Former lord mayor Manjula Sood ‘leaves behind massive legacy’

The son of the UK’s first female Asian lord mayor has said he was “very happy to see so many people” at the funeral of his mother in Leicester.

Manjula Sood, who served as a member of Leicester City Council for 25 years, died on 24 December at the age of 80.

Her funeral was held on Saturday at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre, after a procession travelled from her family home.

Manish Acharya Sood said his mother has “left behind a massive legacy for the community”.

Manish Sood told the BBC: “I’m feeling very proud of her for what she achieved

“I’m very happy to see so many people, so many people that she’s helped, so many people that she knew, so many people that their hearts have been touched by this event.

“She was very popular. She made a lot of changes in the city, in the council, even nationally and within the government itself, in the chambers of Parliament.”

Members of the public came out to pay their respects as the procession passed through the city.

Though the funeral service was private, it will be broadcast afterwards online via a weblink shared by her family.

Sood also served as assistant mayor and Labour councillor for the Stoneygate ward in the city.

According to her website, she came to Leicester from India, where she had been studying for a PhD, in 1970, and completed her studies before becoming a primary school teacher for about 20 years.

She became the city’s first female Hindu councillor in October 1996, after winning a by-election triggered by her husband Paul’s death earlier that year.

In May 2008, she became the UK’s and Leicester’s first Asian female lord mayor.

Sood was appointed an MBE during her time as lord mayor and awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Leicester.

Renu Mehra, who said she knew Sood for 40 years, said: “She was loved so much by everybody because she had that personality that she could connect with anybody.

“Whenever she used to come here, she used to just give us courage and used to put self-esteem in us.”

Kalpna Patel, who was in a women’s exercise group with Sood, said: “She did a lot for us in the community she gave us a lot of love and she inspired a lot of women as well.”

Jit Dhanji, a service delivery manager for the Belgrade Neighbourhood Centre and the Belgrade Library said Sood “had done so much for this area”.

“She’s been there for each and every one of us whether it’s a business, local businesses or local residents,” he said.

“Her legacy will live on forever. Her heart will be in this centre.”