21-Year-Old Shreya Dharmarajan Becomes British High Commissioner to India for a Day
Shreya Dharmarajan, a 21-year-old from Chennai, had the unique opportunity to step into the role of British High Commissioner to India for a day. This initiative, organized by the British High Commission in New Delhi since 2017, celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.
Shreya, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi, is currently a Teach for India fellow, teaching in a government school in Mumbai. She is deeply passionate about education and child psychology.
Her day as High Commissioner provided an enriching experience, allowing her to interact with accomplished women leaders in various fields and engage in discussions about India’s efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She also gained insights into the India-UK ASPIRE Programme for electric vehicle development and had the honor of speaking with Professor Ajay Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
Alex Ellis, the British High Commissioner to India, praised Shreya’s contributions, emphasizing the potential of a world with gender equality. The initiative highlights the importance of women’s empowerment and the positive impact it has on global challenges.
During her tenure as High Commissioner, Shreya led discussions on advancing the SDGs at the United Nations office in New Delhi, interacted with Earthshot Prize finalists working on environmental solutions, engaged with women leaders in the ‘Chevening SheLeads program’, and launched a report on electric vehicle charging infrastructure in partnership with the Delhi Transport Department.
This experience has instilled in Shreya a newfound confidence and motivation, and she looks forward to applying her learnings in the field of education.