Khumi was born in Manipur, India, near the Burmese Frontier in 1948. After graduation, to avoid following her father’s footstep and join the Indian Civil Service, she joined instead Air India and had postings in Beirut, Hong Kong, Perth and London during her 5 year stint. In 1976 she married Sidney Burton a retired Major with the Cheshire Regiment.
Khumi has spent most of her married life working within the Community in Cheshire and Manchester. She was the Team Attache for Turks and Caicos during the Commonwealth Games; organiser of the Portico Prize for Literature (a mini Booker Prize of the North); served as member of the Air Transport Users Council (CAA appointment) and sat on Manchester Airport consultative committee; a Board of Visitors for Styal Prison, a Board member and subsequently Chairman of Greater Manchester Crimestoppers. – where she comes into contact with all agencies and organisations.
She co-ordinated the 750th Anniversary Events of the Parish of Wilmslow in 2000; initiated the Wilmslow Street Party in 2002 to celebrate the Queens Jubilee and is now a yearly Community Event; organised the VJ-Day celebration for Veterans in Wilmslow/Stockport in 2005 and organises visits to Arboretum in Litchfield for the surviving ATS/WRACS.
She raised funds to build much needed houses for earthquake victims and families in Gujarat. She enjoys raising funds and promoting good causes like the Genesis Centre, the Red Cross, Marie Curie, Henshaws for the Blind etc.
Her involvement with the Office for National Statistics as an Interviewer gave her the chance to be in touch with people from all walks of life and background and gave her better understanding and insight of the Society we live in.
Khumi’s enthusiasm for the Community does not diminish. She is currently the President of the Wilmslow Lions club and helps to promote Campaign SightFirst II – combating preventable blindness; Chairman of the Greater Manchester Royal Society of St. George Branch which promotes the concept of being proud to be British/English, to be good citizen and particularly acknowledges the Youth who do voluntary work in the Community, hopes that a yearly St. Georges Service will be held at Manchester Cathedral; Chairman of Manchester Oriental Alliance Organisation which encourages elders/children from all ethnic background to come together and enjoy their cultures and arranges outings, functions and events like the Community Dragon Boat Race at Salford Water Sports Centre.
She sits as a Magistrate on the Manchester Bench in the Adult Court since 1998 and a General Commissioner of Income Tax for Manchester Central and South since 1994.
She is interested and enjoys meeting people from all walks of life and is at ease with them.
Khumi was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant in 2003