42-year-old Rishi Sunak on Monday became Britain’s first prime minister of Indian origin.
New Delhi: Rishi Sunak on Monday (October 24, 2022) became Britain’s first prime minister of Indian origin after he won the race to lead the Conservative Party. As Sunak, 42, takes over during one of the most turbulent eras in British political history, a meme fest was sparked on social media. Several internet users started posting Ashish Nehra’s picture with congratulatory messages for Sunak as they thought the new UK PM resembled the former Indian cricketer.
Here are some hilarious reactions on Twitter:
Rishi Sunak’s Indian connection
Rishi Sunak is the UK-born son of Indian-origin general practitioner father Yashvir and pharmacist mother Usha. His family migrated to Britain from East Africa in the 1960s. Born in southern England, Rishi Sunak rose through some of the world’s top educational institutions – Oxford University and Stanford University, where he met his wife Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Indian billionaire NR Narayana Murthy, founder of outsourcing giant Infosys Ltd.
During the last campaign, Sunak had also spoken extensively of his migrant roots and referenced making history by lighting Diwali diyas at 11 Downing Street as the first Indian-origin Chancellor of the Exchequer.
He is a regular at the temple where he was born in Southampton and his daughters, Anoushka and Krishna, are also rooted in the Indian culture.
Sunak’s political career began with winning a safe Tory seat of Richmond in Yorkshire in 2015 and from junior roles in the Treasury he was suddenly catapulted to the post of Chancellor of Exchequer when his former boss, Sajid Javid, resigned in February 2020.
Meanwhile, news that a Hindu son of Indian immigrants will be the UK’s new PM has raised cheers across Indian streets, packed with Diwali-celebrating crowds.
(With agency inputs)
