A family originally from Indian state of Haryana has achieved a rare political milestone in the United Kingdom, with a mother and son both being elected mayors within a span of one week.
A family originally from Indian state of Haryana has achieved a rare political milestone in the United Kingdom, with a mother and son both being elected mayors within a span of one week.
According to a report by news agency PTI, 23-year old Tushar Kumar has become the youngest Indian-origin mayor in the UK after taking charge as Mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council.
Days later, his mother Parveen Rani was elected as the first Indian-origin Mayor of Hertsmere Borough Council.
Speaking to PTI, Tushar’s father Sunil Dahiya said that his son was elected mayor on May 13, while Parveen Rani took office on May 20. The family belongs to Rohna village in Haryana’s Sonipat district and had lived in Rohtak before moving to the UK in 2013.
“We had not come with any specific thing in mind when we moved to the UK in 2013. Tushar was just 10 years old then,” Dahiya told the news agency. He described the achievement as a proud moment for the family and said it was special to see both mother and son serving as mayors at the same time.
Dahiya said both Tushar and Parveen had always been interested in social and community work. Tushar became involved in volunteering activities at a young age and entered local politics while still studying in London.
According to the report, he was elected as a councillor at the age of 20 while pursuing a degree in politics at King’s College London.
Tushar later joined the Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council in 2023 and previously served as deputy mayor. He is expected to begin his master’s degree later this year.
The family says it continues to maintain close ties with its roots in Haryana. “We always stay connected with our roots. We visit our hometown every year,” Dahiya said, according to the report.
He also said that Tushar believes age should never be a barrier to entering public service and encourages young people to take part in community work early in life.
According to the family, both Tushar and Parveen also taught Hindi free of cost to children born and raised in the UK. Tushar is associated with the charity organisation Hindi Shiksha Parishad.
Before becoming mayor, Parveen Rani served in several civic roles, including deputy mayor of Hertsmere and cabinet member for parks, leisure, culture and public services.
(With inputs from agencies.)
First Published:
May 25, 2026, 17:05 IST
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