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Australian city gets first Indian-origin Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey: Who is he?
Sameer will serve as City of Parramatta’s Lord Mayor, a title granted to the mayor of London and some other cities in the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada.
The City of Parramatta Council in Australia’s Sydney on Monday created history by electing its Councillor Sameer Pandey as its first ever Indian-origin Lord Mayor. Pandey’s election to the post coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Australia as part of his three-nation tour which concludes Tuesday.
Speaking about his new role, Pandey expressed his excitement and said he would like to create a more sustainable and inclusive Parramatta under his leadership. He also spoke about PM Modi’s visit to Sydney and expressed optimism about the continued growth of the bilateral relationship between the two countries. “Parramatta has the fastest-growing population of the Indian diaspora. I hope to see the relations between India and Australia grow further under the leadership of PM Modi. I am humbled and excited about my role. I want to create a city which is sustainable, smart, inclusive and diverse,” Pandey was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
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Who is Sameer Pandey?
Pandey was first elected to the council in 2017. In 2022, he became Parramatta’s first Deputy Lord Mayor from the Indian subcontinent. He will succeed Councillor Donna Davis MP, who stepped down from the role following her election as the State Member for Parramatta.
Sameer will serve as Parramatta’s Lord Mayor, a title granted to the mayor of the City of London and some other cities in the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada.
A small business owner with a background in IT, Pandey wishes to transform Parramatta as a smart city with focus on community and local businesses. “Parramatta is home to a vibrant and diverse community, and I’m excited to lead the City as it cements itself as Sydney’s second CBD (central business district) and the focus of some of its most exciting opportunities,” he was quoted as saying in the press release.
After assuming the office, Pandey will have had a lot of work on his hand, including some major projects such as the aquatic centre, town hall and Riverside Theatre redevelopments, the Australia Today reported. In a press release, sharing his excitement about the new role, he said “it was a privilege to lead the council”. “The City of Parramatta is the geographical heart of Greater Sydney and a major economic powerhouse as well as the best place in Sydney to live,” the statement read.
