UK invites India’s young women to be High Commissioner for a Day

In celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, the British High Commission is offering Indian women aged 18 to 23 a unique opportunity to step into the shoes of one of the UK’s top diplomats for a day.

The ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition invites talented young women from India to showcase their strengths and leadership potential on a global platform.

Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said:

The landmark UK-India Technology Security Initiative agreed between our countries sets out a bold new approach for how we will work together on the defining technologies of this decade. The UK pioneered the discovery of graphene, designed the semiconductor chip found in every smartphone, and is now leading the way on the safe and responsible development of AI. India’s tech innovations are similarly changing the world – from revolutionising mobile banking solutions to its ground-breaking lunar mission. By bringing together our best minds, I am confident that we can accomplish truly fantastic things.  

The High Commissioner for a Day Competition is an incredible opportunity to nurture future women leaders and to hear about the change they want to see in the world. As the first female British High Commissioner to India, this is a cause that lies very close to my heart, and I encourage every young woman to put on their thinking cap and send in their best ideas.

Further information

• the British High Commission has hosted the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition annually since 2017 to mark the International Day of the Girl Child (11 October). Improving the lives of girls and women is one of the UK’s top priorities globally. This year’s competition is being supported by our partner Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

• last year’s winner, Shreya Dharmarajan from Chennai, engaged in various diplomatic activities, including leading discussions at the United Nations office in New Delhi on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), discuss UK-India research collaboration with the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Professor Ajay Sood, and launching a report on electric vehicle charging infrastructure with the Delhi Transport Department as part of the Accelerating Smart Power and Renewable Energy in India (ASPIRE) programme

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

Terms and conditions

• a jury at the British High Commission (BHC) will select the winner, who will be announced on @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 is final and no correspondence relating to the above will be possible

• guidance on time limit and AI generated scripts:

  • the duration of the video should not exceed one minute. Entries exceeding the time limit will be disqualified

  • submissions should be original. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification

• by applying to the competition, participants transfer the copyright ownership of their videos to the BHC New Delhi. BHC may use these videos to produce content for future communication on its social media channels

• participants are reminded not to share personal details in their video or posts. The BHC is not responsible for the data that participants make public on these platforms

• the High Commissioner for a Day programme will take place in-person in Delhi

For media queries, contact:

Media queries: BHCMediaDelhi@fcdo.gov.uk

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