A political activist in India from an early age, Joshi came to Britain in 1958. He became involved with the work of the Indian Workers Association (IWA) and was a key figure in its transformation from a Midlands-based to a nationally-based organisation. By 1964 its registered membership had risen to 28,000 and it was the largest black organisation in the UK.
The expansion of the IWA happened at a time when things were getting worse for black people in Britain. Not only were governments pushing through ever more restrictive immigration controls to stop black British citizens from entering the country, but there were increases in physical attacks against individuals and communities. Joshi was deeply involved in combating both spontaneous and politically motivated racism. One of his most important contributions at this time was to help set up the Co-ordinating Committee against Racial Discrimination (CCARD). This umbrella grouping linked 26 organisations into an effective force to challenge racism.
It did a great deal of important work in the Birmingham area. Joshi and CCARD worked hard at a local level to reverse the racist victory of the Smethwick election of 1964 where a Conservative candidate, Peter Griffiths, had fought an election campaign with the slogan, 'If you want a ni**er for a neighbour, vote Labour'. Joshi believed that Griffiths' campaign and the support it received paved the way for the later activities of Enoch Powell in Wolverhampton. (Powell's speeches against black people's presence in Britain stirred up racism in all levels of white society.) Joshi was a key figure in the formation of the Black Peoples' Alliance in 1968 which led 15,000 through London to demonstrate against Powell's 'rivers of blood' speech.
His skills as an organiser, personal integrity and position as General Secretary of the IWA, drew the attention of government bodies. Many times Joshi was offered big inducements to join them as part of the official effort to handle race relations. However, he always refused their advances and continued to campaign to combat the racism of British society and politics. His principled commitment to ordinary working people organising to improve their lives was also seen in the way the IWA encouraged its members to take part in trade union activities. Its activities led to many places of work being unionised, and were key to the development of several black workers' struggles. As a result there was greater unity among black and white working-class people in some areas.
He also worked hard against racial violence. He believed that black people were the victims of both 'terror tactics by organised fascist thugs' and that the authorities were unwilling to act effectively against them. On more than one occasion he was personally attacked by fascists, but continued to encourage community self-defence. He saw clearly the contradictions in the actions and arguments of politicians and officials. He made his own position plain, 'Let those who talk of "freedom of expression" for racists understand that we too want freedom to live our lives unmolested.'
In 1979, at a rally against racist violence and immigration laws he had helped organise, he had a heart attack. He died as he had lived, pushing himself to the limits for the sake of ordinary working people. 'All my life and all my strength,' he said in an interview, 'were devoted to the greatest cause of all - the liberation of humankind.'
Find out more about the people who made a difference on the HomeBeats: Struggles for Racial Justice CDROM.