Movies

Krishnan Guru-Murthy: Still Angry at Racism Faced by Immigrant Father

BBG News

Krishnan Guru-Murthy shared that he continues to feel outraged over his immigrant father, a healthcare consultant, being disrespected and spat on in the streets of Burnley, due to his ethnicity.

Krishnan, a past contestant on Strictly and current Channel 4 news host, shared that his family has consistently encountered racism, despite its more subtle expression in recent times.

The reporter’s dad, originally an impoverished orphan from India, received medical training and eventually moved to Liverpool in 1962 to advance his career and work as a junior doctor.

At the age of 91, Krishnan’s father didn’t have a pair of shoes until he attended medical school. This experience has left Krishnan feeling compelled to continue working even now.

Growing up, I was born in 1970, prior to our relocation to Pendle, Lancs, four years down the line. Reflecting on my journey, I can’t help but marvel at my father’s transformation. From a boy who knew scarcity, lacking essentials like shoes, food, and parental guidance, he ascended to become an esteemed consultant within the NHS. This remarkable metamorphosis allowed him to provide us, his children, with all the comforts we needed to thrive.

However, he explained that during their journey, they encountered racism, a problem that was particularly intense in the 60s and 70s. Yet, he emphasized that it persists even today.

He shared on the Rosebud podcast that although the Race Relations Act had been implemented and racist signs were no longer visible, blatant racism persisted. We were still subjected to hurtful name-calling.

At home, the topic was discussed, but our upbringing instilled in us the idea that we would encounter such situations and should be prepared to handle them ourselves.

Regardless of what others might say, this is my response, or approach, or simply choose to ignore and move on.

In the playground, racism was commonly accepted. They’d often incorporate phrases like “you black…” or “you whatever…” into the insults they hurled regardless.

Yes, indeed, it was the 1970s, and the region was east Lancashire. There were substantial immigrant communities residing in certain towns, such as Burnley, Nelson, and Pendle, which were my childhood homes.

‘There was a certain amount of open racism.

Reflecting upon an incident, I recall strolling through Burnley’s city center, where my father experienced spitting, an event that continues to infuriate me whenever I recall it.

Beyond the apparent aspects, my father worked as a consultant in Burnley for many years. Given the size and nature of the town, it’s likely he examined X-rays or scanned a significant portion of its residents during his tenure. This was simply a part of our local community’s routine.

I recalled discussing our children with my spouse, mentioning that we might need to address the issue with them and ready them for it, as that’s how my parents handled similar situations.

‘And she thought I was bonkers and was going “don’t be silly, that’s not going to happen”.

I’m unsure if it exists or not. While I believe there is a significant amount of racism currently, it seems to have evolved. It might not be as straightforward and obvious as it once was.

You can listen to the entire interview on the “Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth” podcast, available across popular platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, on this coming Friday (24th).

In the year 2023, Krishnan posted numerous family photos with his father, celebrating his 90th birthday milestone.

Expressing heartfelt congratulations, he wrote: ‘Happy 90th Birthday to Dr Krishnan Guru-Murthy! He continues his dedicated service at work today, in the NHS, likely holding the title of its longest serving Consultant Radiologist to date.’

In 1962, when he came to the UK, he started working as an NHS doctor, and in the early 1970s, they promoted him to a consulting position.

Here’s a collection of pictures featuring Dad: The latest one taken with Mom more recently, the earliest one from their wedding day, and some in between with your brother and sister included as well.

‘Since he was orphaned at a young age during the war, and his family lost all their possessions while they were refugees, we unfortunately don’t have any items that belonged to him from his childhood.’

Read More

2025-01-24 03:56

Previous post What’s next for The Judgment Day?
Next post Mia Hawkswell Steals the Show in Knee-High Boots and Mini Skirt at Crocodile Dundee Event