Image caption, Manjula Sood died in December, aged 80ByMatt Taylor, East Midlands and Jo Hollis, in LeicesterPublished10 January 2026 The son of the UK's first female Asian lord mayor has said he was "very happy to see so many people" at the funeral of his mother in Leicester. Manjula Sood, who served as a member of Leicester City Council for 25 years, died on 24 December at the age of 80. Her funeral was held on Saturday at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre, after a procession travelled from her family home. Manish Acharya Sood said his mother has "left behind a massive legacy for the community". The funeral procession finished at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre Manish Sood told the BBC: "I'm feeling very proud of her for what she achieved "I'm very happy to see so many people, so many people that she's helped, so many people that she knew, so many people that their hearts have been touched by this event.
Published: January 10, 2026 2:40 pm
Source: BBC — Read original