British Tamils gathered in UK Parliament on January 13 to celebrate Thai Pongal and mark Tamil Heritage Month.
UK politicians joined the celebrations to mark the harvest festival and commend the success of the Tamil community and their contributions to the UK. The event was organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) in association with the British Tamils Forum.
A series of musical and dance performances took place to showcase the rich culture of the Tamil community.
Seema Malhotra, the Minister for Equalities and MP for Feltham and Heston said that Thai Pongal "beautifully reflects Tamil culture, heritage and community".
Malhotra stated that while "Pongal is a vibrant celebration of Tamil culture" it is also a time to recognise the "remarkable contribution" of Tamils in the UK in wider public service, politics, in business, in arts and education.
Malhotra noted that Tamils in the North-East continue to face challenges but the UK government will continue to press the Sri Lankan government to uphold the rights of the Tamil community, "including the return of lands occupied by the Sri Lankan military to the rightful owners and greater freedoms to commemorate important anniversaries."
In October 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution which Malhotra stated reaffirmed the importance of accountability and meaningful reconciliation.
"The resolution importantly maintains the UK's and the international community's ability to practically press for action and hold the Sri Lankan government to account," she added.
Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden and Chair of the APPGT, stated that "progress is being made" in terms of getting accountability for the human rights abuses committed by the Sri Lankan government during the armed conflict.
McDonagh stated that the sanctions on Sri Lankan human rights abusers by the UK government were a "step forward" .
"We're not all the way there but we will continue to fight," McDonagh said.
She added that she is hopeful that the Tamil community "will experience the justice it so richly deserves."
Bobby Dean, the MP for Carshalton and Wallington and the Vice Chair of the APPGT, said that politicians from across the political spectrum want to represent the Tamil community.
"We're also here to remember the genocide that took place and to pledge to continue to fight on this issue," Dean said.
He went on to add that "progress is being made" and whilst it may be slow, British politicians will "keep persisting".
Speaking at the event, Uma Kumaran, MP for Stratford and Bow, highlighted that the Tamil community had proudly brought their traditions to the UK.
She emphasised the contributions and successes Tamils have made in the UK, including the NHS and stated that 1 in 10 doctors in the NHS are Tamil as well being the second highest achieving community in GCSE results nationally.
Kumaran went on to add that many Tamils in the UK did "not come here by choice" but fled "for their lives". Tamils have rebuilt their lives in the UK and "succeeded against the odds".
"That's a mark of an incredible resilience and the mark of a community who's determined to succeed and thrive," Kumaran added.
Catherine West, MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet, recounted her visit to Jaffna where she visited the Jaffna Library and learnt about the history of the Tamil people including the destruction of the library in May 1981.
"I was struck by how much the people have suffered," she said.
Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham, highlighted that a report was recently released by the UN High Commissioner on conflict-related sexual violence in Sri Lanka "making the point that the problems still have not been properly addressed."
He added that out of the 17,000 people who have been reported as forcibly disappeared to the Office of Missing Persons (OMP), only 23 had reportedly been located. Timms stated that this shows that there is more work to be done for justice and accountability.
Deidre Costigan, MP for Ealing Southall, said the Shri Kanaga Thurrkai Amman temple's chariot festival is a "cultural contribution" that puts "Ealing on the map."
In 2022, Tamil Heritage Month was introduced by the London Assembly and has been continuously marked across the city and the UK.
