Tributes are being offered following the death of Councillor Manjula Sood, who broke barriers as the UK’s first female Asian lord mayor.
Ms. Sood, aged 80, is being remembered as “a dedicated servant to the Leicester community.” In addition to her historic mayoral role, she also served as assistant mayor and Labour councillor for the Stoneygate ward.
Her website details that Ms. Sood arrived in Leicester from India in 1970, where she had been pursuing doctoral studies. After completing her PhD, she dedicated approximately 20 years to teaching at the primary school level.
In October 1996, she became the city’s first female Hindu councillor, winning a by-election necessitated by the passing of her husband, Paul, earlier that year.
Twelve years later, in May 2008, Ms. Sood achieved another milestone, becoming both the UK’s and Leicester’s first Asian female lord mayor. Reflecting on the honor, she stated: “This is great news for a great city, especially as a woman who came here to make it her home.”
Shockat Adam, Independent MP for Leicester South and a former student of Ms. Sood, spoke of her profound impact, noting that she touched “countless lives through her work and kindness.”
Mr. Adam described her death as “a great loss to the city of Leicester.”
Liz Kendall, Labour MP for Leicester West, also paid tribute, emphasizing Ms. Sood’s “massive impact on Leicester” and her role in “championing women and our incredible diverse communities.”
Ms. Sood’s journey saw her move from a 25-room house in the Punjab district of Ludhiana to a small flat on an inner-city estate in Leicester alongside her late husband.
“There were no carpets and no heating and it was snowing. I told my husband ‘I’m not staying here’,” Ms Sood previously recounted.
“But my granddad told me to make the most of it. He said: ‘Definitely not – I have given you an education, now Leicester is your home and Britain is your country’.”
“Now I am glad I stayed.”
Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim Organisations, lauded Ms. Sood as “a shining light – a woman of extraordinary compassion, dignity, and unwavering dedication.”
“The void she leaves behind is immeasurable. We have lost a guide, a mentor, and a beautiful soul whose presence made the world a kinder place,” he added.
Her website biography highlights that Ms. Sood “faced and successfully overcame many challenges” early in her career.
“She had to juggle learning politics with supporting her two children and looking after her elderly mother,” it states.
During her year-long tenure as lord mayor, Ms. Sood was appointed an MBE and received an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Leicester.
A statement on her website reads: “It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Manjula Sood, a loving mother and grandmother, and a dedicated servant of the Leicester community.”
“Details of a memorial service will be shared in due course. The family kindly request privacy at this time and ask that there be no home visits.”
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