BIOGRAPHY

Background

Councillor Sood held a BA, MA, LLD and D.Litt. During her PhD in India, she was part of a high-profile research programme with the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University. Unfortunately, after two years into her PhD, she took a sabbatical due to her marriage and did not have the opportunity to complete it. Councillor Sood arrived in the UK in 1970 and lived in Leicester ever since. Once in Leicester, Councillor Sood attended Leicester University, where she completed her postgraduate training.

Career

Upon qualifying as a teacher from Leicester University, Councillor Sood became a primary school teacher for almost 20 years, which was a benchmark at the time, as she was one of the first Asian female teachers in Leicester in 1973.

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

Journey into Politics

Councillor Sood entered politics through supporting her late husband, Councillor Paul Sood, in his political career. Paul was one of the first ethnic minority County Councillors in the country when he was elected in 1982, and he served the citizens of Leicester for almost 14 years before his untimely death in 1996. Councillor Manjula Sood stood in Paul’s by-election in October 1996 and won with an impressive majority, setting a precedent 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, flourished, achieved an array of accolades, and commanded the respect of her fellow Councillors and the community of Leicester City.

Councillor Sood worked with many MPs during her political career, including The Right Hon. Patricia Hewitt, former Minister for Health, the late Jim Marshall, Sir Peter Soulsby and Jonathan Ashworth.

Benchmarks for Councillor Sood
• UK’s and Leicester’s first Asian female Lord Mayor from Thursday May 15th 2008 to May 2009
• The first sitting Lord Mayor in Leicester to receive an MBE (Member of British Empire) for community work in Leicester
• 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, 2015 to 2016, 2016 to 2017 and 2023 to 2024
• 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 held the following positions:
• Sport England East Midlands Regional Champion
• Chair 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
• 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 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 was involved in the following community activities:

• Mentored numerous children and teenagers, encouraging them to overcome anxieties and
fears relating to academia issues
• Took part in many General and Local election campaigns
• Was a regular fundraiser, managing to raise enough funds to donate a Fluid Warmer Cabinet for
the Accident and Emergency Unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2001
• Was a contributor for the Great Ormond Street Children’s hospital in London
• Was a contributor for LOROS, a Hospice in Leicester
• Sponsored children in India via Action Aid and Sai Organisation
• Was selected to carry the Queen’s Jubilee Baton Relay during the Commonwealth games in 2002
• Was vigorously involved with raising the awareness of Mental Health
• Was a member of the Good Values Group, promoting core Human values in the community
• Was vigorously involved in cultural exchanges with faith centres
• Held dedicated weekly advice surgeries for constituents

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