Asif Shakoor

Asif Shakoor, is an independent scholar. He grew up in Manor Park and studied at the University of East London. His grandfather, Mahomed Gama, enlisted in the Mercantile Marine during the Great War and arrived at the Royal Victoria Dock in 1917.

Asif wrote about his search for his grandfather’s war medal in Britain at War (January 2018). He is the author of an audio drama script commissioned by Arch 468 Theatre: 'The Mystery of the Missing Medals' (December 2020), about his search for his grandfather's missing war medals. He was invited by the BBC to represent his grandfather at the Royal British Legion's Festival of Rememberance, Royal Albert Hall (November 2018).

He is the author of a forthcoming book: 'Unearthing Invisible Seafaring Histories of Empire' and has published articles on the Port Towns & Urban Cultures (PTUC) website, University of Portsmouth. He contributed research to the Maritime Archaeology Trust's booklet on BAME seafarers in WW1 and has presented research at national conferences and local events. He has worked on a project to digitise Cooks Certificates for Indian seamen at the National Maritime Museum and is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, University College of London. In addition, Asif is an Advisory Board member of the Mariners: Religion, race and empire in British ports, 1801-1914 project based at the University of Bristol, UK and is founder of the South Asian Contribution to Great Britain project.