In the latest episode of CIHT’s Podcast Transport Talks we celebrated South Asian Heritage Month 2025 with CIHT President Mitesh Solanki, Principal Asset Management Consultant at Arcadis Zahraa Kadri and Degree Apprentice at Mott MacDonald Sharad Kerai.  

This Year’s topic for South Asian Heritage Month is Roots to Routes- Honouring Our Journeys. 

Each of us carries a unique story shaped by our roots and the routes travelled to get to where we are. This year, the invitation is to reflect on your journey, whether from ancestral origins to the paths you’ve taken, or something much more recent, and how these experiences shape your identity today 

Listen to the podcast below:  

CIHT’s podcast series is now available on (and on other podcast platforms - just search your favorite podcast provider and we should be there):

Quotes from the podcast

...it wasn't that difficult to enter the space. And whilst being in transport, I think it's been quite inclusive for me in the sense that, I don't feel like I'm singled out in a way… And I've had many male colleagues of different backgrounds who have pushed me, supported me, put me in projects where they feel I'm best suited in.

Zahraa Kadri

I probably had my own perceptions when before I came into highways or construction particularly …but I've got to probably give credit to my first workplace. I worked in a Jubilee line extension project and I basically worked in I was doing mining with people …(who) quickly taught me how it doesn't matter what I look  or where I come from or you know what my origins were.

Mitesh Solanki 

(Meaningful EDI means) …actually doing the things we say we want to do.., this is what we've said, this is what we're going to do. And I think like a road map on how we're going to get there. I think that's always key.

Sharad Kherai

Mitesh Solanki, CIHT President

Sharad Kherai, Degree Apprentice at Mott MacDonald

Zahraa Kadri, Principal Asset Management Consultant at Arcadis