Who Is Rishi Sunak? Indian-Origin British Politician In Race To Become UK's Next PM

Sunak is believed to be top contender for next UK Prime Minister and if it turns out to be true, he will be the first Indian origin man to be British PM.

Rishi Sunak. (File Photo/ PTI)

Hit by a wave of mass resignations by Cabinet members, Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned as leader of the UK's Conservative Party on Thursday. Johnson's resignation has now triggered a leadership search for a Tory leader who will go ahead and become the new Prime Minister of the UK.

One of the frontrunners vying to take Johnson's place and get into 10 Downing Street is Indian-origin politician Rishi Sunak, son-in-law of NR Narayana Murthy - the founder of the Bengaluru-based IT bellwether Infosys. Sunak resigned as the Finance Minister earlier this week saying that the British public "rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously"

Sunak is believed to be top contender for next UK Prime Minister and if it turns out to be true, he will be the first Indian origin man to be British PM.

Who Is Rishi Sunak, the man who could be UK's next PM?   

1. Sunak is also the son-in-law of NR Narayana Murthy, the founder of the Bengaluru-based IT bellwether Infosys. The 42-year-old Sunak is the first Indian-origin politician to hold the high UK Cabinet office of Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Conservative Party MP was dissapointed with his boss' handling of economic policy through the tough post-pandemic times.

2. Sunak was born and grew up in the coastal English town of Southampton. Recently during the UK-India Awards in Windsor, Sunak spoke of the sacrifices made by his National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner (GP) father Yashvir and pharmacist mother Usha.

3. During the Covid pandemic, Sunak was widely praised for the economic rescue package he rolled out along a costly jobs retention programme that averted mass unemployment in the country. However, he faced criticism from some fractions for not giving enough cost-of-living support to households.

4. The former minister stirred a controversy after Akshata Murthy, his wife and Narayana Murthy’s daughter, allegedly avoided payment of taxes on her overseas income. Sunak also faced scrutiny for allegedly not giving up his US green card while serving in the British government.

5. Sunak was born to Indian parents who moved to Britain from East Africa. He attended the Winchester College private school and further studied in Oxford. Sunak has served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2020 to 2022, having previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2019 to 2020.