A remarkable true story of courage, migration and public service, the life of the UK’s first South Asian woman Lord Mayor, told in her own words.
 
Manjula Sood MBE was a name synonymous with dignity, grace and public service in Leicester, England. As the city’s first female Lord Mayor of South Asian heritage, she became a symbol of resilience, community leadership and cultural bridge-building.
 
To be published in October 2026, The Historical Mayor will be released following her passing in December 2025 and stands as the only personal account of her extraordinary life story, told in her own voice.
 
From an unloving childhood in Punjab, India, to the challenges of migration and rebuilding a life in Britain, Manjula’s journey is one of perseverance, inner strength and unwavering commitment to service. Beginning her career as a schoolteacher and later entering public life after the loss of her husband, she dedicated over twenty-five years to serving the diverse communities of Leicester.
 
In 2008, she made history as the United Kingdom’s first Asian female Lord Mayor of Leicester. Always elegant in her sari and guided by humility and faith, she became a powerful advocate for multicultural dialogue, community cohesion and inclusive leadership.
 
Part memoir and part social history, The Historical Mayor is an inspiring story of migration, courage and public service, and a lasting testament to a woman who devoted her life to bringing communities together.