Rishi Sunak: Facts You Need To Know About The First Indian-Origin PM Of Britain

New Delhi: UK’s next Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is the first Indian-origin leader to take the top post in Britain.

Mr Sunak, 42, is a wealthy Hindu descendant of immigrants from India and East Africa. He is married to Akshata Murty, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy.

Mr Sunak’s father, Yashvir Sunak, was a National Health Service general practitioner and mother, Usha Sunak, ran a chemist shop.

He went to Winchester College, Oxford University and Stanford University. Mr Sunak was first elected MP from Richmond (Yorks) constituency in 2015 and re-elected in 2017 and 2019.

Rishi Sunak took oath as MP from Yorkshire, on the Bhagavad Gita in the Parliament. He was the first UK parliamentarian to do so.

In July 2019, Mr Sunak was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury, having entered government service as the Minister for Local Government in January 2018.

In February 2020, he had the honour to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, a position he had the privilege to hold until July this year.

Rishi Sunak is the first person of Indian origin to become British prime minister on Monday, just as Hindus across the world celebrate Diwali. At 42, he’ll also be the youngest prime minister in more than 200 years.