South Asian Heritage Month: from Roots to Routes

The theme for this year’s South Asian Heritage Month is ‘Roots to Routes’, exploring the journey of growth. Biochemistry laboratory manager, Vijay Ramanaidoo, shares his journey and what this year’s theme means to him.

I joined the Trust in 2007 as a chief biomedical scientist in the paediatric laboratory within the clinical biochemistry department. I am now the laboratory manager for the six specialist clinical biochemistry laboratories at North-West London Pathology (NWLP), based at Charing Cross Hospital. The department uses specialist equipment and techniques that are performed in only a small number of laboratories across the country.

I began my training at the Royal London Hospital in 1984, but I have been privileged to work in many different laboratories, both in the UK and abroad, including Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, The London Clinic, and hospitals further afield in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Muscat (Oman), before joining Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. These opportunities have enriched my personal and professional life by exposing me to different ways of working, diverse cultures, and varied ways of life, as well as fulfilling my passion for travel.

I was born in Mauritius but moved to London at a very young age. Although culturally from a Hindu Indian heritage, the diverse influences of Mauritius, the Gulf countries, and London have enhanced my appreciation for cultural diversity. These experiences have given me a broad outlook on people and life in general.

A key aspect of many South Asian philosophies is the core values of Ahimsa (non-violence), kindness, compassion, and respect for people, animals, and the environment. I have sought to develop these values further through two main avenues. First, by creating a charitable organisation that provides food, clothing, shelter, and medical care to the less fortunate both in the UK and abroad.

An example of this was in March 2022, a few weeks after the start of the war in Ukraine, I drove to Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania in a convoy of lorries and vans loaded with supplies to support refugees of the war. It was very fulfilling to serve people in such dire need and to receive support from the NWLP team and others in the Trust who helped facilitate this initiative.

The second way I promote these philosophies is through initiatives to care for animals, the environment, and the natural world. I follow a plant-based diet and founded a vegan café nine years ago with friends to promote a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

This year’s South Asian Heritage Month theme, “Roots to Routes,” resonates strongly with me. My roots in my South Asian heritage and the associated philosophies have inspired me to follow various routes to promote these values — in my work at the Trust, through charitable activities, and by adopting an environmentally conscious lifestyle.