Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

India celebrates Rishi Sunak’s ascent to British PM

India celebrates Rishi Sunak’s ascent to British PM

From politicians to ordinary citizens, Indians celebrated on Tuesday a “moment of joy and pride” as Rishi Sunak took office as UK prime minister, becoming the first-ever Hindu politician and person of color to lead Britain.

Sunak, 42, was born in south England to parents of Indian heritage who emigrated from British colonial East Africa six decades ago. His grandparents were originally from Punjab.

Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, is a fashion designer and the daughter of Narayana Murthy, who co-founded the tech giant Infosys and is one of India’s richest men.

As his ascent to power was sealed on Tuesday, a day after he prevailed in a Conservative Party leadership race, Indian media celebrated the appointment with headlines including “Indian son rises over the empire” and “Battered Britain gets ‘desi’ big boss” — 75 years after their country cast off two centuries of British colonial rule.

“For every Indian no moment of happiness is bigger than this. This shows that the world over there (accepts) Hindus,” Sudhanshu Mittal, national spokesperson of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, told Arab News.

“No field is left where an Indian is not exceling and leading the way. Britain has always been an inseparable part of every Indian’s imagination because for many years they ruled.”

Sunak’s appointment coincided with Diwali, the annual festival that for Hindus is symbolic of new beginnings. Manoj Ladwa, chief executive and chairman of the London-based media and publishing house India Inc. Group, recalled how seven years ago, also on Diwali, Britain’s former premier David Cameron said during a reception in honor of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that “it won’t be long till there is a British Indian prime minister at Downing Street.”

“Today, on Diwali, a most auspicious day for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, and almost seven years from David Cameron’s prophetic declaration, we have a British Indian Hindu prime minister. Whatever our political beliefs, it is a moment of joy and pride for so many of us,” Ladwa said.

“Rishi Sunak is our story. A child born in the UK to immigrant parents who through sheer hard work and dedication sought to give their children a better life, with a focus on education and good values, he has climbed to hold the highest public office in the land. And by virtue of this, has become one of the most powerful and influential leaders in the world.”

In the popular imagination, Sunak’s appointment was likened to revenge on the former colonial power.

“It’s a moment of pride for all of us,” Shiv Shankar Prasad, a trader based in Mokama town in the eastern state of Bihar, told Arab News. “English people ruled over us for two hundred years and now an Indian is their prime minister.”

But political commentators were more realistic, seeing the victory of a person from a minority group as an example that India itself should follow, rather than considering it a symbolic triumph.

“Rishi Sunak becoming PM does not mean that India is ruling Britain. All that it shows is that British society has become more mature, open and it’s not your religion, it’s not your race which matters but the citizenship of the country,” said Aditya Mukherjee, history professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

“We should learn a lesson from them.”

For Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a Delhi-based author and journalist who has been focused on Hindu nationalist politics, a Hindu politician taking over 10 Downing Street should be an inspiration for the Indian powers that be to increase their own minority representation.

“It should give us a moment to decide whether we are going to enable minorities to get into important pivotal positions in governance,” he said.

“All minorities of this country have become insecure, and they occupy much fewer important positions than they did a few years ago. We should use this occasion to improve the minority representation in the government.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×