Sikh Woman Becomes First Lord Mayor of Banbury

July 02, 2004
Special to SikhNet by Dr. Harbans Lal
Councilor Surinder Kaur Dhesi was elected Lord Mayor of Banbury, Oxfordshire, for the year 2004/05. She has been serving the community as town councilor and district councilor for the past ten years.

Mrs. Dhesi has been active in the local community, campaigning for local issues and pressing for the Sikh community of Banbury to have their own Gurdwara built in this town.

Surinder Kaur was born in Moran Wali near the Banga town in Indian Punjab. She is daughter of late Sohan Singh and Bibi Jaswant Kaur Rai of Derby. She is married to Balbir Singh Dhesi of Dhesian Kahna, district Jalandhar (near Rurka Kalan). They have has two sons, Benjit Singh (23) and Manvir Singh Khalsa (18).

Giani Harbans Singh of Lamington & Warwick Gurdwara conducted the Sikh prayer (Ardaas) to commence the ceremony honoring the new mayor and to seek Waheguru’s blessings to guide Surinder Kaur Dhesi’s in her new role as Lord Mayor.

Banbury is a small affluent market town in North Oxfordshire, which has around 60 Sikh families.

Councilor George Parish in his speech at the inaugural event said, “It is a special year for the Sikhs. In India the first Sikh Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has been elected this year, and in Banbury this year, the first Sikh Lord Mayor has been selected. This is a pleasant coincidence.”

The ceremony was a proud moment for the Sikhs of Banbury and the entire world. Surinder Kaur is the first non-white town mayor in Oxfordshire and the second Sikh lady mayor in England.