This month is a special opportunity to recognise the contributions, heritage, and inspiring journeys of our South Asian staff, who care for patients, support families, and enrich our workforce with their skills, values, and lived experiences.
Stay tuned as we continue to spotlight their powerful stories throughout the month, in line with this year’s theme: Roots to Routes.
Name: Aji Bai
Job Title: Bereavement Nurse
Could you share your story of your family’s journey from South Asia to the UK?
My journey to the UK began through the Global Learning Programme, with the aim of sharing my professional expertise and growing through new experiences. I come from Kerala, South India, where I worked as an Associate Professor at a private College of Nursing, before moving into a clinical role as a staff nurse at Trivandrum Medical College Hospital, one of the largest government hospitals in the state.
My husband, a Christian priest, joined me during the pandemic and is currently pursuing a PhD in the UK. While adapting to a new country has come with its own challenges—especially in understanding and embracing a different culture, it has also been a rewarding journey of growth and learning.
As a family, we are actively involved in our local community. My husband and children volunteer in community activities, and my husband also regularly supports a local charity shop. These experiences help us stay connected and contribute meaningfully to the community we now call home.
How long have you worked for our Trust?
I have been working at the Trust for nearly five years. I qualified as a registered nurse in 2006 and hold both a BSc in adult nursing and a Master’s in adult nursing and social work. My earlier career in India included 10 years in nursing education before I moved into government clinical practice.
When I joined the Trust I started my journey in acute stroke care, then transitioned into the education practitioner role, where I had the privilege of supporting internationally educated nurses in preparing for their exams and securing their nursing registration.
Currently, I work as a bereavement nurse specialist within the adult Specialist Palliative Care Team. In this role, I provide emotional support and guidance to bereaved families, friends, and staff. I’ve also initiated bereavement peer support groups for staff and launched Grief Cafés creating safe spaces for emotional expression and healing. My work with regards to the Grief Café was recognised with a nomination in the Trust’s annual Time to Shine Awards 2025.
Additionally, I co-chair the Globally Trained Nurses (GTN) Forum and Shared Decision-Making Council, a platform that supports the professional and personal development of internationally trained nurses. I’m particularly proud of our first major project: combatting racism in the workplace. Following two staff surveys, we presented our findings to the Leadership Council, which led to the launch of the Trust-wide Anti-Discrimination Campaign—a significant step towards equity and inclusion for all staff and I was recently honoured with the Outstanding Shared Decision-Making Leader Award 2025.
What motivates or inspires you day to day? Anything in particular about your role?
What inspires me most is the opportunity to bring empathy, dignity, and presence to people during some of the most emotionally vulnerable times of their lives. In my role as a Bereavement Nurse Specialist, I provide listening and signposting support across adult services—for inpatients, the loved ones of those who have died, and our staff.
The human connections formed in these moments remind me of the shared compassion and resilience that unite us all. I’ve also led the development of peer support groups for staff dealing with bereavement and the launch of the Grief Cafés. These safe spaces have been both healing for others and personally fulfilling for me.
I’m also deeply motivated by my leadership roles as co-chair of the GTN Forum, a member of the GTN Shared Decision-Making Council, and one of the two BME Champion Leads in the Trust. In this role, I help train new BME Champions and work alongside colleagues in the BME Network to advocate for internationally trained and ethnically diverse staff, ensuring their voices are heard, respected, and represented in decision-making spaces.
How do you pass on cultural values, lessons, and traditions to your family and those around you?
I am from a state in South India renowned for its high literacy, progressive values, and strong healthcare system. At home, our cultural values are preserved and celebrated through language, faith, food, festivals, and most importantly, our values of respect, community, and inclusivity.
My children learn about our heritage through shared traditions, and we often reflect on how our culture promotes hospitality, humility, and resilience. I also proudly help organise the South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) celebrations at the Trust, sharing my culture with others and helping build bridges of understanding.
Having grown up in a country as culturally diverse as India, I’ve learned to appreciate and embrace different cultures—skills that continue to serve me well in my work and life here in the UK.
Can you highlight an influential figure from South Asian communities whose journey has inspired you and you would want to make sure everyone knows about.
One figure who greatly inspires me is Dr. Agimol Pradeep BEM RN PNA, a Senior Transplant Coordinator at King’s College Hospital and a powerful advocate for ethnic minority organ and stem cell donation. Dr. Agimol also led the Supoorting Information from Emplyers pathway, helping healthcare support workers in care homes and NHS Trusts to become registered nurses.
Her contributions to healthcare equity, education, and representation have transformed lives. She is a shining example of how South Asian leaders can create systemic change while remaining rooted in compassion, service, and advocacy.