Bishan Dass
British Labour Party politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bishan Dass is a British politician who became the first British Asian Lord Mayor of Wolverhampton in 1986.[1][2] He was first elected as Councillor of Ettingshall Ward on 1 May 1975.[3]
Bishan Dass Bains | |
|---|---|
| Lord Mayor of Wolverhampton | |
| In office May 1986 – May 1987 | |
| Member of Wolverhampton City Council for Ettingshall Ward | |
| In office 1975–2016 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | |
| Party | Labour (2010-present) |
| Alma mater | Panjab University |
Life
Bishan Dass was born in Ravidassia family of Village Shaffipur in the North Indian state of Punjab.[4] In 1963, he came to the UK. He was elected for the first time to the Metropolitan Borough Council of Wolverhampton in 1979.[5]
Opposition to Racism and Caste Discrimination
He faced bitter experiences of casteism when Jat men of the left-wing Indian Workers Association (IWA), active in Britain since the 1950s, challenged his candidature in the local council elections in 1979.[6]
Publications
He published a book named Pride Vs Prejudice, in which he penned down his lifelong struggle against inequality, discrimination, and prejudice. There are a number of horrifying and distressing stories about caste-based untouchability still practising in India and racial prejudice in the UK.[7]