Chennai law student turns UK’s top diplomat in Tamil Nadu for a day

Cyndia B.K., a 23-year-old law student from Saveetha University, Chennai, emerged the regional winner of the ‘British High Commissioner for a Day’ competition, organised by the British High Commission.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Cyndia B.K., a 23-year-old law student from Saveetha University, Chennai, recently had an exclusive opportunity to serve as the UK’s top diplomat in Tamil Nadu for a day. She got the honour on being declared the regional winner of the ‘British High Commissioner for a Day’ competition, organised by the British High Commission to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

During her day as the British Deputy High Commissioner, Cyndia took part in various diplomatic activities. She began by meeting the team at the Deputy High Commission, learning about trade and investment relations. Her day also included engaging in a consular outreach activity, seeing the British Council’s digital library, and discussing potential collaborations with representatives from other diplomatic missions — providing an immersive first-hand look at the importance of diplomacy.

Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Cyndia shared, “Being the DHC for a day helped me understand the importance of women participating in global leadership. It helped me forge connections, understand the true essence of diplomacy and most of all, appreciate the power of collaboration. It is an experience of a lifetime that I will always reminisce.”

Shalini Medepalli, the acting Deputy High Commissioner, emphasised that the annual ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ contest organised by the ‘UK in India’ network to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, represents a significant milestone in the UK-India joint commitment to promote gender equality.

This prestigious competition ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ was being conducted annually since 2017, to mark the importance of women in leadership roles. This year, over 140 young women from across India had applied, with regional winners from Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kolkata stepping into the Deputy High Commissioner role in their respective regions. This is the fourth edition of the programme in Tamil Nadu.