Highlights
- Councillor Thay Thayalan appointed 192nd mayor of Kingston upon Thames
- Born in Sri Lanka, he came to the UK in 1970 and has called Kingston home since 1976
- He previously served as mayor from 2018 to 2019
- He co-founded three major community organisations, including the Kingston Tamil School and Kingston Carnival
AN ASIAN man who came to Britain as a student more than half a century ago has been appointed as the new mayor of Kingston upon Thames.
Councillor Thay Thayalan, who trained as an electronic engineer after arriving from Sri Lanka in 1970, was appointed the 192nd mayor of the Royal Borough at the annual council meeting on May 21.
He has lived in Kingston since 1976 and has spent decades volunteering and serving the community alongside his career in the computing industry.
Thayalan said it was "a great honour and privilege" to serve as Mayor again.
"Throughout that time I have been proud to work alongside people from all backgrounds to build a stronger, kinder, and more inclusive community," he said.
"I look forward to celebrating the diversity, culture, and community spirit that make Kingston so special, while supporting residents, voluntary organisations, charities, young people, and local businesses across the borough."
He added that he would continue to serve "with dedication, humility, and a commitment to bringing communities together."
The new mayor will serve as the public face of the Royal Borough for one year, chairing council meetings and representing Kingston at civic events, including citizenship ceremonies and Remembrance Day services, a statement said.
He focuses on diversity and youth
Thayalan was first elected as a councillor for Tolworth Ward in 2014 and has been re-elected three times since. He served his first term as mayor between 2018 and 2019, when he focused on diversity, youth, and mental wellbeing.
He is a founding member of the ITC Tamil Centre, set up in 1986, which now supports more than 250 children with lessons in Tamil language, arts, and culture. He also co-founded the Kingston Race and Equalities Council, through which he helped launch the Kingston Carnival. In 2001, he set up Global Arts Kingston to celebrate the cultural talents of the borough's communities.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he helped build a network of street champions to support food bank donations, made welfare calls to isolated residents, and ran weekly online forums to reduce loneliness.
His work has earned him the Kingston Mayor's Award for Community Service in 1990 and the Liberal Democrat president's Award in 2020 for his contribution to anti-racism and equality.
Councillor Jane Lim has been appointed as deputy mayor. Lim, who was elected to represent Tolworth Ward in May, has a background in classical music, law, and public affairs. She is known for her work on community engagement and for building links between the UK and Asia.
