Excitement in India as Rishi Sunak takes over as Prime Minister of Britain

Excitement prevails in India over the assumption of the Prime Ministership of Britain by Rishi Sunak.

Many Indians do not hide their excitement that Sunak, an Indian-origin politician, will take over as Prime Minister of Britain, something that happens for the first time in history, even as Hindus around the world celebrate Diwali.

Sunak’s expected victory in the by-election – which ultimately did not happen, after his rivals withdrew – was a front-page story in most Indian newspapers today, along with India’s cricket team’s victory over Pakistan.

Social media users commented that Sunak’s assumption of the prime ministership is all the more significant because this year India celebrated 75 years of independence from colonial power Britain.

Diwali celebration “is great for our wonderful cricket team and probably also for Rishi Sunak, a man of Indian origin, a devout Hindu and son-in-law of our very own Narayana Murthy,” D tweeted. Bhutukrishnan, referring to the founder of software company Infosys Ltd.
“Rishi Sunak took his oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita (the Hindu holy book). If he repeats the same as Prime Minister, what a day it will be for India on its 75th independence anniversary,” he added.

Read more: Who is the new Prime Minister of Britain?

The 42-year-old Sunak is known to observe Hindu customs and especially the festival of lights. He had even been photographed lighting candles outside the official residence of the Minister of Finance, at no. 11 Downing Street, on the occasion of Diwali.

Some Indians hope that Britain’s ties with India will be strengthened under Sunak’s premiership. In fact, former diplomat Rajiv Dogra wrote on Twitter that Sunak’s assumption of the prime ministership will be “a Diwali gift for the UK and a cause for celebration in India”.

Sunak’s family immigrated to Britain in the 1960s.

Some Indo-British Conservative supporters are also celebrating. Party member Ravi Kumar, 38, from Nottingham, called it a “watershed” in the country’s history. “I grew up in the 80s and 90s and never would have imagined that I would see a non-white prime minister in my lifetime. I’ve always seen it (Britain) as a white man’s country and we came here guys as immigrants… To see a British Indian leader is amazing,” he commented.

Sunder Katwala, director of think tank British Future, also spoke of a “historic moment” that demonstrates the changes in British politics and society in recent decades.

“It’s the new normal in top British office, partly because of the chaos in politics at the moment. We had the third female prime minister and the first prime minister of Asian descent… In fact, Rishi Sunak was the fifth minister of Asian descent in the government, until 2010 there was not one,” he explained.
The revelation that Sunak’s wife, Axata Murthy, who is an Indian citizen, paid no tax in Britain on her overseas earnings because she was not considered a “permanent resident” in the country, hurt the former minister in the summer when he was running for prime minister opposite to Liz Truss. Murty, who owns a 0.9% stake in Infosys, later said she would start paying taxes in Britain on her overseas earnings.

Her family’s wealth, however, divides some.

“Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister is not a victory for Asian representation,” Indian-origin Labor MP Nadia Whittom tweeted. “He’s a multi-millionaire who, as finance minister, cut taxes on bank income while overseeing the biggest drop in living standards since 1956. Whether you’re black, white or Asian: if you work for a living, he’s not on your side.” he added.

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