News / Society
Plaque to honour anti-racism activist
The life of Batook Pandya and his contribution to tackling racially-motivated hate crimes has been commemorated in the form of a blue plaque.
The plaque was unveiled outside his former offices at Stand Against Racism and Inequality (Sari) on Portland Square, St Paul’s.
Pandya came to Bristol with just £50 in his pocket and eventually became a respected anti-racism campaigner and director at charity Sari before he died suddenly in 2014.
Esther Deans MBE, chair of Sari, said: “This will mark the incredible achievement of Batook in his quest to achieve equality, justice and unity for all.
“He was a tireless campaigner for positive race relations in the region and well known for his wit and inspirational outlook. We are extremely proud that his efforts will now go down in Bristol’s history for our future generations to celebrate.”
Pandya moved to Bristol from Kenya at the age of 17. He gained an apprenticeship at Concorde, but he gave up his secure post in 1988 to take up a position as project manager at the newly-established Sari.
In 1999 Pandya was beaten up in front of his family in Easton in an apparent racist attack. But the attack drove further work with Sari and Pandya received an MBE and honorary doctorate from University of Bristol for his work.
Gordon Young, convenor of the Blue Plaques Panel, Bristol Civic Society, added: “We are delighted to have worked with Sari to ensure that Batook Pandya’s campaigning against racial intolerance is now remembered by a commemorative plaque.”
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