2/8/2005 - 100th person has citizenship ceremony in Cumbria

Balatripurasundari Gurijala will become the 100th Cumbrian resident to take part in a citizenship ceremony in Kendal on Wednesday, August 3rd.

Cumbria County Council registrar Sue Oliver will perform the ceremony at County Hall at 3pm.

Mrs Gurijala and her husband, Suresh Gandhi, both doctors at Westmorland General Hospital, said: "We are all happy and very proud to become citizens of this country and to be able to contribute to society."

Mr Gurijala and the couples' two children, Divyasree and Aishwarya, took part in their own citizenship ceremony in June and will be present to see Mrs Gurijala formally welcomed as a British citizen.

Superintendent Registrar Sue Oliver said: "We have already done a ceremony for Mr Gurijala and the two children so it will be nice to do the same for Mrs Gurijala. The family have a guest over from India who will be there so it will be a very international affair. 

"The citizenship ceremonies are lovely occasions enjoyed by the citizens, guests and staff. I was unware of how multi-national our community is, but over the last few months we have had such a varied selection of countries represented at these ceremonies. Everyone of our new citizens has been so pleased to become part of the community and have taken great delight in their welcome ceremonies. I am personally very pleased that Kendal will have the honour of hosting the ceremony for the 100th citizen."

Ian Stewart, Cumbria County Council's cabinet spokesman for organisational development, will be at the ceremony on Wednesday.

He said: "Becoming a fully-fledged citizen of a new county is a very special occasion and it is right that it should be marked with a formal ceremony like this. Mrs Gurijala is the 100th person in Cumbria to take part in a citizenship ceremony. We are delighted to be able to formally welcome her as a citizen and recognise her as a valued member of the community."