UK Invites Young Indian Women to Become British High Commissioner for a Day

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 23rd August. In celebration of International Day of the Girl, the British High Commission is offering a unique opportunity for young Indian women (aged 18 to 23) to take on the role of a top UK diplomat for a day.

The ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition invites talented young women in India to showcase their leadership skills on a global platform. To participate, applicants must submit a one-minute video answering the question: “How can the UK and India collaborate on technology for the benefit of future generations?”

Participants are required to share their videos on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, tagging ‘UKinIndia’ and using the hashtag ‘#DayOfTheGirl’. The submission deadline is September 4, 2024. Applicants must also complete an online form to finalize their entry. Submissions must be in English.

British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, commented: “The historic UK-India Technology Security Initiative sets a bold new vision for how we will collaborate on the defining technologies of this decade. The UK led the discovery of graphene, designed the semiconductor chip found in every smartphone, and is now advancing the safe and responsible development of AI. India’s tech innovations are equally transformative—revolutionizing mobile banking solutions and achieving unprecedented lunar missions. By bringing our brightest minds together, I am confident we can achieve truly remarkable things.

The ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition is an incredible opportunity to develop women leaders and hear their vision for the change they want to see in the world. As the first female British High Commissioner to India, this is an issue close to my heart, and I encourage every young woman to broaden her thinking and send in her best ideas.”

Background Information:

Since 2017, the British High Commission has organized the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition to mark International Day of the Girl (October 11). Improving the lives of girls and women is one of the UK’s top global priorities. This year’s competition is supported by our partners, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

Last year’s winner, Shreya Dharmarajan from Chennai, participated in various diplomatic activities, including discussions on promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations Office, collaborating on UK-India research with the Government of India’s Principal Scientific Adviser, Professor Ajay Sood, and launching a report on electric vehicle charging infrastructure with the Delhi Transport Department.

This year, the UK and India launched the Technology Security Initiative during Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s visit to New Delhi in July 2024. The initiative aims to advance the collaborative agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030, focusing on critical and emerging technologies. More information on this initiative is available here.

Rules and Conditions:

The British High Commission (BHC) jury will select one winner, who will be announced on the @UKinIndia social media channels. Only one entry per participant will be accepted; multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. The High Commission’s decision will be final, and no correspondence regarding the selection will be entertained.

Guidelines for submissions:

• Video duration must not exceed one minute. Submissions longer than the time limit will be disqualified.
• Entries must be original. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.
• By entering the competition, participants transfer the copyright ownership of their videos to BHC New Delhi. BHC may use these videos for future communication on its social media channels.
• Participants are reminded not to share personal details in their videos or posts. BHC is not responsible for data publicly disclosed by participants on these platforms.

The ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ program will be held in person in Delhi.