From MP to PM: 5 Interesting Facts about UK’s new PM Rishi Sunak that will Amaze You!
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.
Learn
how you can take your startup to new heights with our business coaching
program. Click here to know more about this product: www.badabusiness.com.
Comments