According Coventry Telegraph “ A councillor has made history as Coventry's first Lord Mayor to wear a turban in a move hailed as an example of the city's diversity. Born in the Punjab region of India, Cllr Jaswant Singh Birdi moved to Coventry 60 years ago and has served as a councillor for 16 years.
Cllr Birdi said he feels proud to take on the role and described it as a great honour for both him and others in the Sikh community. "They are very supportive of me as the first Sikh with a turban being elected [as Lord Mayor]. It's a great honour to them." he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
"It's a great honour, I feel very proud of it and I am glad I had this opportunity - you never know in politics what's going to happen." As well as being a councillor, Cllr Birdi has been active in the religious community and raised three children with Krishna, his wife of 54 years. When he moved to Hillfields in 1963 the Sikh community here was small. "Back then, there were very few members of the Sikh community here in Hillfields. It was a smaller community then," he said.
"It grew slowly and slowly, then became a city where ethnic minorities would come and stay - the facilities were appearing." He added: "It's a very friendly city, a city of peace and reconciliation, promoting that all the time. Different communities know they have a lot to contribute." Cllr Birdi has three grandchildren and his family were there to see him receive the chains of office from outgoing mayor Cllr Kevin Maton. The Wyken resident said his intentions as Lord Mayor are to support charities and promote different cultures within Coventy's twin cities.
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