Reporter. Producer. Broadcaster.
Gaggan Sabherwal is an award winning investigative journalist currently working as BBC's South Asia Diaspora Reporter.
50 and Out!
The LGBT + communities in many parts of the world are celebrating the month of Pride and all throughout June colourful parades, concerts and marches are being held all over the world including South Asian countries like India to mark the occasion. In 2018, homosexuality was decriminalised in India which has meant that more and more people are openly expressing their identity and sexual orientation.
But despite this, homophobia is still very much prevalent in countries like India and due to cultural taboos among South Asian communities it is still very dangerous for people to come out especially for a woman who is married and has children. BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal has met one such woman who at the age of 50 took the brave step of coming out without the fear of being judged.
Headline: The Washing Machine Project – Giving people the dignity of clean clothes
An Indian origin engineer from London has created a manual washing machine for those living in poverty. The machine named ‘Divya’ has been designed by 32-year-old Nav Sawhney and is made from wood and plastic and requires no electricity and can be used for washing and spin-drying.
This low-cost device is easy to use and reduces the time spent handwashing clothes and so far, hundreds of these hand cranked washing machines have been distributed to refugee camps in countries including Iraq, Lebanon, and Uganda. But as BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal has been finding out, due to the recent cost of living crisis there has been an increase in enquires for these low-cost devices even in the UK.
Mick Brown tells us how did he manage to track down fugitive Indian businessman Nirav Modi.
Indian businessman and diamond merchant Nirav Modi has appeared at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London for the final hearing in his extradition trial. Lawyers from both the sides have been presenting their closing arguments at this two-day hearing that kick started today and following this over the next couple of weeks the district judge will then decide whether to extradite Nirav Modi back to India or not.
BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal has been speaking to Mick Brown, a journalist working for the Telegraph in the UK and the man who managed to track Nirav Modi down in 2019 which led to Mr. Modi’s arrest. In this exclusive interview Mick Brown talks about how did he and his team manage to find Nirav Modi and his reaction when he came face to face with India’s most wanted man.
Statue to honour the sacrifice and bravery of Sikhs soldiers inaugurated in the UK.
A statue of a Sikh soldier has been unveiled in Leicester in the UK to honour the sacrifice and bravery of Sikhs who fought during the First and Second World Wars. Hundreds of people including representatives from the country’s armed forces attended the unveiling ceremony.
BBC’S South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal visited the memorial and also met up with the man behind the project to find out why did they decide to erect this statue and what are they hoping this would help achieve.
London Man uses billboards in a quest to find a life partner.
A 29-year-old bachelor from London has been receiving thousands of messages from women all over the world, in response to his billboard advertisement that he set up in a quest to find himself a wife.
Muhammad Malik has advertised himself on hoardings across London, Birmingham and Manchester and has even set up an online website called findmalikawife.com with a hope of finding his Ms. Right. BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal went to meet Malik to find out what led to this innovative idea of finding a bride and if he has zeroed in on any proposal yet.
Through the Lens of Masterji.
A new exhibition has been launched in the UK to showcase the works of late Indian origin photographer Maganbhai Patel, who spent years documenting the lives of South Asian immigrants in Coventry in England. Popularly known as Masterji, Mr. Patel was a well-known figure and was Coventry’s first Indian photographer in the 1950’s.
The exhibition consists of portraits that Masterji took over his five-decades-long career and provides a socio-historic record of people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh settling in a new country and establishing themselves over successive generations. BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal has visited the exhibition and sends us this special report.....
Meet two of the world’s biggest and most popular cricket supporter groups – the Barmy Army and the Bharat Army.
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The T20 Men’s World Cup Cricket Tournament has got underway with millions of people all over the world closely following all the action and excitement. The tournament began on the 17th of October with matches taking place in UAE and Oman and when we talk about cricket and cricket fans, the Bharat Army and the Barmy Army cannot be ignored.
Both the Bharat Army and the Barmy Army are two of the biggest and most popular cricket supporter groups in the world with the Bharat Army supporting Team India, whereas the Barmy Army support Team England. BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal met up with the Bharat Army and the Barmy Army just before the start of the World Cup Cricket Tournament, to find out about their journey from being a small cricket fan group to becoming two of the world’s biggest cricket supporter groups.
Rickshaw driver’s son becomes one of the first Indians to graduate from UK’s prestigious ballet school.
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Five years ago, Kamal Singh, was just finishing school and taking his first ballet class. Now at 21, the son of a rickshaw driver has gone on to become one of the first Indian students to have graduated from the prestigious English National Ballet School in London.
BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal caught up with Kamal to find out all about his inspiring journey from Delhi to studying at one of Britain’s most elite dance schools.
Indian origin Wimbledon Umpire celebrates 37 years of umpiring.
Ashok Thakrar from Northampton in England like millions of us around the world has been watching the US Open and the Wimbledon tournament year on year. But, unlike the rest of us, Ashok has been watching the games closely for decades, as he is a Tennis Umpire who has officiated several high-profile tennis matches and tournaments both in the UK and globally in places like US, Canada, Doha, and India.
Ashok has been an umpire at Wimbledon for the last 37 years and BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal caught up with Ashok to find out how did his passion for tennis begin and how did he land up officiating matches at Wimbledon.
​76-year-old grandmother distributes thousands of free curries in the UK during the covid pandemic.
76-year-old Akila Chokkalingam has been distributing thousands of free meals in the UK during the corona virus pandemic.
Originally from Southern India, Akila launched her own curry business last year and since then she has handed thousands of free meals to NHS frontline workers and vulnerable people. BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal met up with Akila and her family to find out more.
My live chat on the death of Prince Philip for BBC Hindi.
My live chat on the passing of Prince Philip for BBC Hindi when the news first broke out.
My live chat with BBC Gujarati on the death of Prince Philip.
My live chat with BBC Gujarati about the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in the UK.
The 6-year-old Indian origin conservationist who is winning hearts through his online videos.
I got the chance to speak to 6-year-old Aneeshwar Kunchala from England who is a keen conservationist. Aneeshwar has been winning hearts for his online videos in which he is seen encouraging people to protect the wildlife and environment.
Indian origin pharmacist receives honour from the Queen.
Indian origin Ravi Bhanot from London has been awarded an MBE which stands for Member of the Order of the British Empire. An MBE is a British honour given by the Queen to people for outstanding achievement or service to their local community. The 60-year-old pharmacist has received this award for his services to his community in this year’s New Year honours List.
Besides Ravi, a few other Indians too have made it on the list including well known reggae artist Apache Indian and British television and Bollywood actress Nina Wadia who have both been recognised for their contribution to entertainment and charity. BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal caught up with Ravi to find out more and sends us this report.
Interview with the 81 year old from Bradford who is one of the first few in the world to have received Pfizer's covid vaccine.
An 81 year old Pakistani man is amongst the first few people in the world to have received Pfizer’s much awaited covid vaccine. Mohammad Rafi originally from Pakistan has been living in Bradford in West Yorkshire in the UK for decades and when the covid vaccine was rolled out in the city yesterday he became one of the first people to get the jab.
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BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal caught up with Mohammad Rafi to find out why he had decided to get the vaccine and how does it feel to be a part of such an historic moment.
What next for fugitive Indian businesman Nirav Modi?
Diamond merchant and fugitive Indian businessman Nirav Modi has appeared at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London for the final hearing in his extradition trial. Lawyers from both the sides have been presenting their closing arguments at this two-day hearing that kick started yesterday. A judgement in this high-profile extradition case is expected over the next few weeks.
BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal has been speaking to London based lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal to find out more about UK’s extradition process that Nirav Modi has had to follow so far and how long would it actually take to bring him back to India.
Interview with MP Virendra Sharma about the Indian Farmers Protest happening in India.
I spoke to MP Virendra Sharma about the letter he and 35 other MPs wrote to UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Rabb asking him to raise the issue of the Indian farmers protesting in India. This is the longer version of the Hindi interview.
Television live with BBC Hindi about the US Elections and what does it mean for UK and Europe.
Really enjoyed doing this live with BBC Hindi about the US elections and what it means for UK and Europe.
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90-year-old Indian man holds online funeral prayers for Indian community in the UK.
A 90-year-old Indian man from Leicester in the UK has been conducting free religious ceremonies for bereaved families via video calls. Narandas Adatia has been performing funeral rituals and ceremonies in person for the city’s Hindu community for years. But he has had to switch to Zoom due to the corona virus pandemic.
BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal caught up with Narandas and sends us this report.....(Hindi Report)
Chat about caste discrimination in the UK.
My chat for BBC India with Mr. Sat Paul about caste discrimination in the UK. Mr. Paul is the Secretary of the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance group.
The case involving an Indian King and 35 million pounds.
Now before the independence of India from the British in 1947, India had over 500 princely states with their own kings who ruled their own kingdoms and the largest and the richest kingdom amongst all these was the Princely State of Hyderabad. The state was ruled by Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi who in those days was the richest man in the world.
But as BBC's South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal has been finding out things are quite different today for the family of the Nawab. His legal heirs are currently involved in one of the longest running legal disputes with Pakistan over a 35 million pounds fund that is currently lying in a bank account in London. (B/W archive credit: British Pathe and the BBC).
Interview of Punjabi Singer Gurdas Mann in the UK (Punjabi and Hindi interview)
BBC's South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal got the opportunity to meet and interview one of India's most popular Punjabi singers Gurdas Mann when he visited the UK for his 2019 concert. Mr. Mann shared with Gaggan many interesting stories relating to his life and singing.
Interview with an Indian Priest on the Ayodhya Verdict (Hindi).
Spent the entire day filming for BBC World Service about the Indian community's reaction to today's historic Ayodhya verdict and this interview perfectly sums up how the Indian community is feeling. Minster of Religion Acharya Manoj Dwivedi speaks exclusively to BBC's South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal on his reaction to today's verdict.
3D Printed Shoes
Arts graduate Jairaj Lall from Leeds in the UK who has battled Moebius syndrome since childhood which is a neurological condition that affects his facial muscles due to which he can’t blink or smile.
But Jairaj hasn’t let this lifelong disability of his to hold him back and fulfil his dream of combining art and sculpture through a new range of 3D printed designer shoes. BBC’s South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal has been to meet him.
For more information about Jairaj's shoes please visit : Website: www.jl3d-shoes.co.uk
Facebook : JL3D Shoes
Instagram : @jl3dshoedesigns
The 87 year old cricket fan who won Indian Skipper Virat Kohli's heart (Hindi).
I got the opportunity to interview 87 year old Charulata Patel who with her cricket enthusiasm and passion won the heart of Indian cricketer and team India's captain Virat Kohli. Mrs. Patel not only won Virat over but became a global star overnight.
Meet Nisha Katona - a barrister turned chef!!
48 year old Nisha Katona is a former barrister in the UK who hung up her wig and gown to open a contemporary Indian restaurant chain in the country. After a 20 year old successful legal career Nisha one day decided to give up law and kick-start Mowgli Street Food, a brand that serves authentic home cooked Indian food.
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Nisha has also recently been awarded an MBE for her services in the food industry. An MBE is a British honour given by the Queen to people for outstanding achievement or service to their local community. But how did a barrister get into the food industry? Here’s Nisha’s fascinating journey from the court room to the kitchen.
Pakistani Cricket Fans who went viral during the 2019 World Cup Cricket Tournament (Hindi).
BBC's South Asia Diaspora Reporter Gaggan Sabherwal got the opportunity to interview the brothers who went viral during the cricket world cup tournament in 2019. She interviewed them in Hindi as it was for BBC World Service's Indian languages.