In conversation with Sheela Banerjee, author of 'What's In A Name?'

Kindly hosted and sponsored by Newmark and their internal cultural network, ‘FUSION’.

Join award-winning writer Sheela Banerjee for a raw and authentic conversation on race, belonging, and identity, with Priya Aggarwal-Shah, founder and director of PREACH Inclusion.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday 9th July 2025
• Time: 4.30 – 7.30pm
• Location: Newmark, One, FITZROY, 6 Mortimer Street, London, W1T 3JJ (please enter this address into maps).
• Dress code: Represent your culture – something small, something big – whatever takes your fancy!

About the event

To mark South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM), PREACH Inclusion is bringing you a live conversation with Sheela Banerjee, award-winning author of What’s In A Name?

This year’s SAHM theme, “Roots to Routes,” explores the journeys that shape South Asian identities – how migration, heritage, and personal stories influence who we are today. Sheela’s book delves deep into these themes, tracing how names carry countless stories of tradition and belonging - be that a legacy of colonialism or persecution, the desire to fit in, or the complex cultural inheritance from one's parents.

A writer, journalist, and academic, Sheela’s work has appeared in The Guardian, Observer, Metro, and Grazia. Her debut book, What’s In A Name? (Hodder), won Best Non-Fiction at the Eastern Eye Arts & Culture Awards 2024 and was named a New Statesman Book of the Year. Before becoming an author, she spent several years as a programme maker for the BBC and Channel 4, later leaving television to pursue a PhD on ghosts in modernist literature. She grew up mainly in Hayes, west London, and in India.

In this live conversation, we’ll explore the links between names, heritage and personal histories, unpacking what they reveal about migration, race and our lived experiences in modern multicultural Britain. Expect a discussion that’s authentic, unfiltered and relatable, as we examine the forces that shape who we are today.

What to Expect:

• Interactive Q&A: Engage with Sheela and Priya during the Q&A session and contribute to the discussion.
• Book Signing: An exclusive opportunity to have a copy of "What’s In A Name?" signed by Sheela Banerjee. You can pre-purchase a copy of the book with your ticket.
• Networking: An opportunity to continue the conversation with industry connections over refreshments.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• This is a ticketed event, with a minimum payment of £10.
• You are welcome to purchase Sheela’s book, ‘What’s In A Name?’ too, for an additional £9.50 and you will have the opportunity to get this signed by Sheela on the evening. Books purchased on the evening will cost £12.50.
• Your name will be shared with Newmark for security purposes, and you’ll need to show your ticket on entry. No ticket, no admission.
• There will be photography and videography (short reels and vox pops) taking place during the evening. If you wish not to be included in these, please let Priya Aggarwal-Shah (cHJpeWEgfCBwcmVhY2hpbmNsdXNpb24gISBjb20=) know.
• The interview itself will not be filmed in full, and we kindly request our audience members do not either.
• There will be no refunds for this event (though you are welcome to pass on your ticket to someone else). Given this is likely to be a popular event, please only register if you are sure you can attend.

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