London: India-born Manjula Sood is all set to become Britain's first Asian woman Lord Mayor when she takes up the top post in Leicester city next week.
Sood has been actively involved in projects involving the Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities and her term in office at the Leicester City Council will be for one year.
"I am really honoured and privileged. I am looking forward to serving the city which has given me so much support. I don't want to be the first and last Asian woman Lord Mayor in the country," Sood, who migrated from India to the UK in 1970, said.
As Leicester's first citizen, the Lord Mayor has a high profile role in maintaining and promoting the interests of the city and its people. There have been Asian Lord mayors in British towns but this is the first time that a woman of Indian origin will hold the post anywhere in the United Kingdom.
The only other Indian-origin Lord mayor currently in office is Harjit Gill in Gloucester. Leicester City Council sources told reporters that Sood, a mother of two sons, will assume charge of the office of Lord mayor on May 15. This year is the 800th anniversary of the Lord Mayor's office. Sood has also been Britain's first Asian female High Bailiff.
