Meet the 20-year-old from Hyderabad who got to be the UK Deputy British High Commissioner for a day

At the age of 20, Hyderabad-based Priyanka Alluri won a contest to become the UK Deputy British High Commissioner for a day and this is how this youngster made the most of the golden opportunity
Priyanka Alluri | (Pic: Deputy British High Commission)
Priyanka Alluri | (Pic: Deputy British High Commission)

Now that Priyanka Alluri has fulfilled her wish of becoming the Deputy British High Commissioner to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a day, which she got to do on International Women's Day (actually she was supposed to take on the role on International Day of the Girl Child but then the pandemic happened), the 20-year-old is already thinking about what she can do to top this honour. And that's Priyanka for you, spontaneous, vivacious and full of energy, the same energy with which she won the contest to essay the role of the Deputy British High Commissioner. Here's how she spent the day.
 

"I actually understood the kind of responsibility such a high position entails," says Priyanka Alluri


First in the order of things came a chat with Andrew Fleming, the current Deputy British High Commissioner, after which followed an endearing visit to ASRITHA Rainbow Home. "We listened to beautiful stories of women and the struggles they have been through for the opportunities they have today," shares Priyanka. Then followed lunch with journalists where they spoke about gender gaps and such, and then headed to the Social Data Initiatives Forum working towards the flood that ravaged Hyderabad recently. Next came the highlight of the day, a visit to WeHub, an incubator that promotes female entrepreneurship.

At WeHub | (Pic: Deputy British High Commission)

Not only did Priyanka rub shoulders with former Union Minister MM Pallam Raju, she even met the Vice-Chancellor of JNTU and Principal Secretary of Industries and Commerce and IT Jayesh Ranjan, who was all praises for her. "He praised the entry video I had sent as part of the contest to become Deputy British High Commissioner for a day. He said I spoke well and with passion, and I was over the moon. He also asked Fleming sir to keep in touch with me because he predicted that I would go on to do something big," she says, sounding delighted. She even had to deliver a speech at WeHub which was received very well.

This stint has given her confidence a boost and has encouraged her to dream bigger 


Though Priyanka's stint as the Deputy British High Commissioner has concluded, the lessons still linger. "I strongly believe that gender equality starts with having the right mindset and respecting all genders. It's all about mutual respect," asserted Priyanka who is in her third year of BTech in IT which she is pursuing at G Narayanamma Institute of Technology and Science, Hyderabad. In her entry video, she drew attention to the rise in domestic abuse cases and emphasised on policies that cover such issues. She even lobbied for higher representation in the field of Medicine. "Women putting women down is the greatest tragedy of our time and we should rise above it," she asserts.

Priyanka | (Pic: Deputy British High Commission)

What is the role of the Deputy British High Commissioner?
- Promoting business and trade between the UK and India’s Telugu region
- Connecting with citizens on local issues
- Supporting projects on community cohesion and interfaith
- And a whole lot more...
(Source: gov.uk/government/people/andrew-fleming)

For more on her, check out twitter.com/PriyankaAlluri2

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