Rishi Sunak created history on October 25, 2022, when he became the first Indian-origin Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In the upcoming July 4 elections, Mr Sunak’s Conservative Party faces a major challenge from the opposition Labour Party led by Keir Starmer.
Ahead of the crucial elections, let’s take a look at 10 points about Rishi Sunak’s ties with India:
1. Rishi Sunak was born on May 12, 1980 in Southampton, Hampshire. His parents – Yashvir Sunak and Usha Sunak – are of Indian origin. His father was a general practitioner with the National Health Service, while his mother Usha ran a chemist shop. They both migrated to Britain from East Africa in the 1960s.
2. For his studies, Mr Sunak attended Winchester College and studied politics, philosophy and economics at the University of Oxford. In addition, he was also a Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University in the US, where he studied for an MBA.
3. Rishi Sunak is married to Akshata Murthy, daughter of Infosys chief Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy, who is a Rajya Sabha MP. Rishi and Akshata have two daughters – Krishna and Anushka.
4. He has been serving as a Member of Parliament from Richmond (Yorks) since 2015. Earlier, he became the first UK MP to take oath on the Bhagavad Gita in Parliament.
5. Being a Hindu, he has often been vocal about his heritage and how his family reminded him of his values and culture.
6. He celebrated Diwali at 10 Downing Street with his wife and family and also hosted a reception for NRIs, MPs, entrepreneurs and Bollywood celebrities last year.
7. Before becoming the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak often visited Bengaluru with his wife and two children to meet his in-laws.
8. Mr Sunak was criticised for his lavish home, expensive suits and shoes while campaigning for the post of Prime Minister in 2022. However, he later said that the Bhagavad Gita often saves him during stressful situations, as well as reminds him to be dutiful.
9. Like most Indians, Sunak also loves to play cricket to stay fit. In April this year, he surprised people by joining the country’s cricket team for a net session.
10. Apart from being involved in politics, Mr Sunak has also had a successful business career. According to reports, he co-founded a firm working with companies from Silicon Valley to Bengaluru. In May, it was reported that the personal wealth of Rishi Sunak and his wife increased by £122 million to £651 million last year.