Two Punjab born create history by becoming Lord Mayors of Birmingham and Central England City

Both were earlier Councillors and were chosen as Lord Mayors last week.

Lal has his roots in village Pakhowal in district Hoshiarpur. His father Harnam Singh Banga, who was in British-Indian Army and fought the second world war, had moved to UK in 1954 and was later joined by his wife Jai Kuar and son Chaman Lal in 1964.

Lal joined the Labour Party in London and served as Councillor for over two decades. Before becoming Mayor he was serving as Councillor for the Soho and Jewellery Quarter Ward area. He joined the Labour Party in 1989 and took part in many social justice campaigns.

“It is a very proud moment for me and my family, as a son of an army officer born in India, but made in Birmingham,” Lal said while sharing his feeling with The Indian Express.

Another British Sikh councillor, Jaswant Singh Birdi, based in Coventry has also made history for the central England city by becoming its first turban-wearing Lord Mayor.

Birdi, who was born in Punjab and spent some time as a child in Calcutta in West Bengal, moved to Coventry 60 years ago and has served as a local councillor in the city for 16 years.

He recently took formal charge of his new post of Lord Mayor with the official Chains of Office with his wife Krishna by his side as the Lord Mayoress.

Lal told that he believes in lifelong learning and continued his academic studies in economics and law on part-time degree courses at the local Polytechnic. He qualified as an engineer in electronics and became an apprentice with an electronics company. He progressed to becoming their youngest chief engineer in the service department and was later promoted to the post of manager of the service department.

Lal then set up his own electronics business as well as other businesses. He married Vidya Wati in 1971 and the couple have three daughters and two sons.

Birdi served as Deputy Lord Mayor for the past 12 months.

“I am so proud to become Lord Mayor of my adopted home city,” said Birdi.

“As a Sikh, it also means so much that I will be wearing the Chains of Office and the turban. It will help show what a happy multicultural city we have and maybe inspire others as well,” he added while giving his speech.

He went to Kenya )East Africa) along with his parents in mid 1950s and then emigrated to UK in 1960s for higher education.

The Coventry City Council took to its official Twitter handle and congratulated Birdi on taking charge as the Lord Mayor last week.