The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Leicester Councillor Mrs Manjula Sood – in a saree

You didn’t think that I was going to let such an interesting saree picture pass me by, did you? Just look at her title, it is calling out for a blog post.

Pray silence and all rise for the Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Leicester Councillor Manjula Sood! booms the Civic Attendant. She enters the hall wearing a blue and gold sari and the symbol of her office around her neck, a heavy 18-carat gold chain set in velvet with a medallion, dated 1867, bearing the crest of the city of Leicester. Manjula Sood is the first Asian woman Lord Mayor in Britain, the rotating civic post on the Leicester City Council. The office is ceremonial, but as Leicester’s first citizen and chair of the council, the Lord Mayor is the public face of Britain’s most diverse city.

The Lord Mayor was born in Ludhiana in India and post graduated from Punjab University. She came to Leicester in 1970 to join her husband and in 1972 gained education in PGCE at Leicester University.

Since 1973, she has taught at the local primary schools, being one of the first Asian female primary school teachers. She taught at Marriott Junior, Bridge Junior, East Park Primary and Spinney Hill Primary Schools.

The Lord Mayor first represented the Abbey Ward, following the sudden death of her husband Cllr Paul Sood, from 1996 until 2003. Since 2003 she has proudly represented the Latimar Ward and the Golden Mile – Belgrave Road.

Over the past 10 years the Lord Mayor has served on a number of major committees as vice chair of social services, education, equal opportunities, housing, licensing, and chair of the Health Commission. At present she is Cabinet Lead for Health and Well-being.

She is Governor for Spinney Hill Primary School and Ex Governor of Leicester College and Abbey Primary School, Trustee and Executive of the Leicester Council of Faiths. She was also Chair of Naari Lets and Non Executive Director for NHS Trust and Trustee for North Memorial Homes. She is currently Public Relations Officer for Fibromylagia disability group – a medical condition she suffers with. She is also a keen supporter of Fair Trade.

She is the proud holder of the Woman of the Year for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and also cares for her 84 year old mother.

Via Sepia Mutiny