COUNCILLOR MANJULA SOOD

Councillor Sood holds a BA and MA. During her PHD in India, she was part of a high profile research programme with the world renowned John Hopkins University. Unfortunately, after two years in to her PHD, she took a sabbatical due to her marriage and did not have the opportunity to complete this. Councillor Sood arrived in the UK in 1970 and has been living in Leicester ever since. Once in Leicester, Councillor Sood attended Leicester University where she completed her Post graduate training in teaching and upon qualifying, Councillor Sood was a primary school teacher for almost 20 years which, was a benchmark at the time, as she was one of the first Asian female teacher in Leicester in 1973.

During her time as a teacher, Councillor Sood was instrumental in introducing multiculturalism in to local education and her services were recognised by a visit to her class by the then Secretary of Education, the Late Sir Keith Joseph.

Councillor Sood entered politics through supporting her late husband, Councillor Paul Sood in his political career. Paul was one of the first ethnic County Councillor’s in the country when he was elected in 1982 and served the citizens of Leicester for almost 14 years before his untimely death in 1996. Councillor Manjula Sood stood and won with an impressive majority at Paul's by-election, setting a precedence by becoming Leicester City’s first female Hindu Councillor.

Councillor Sood faced and successfully overcame many challenges during her early political career, as she had to juggle learning politics with supporting her two children and looking after her elderly mother. She quickly adapted and has flourished and achieved an array of accolades and commanded the respect of her fellow Councillor’s and the community of Leicester City.

Councillor Sood has worked with many MPs during her political career, The Right Hon. Patricia Hewitt, former Minister for Health, The Right Hon. Keith Vaz (former Minister of State for Europe), the Late Jim Marshall, Sir Peter Soulsby and Lord Janner QC.

Councillor Sood has achieved the following benchmarks:-

UK’s and Leicester’s first Asian female Lord Mayor from Thursday May 15th 2008 to May 2009

First sitting Lord Mayor of Leicester to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Leicester University July 2008

UK’s first Asian female High Bailiff from May 2007 to May 2008

First Asian Female to receive the Leicester and Rutland Women of the Year Award for 2006

Leicester City's first Hindu female Asian elected Councillor, a position held since 1996

One of the first female Asian primary school teacher in Leicester in 1973

Councillor Sood currently holds the following positions:-

Trustee and Executive Director for the Leicester Council of Faiths, which promotes a better understanding among faith communities

Vice Chair and Women's Officer for the Constituency Labour Party (CLP)

Member of the Asian Refuge Shelter, assisting Asian women going through turmoil in their private life

Member of the Afro Caribbean Working Party

Member of the Standard and Audit Committee of Leicester City Council, safeguarding the Audit Commissions' Code of Conduct which, elected members of the council and council officials must abide by

Member of Children and Young Persons scrutiny committee

Trustee of the North Memorial Homes in Leicester, a charity created for war veterans

Vice Chair and Public Relations Officer for Fibromyalgia, a charity for which the Minister of Health, Rt. Hon Patricia Hewitt is the Patron

Active member of the Leicester Domestic Violence Forum

Active member of the Older People Forum, where she raises the political profile of older people, locally and nationally

Member of the Faith Regeneration Advisory Group, actively engaged with developing a multi faith centre in Leicester

Member of the Inter Faith Network UK since 1995

Chair of numerous Mental Health regional conferences and member CSIP (Department of Health Care Services Improvement Partnership)

Chair of Narilets, an organisation solely created with a vision to enhance the skills and the experience of ethnic minority women in Leicester encouraging them to be more immersed in commerce, successfully securing funding from the National Lottery

Councillor Sood has championed the following initiatives for the community of Leicester:-

Organiser for liaising with the Indian High Commission to come to Leicester on a monthly basis to issue visas

Founding Member of Narilets

Councillor Sood has previously held the following positions:-

Non Executive Director at Leicester Glenfield Hospital for three years from 1998 to 2001 for the NHS Trust

Vice Chair of Equal Opportunities, Education and Social Services for Leicester City Council

Chaired Leicester City Council's Health Commission

Governor of Leicester College of Further Education

Governor for the Trinity Hospital in Leicester, she was primarily responsible for raising concerns and managing the needs of elderly residents as well as ensuring spending was within the assigned budget.

Councillor Sood is involved in the following community activities:-

Mentors numerous children and teenagers, encouraging them to overcome anxieties and fears relating to academia issues

Partaken in many General and Local election campaigns

A regular fund raiser, managing to raise enough funds to donate a Fluid Warmer Cabinet for the Accident and Emergency Unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2001

Contributor for the Great Ormond Street Children's hospital in London

Contributor for LOROS, a Hospice in Leicester

Sponsor's children in India via Action Aid and Sai Organisation

Selected to carry the Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay during the Commonwealth games in 2002

Vigorously involved with raising the awareness of Mental Health

Member of the Good Values Group, promoting core Human values in the community

Vigorously involved in cultural exchanges with faith centres

Holds dedicated weekly advice surgeries for constituents

Councillor Sood believes that the only way to achieve unity among diversity is through spirituality and that "hands that help are holier than lips that pray".