Birmingham, the vibrant city in the heart of England, has made history by electing its first-ever British-Indian Lord Mayor. Councillor Chaman Lal, a proud Sikh, took the oath of office, marking a significant milestone for the local community.
Hailing from the quaint village of Pakhowal in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district, Lal’s journey to becoming the Lord Mayor began when he arrived in England in 1964.
Accompanied by his mother, he joined his father, Sardar Harnam Singh, who had served as a British-Indian army officer during the Second World War’s Italian campaign.
Lal’s political career began in 1989 when he joined the Labour Party. Since then, he has been actively involved in numerous social justice campaigns, tirelessly working to challenge inequality and combat all forms of discrimination.
Elected to represent the Soho and Jewellery Quarter ward in 1994, Lal has dedicated the past three decades to serving the Birmingham city council.
Expressing his gratitude, Lal spoke at the mayor making ceremony held at the Birmingham city council house last week.
He said, “By accepting this honor, I am very proud to be able to serve this great city as Lord Mayor. When I was first elected to the city council nearly 30 years ago, I never imagined that one day I would become Lord Mayor.”
Lal expressed his deep sense of privilege and eagerly anticipated representing Birmingham at local, national, and international levels throughout the coming year.
Before assuming the ceremonial role of Birmingham’s First Citizen, Lal held various positions, including Chair of the Sustainability and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), as well as membership in the Coordinating OSC and West Midlands Combined Authority Transport Scrutiny Sub-Committee.
With a keen interest in improving public transport, he has served for many years on the West Midlands Transport Authority.
In a statement, Lal emphasized his commitment to connecting with the city’s diverse communities and pledged support for organizations and volunteer groups dedicated to assisting vulnerable residents, particularly during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Lal’s educational background includes attending Wattville Secondary Modern School and obtaining qualifications as an electronics engineer.
Throughout his term as Lord Mayor, Lal will be accompanied and supported by his wife, Vidya Wati, who will assume the role of Lady Mayoress. (Edited)
