New Delhi: A 23-year-old Indian-origin politician, Tushar Kumar, has become the youngest Indian-origin mayor in the history of the United Kingdom. Kumar was officially elected Mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood during the council’s annual “Mayor Making Ceremony” held earlier this week.
Who is Tushar Kumar?
Kumar, a Labour Party councillor, said his journey into politics began while studying Political Science at King’s College London. He was elected to the council at the age of 20 and later served as Deputy Mayor before taking over the top ceremonial role in the Hertsmere borough area. Reports said he had also worked as a policy adviser with the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions.
Calling his appointment “an incredible honour”, Kumar thanked residents for placing their trust in him. He said he wanted to remain closely connected to the community during his tenure and focus on encouraging greater youth participation in public service and local governance.
Start of stellar career
Kumar’s rise is being seen as another example of the growing political influence of the Indian diaspora in Britain. Over the last two decades, people of Indian origin have increasingly occupied key positions in UK public life.
According to reports, Kumar has also remained active in community and cultural work. Apart from politics, he has reportedly helped teach Hindi to British-Indian children and participated in organising events around Indian festivals such as Diwali, Holi and Independence Day.
During his mayoral term, Kumar has chosen WD6 Food Support as his official charity initiative. He said supporting local organisations and helping vulnerable residents would remain among his priorities as mayor.