New Mayor of Winchester elected at 2025 mayor-making
Councillor Sudhakar Achwal has been elected as the 826th Mayor of Winchester.
A ceremony took place in the King Charles Hall of Guildhall Winchester last night, Wednesday 14 May 2025.
Cllr Achwal, who is a councillor in the Whiteley and Shedfield ward, was born and raised in India before first coming to the UK in 1974 to complete a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Salford. He later travelled across Europe, the Middle East, India, the Far East, and the Americas as part of his work.
He met his wife Vivian Achwal, who is a fellow councillor in the same ward, in Newcastle. The couple, who now live in Whiteley, returned to the UK permanently in 1997. They have been together for 45 years and have one daughter and one grandson. Cllr Vivian Achwal was Mayor of Winchester in 2021-2.
Cllr Sudhakar Achwal said: “Beyond my career, I’ve found deep fulfilment in volunteering. I believe in giving back to the community that welcomed me so warmly. I’m also passionate about the environment, and I try to stay active. My shelves are always full, especially with history books, which continue to fuel my curiosity.
“Family remains at the heart of everything. My journey continues, filled with gratitude for the many experiences, lessons, and people that have shaped it.”
Cllr Achwal has selected his Mayoral Charities for 2025-6: Winchester Action on the Climate Crisis (WinACC); Home-Start Winchester & Districts; and Trinity Winchester.
At the mayor-making, Cllr Jamie Scott was elected as Deputy Mayor.
Taking the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, the Mayor said: "I Sudhakar Achwal, having been elected to the office of Mayor of the City of Winchester, hereby declare that I will take the said office upon myself and will duly and faithfully fulfil the duties thereof to the best of my judgement and ability."
Read the full biography of the new mayor.