Sikh Man to Be Lord Mayor of Leicester

[Jassika]

Ludhiana, June 10

An alumnus of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has become the Lord Mayor of Leicester in England. He is not only the first Sikh to get the prestigious political post, but is also the first Indian to achieve it.

It is a rags-to-riches story of the new Lord Mayor, Piara Singh Clair, who belongs to Noorpur village, near Phillaur, but had most of his education at the university here. An M.Sc in agronomy, he was the university’s best athlete in 1976-77, as per a brief sketch of his life provided to Ludhiana Tribune by his friend Ajit Singh Mann, working with a bank here.

The Leicester media had gone ga-ga over his elevation and some prestigious newspapers carried his photo side by side with that of Dr Manmohan Singh, the first Sikh Prime Minister of India. The story centered around the indomitable spirit of Sikhs and Punjabis who were achieving milestones in both native and foreign lands.

Mr Mann said the newly appointed Lord Mayor had not lost touch with his roots. He was building a palatial house in Noorpur and visited the village twice an year. He had been taking up the problems of the villagers as well as of scores of NRIs settled in England having problems in Punjab.

As per reports in British newspapers, Mr Clair was sworn in last week after a councillor, Ms Jean Middleton, set to be the Lord Mayor, withdrew due to health reasons. Mr Clair was the Deputy Mayor and was elevated, much to the delight of the Sikh community.

“I want to reach out to every community”, he is being quoted as saying in news reports. Mr Mann remembers his friend as a social, helpful and outgoing person. He went to England in 1977 after getting married to an

NRI, Jusbinder Kaur. He continued his social work and won the hearts of the Indian and the British population.

Mr Mann said Mr Clair would come to India with his wife, two daughters and son on August 15. Mr Clair had written to Mr Mann that he wanted to take the blessings of his native land to do justice

to his new post.

[DhadiMania]

i have personally met this person (i was doing work experience at MATV, or sabtv for those in other parts of UK). apparently Daljeet Neer called him for an interview which wil be on Sanjha Punjab (im not sure when. i hate MATV so i wont watch it).

by the way, hes a moona who wears a paag sometimes.