Sunak makes history in Britain, but the tough part begins now
Robert Clive, the first British governor of Bengal presidency who is widely credited with laying the foundation for the British East India Company’s rule over Bengal/India, would not have imagined in 1757 that one day the son of an immigrant of Indian origin would become the prime minister of his country. It has taken 265 years, but the event is historic.
Rishi Sunak’s rise to become the 57th prime minister of the United Kingdom (UK), is a proud moment for Indians in Britain, which is home to a vibrant and diverse community of people with roots in India.
Sunak has always expressed pride in his Indian roots and he has often mentioned his upbringing as the son of immigrants. Sunak’s paternal grandparents hailed from Gujranwala, now in Pakistan. His grandfather moved to Kenya and Sunak’s father Yashvir was born in Kenya. The family moved to Britain in the 1960s. Sunak is a practising Hindu and as a testament of his faith, he took his oath of office as a member of parliament on the Bhagawad Gita. As the UK’s chancellor of the exchequer, he had then celebrated Diwali by putting lights outside his official residence at 11 Downing Street. Interestingly Sunak took over the leadership of Britain’s Conservative Party on a day when Hindus all over the world were celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights marking the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.
But neither his forefathers’ origin nor his religion has ever been the central theme of his political message at any point. He has focused instead on his expertise in running the economy, a job in which had acquitted himself well during the Covid upheaval, saving British jobs and businesses.
At 42, he is also the country’s youngest prime minister over the last 100 years. Sunak completed his education at Stanford Business School and laid the foundation of his personal fortune while working for Goldman Sachs Group. He belongs to a governing conservative wing that swings wildly between responsible governance and irresponsible populism.
Sunak’s elevation is also a tribute to the multicultural character of modern Britain.
He joins the ranks of some 200 persons of Indian origin who have been elected to positions of political power in 25 countries, including Mauritius, Seychelles and Trinidad. He takes the reins of power at a time when the UK is confronted with numerous political and economic challenges.
Britons and the Tories have pinned their hopes on Sunak’s financial acumen extricating the country out of its economic mess, though there are no quick fixes. India and the UK were expected to sign a free trade agreement around Diwali. But that could be on the back burner, as Sunak is likely to prioritise the situation at home, restoring stability and winning the confidence of the British people after they have seen three prime ministers in less than two months.
In his first speech outside 10 Downing Street, he warned the people of the profound economic crisis facing the nation, and that his task as new leader was to fix some of the mistakes of the previous government. He entered 10 Downing Street with a message of hope.
The Statesman
Asia New Network
