The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington, by Sonora Smart Dodd, and was celebrated on the third Sunday of June for the first time.
However, in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a law declaring that Father’s Day is to be celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June.
It has been an official, permanent public holiday ever since and thus this year Father’s Day falls on Sunday 19 June.
In 2012 a singing father-son duo, exploded the internet with amorosity when Indian singer, Sonu Nigam singing live in San Jose with his 5-year-old son surfaced on the internet.
In the viral video which has racked up 45 million views on YouTube, Neevan Nigam grabs the mic off his father and begins to recite the lyrics to his father’s song Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin from the film Agneepath.
Fatherhood ranges from all types of heroism and actions taken on to inspire their kids, but one father is not moving mountains, but climbing mountains to inspire his kids.
In a recent interview with Asian Sunday, Akke Rahman, on becoming the first British Muslim to summit Mount Everest shared how he wanted to inspire his children and show them that as a South Asian, you can do anything.
“One day I just thought, I need to do something to inspire my children and showed them that you can be whomever you want to be, and you don’t have to limit yourself”.
Within the framework of South Asian culture, traditionally, fathers were the main breadwinners and women were the main primary caregivers.
Bollywood depictions of fatherhood tend to typically portray sanskari and conservative men who adore their children and want the best for them, but display passive-aggressive behaviour and show tough love towards them.
The industry, however, has shown the diversity of the male parental figures across South Asian culture, with some of the most iconic and memorable father figures in Bollywood blockbusters to date.
Ranging from Amrish Puri as ‘Baldev Singh’ in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a strict father with orthodox Indian values, to Amitabh Bachchan, a strong but silent type, in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and finally Shah Rukh Khan, who plays a doting, fun-loving single father in Kuch Kuch Hota Hain.
A recent study which explores the organic emergence of the “modern South Asian father”, celebrates and supports the positive contributions that UK Asian men make toward parenting in Britain.
Dr Punita Chowbey, a Research Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, says “There are a lot of fathers that take on the sole responsibility of childcare, to parents that have gone part-time to take care of their children, which we found many examples of fathers like that, then there were fathers who were trying to be as equal as they can, given their job responsibilities and all that.
“The majority of the fathers we spoke to, wanted to be more involved, they wanted to be closer to their children than their fathers were, be like friends and be more accepting of their children’s decisions and not someone to be fearful of”.
Exhibiting this role of being a father and a friend to his children, is a property developer and single father from London, Neel Sattani.
“I am a role model to my kids, I’ve not only been a father, but also a friend to them and always have been since day one, as they have built that trust with me where they can talk about anything and everything, which they both do,” says Neel.
The father of two, who sees his children every other weekend, says his eldest, a 14-year-old daughter and his 6-year-old son have planned a surprise outing for him to celebrate Father’s Day.
“I make the most of the time I have with them, going out with them to museums, cinemas and dinners, I do whatever I can to spend quality time with them and teach them what family values are.
“I have been a very hands-on father, I used to change the nappies, make the bottle feeds, get the changing bag ready and take them out everywhere with me, but I never mollycoddled them, as a lot of parents do with their kids nowadays”.
He says fathers have changed a lot from the previous generation, as now they are “More modern and hands-on but I think sometimes they are going a bit too overboard with the rules and they need to man up and not be ruled by the rules of the children”.
In his role as a father, he says “One of the most important values I’ve taught them is how to respect their elders and be polite because I am a people’s person, and I was brought up in a large joint family”.
A psychotherapist specialising in CBT and EMDR offers her insight into the impact that a father’s role plays in a child’s life, from a psychological perspective.
Somia Zaman of My Therapy Rooms, in Greater Manchester, says, “Psychologically, the father’s role is equally as important, as the maternal role, as not having a father in your life, can have a psychological impact on a child, as having a father in your life makes you happier in terms of well-being and your mental state.
“Individuals who lack a father figure or a maternal presence in their lives, tend to not be well-rounded and emotionally stable, as they show common behavioural emotional difficulties and lack of trust, which they often notice more when they are adults”.
Whether you’re a hands-on “cool” dad like Rahul or a stern conservative father like Baldev Singh, we at Asian Sunday wish you a very happy Father’s Day!
