UK: Indian-Origin Sunil Chopra Elected Mayor of London Borough for Second Time

Sunil Chopra (front and centre), has been elected again. 

(Photo: Twitter/@Jasmine_Ali)

Sunil Chopra, an Indian-origin businessman, has been elected as the mayor of a London Borough of Southwark in the United Kingdom, for the second time during his career.

He took his oath on Saturday, 21 May, at Southwark Cathedral, Montague Close in Central London, as reported by PTI.

Chopra has been in London for more than four decades, but he was born and brought up in Delhi.

He served as the president of the College of Vocational Studies, Delhi University, in 1972, and while pursuing a law degree in 1973-74, he was supreme councillor at Delhi University.

He also became New Delhi's NSUI (National Students Union of India) president.

After moving to London in 1979, he started a retail enterprise shop that eventually became a wholesale business that sold children's garments and baby products.

After spending three-and-a-half decades in London, Chopra was elected as the mayor of the London Borough of Southwark in 2014-2015, and deputy mayor in 2013-2014.

He was the first Indian-origin person to hold the office, which is no small deal because the area has only around two percent Indian-origin population.

He has co-founded the Southwark Hindu Centre for the Indian diaspora in the area.

The Labour Party defeated the Liberal Democrats in London Bridge and West Bermondsey seats under the leadership of Sunil Chopra, seats that were held by Liberal Democrats for decades.

(With inputs from PTI)