21-Year-Old Woman Becomes British High Commissioner For A Day

On October 10, 21-year-old Shreya Dharmarajan, hailing from Chennai, assumed the role of the British High Commissioner to India for the day providing her with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes perspective on the daily life of a diplomat and allowing her to witness the UK-India partnership in practical operation.

Youth powering action for the #GlobalGoals 🙌🏾



From discussing the role of young people, especially women, as enablers of the #SDGs to 🇮🇳's unique localisation model -- Shreya’s first ‘public’ engagement as High Commissioner was an insightful meeting at @UNinIndia. #DayOfTheGirl pic.twitter.com/meBjLiVO9r

— UK in India🇬🇧🇮🇳 (@UKinIndia) October 11, 2023

Boss For A Day

According to the British High Commission, Dharmarajan assumed the position of the British High Commissioner to India for a day, providing her with a rare and exclusive glimpse into the life of a diplomat and allowing her to witness the UK-India partnership in action.

Had an enlivening (and scrumptious) start to the day with the Senior Leadership Team of the @UKinIndia! Discussed with @AlexWEllis @HMGBecksB @CScottFCDO & Sally Taylor about the UK's priorities in India with a focus on mutual effort towards the #SDGs. #DayOfTheGirl #GlobalGoals pic.twitter.com/5BLPLyejFI

— Shreya Dharmarajan (@shreyadharma21) October 11, 2023

During her day as the UK's top diplomat in India, she participated in a diverse range of activities. She led discussions at the United Nations office in New Delhi focused on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), engaged with the accomplished women leaders of the Chevening SheLeads program, and met with Ajay Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, to discuss plans for enhancing research collaboration between the UK and India following the G20 Summit.

In her role as High Commissioner for the Day, Dharmarajan also unveiled a new report on electric vehicle charging infrastructure in collaboration with the Delhi transport department, as part of the Accelerating Smart Power and Renewable Energy in India (ASPIRE) bilateral technical assistance program.

More About Shreya Dharmarajan

A graduate in political science from Lady Shri Ram College, Dharmarajan secured victory in the 'High Commissioner for a Day' competition organised to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

This remarkable achievement allowed her to partake in a diverse array of diplomatic tasks. Presently, she serves as a Teach for India fellow, instructing at a government school in Mumbai, showcasing her passion for education and child psychology.

Dharmarajan is the seventh recipient of the India edition of the 'High Commissioner for a Day' competition, an event held each year since 2017.

Shreya Dharmarajan was ‘British High Commissioner for a Day’ on 26 September. Applicants for this year’s competition were invited to submit a 1 minute video answering the question: ‘How can young people help lead the way in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?’ pic.twitter.com/FtHR7JVaqD

— antonia filmer (@tweetingtonia) October 10, 2023

As reported by The Hindu, Dharmarajan's students served as a significant source of inspiration for her when she entered the competition. She was motivated to seek a platform to amplify the conversations that were already taking place within her classroom.

These discussions were rich with real-life illustrations of how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could tackle the challenges of poverty, gender inequality, and various other issues experienced by her students.

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