When India was celebrating Diwali, a new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was appointed. Yes, we are talking about none other than Rishi Sunak, who has created history by becoming the country’s first leader of colour.
Rishi Sunak, who was set to become UK’s Prime Minister, was termed victorious on the auspicious day of Diwali. In 2015, Sunak was elected as MP for Richmond in Yorkshire in May. He served as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Local Government between 2018 and 2019, following which he entered the Cabinet as chief secretary to the Treasury.
In 2020, he became the youngest Chancellor ever of the Exchequer in February. However, due to differences with former PM Boris Johnson, he resigned. He lost elections in the race to replace Johnson as UK’s PM to Liz Truss. However, as luck would favour it, Sunak again threw his hat in the ring on October 23, after Truss’s short tenure.
Here are 5 things you should know about him:
1. Rishi Sunak has Indian Roots
Rishi Sunak has often referred to himself as having “Indian roots”, however, he is not completely Indian. Sunak was born in 1980 in Southampton, England. He completed his education at Winchester College, a private boarding school followed by his graduation from the University of Oxford.
His grandparents originated from India before independence. Their birthplace Gujranwala lies in modern-day Pakistan's Punjab province. Sunak, whose Indian-origin parents had emigrated to the UK from East Africa, was born in Southampton in 1980. He is the son of a pharmacist mother and a doctor father. His family migrated to Britain in 1960 during which many people from Britain’s former colonies moved to the country.
2. He is the youngest PM in more than 200 years
Sunak who is 42 will be the youngest PM in more than 200 years. The only man who was younger than him when he became Prime Minister was William Pitt the Younger, who became the last Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1783 at age 24 and remained in power until 1801 and then became the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1804.
3. The Fastest Journey to Power in the Modern Era
As we have previously mentioned, Rishi Sunak was first elected as the MP of Richmond, Yorkshire in 2015. In 2022, he became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. His entire journey took him a little more than seven years.
David Cameron- former PM of the UK went from MP to PM in just nine years. Pitt the Younger, however, took only 2 years to cover the distance between his position as MP to PM.
4. Rishi Sunak & Akshata Murthy are Richer than King Charles III
Rishi Sunak is married to Akshata Murthy who is the daughter of Narayan Murthy (founder of Tech Giant- Infosys), and together they are wealthier than King Charles III. According to a report in the Guardian, “The combined fortune of Prime Minister Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty is estimated at £730 million, which is double the estimated wealth (£300 million-£350 million) of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort.”
5. Sunak has an Addiction!
One fact about Rishi Sunak that will surely surprise you is that he is a total Coke addict! And by Coke, we mean Coca-Cola. During an interview in March 2021, Sunak confessed to being a big Coca-Cola addict. He still collects Coca-Cola things and also shared that his favorite was “Mexican Coke”.
Though many Indians are celebrating that Rishi Sunak is an Indian, the matter of fact is that his roots are Indian. The rich culture of India is deeply ingrained in him and he is a proud Hindu as well. His journey is truly inspiring and encourages everyone to follow their dreams. We wish him all the best for his tenure as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
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