LONDON: Britain will get its first
Asian woman Lord Mayor on Thursday when Ludhiana-born Manjula Sood will take
over as the first citizen of the multicultural town of Leicester in the East
Midlands.
Sood, a teacher and councillor for several decades, will
hold the office of Lord Mayor for one year. Until today, Sood was the High
Bailiff of Leicester.
Each year the longest serving city councillor
is offered the role. That councillor may defer it and if so it is then offered
to the next in line and so on.
Any member of the public who becomes
a city councillor may become Lord Mayor if the person is re-elected enough
number of times.
The Lord Mayor has a high profile role in
maintaining and promoting the interests of the city and its people, and attends
a variety of engagements. This year is the 800th anniversary of the Lord Mayor's
office in Leicester.
She will be the fifth Lord Mayor of Indian
origin in Leicester, which has a large population with roots in India. She will,
however, be the first Asian woman Lord Mayor anywhere in Britain.
Previous Indian-origin Lord Mayors of Leicester were Piara Singh
Clair (2004), Ramnik Kavia (2003), Culdipp Bhatti (1996) and Gordhan Parmar
(1987).
Sood said that it was a great honour for her to be selected
for the position, and would do her best to serve the multicultural city.