Growing Up Indian In Australia Is A Sweet Combination Of Relatable Stories & Unique Lived Experiences

When the new book Growing Up Indian in Australia came across my desk, I had mixed feelings about what to expect. 

Born and brought up in Sydney as the daughter of Gujarati parents who migrated from Fiji in the 1980s, I know all too well what it’s like growing up Indian in Australia. It’s the most personal and real lived experience I know, ultimately shaping my sense of self and identity. Whether it’s my surname, the colour of my skin, the food I eat or the work I do here at Draw Your Box, there’s no escaping that I’m Indian Australian – nor is it something I want to hide. 

So, was Growing Up Indian in Australia going to mention annual trips to Suva, Fiji to see grandparents? The excitement of going outfit shopping at Sydney’s mini-India-esque suburb of Liverpool to pick up a new bandhani chaniya choli for garba? The cravings to tuck into mum’s homemade thepla after school? 

Maybe, maybe not. These experiences are very specific to my upbringing in Australia, but the beauty of growing up Indian in Australia is that it is multifaceted and unique across the diaspora. 

“Being Indian-Australian is not a one-size-fits-all descriptor,” writes Growing Up Indian in Australia editor, Aarti Betigeri in the book’s introduction.

The journalist highlights that the book captures first person stories of first and second generation Indians who’ve grown up here. The authors of each mini essay also hail from the likes of East Africa, Malaysia, Fiji, Kerala, Chattisgargh, Punjab, Goa, Bombay and Gujarat, to name a few.

Contributors include Sunil Badami, Swagata Bapat, Kavita Bedford, Elana Benjamin,Tejas Bhat, Nicholas Brown, Michelle Cahill, Tasneem Chopra, Shaheen De Souza Hughes, Hardeep Dhanoa, Rakhee Ghelani, Kavita Ivy Nandan, Rachael Jacobs, Jessica Joseph, Joseph Jude, Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa, Meenal Khare, Sneha Lees, Daizy Maan, Preeti Maharaj, Kishor Napier-Raman, Zoya Patel and Ikebal Patel, Mia Pandey Gordon, Natasha Pinto, Shamna Sanam, Priya SaratChandran, Shreya Tekumalla and Sharon Verghis.

In reading this book, I can confirm there are relatable anecdotes about getting your hair oiled by your mother or grandmother, being told to stay out of the sun to avoid a tan, taking chapatis and potato curry to school while your friends’ lunch boxes were neatly filled with perfectly cut sandwiches. But don’t expect to flip the pages and see a cookie cutter, generic account of what it’s like growing up in this country. Don’t expect your exact experiences to be mirrored in the pages. 

Our greatest asset is our multitude of perspectives and lived experiences, and Growing Up Indian in Australia is testament to that. It’s the sweet combination of relatable moments and unique personal experiences that make it a read that will help many of us feel seen and represented, while also giving the wider community a better understanding of what it’s like to be Indian Australian. 

Growing Up Indian in Australia is available to purchase in bookstores now.