Top university honours ‘influential’ Asian artist Chila Burman
Burman won Eastern Eye’s Arts Culture & Theatre Award (ACTA) in the arts category.
Chila Burman
By Amit RoySep 13, 2024
THE artist Chila Burman has been given an honorary degree by University College London, one of the top universities in the country, for making “an extraordinary contribution to her field”.
The ceremony, in which she was made an honorary Doctor of Literature, was held at the Royal Festival Hall, filled with academics and students.
Burman was born in Bootle, near Liverpool, in 1957. She attended Bootle’s Girl Grammar School, and switched at 13 to Waterloo Park Grammar School for Girls, where a teacher encouraged her after spotting her talent for art.
She knew it was risky, but Burman took up art as a career 50 years ago, after doing an art and design foundation course at Southport College of Art. She then studied fine art and graphic design at Leeds Polytechnic and later ventured to London to the highly selective Slade School of Fine Art, where she got her MA in printmaking and painting in 1982.
The citation was read by Mary Evans, herself a contemporary artist and lecturer and the first black director of Slade School of Fine Art, part of University College London (UCL).
Her words summed up Burman’s rich and varied career – in 2023, she won Eastern Eye’s Arts Culture & Theatre Award (ACTA) in the arts category.
Evans said: “Chila is a celebrated artist whose works examine representation, gender and cultural identity. Born in Merseyside to Punjabi-Hindu parents, she was a key figure in the British black arts movement in the 1980s and has made an extraordinary contribution to her field.
Receiving the honorary degreefrom University College London
“Her works have been exhibited in galleries across the world and are in many permanent collections in the UK, including those of the Tate, Wellcome Trust, British Council, and the V&A and Science Museums.
“Shaped by her upbringing, Chila has continually broken stereotypes, freeing the image of women through her work in printmaking, painting, installation and film. In particular, she has repeatedly challenged stereotypical assumptions of Asian women, often using self-portraiture.
“Her work is informed by Bollywood, fashion and found objects, as she explores gender and identity politics, the celebration and politics of femininity, and the relationship between popular culture and high art.
“Chila’s artwork for public spaces across the UK has had tremendous impact. Her hugely popular installation on the facade of Tate Britain in late 2020 – featuring Hindu deities, fireworks and a fluorescent ice-cream van – lit up that part of London and conveyed a powerful message of hope amid the darkness of lockdown.
“The van was a reference to the ice-cream business that her father set up, while the saturated colours and symbolism of her Indian culture have been a recurring feature in her work.
“As an alumna of the Slade, we were delighted when in 2022, Chila hosted an online contemporary art lecture for our students.”
Evans emphasised: “We know that women of colour are under-represented in the field of art. The National Museum of Women in the Arts records that 51 per cent of visual artists today are women. But when it comes to exhibitions and gallery representation, there is a less optimistic story. In London, 78 per cent of the galleries represent more men than women, while only five per cent represent an equal number of male and female artists.”
She went on: “As a leading art school with an international reputation, the Slade acknowledges its responsibility to diversify the talent pipeline and it continues to prioritise widening participation activity. Recognising and celebrating the work of our alumni community within under-represented groups, including those such as Chila, whose work challenges societal stereotypes, is a vitally important aspect of this mission.
“Chila’s influence has already been recognised with many accolades, including an honorary doctorate, and fellowship, from the University of the Arts London.
“In 2020 she was invited into the Art Workers’ Guild as a Brother and in 2022, she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Jubilee birthday honours for services to the visual arts.
“In recognition of her cultural impact and inspiring influence in her field, president and provost, it is a pleasure to present Chila Kumari Singh Burman for conferment of an honorary degree of D(Lit) at UCL.”
Burman’s response was both emotional and playful. At times, she seemed almost lost for words, wondering several times: “What can I say?”
She did say: “I mean I’m totally over the moon. I’m sure my mum and dad in their heavens would be knocked out.”
She recalled her past: “I wish you all the best. I know these are tough times, turbulent times, and it’s quite difficult when you first leave, because I didn’t quite know what to do myself when I finished the Slade. Don’t ever forget University College London, all your tutors who helped you get to where you all are. Because I have stayed friends with quite a few of them to the present day. They helped guide me at the start of my journey.
“Always be kind to each other. Keep your spirits up, exercise, then sleep a lot. Eat healthy food if you can, some dal and sabji and some stuff like that.
“Although we’re going through some tough times, you know there is light ahead of you. Always keep true to yourself. Have fun. Work hard.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of eastern and south-eastern England, in effect from 20:00 BST on Friday to 05:00 on Saturday. The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north Norfolk.
The warning indicates a high risk of disruption, with flash flooding, power cuts, and hazardous travel conditions expected. The Met Office warns that flooding of homes and businesses is likely, and delays or cancellations to bus and rail services are possible due to surface water and lightning strikes.
Heavy rain and strong winds forecast
According to the forecast, some locations within the amber zone could see between 30mm and 50mm of rainfall, accompanied by wind gusts exceeding 40–50mph. There is a heightened risk of frequent lightning and intense downpours, leading to flash floods and dangerous driving conditions.
The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north NorfolkGetty Images
The Met Office said fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life. People are advised to remain indoors during the worst of the weather and avoid unnecessary travel. Where travel is essential, extreme caution is urged.
Public urged to prepare
Residents in affected areas are being encouraged to check on vulnerable neighbours, especially those who may require assistance with food or medication. The Met Office recommends staying updated with local forecasts, charging electronic devices in advance, and securing outdoor furniture or loose items.
Yellow warnings cover wider region
Alongside the amber alert, several yellow thunderstorm warnings have also been issued:
South-west England and Wales: 14:00–23:59 on Friday
Eastern and south-eastern England: 19:00 on Friday to 06:00 on Saturday
Wales, western and northern England, and Scotland: 00:00–18:00 on Saturday
Heavy rain and thunderstorm warningBBC
Although yellow warnings indicate a lower risk than amber, the severity of thunderstorms could still be high in isolated areas. The warning for Saturday covers more of the UK as the storm system moves westward.
Heatwave peaks before storms arrive
The weather alert comes as Friday could become the hottest day of 2025 so far, with temperatures possibly hitting 30°C around the Norwich area. This would surpass the previous high of 29.3°C recorded at Kew, London, on 1 May.
Elsewhere across East Anglia and south-east England, temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high twenties, which is about 7–10°C above the seasonal average.
Cooler weekend ahead
With rising humidity and atmospheric instability, the thunderstorms are expected to mark the end of the hot spell. Saturday will bring cooler conditions, with temperatures dropping to the low to mid-twenties in the east and the high teens across other parts of the UK.
The Met Office continues to monitor the situation and has advised the public to follow the latest forecasts and travel updates.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020
THE head of an organised crime group who claimed he was a male escort while masterminding an international operation to import cocaine into the UK has been sentenced to 21 years and three months in jail.
Kulvir Shergill, 43, from the West Midlands, told National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators he made a living through male escort bookings, teaching martial arts and working as a personal trainer.
However, an NCA investigation showed Shergill’s crime group imported around 250kg of cocaine with a street value of £20 million between February 26 and April 24, 2020. The gang used the encrypted communications platform EncroChat in order to arrange the drugs deals.
Shergill and his accomplices are “directly responsible for the horrendous consequences Class A drugs (banned) have among our communities,” said Rick Mackenzie, NCA operations manager. “Proceeds of crime proceedings have been started and all identified assets owned by the defendants have been frozen and are currently under restraint. The NCA will work with our partners at the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] to ensure that any money made from their drug enterprise is recovered.”
Shergill arranged premises for class A drugs to be delivered to in the UK using the EncroChat handle “orderlyswarmer”, the investigation found. He would liaise with contacts in the Netherlands over impending deliveries, before his group distributed them around the country.
Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020. He initially denied smuggling class A drugs, but eventually admitted the offence.
On September 20 last year, Shergill was jailed at Birmingham crown court. The news can now be reported after the last member of his gang, 43-year-old Jagdeep Singh, was jailed for the same offences last week.
Singh was an electrician by trade, and was tasked with taking receipt of drug deliveries and acting as a warehouseman. At the time of his arrest in April 2020, he was in possession of 30kg of high-purity cocaine.
He has now been sentenced to six years and eight months behind bars.
Three other gang members were also sentenced last September – Khurram Mohammed, 37, jailed for 14 years and four months was Shergill’s second-in-command and a trusted worker.
Shakfat Ali, 38, who travelled around the UK on behalf of the group and is believed to have delivered drugs, was jailed for 16 years and nine months; while Mohammed Sajad, 44, a trusted member of the group, was jailed for 16 years.
Keep ReadingShow less
Motorists are being advised to expect significant disruption
Drivers are facing long delays on the M62 following a lorry crash near Warrington that led to a significant fuel spill on the carriageway.
The incident occurred when the lorry struck railings on a bridge on the A49 Newton Road, causing fuel to leak onto the motorway below. As a result, the M62 has been closed in both directions within junction 9, and the junction 8 eastbound entry slip road is also shut.
Cheshire Police said the motorway could remain closed for several hours. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.
National Highways confirmed that traffic is being diverted via exit and entry slip roads. The agency is working to install a new barrier and repair damage caused by the fuel spill. No clear timeline has been provided for when the road will reopen.
Motorists are being advised to expect significant disruption. There are currently delays of up to 60 minutes eastbound and 20 minutes westbound, with congestion building in both directions.
Drivers are urged to avoid the area if possible and allow extra time for journeys while the clean-up and repairs continue.
Keep ReadingShow less
A view shows Air India flight AI 379 that had to make an emergency landing back at Phuket Airport, due to a note of a bomb threat discovered mid-air, in Phuket, Thailand, June 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
AN AIR INDIA flight from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi returned to the Thai island on Friday after a bomb threat was discovered on board, according to Thailand’s airports authority.
The flight had taken off from Phuket and was en route to India when the pilot reported a possible threat and made an emergency landing.
Airports of Thailand stated on its Phuket Facebook page that the pilot of the Airbus A320 informed air traffic control after a message indicating a bomb threat was found inside the aircraft.
"We received a report of a bomb threat written inside the aircraft's bathroom, so the pilot informed the control tower and decided to divert the flight to Phuket International Airport after circling to burn off fuel," said Monchai Tanode, director of Phuket International Airport, at a press conference.
"Police have brought in several suspects, but have not yet been able to identify who wrote the message," Monchai added.
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the aircraft made a U-turn over the Andaman Sea shortly after takeoff, then circled repeatedly off Phuket’s coast before landing back at the airport.
The website showed that the flight departed again at 4:28 pm (0928 GMT), more than seven hours after its scheduled departure.
The incident took place a day after another Air India flight, bound for London, crashed in Ahmedabad, killing at least 265 people both on board and on the ground.
(With inputs from agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
Debris of Air India flight 171 is pictured after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
INVESTIGATORS have recovered the black box from the site of Thursday’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad, where a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick airport went down shortly after takeoff, killing at least 265 people, including those on the ground.
The aircraft issued a mayday call shortly before crashing into a residential area around lunchtime. The plane had barely lifted 100 metres from the ground before it came down, with its tailpiece left protruding from the second floor of a hostel for medical staff from a nearby hospital.
Air India said the flight carried 242 people, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian and 12 crew members. According to police, 265 bodies have been counted so far, including at least 24 on the ground. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as more remains are recovered.
Deputy commissioner of police Kanan Desai confirmed the body count on Friday. Home Minister Amit Shah said in a statement that the official death toll would be announced after DNA testing is completed. Samples will also be collected from family members living abroad, he added.
A formal investigation has been launched by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said. The probe will follow International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) protocols. He said a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines was also being set up to examine the incident and improve aviation safety.
Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy. pic.twitter.com/R7PPGGo6Lj — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 13, 2025
Prime minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and met survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, at the hospital. Ramesh, who was injured in the crash, said, “Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive.”
“Everything happened in front of me, and even I couldn’t believe how I managed to come out alive from that,” he added. “Within a minute after takeoff, suddenly... it felt like something got stuck... I realised something had happened, and then suddenly the plane’s green and white lights turned on.”
Eyewitnesses said the nose and front wheel of the aircraft landed on a canteen where students were having lunch. Search and rescue teams worked through the night to locate the black box flight recorders, which are expected to provide vital information about the plane’s final moments.
The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch has offered assistance to India, and the US National Transportation Safety Board will also help with the investigation. Boeing said it was supporting Air India and was “working to gather more information” on the crash.