A reflection for AACE by Raj Mann, Diversity, Equity and Belonging Manager at Royal College of Paramedics
Vaisakhi, which falls on 13 or 14 April each year, marks a significant moment in the Sikh calendar, commemorating the formation of the Khalsa in 1699 and the values of service, equality and justice that shape Sikh identity. For Sikh colleagues across healthcare and paramedicine, Vaisakhi offers an opportunity not only for celebration, but for shared understanding about faith, visibility and belonging within our professions.
This reflection is intentionally offered as a strengths‑based contribution, not a deficit model. Sikh identity, like all identities, is not something to be managed or mitigated. Instead, it invites organisations to consider how systems, assumptions and environments support or hinder people from fully belonging.
Visibility and identity in practice
For many Sikhs, articles of faith such as the turban and unshorn hair are essential expressions of belief rather than optional markers of culture. In healthcare settings, these visible differences can expose uneven policies, unconscious bias or uncertainty about inclusion.
At present, there are very few publicly available images of Sikh paramedics in UK. This absence reflects a wider issue of under‑representation and visibility, rather than a lack of contribution or interest. Highlighting this gap is itself an important step in addressing exclusion and barriers within the profession.
An anti‑racist approach shifts the question away from how individuals should adapt, towards how professional environments are designed and governed.
Recognition without representation
More than 535,000 people identify as Sikh in the UK, representing around 0.8 to 0.9 per cent of the population. Sikh identity is recognised nationally not only as a religion but also as an ethnic group. Yet within healthcare workforce data, including paramedicine, this nuance is rarely captured.
Broad ethnic categories and limited faith reporting mean Sikh professionals can be visible in uniform yet absent from the data that informs education, leadership and policy. This gap reflects how systems record identity, rather than levels of participation or contribution, and shapes whose experiences are routinely seen and valued.
Trespasser syndrome and conditional belonging
For some Sikh professionals, particularly in education, leadership or predominantly white spaces, this mismatch between presence and recognition can contribute to what is described as trespasser syndrome. This is not about personal confidence, but about external signals that suggest belonging is conditional, provisional or easily questioned.
Addressing this requires attention to culture, representation and decision‑making, rather than individual resilience.
Shared values, not special cases
Core Sikh principles such as seva (selfless service), collective responsibility and standing against injustice align closely with the values of healthcare, volunteering and paramedic practice. Recognising this reframes inclusion not as accommodation, but as acknowledgement of what already strengthens our professions.
From awareness to allyship
Meaningful allyship is practical. It includes improving faith literacy, avoiding intrusive or deficit‑framed questions, ensuring policies such as uniform and PPE guidance are inclusive by design, and challenging bias when it occurs.
Marking Vaisakhi within anti‑racism work is one way of signalling that visible faith identities belong within professional excellence, not at its edges.
Recognising Vaisakhi is not about highlighting difference as a problem. It is about affirming identity as a source of strength, values as shared ground, and belonging as essential to safe, effective care. Happy Vaisakhi 2026!
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