Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, holds his first Cabinet meeting in Downing street in London, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022.
👉 Citizens in India have watched Rishi Sunak’s ascension to prime minister of Britain with a sense of admiration and triumph, hailing the rise of a person of Indian descent and a Hindu to the top job in a major Western country.
Although Sunak, whose parents migrated from East Africa to Britain in the 1960’s, has never lived in India, his heritage has made Indians proud.
Sunak’s grandparents hailed from Punjab state before the Indian subcontinent was divided into two countries, India and Pakistan, after British colonial rule ended in 1947. They had moved to East Africa in the 1930s. Sunak is married to Akshata Murty, the daughter of Indian technology billionaire N.R. Narayana Murthy, who founded one of India’s most successful software companies.
Many Indians and the media, which gave prominent coverage to his elevation as prime minister, emphasized not just his Indian roots but also his faith; – Sunak is a Hindu, the majority religion in India, and has spoken about its importance to him.
When news broke this week that Sunak was destined to be Britain’s new leader, Indians were celebrating the Hindu festival of lights known as Diwali. For many, like Mumbai resident Nikhil Shirodkar, the development added to the celebratory mood.
Credit: Voice of America
