Chennai, India

In the lead up to Commonwealth Day 2021, we are proud to share several personal connections that CPA UK staff members have with the Commonwealth.

Felicity Herrmann is the Africa Regional Programme Manager within the International Partnerships Team.

Where was your family born and what is your family heritage?

I am German and was born in London. As my aunt is from Mumbai where my older sister was born, I have always felt a close connection to India. My sister’s name means ‘compassion’ in Sanskrit and is a constant reminder of my parents’ stay in India for a few years in the 1980s. I had a very different experience to that of my parents when I joined them to move to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu on India’s southern coast, in 2007 at age 16.

Over two years I had the opportunity to experience India’s incredible cultural diversity and vibrancy first-hand with my family. During those two years my half-German, half-Indian cousins always enjoyed introducing me as their ‘Indian cousin’ to friends and acquaintances in Germany.

Travelling across different states in southern and northern India offered only a glimpse into what appeared to be an inexhaustible supply of cultural and historical sites across the subcontinent. Closer to home, exploring the city with my school friends, enjoying my neighbourhood in Kottivakkam, even attempting and failing to learn Tamil all left a lasting impression of this unique country.

Felicity Herrmann with a school friend in Chennai, India

What contributions can we celebrate that your community has made to British culture?

When I moved to the UK from Chennai in 2009, the many ways to interact with Indian culture and cuisine in the UK made my transition much easier. Enjoying outstanding curries or chatting with two students from Tamil Nadu in my halls of residence made me feel more at home than any other early experiences in Brighton. Nothing could prepare me for the weather though; multiple cups of masala chai per day were essential to keep warm.

What does an inclusive, multi-cultural Britain mean to you?

An inclusive, multi-cultural Britain values and celebrates the culture, heritage, and life experience of its citizens, residents, and visitors. This is something I observe daily in London where I have lived for the past nine years. With populism on the rise I am concerned that Britain has lost some of its welcoming and tolerant atmosphere. It is up to each of us to live and uphold an inclusive, multi-cultural Britain by rejecting xenophobic narratives at every opportunity.

Recommendations for further reading, watching, listening etc which relate to your Commonwealth connection:

Try to participate in festivals like Holi or Diwali in any way you can, perhaps at your local temple or, preferably, in India! These celebrations make for unforgettable experiences that connect you with so much of what makes India so unique – its culture, community, art, mythology, and religions.