Birmingham elects first ever British-Indian Lord Mayor

London: Councillor Chaman Lal has become the first ever British-Indian Sikh to take oath as Lord Mayor of Birmingham.

Born in Pakhowal village of Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district, Lal came to England in 1964 with his mother to join his father Sardar Harnam Singh, a British-Indian army officer who in the Second World



War served in the Italian campaign.

Lal joined the Labour Party in 1989 and has taken part in many social justice campaigns to challenge inequality and all forms of discrimination.

First elected to Soho and Jewellery Quarter ward in 1994, he has served the city council for the past 30 years.