Councillor Sood is the Deputy Lord Mayor of Leicester and was formerly the City's First Citizen. Councillor Sood, became the first Asian female Lord Mayor in the United Kingdom in May 2008.

Councillor Manjula Sood is the elected City Councillor for the ward of Latimar, in Leicester East. She has been an elected sitting Councillor since October 1996. Before becoming the Lord Mayor or Leicester, she proudly served as the High Bailiff of Leicester from May 2007 until May 2008. This was a monumental achievement as she became the first Asian female High Bailiff in the history of the United Kingdom.

Prior to politics, Councillor Sood was a school teacher for almost 20 years.

Councillor Sood is heavily involved within the local community and her efforts were the driving force for her achievements in receiving the following awards/recognition:
Councillor Sood has lived in Leicester for over 40 years and has two sons. She enjoys reading, travelling, raising money for charity events and has a keen interest in current and social affairs.