South Asian Heritage Month: From Grangetown to Glamorgan, Prem Sisodiya hopes to inspire a community

• Watch the video report by ITV Wales National Correspondent, Rob Osborne.

From Grangetown to Glamorgan, cricketer Prem Sisodiya is looking to inspire the next generation of young Welsh South Asians.

Prem is one of only two Welsh-born cricketers of Asian heritage to have played for Glamorgan's first team.

This is despite the the fact that nearly two-thirds of the cricketers who play in Cardiff's Midweek Cricket League are of Asian descent.

As part of South Asian Heritage Month, ITV Wales has met with the twenty-three year-old professional cricketer to find out exactly what his heritage means to him.

He said, "it's a massive thing for me, being Asian, being Indian, it's part of who I am. When I signed my first contract it was surreal, I used to come down (to Sophia Gardens) when I was a youngster and be sat by the stairs when the players go up and now that's me."

Born and raised in the Grangetown area of Cardiff, Prem attributes his interest in cricket to his father, who was born in Gujarat, India and came to Wales in 1996. He remembers, "as soon as I could crawl and walk I was playing cricket".

Grangetown is a stone's throw away from Sophia Gardens cricket stadium and is one of the most diverse parts of Cardiff.

Ali Abdi is a community organiser in the area and runs many events encouraging young boys and girls to get involved with sport.

Ali recognises the importance of Prem's success to the local community. He said, "Honestly it's incredible, having Prem who's a local lad come into the community and inspire the next generation, it's priceless.

"In all walks of life, for young people growing up, they generally need to see somebody reflective of them in those roles otherwise there's a big theory that if you can't see it, you can't be it, and to see Prem coming back into the community, it's amazing."

Ali isn't the only one who understands the importance of having positive role models active in the area. Prem himself acknowledges this, even if it took a while.

"I didn't realise it at first, but being one of two Welsh born cricketers with Asian heritage to play for Glamorgan, it's actually quite a big deal."

Wherever his career takes him, it seems he's not in a rush to forget where he's come from, both geographically and culturally.

"I've been in Grangetown my whole life whatever I can do to help out, I'm happy to do."