Newly elected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to build a Britain in which children could light their ‘diyas’ and look into the future with hope. He tweeted after taking part in the Diwali celebrations at 10 Downing Street.
He said, “Brilliant to drop into tonight’s Diwali reception in No 10. I will do everything I can in this job to build a Britain where our children and our grandchildren can light their Diyas and look to the future with hope. Happy #Diwali everyone!”
Brilliant to drop into tonight’s Diwali reception in No10.
I will do everything I can in this job to build a Britain where our children and our grandchildren can light their Diyas and look to the future with hope.
Happy #Diwali everyone! pic.twitter.com/g4yhAGhToz
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 26, 2022
Rishi Sunak on Tuesday took charge as Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister after meeting King Charles III. Sunak, the youngest Prime Minister of the UK in over two centuries, took the charge a day after he was elected the new leader of the Conservative Party in a historic leadership run.
Sunak, who describes himself as a “proud Hindu”, is the UK’s first Prime Minister of South Asian heritage. His victory on Diwali has resonated among the Indian diaspora groups across the UK, who have hailed it as a “historic moment” in British social history.
Sunak became the British PM after Liz Truss resigned from the post within 45 days of taking charge following economic turmoil and the resignation of two key ministers. Truss became the shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history — less than 50 days.
The former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sunak is a graduate of the University of Oxford Stanford University who had a stint at Goldman Sachs investment bank.
Sunak was born in Southampton on May 12, 1980, into a family with immigrant roots. His parents Yashvir and Usha, both pharmacists, migrated to the UK from East Africa and have roots in Punjab.
Sunak’s paternal grandparents came from a place called Gujranwala, now in Pakistan. However, they were forced to leave and cross the border due to communal riots and bloodshed in the 1930s.
He is married to Akshata Murty, the daughter of NR Narayana Murthy, co-founder of the IT company Infosys. The couple, who tied the knot in 2009, has two daughters, Anoushka and Krishna.