and equity.

I was that kid when I was in Year 6, I would like volunteer to help. Throughout my secondary school I was a Girl Guide and then a young leader for little kids. I was always that person that was babysitting or tutoring.”

Representation shapes Sanam’s day-to-day practice as a teacher. “I remember growing up, I didn’t really have any Indian teachers. And then the first one I had; we were all very excited. So, I wanted to be that representation… even if I teach children who aren’t Indian or Punjabi, they’re still learning.” 

Beyond the classroom, she’s also channelling her passion for representation and teaching kids into her work with the Sher Jung Foundation, a family-run literacy charity in Southall, launched by her mother in honour of her grandfather: a writer, headteacher and political figure in India’s communist movement.

“My mum is a very political person. She's always been a fantastic role model to me… She wanted to do something that honoured her dad and his legacy.”

The charity was launched in June 2022 with a mission to promote literacy and support aspiring writers from marginalised groups, especially South Asian communities.

Its first event brought together 200–250 attendees at Villiers High School in Southall, headlined by author and journalist Satnam Sanghera. Since then, the Sher Jung Foundation has hosted an author talk series featuring a range of guests — from novelists and chefs to human rights lawyers — allowing Saman to interview the likes of BBC presenter and journalist Kavita Puri, and poet Mona Arshi. They also donate books to the Little Roo Neonatal Fund to support families with premature babies in neonatal units.  

Furthermore, Sanam hopes to boost the number of children’s books by South Asian writers. “Growing up, I was a big bookworm, but I never really had any South Asian authors,” she says. “There’s a lot more writers of colour, specifically South Asian writers, for older audiences… but it’d be nice to see some more for children.”

In her own classroom, she’s created a diverse reading environment, including a “reading garden,” with titles like Stories for South Asian Supergirls. “I love sharing it with people,” she says. “It’s such a great way to diversify the women we teach about.”

As for what’s next, Sanam’s approach is grounded and optimistic: “I don’t know where I’ll be in five years… I might want to do more work with [Sher Jung Foundation] … I might fall in love with the job at a different school. I’d like to just take it a day at a time.”

Through every book read in Sanam’s classroom, to every story shared by her family’s charity, something quietly powerful is being created, a space where culture, community and creativity can thrive. It’s a reminder that representation doesn’t just belong on a page, it grows and thrives thanks to the diligent work of people like Sanam.