In a rare distinction, Dr Chitra Bharucha, an Indian-born haematologist, on Monday took charge as the acting chairperson of the British Broadcasting Corporation, becoming the first woman and first Asian to head the giant organisation.

Incidentally, the BBC Trust, of which Bharucha is the acting chairperson, took over the responsibility of running the organisation from the BBC Board of Governors from Monday.

The post of the chairman of BBC fell vacant following the resignation of Michael Grade after he decided to join rival organisation ITV.

Born in Madurai, Bharucha has lived in Britain since 1972.

A haematologist by profession, she has served as deputy director, Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service, and consultant clinical haematologist, Belfast City Hospital.

She shifted from a career in medicine to media in 1996 when she joined the BBC Broadcasting Council for Northern Ireland, a position she stayed in till 2003.

Bharucha had also served as the Northern Ireland member of the Independent Television Commission from 2001 to 2003.

In 2004, Bharucha was appointed to the Advertising Standards Authority (Broadcast) Council, where she currently chairs the advisory committee on animal feeding stuffs for the Food Standards Agency.