The BBC made history last week after airing Britain’s first Gujarati television presenter – Sima Kotecha - to host their prime-time BBC Breakfast show. It was the first time any British born Gujarati had presented the popular morning show.
Sima, originally from Basingstoke, has been working with the BBC from 2003. Throughout her time at the BBC, Sima has worked as a Radio Presenter, News Correspondent and International Correspondent.
In recent weeks, Sima was posted out to Italy, where despite the danger, she was providing the BBC’s exclusive daily news coverage of the impact Coronavirus in Europe’s worst effected country. This was not the first time, Sima has presented in dangerous conditions, as she has also presented from Helmand Province in Afghanistan. She also covered the historic US Presidential election in 2008, the Oscars on multiple occasions, as well as the earthquake in Haiti.
Sima is the daughter of East African Asians who came to the UK in the 1970s. Sima’s place on the famous BBC red sofa was therefore a moment of great pride for British Indians as they witnessed British born Indians on prime-time TV.
This follows a number of other British Indians who have also made great progress in British television media, including ITN News Editor Arti Lukha, News Presenter Sejal Karia and ITN Weather Presenter Manali Lukha.
