Leicester City Council has opened an online book of condolence to enable people to pay their respects and tributes to the late councillor and assistant city mayor Manjula Sood MBE, who passed away on 24 December.
Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “Manjula came to Leicester in 1970 and was proud to make the city her home. She was an exceptionally kind-hearted person, completely dedicated to Leicester – the city that she served as a councillor for almost 30 years.
“She did everything she could to break down barriers and create meaningful and lasting connections between people of all backgrounds and their communities. She is a huge loss to her family, the council, and the city, and will be greatly missed.”
Born in 1945, Manjula Sood did her post graduate studies at Leicester University and became one of the UK’s first Asian female teachers in 1973. She taught at schools in Leicester for more than 20 years.
Following the death of her husband Paul in 1996 - who she had supported in his role as a Leicester city councillor for 14 years – she stood in the by-election for his ward. She was elected and went on to serve as Leicester’s first Hindu female councillor.
There were many more firsts for Manjula – including taking on the role of the UK’s first Asian female Lord Mayor in 2008, and then becoming the first sitting Lord Mayor in Leicester to receive an MBE (Member of British Empire) for her community work in Leicester.
Cllr Sood believed that deeds counted more than words, and put this belief into action, working with a huge number of organisations across the city, East Midlands and the UK, as well as serving on many council committees and forums.
She was probably best known for the work she did to champion multi-culturalism – encouraging people of different faiths and backgrounds to come together for the common good, and was most recently the assistant city mayor for community cohesion.
Cllr Sood worked tirelessly for the causes she believed in, and for the city of Leicester. People can sign the book of condolence on the city council’s website here: Book of Condolence Councillor Manjula Sood MBE.
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