Within the South Asian community, professionalism is often associated with jobs in the medical, pharmaceutical, or engineering fields, whilst professions that steer away from this line of work are regarded as failures or “not the norm”.
Films like Bend it like Beckham, show that receiving a never-ending backlash and the “log kya kahenge” from the South Asian community for pursuing “male-dominated” careers like sports or the armed forces, comes as part of the culture.
Challenging this narrow framework with her recent visit to Bradford is a trailblazing, record-breaking individual, who talks about pushing barriers, setting new boundaries, and the positives of breaking the norms.
British army officer Polar Preet who attended an event by the Inspirational Women’s Foundation on Tuesday 17 June reduced the women to tears, as they exchanged inspirational anecdotes and life experiences, of their struggles in trying to pursue careers and set the benchmark for South Asian women.
Attending the event were members of the IWF sports club and other attendees who were invited by invitation.
As the guest speaker, she was asked questions by the host and audience members, as she shared her experience of becoming the first woman of colour to reach the South Pole on foot in two years and completing a solo expedition across Antarctica to the South Pole, on 3 January 2022.
The 33-year-old Derby-born and bred, physiotherapist says she decided to join the army when she saw the smiling faces of army cadets in an advert in Derby city centre, as it looked “interesting”.
However, the smiling faces stopped there, as she didn’t receive a positive reaction from her family, who were not that happy and wanted her to leave the army as “When we’re doing stuff that is a little bit different from the expected norm, it is often questioned.”
Inspired by her niece in setting new standards for a generation to come, Preet says “I want it to be seen as a positive thing, to step outside of this box or lane that we feel is often created for us and its okay that I didn’t tick the boxes of a doctor, dentist lawyer or accountant.”
Having served over ten years in the British army as a south Asian female officer, she says she now encourages people to go into the arts or sports as “there is nothing we cannot do”.
She reflected on the comments and general reception she got from community members at the Gurdwara, before setting out for her expedition.
“I’d told them I’m going to the South Pole, and they’d reply, “oh you’re going to Southall?” so they didn’t really get it.”
Her immensely powerful journey to Antarctica, which lasted 40 days, she shares, was “mentally draining at times, as there was no mental escape from the frustrations toward people that went out of their way to put barriers in my place.”
To her help her cope she said she listened to the audiobook The Good Immigrant and “Wondered if anyone had brought the voices of these authors to the South Pole or equipment named after South Asian names” as she named her sledge and sleigh after her niece Simran and nephew Karamveer.
She was applauded by the audience and members of the IWF, who were in awe of her in her presence and were moved to tears, offering motivational messages, and exchanging experiences that simultaneously set them apart and brought them together.
Referring to the guests and members of the foundation as “trailblazers”, Preet says “I’m obviously here with a room of resilient and striking women and it’s important to appreciate that because… we don’t just want to do it for ourselves, we want to bring everyone on this journey with us.”
Also in attendance were Kirklees councillor and BBC’s Look North correspondent, who were both inspired by and resonated with Preet’s moving words.
“I never thought I couldn’t, I never listened to anybody, I did what I wanted to do because we made sacrifices to come all this way and this country allowed us to get to the places we wanted to go,” says councillor Naheed Mather, who was the first South Asian female councillor on the cabinet in Kirklees
BBC Journalist Sabbiyah Pervez, who completed a triathlon whilst fasting with her family last month, said “what you’ve done for this generation and daughters like mine is unprecedented and unbelievable.”
The event was hosted by Fatima Patel the Editor and Managing Director at Asian Standard, who is also the Founder of the IWF.
“I am thoroughly appreciative to the British army for making this possible, for giving us the opportunity to interact with you, meet you in person and hear live your incredible journey,” shared Fatima.