London: In a significant achievement, India-born Surinder Kaul, has been elected to the Central Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the supreme body responsible for the management of the affairs and business of the institute.

According to the institute, this is the first time an Indian has been elected to the Council in its 123-year- old history.

Kaul won for a four-year term defeating veteran senior council member Douglas Llambias from London constituency.

David Illingworth, consultant, KPMG who took over as president of the institute on June 4 complimented Kaul for his outstanding achievement.

He also recalled that Kaul, as chairman of the London chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India, had played a pivotal role in bringing the institutes of the two countries together.

"We are two large institutes of chartered accountants in the world and it is important for the future of the profession there should be close cooperation. We also want to develop relations with important professional bodies throughout the world," he said.

Kaul said, "I feel it is not only a great privilege for me personally, but also for the Institute of Chartered Accounts in India, of which I am the chairman of the UK chapter. I feel there is a lot of opportunity for the two principal institutions of the world to come closer and benefit from contacts that already exist in business, trade and commerce between UK and India.

PTI