NRI to take over as Mayor of Gloucester city

LONDON: An NRI hockey player Harjit Singh Gill will create history of sorts when he takes over as the first Asian Mayor of Gloucester city on May 21, 2007.

Born in Dakoha, a village near Jalandhar, Gill will take over as the 527th Mayor of the city.

Gill had earlier served as the Mayor of Barton for two years (1999-2000).

"The first year I did well and then they elected me the second time as well. I'm the first Asian who has held this job. I think this is the best achievement," Gill said.

Gill who had played for rest of India in Hockey matches took a Gloucestershire police Hockey team to India to play a five-match series a couple of years ago.

Termed as a 'popular' councilor from Barton and Tredworth, Gill won the recent council elections in Gloucester on the Labour party ticket. He had moved to Barton only in 1992.

A postmaster and businessman, Gill had created history in 2004 as well when he became the first elected Sheriff of Gloucester.

Away from work and family, Gill who has two children -a son Gurkamal Singh Gill who is at university and a daughter Amrit Kaul Gill doing A-levels - still plays hockey regularly.