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Parveen Rani sworn in as Mayor of Hertsmere in UK
The appointment comes days after her son Tushar Kumar became the UK’s youngest Indian-origin mayor, marking a rare mother-son civic milestone in Hertfordshire.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 27, May 2026
- 15:12 EDT
- 39
Parveen Rani with his son Tushar Kumar / X/ Parveen Rani
Indian-origin councillor Parveen Rani was sworn in as the new Mayor of Hertsmere, becoming the first Indian-origin mayor of the borough council on May 20.
Rani took over from former mayor Alpha Bird Collins. She will serve alongside newly appointed Deputy Mayor Morris Bright.
Also Read: British Indian Tushar Kumar appointed mayor of U.K. town
In a statement shared on LinkedIn after the swearing-in ceremony, Rani said she was “deeply honoured” to assume the role and pledged to serve residents across the borough with “gratitude, humility and a strong commitment.”
She also thanked councillors from across political parties for their support, saying it reflected the ability of leaders “to come together for the good of our communities and the people we represent.”
Rani was elected to Hertsmere Borough Council in May 2023 representing Kenilworth Ward in Borehamwood. She later served as a cabinet member for Streetscene, Parks, Leisure and Culture before becoming Deputy Mayor in 2024.
The new mayor said her mayoral year would focus on “kindness, unity, youth engagement and supporting the many volunteers and organisations” working across the borough. She added that leadership was “about bringing people together, listening, building bridges and strengthening community spirit.”
Rani has selected Akshaya Patra UK and Hatzola as her chosen charities for the year.
In a separate Facebook post following a gathering of councillors of Indian origin, Rani said diversity and public participation were essential to building stronger communities.
“As Mayor, I am proud to see people from all backgrounds contributing to public life, strengthening our democracy and helping to build more inclusive, united and prosperous communities,” she wrote.
Before entering local government, Rani held leadership and education roles, including serving as head teacher at Creative Tutors and director positions at Kingsmead School and the London College of Business Sciences.
Rani’s appointment comes days after her son, Tushar Kumar, became the youngest Indian-origin mayor in the UK after being elected Mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council. The mother-son duo, originally from Haryana’s Rohtak region, moved to the UK in 2013.
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