British Indian Educational Success: A Critical Race Theory counter-story to the Rishi Sunak celebration of racial triumph
This presentation draws on my doctoral research exploring how British-Indian families understand, pursue, and experience educational success across four generations in the UK. Dominant narratives often position British-Indian attainment as a “model minority” story — proof of meritocracy and post-racial progress. My work challenges this framing. Using a DesiCrit approach and multi-generational interviews, I examine how families navigate racism, migration, aspiration, and responsibility within everyday life. The research uncovers the emotional labour behind achievement: the silences around race that shape young people’s school experiences; the intergenerational pressures to succeed as protection; and the forms of love, ambition, and quiet resistance that sustain educational journeys. By centring counter-stories from British-Indian communities, this talk asks how universities and policy makers can better recognise racialised experience, move beyond celebratory narratives, and create spaces where belonging and justice are not conditional on success.
About the speaker:
Amit Puni is a Senior Lecturer and the School Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Kingston University London. He teaches across professional programmes in Education, Social Work and Midwifery, leading work on race equity and anti-racism across the curriculum. Amit also leads the BA (Hons) Working with Children & Young People: Social Pedagogy and delivers CPD in schools on racial literacy and responding to racism. Before joining higher education, he worked as a secondary school teacher and curriculum lead in London. He is an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Adviser to the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT). His PhD examines British-Indian educational experiences across generations through a Critical Race Theory lens.
When: November 13 from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM
Where: ULB, Campus Solbosch, Building S, 12th Floor, Room Rokkan OR Online (teams)
