October 11, 2020: Chaitanya Venkateswaran, an 18-year-old woman from New Delhi had a unique opportunity to spend last Wednesday as the UK's senior-most diplomat in India under the mission's initiative aimed at empowering and highlighting the challenges faced by women across the world.

The British High Commission has been organising the ''High Commissioner for a Day'' competition annually since 2017, inviting young Indian women aged 18 to 23 years to take over as their most senior diplomat.

Chaitanya is the fourth young woman to take over as the British High Commissioner in an annual competition run by the UK mission in celebration of International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, the British High Commission said in a statement.

As the UK's top diplomat, Chaitanya Venkateswaran's busy day included handing out tasks to the High Commission's department heads, interacting with senior woman police officers, meeting the press, and launching a study tracing the impact of British Council STEM scholarships on Indian women participants.

Chaitanya said, "I used to visit the British Council library in New Delhi when I was younger, and that's where I cultivated my love of learning. Building on that knowledge, to be the British High Commissioner for a day was a golden opportunity".

"My day was full of diverse experiences which have really broadened my perspective on the role of women and their representation in fields of media, policing, and STEM. I am now more determined than ever to use my new knowledge and experience to help promote the equitable treatment of women everywhere," she said.