biography of rishi sunak in english

Rishi Sunak

Who Is Rishi Sunak?

Following a successful early career in finance, Rishi Sunak entered Parliament as a Conservative MP from Richmond in 2015. Named Chancellor of the Exchequer just five years later, he earned praise for devising a massive bailout package to support struggling businesses and individuals amid the spread of Covid-19. Sunak fell short in his initial bid for the Conservative Party leadership, but he became the U.K.'s first prime minister of color when Liz Truss abruptly resigned from the post in October 2022.

How Old Is Rishi Sunak?

Rishi Sunak was born on May 12, 1980, in Southampton, England.

Parents and Nationality

Early years and education.

The oldest of three children, Sunak developed an early love for cricket and a knack for business by helping out at the family pharmacy.

Although an expected scholarship to Winchester College never materialized, Yashvir and Usha accepted the financial burden of sending their son to the prestigious boarding school, with Sunak contributing by working as a waiter on holidays. He went on to edit the school newspaper, The Wykehamist, and became Winchester's first "head boy" from an Indian background.

Sunak then enrolled at the University of Oxford's Lincoln College, where he studied the Philosophy, Politics and Economics curriculum. Not prominently involved with the school's political circles, he instead became president of the Oxford University Investment Society, before graduating with a first-class degree in 2001.

Sunak later attended Stanford University's Graduate School of Business on a Fulbright scholarship , earning his MBA in 2006.

Financial Career

Sunak began his professional career as a junior analyst in the London branch of Goldman Sachs, where he focused on American stocks in the media and transportation sectors. Following his time at Stanford, he returned to England to enter the booming hedge fund industry as a partner at The Children's Investment Fund (TCI).

The splintering of TCI sent Sunak back to California in 2010 to work for a former boss at the hedge fund Thélème Partners. He later took over as director for his father-in-law's investment firm, Catamaran Ventures, from 2013-15.

Before his start in politics, Sunak also served as a board member for a Boys & Girls Club in California, a governor of the East London Science School and as director of the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Research Unit of the right-center think tank Policy Exchange.

Member of Parliament

Sunak launched his political career with a bid to replace longtime Conservative MP William Hague in the constituency of Richmond, North Yorkshire, in 2015. Although there was concern over how he would fare in the rural, mostly white region, the newcomer won over residents to claim more than 50 percent of the vote.

His rapid rise fueled by a sharp intellect and polished manner, Sunak became a parliamentary private secretary at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in June 2017 and then under secretary of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government the following January. Along the way, the neophyte MP made a name for himself by opposing Prime Minister David Cameron to come out in favor of Brexit .

After backing the leadership campaign of former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson , Sunak was rewarded with the post of chief secretary to the Treasury in July 2019 and even stood in for Prime Minister Johnson during general election debates later that year.

Chancellor of the Exchequer

In February 2020, just seven months after joining the Treasury, Sunak became its head as the second-youngest-ever chancellor of the Exchequer.

Initially tasked with meeting a tight deadline for the budget, Sunak quickly turned his focus to emergency measures to prop up the British economy amid the rapid spread of Covid-19. After announcing a £350 billion rescue package for businesses on March 17, he soon followed with pledges to support both furloughed workers and the self-employed.

While other measures, such as his " eat out to help out " plan, failed to make much of an impact, the chancellor's popularity soared with his demonstration of capable leadership and a willingness to buck his Conservative convictions to continue financially supporting struggling businesses and individuals.

Beyond his pandemic-related management, Sunak hosted the G7 Summit in June 2021 and oversaw the western powers' agreement to establish a landmark global corporation tax . The following spring, he signaled his intention to back the emerging cryptocurrency market with the announcement that he had asked the Treasury to design a non-fungible token (NFT).

Although he endured public embarrassment for breaking lockdown rules, Sunak leveraged the resentment over Johnson's scandal-plagued premiership to resign as chancellor on July 5, 2022, setting off a wave of government departures that forced the prime minister to step down two days later.

Prime Minister

One of 11 candidates who declared their intention to succeed Johnson, Sunak decried the "fairy tale" tax cuts proposed by his competitors. Although he emerged as an early favorite for the party leadership as Conservative MPs whittled the field down to two, Sunak ultimately lost the final round of voting to incumbent Foreign Secretary Liz Truss , who became the U.K. prime minister on September 6, 2022.

However, Truss's premiership caved beneath the financial turmoil caused by her plan to slash taxes and freeze household energy bills. With most of her economic proposals overturned amid a surging inflation rate, Truss announced the end of her historically brief tenure as prime minister on October 20, 2022.

Sunak became the only candidate to receive the necessary backing of 100 fellow MPs, enabling him to take office as the first U.K. prime minister of color on October 24, 2022.

"When the opportunity to serve comes along, you cannot question the moment, only your willingness," he declared in his acceptance speech . "So, I stand here before you ready to lead our country into the future, to put your needs above politics, to reach out and build a government that represents the very best traditions of my party. Together, we can achieve incredible things."

Wife and Family

Sunak met entrepreneur Akshata Murty , daughter of Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murthy, while enrolled at Stanford. Following their high-profile wedding in August 2009, the couple went on to have daughters Krishna and Anoushka.

Akshata came under scrutiny in April 2022 when it was revealed she did not pay U.K. taxes on her foreign earnings due to her "non-domicile" status. She later renounced that status to avoid being a "distraction" to her husband's political interests.

A devoted Hindu , Sunak is known for taking his oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita and for his public commemoration of the festival of Diwali.

Thanks, in large part, to his wife's family fortune, Sunak became the richest prime minister in U.K. history, with a reported net worth of £730 million as of May 2022. At the time, his properties included a mansion in Kirby Sigston, Yorkshire; two residences in west London; and a beach penthouse in Santa Monica, California.

Along with his professed interests in cricket, football and overall fitness, Sunak often cites his love for Star Wars on social media and reportedly owns a collection of lightsabers.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1980
• Birth date: May 12, 1980
• Birth City: Southampton
• Birth Country: England
• Best Known For: Rishi Sunak became the United Kingdom's first prime minister of color after taking office in October 2022.
• Business and Industry
• Politics and Government
• Astrological Sign: Taurus
• Standford University
• University of Oxford
• Winchester College
• Interesting Facts
• Sunak became the youngest U.K. prime minister since 24-year-old William Pitt the Younger ascended to the role in 1783.
• Occupations
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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Rishi Sunak Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figure/rishi-sunak
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• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: December 8, 2022
• Original Published Date: December 8, 2022
• I stand here before you ready to lead our country into the future, to put your needs above politics, to reach out and build a government that represents the very best traditions of my party. Together, we can achieve incredible things.
• I think in our country, we judge people not by their bank account, we judge them by their character and their actions.

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Political career

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Rishi Sunak

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Rishi Sunak (born May 12, 1980, Southampton, England) is a British politician and financier who became the leader of the Conservative Party and prime minster of the United Kingdom in October 2022. He resigned as prime minister in July 2024 and was replaced by Labour Party leader Keir Starmer after Labour won a landslide victory in a general election. Previously Sunak had served as chancellor of the Exchequer (2020–22).

Sunak was born into a family with immigrant roots. His grandparents emigrated from Punjab , in northwestern India, to East Africa , where his mother and father were born in Tanzania and Kenya , respectively. They met and married after their families migrated in the 1960s to Southampton in southern England . Sunak’s father became a general practitioner for the National Health Service . His mother, a pharmacist, owned and operated a small pharmacy, for which Sunak, the eldest of their three children, would eventually keep the books. Later, during his political career, Sunak would draw parallels between his experiences working in the family business and the values he gained from them and those of Conservative Party icon Margaret Thatcher , the daughter of a grocer.

As a result of his parents’ sacrifices and saving to fund his education, Sunak was able to attend Winchester College , the exclusive private school that has produced no fewer than six chancellors of the Exchequer. In addition to becoming “head boy” at Winchester, Sunak was the editor of the school’s newspaper. During summer vacations he waited tables at a Southampton Indian restaurant. Sunak went on to study philosophy, politics, and economics (the degree obtained by many future prime ministers) at Lincoln College, Oxford . There he was president of the Oxford Trading & Investment Society, which provided students with opportunities to learn about financial markets and global trading. While at Oxford, Sunak also had an internship at the headquarters of the Conservative Party.

After graduating from Oxford in 2001, Sunak became an analyst for Goldman Sachs, working for the investment banking company until 2004. As a Fulbright scholar, he then pursued an MBA at Stanford University , where he met his future wife, Akshata Murthy, daughter of Narayana Murthy , an Indian billionaire and cofounder of technology giant Infosys. Returning to the United Kingdom in 2006, Sunak took a job with The Children’s Investment Fund Management (TCI), the hedge fund operated by Sir Chris Hohn, who made him a partner some two years later. In 2009 Sunak left TCI to join another hedge fund, Theleme Partners. That year he married Murthy; they would have two daughters. By virtue of Sunak’s success in business and his wife’s 0.91 percent stake in Infosys, the couple began to amass a considerable fortune, which would be estimated at about £730 million ($877 million) in 2022 by The Sunday Times . (Some sources estimated Akshata Murthy’s net worth at as much as £1 billion [$1.2 billion].)

In 2010 Sunak began working for the Conservative Party. During this period he also became involved with Policy Exchange, a leading Conservative think tank , for which he became head of the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Research Unit in 2014. That year Policy Exchange published A Portrait of Modern Britain , a pamphlet that Sunak wrote with Saratha Rajeswaran, deputy head of the BME unit. In 2014 Sunak was chosen as the Conservative Party’s candidate for the House of Commons representing Richmond in North Yorkshire , a safe Conservative seat in the north of England long held by onetime party leader (1997–2001) William Hague . In May 2015 Sunak was elected by a commanding majority. He came into office a Euroskeptic and firmly in the “leave” camp on the issue of Brexit , which he said would make the United Kingdom “freer, fairer, and more prosperous.” He would be reelected to Parliament in 2017 and 2019, and he voted three times in favor of Prime Minister Theresa May ’s Brexit plans.

From 2015 to 2017 he was a member of the Environment , Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. In January 2018 he was appointed to his first ministerial post as undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Sunak became a vocal supporter of Boris Johnson ’s pursuit of the party’s leadership, and, when Johnson became leader and prime minister, he rewarded Sunak with a promotion, appointing him chief secretary to the Treasury in July 2019.

During Sunak’s tenure as second-in-command at the Treasury ministry, tensions were rising between his boss, Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid , and Johnson. When Javid resigned in February 2020, Johnson replaced him with Sunak, who, at age 39, became the fourth youngest person ever to hold that position. Almost immediately Sunak was faced with the manifold challenges brought about by the arrival in Britain of the COVID-19 global pandemic. As the British economy was clobbered by the shutdowns imposed by the government in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, Sunak employed the powers of his office to try to offset the economic and human damage. He instituted a broad economic-support program that dedicated some £330 billion ($400 billion) in emergency funds for businesses and salary subsidies for workers aimed at job retention and easing the burden of the lockdown for individuals and companies alike. Those rescue programs were widely popular, and the polished, poised Sunak became the welcome face of the government at daily press conferences where the prime minister appeared less composed.

Sunak’s “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme, aimed at supporting restaurants and pubs with government-subsidized food and drinks, was viewed by some observers as a rousing success, but critics pointed to it as having likely played a significant role in the emergence of a catastrophic spike in COVID-19 cases in autumn 2020. Nonetheless, the portrait of Sunak that arose during the pandemic was that of a superslick, social-media savvy, immaculately dressed, handsome, but down-to-earth politician. “Dishy Rishi” was named “Britain’s sexiest MP” in 2020.

Sunak’s gleaming brand was tarnished, however, by a series of disclosures in April 2022. Perhaps most damaging was the revelation that his wife, as an Indian citizen and non-domiciled U.K. resident, had claimed a tax status that allowed her to avoid paying British taxes on her overseas income, which may have saved her as much as £20 million ($24 million) in U.K. taxes over a roughly seven-and-a-half-year period. While not illegal, the maneuver cast a bad light on Sunak, and Murthy was quick to revise her tax status. Sunak’s patriotism was also called into question when it was revealed that he had held on to a green card for U.S. residency until late October 2021, which seemed to suggest a desire to keep his options open. Finally, in April 2022 Sunak was fined by the police for having been among the guests at a birthday party for Johnson at his office in 2020 in violation of the government’s rules against social gatherings at that stage of the pandemic. Sunak claimed that his appearance at the party was inadvertent and the result of having appeared early for a meeting with the prime minister.

The fallout from the incident for Sunak, however, was much less than what the “Partygate” scandal would bring for the increasingly embattled Johnson. When the series of scandals involving Johnson’s integrity and honesty expanded to include the prime minister’s mishandling of allegations of sexual misconduct against former Conservative deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, Sunak joined Javid, then serving as health secretary, in resigning from the cabinet on July 5, 2022. Their prominent resignations contributed greatly to the groundswell of opposition within the Conservative Party that eventually forced Johnson’s resignation as party leader. Although some Tories saw Sunak’s action as traitorous, he was quick to declare his intention to replace Johnson as leader with a cannily produced campaign video that was released hot on the heels of Johnson’s announcement that he was stepping down.

With Johnson remaining as a caretaker prime minister until the party could choose a replacement for him, the parliamentary party (sitting Conservative MPs) set about the series of votes that incrementally winnowed the field of candidates for the leadership from eight to two. At the end of that process, Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss remained as the final duo whose names were submitted for a vote by the party’s whole membership.

Sunak stood to be the first person of color and first Hindu to lead Britain. To achieve that end, he would have to overcome the perception among some Conservatives of his being too wealthy to understand the needs of the average British citizen at a time of devastating inflation and the reservations of other Conservatives who were put off by the tax increases Sunak had imposed on corporations and national insurance in an attempt to help offset the costs of the government’s pandemic relief programs. When the results of the election were announced on September 5, Sunak came up short, taking 42.6 percent of the vote, compared with 57.4 percent for Truss, who became party leader.

Truss’s tenure in office would prove to be the shortest in British history at just over six weeks. Her attempt to impose an unfunded £45 billion ($50 billion) in tax cuts while also capping energy prices for two years promised to open a gaping budget deficit and panicked financial markets. (During the leadership campaign, Sunak had warned against just such tax cuts.) After the pound plummeted, mortgage rates climbed, and the cost of U.K. government borrowing rose, the Bank of England was forced to take emergency action to calm the markets. Truss quickly replaced her Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng with Jeremy Hunt , who almost immediately rescinded Truss’s economic plan, but confidence in Truss’s leadership was damaged beyond repair. Although Conservative Party rules protected Truss from a vote on her leadership for a year, dissent among Conservative MPs grew rapidly, and calls for her resignation mounted. On October 20 Truss announced her resignation, putting into motion another leadership contest.

This time around, 100 nominations from Conservative MPs were required for candidate eligibility. Because there were 357 Conservative MPs, at most only three candidates could advance for consideration. Again the two finalists were then to be put to a vote by the party membership. Sunak, who still enjoyed broad support among MPs, was the early favorite. House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt was the first to declare her candidacy, but support for her was limited. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace looked to be a popular choice, but he opted not to run and threw his conditional support to Johnson—who suddenly was back in the mix despite being ousted from office only months earlier—not least because of his continued popularity with the broader party membership. As tensions grew, Johnson made a dramatic return to the U.K. from a vacation in the Dominican Republic . All of this unfolded in a matter of days. On October 23, the day before nominations were due, Johnson withdrew from consideration. By early October 24 more than half the MPs had already committed to nominate Sunak. When Mordaunt dropped out shortly before the deadline, the way was clear for Sunak, as the sole remaining candidate, to be confirmed as party leader, setting the stage for him to become prime minister. He took office the following day.

Sunak assumed leadership of a party whose popularity was at a near historic low. Truss’s chaotic six-week rule had caused public support for the Conservative brand to crater, but Sunak managed to check, if not reverse, the decline. Just weeks into his prime ministership, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that Scotland was not empowered to conduct another independence referendum without Westminster’s approval. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon responded by pledging to make the next U.K. parliamentary election a de facto referendum on Scottish independence.

In March 2023 Sunak held off a Tory rebellion and passed the so-called Windsor Framework, a post- Brexit deal to regulate trade between Northern Ireland , the rest of the United Kingdom, and the European Union . During his campaign to drum up support for the bill, Sunak stressed the “privileged access, not just to the U.K. home market, which is enormous, but also the EU single market” that Northern Ireland would enjoy under the framework. Critics were quick to observe that, prior to Brexit, the entire United Kingdom could boast this “privileged access.” Nevertheless, the European Union approved the deal, and the stage was set for the eventual restoration of Northern Ireland’s devolved government (it was suspended in February 2022 when the Democratic Unionist Party enacted a boycott over post-Brexit trade).

In November 2023 Sunak sacked controversial home secretary Suella Braverman as part of a broader cabinet reshuffle that saw the stunning return to government of former prime minister David Cameron as foreign secretary. Cameron, who was elevated to the House of Lords and created Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton in order to take his seat in the cabinet, seemed an unusual choice, as Sunak had previously endeavored to characterize his government as a break with the past. The return of Cameron to front bench politics did little to buoy Conservative fortunes, and polls of voting intent consistently showed the Labour Party holding a sizable lead over the Conservatives. Thus, it came as a surprise in May 2024 when Sunak announced that a general election would be held in July of that year, more than six months ahead of the legally mandated deadline.

That contest saw the Conservatives suffer one of the worst routs in the history of the party, with several high-ranking members of Sunak’s cabinet losing their seats. Keir Starmer ’s resurgent Labour Party ended 14 years of Conservative rule with a landslide victory, a result that Sunak described as “a sobering verdict” delivered by the British people.

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Rishi Sunak to become UK’s first Hindu prime minister

Richmond mp lost out to liz truss this summer but his dire economic warnings about her ‘fairy tale’ tax policies have been entirely vindicated by her disastrous and short-lived reign, article bookmarked.

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Rishi Sunak will be Britiain’s new prime minister – and its first Hindu leader, just in time for Diwali – after an extraordinarily turbulent year in Westminster and for him personally.

It was his resignation from government alongside Sajid Javid on 5 July that triggered the landslide – in which almost 60 Conservative ministers followed suit over a madcap 40-hour period – that finally brought an end to Boris Johnson ’s scandal-plagued premiership, setting in motion the red-hot chaos of recent months.

With Mr Johnson forced out, his former chancellor, 42, initially found himself leading the parliamentary leg of the contest to replace him but swiftly fell behind foreign secretary (and eventual winner) Liz Truss as soon as it became a straight two-horse race.

Mr Sunak’s campaign had hoped to kindle warm memories of his generosity when Covid-19 first slammed Britain into lockdown in the spring of 2020, the days of “Dishy Rishi”, the free-spending chancellor behind the £69bn furlough scheme best known for working behind his laptop in a hoodie and ferrying plates around Wagamama to promote his Eat Out to Help Out initiative.

But the Conservative Party membership were unmoved, preferring Ms Truss’s pie-in-the-sky promises to his claims that he was the ideal person to revive an ailing economy that he himself has been at the helm of for two-and-a-half-years.

The choice proved deeply unwise and Mr Sunak has since been entirely vindicated about the folly of Ms Truss’s “fairy tale” tax cuts and once again finds the keys to No 10 within his grasp.

Should his dream finally come to pass – he must still see off a challenge from Commons leader Penny Mordaunt – he would still, eventually, need to convince the British electorate that his being one of the richest MPs in government, thanks to his marriage to Indian billionaire’s daughter Akshata Murthy, need not be an obstacle to understanding the realities of poverty in the UK today.

Mr Sunak was born in Southampton on 12 May 1980, his parents Yashvir and Usha Sunak a GP and pharmacist respectively, the couple originally from East Africa with roots in Punjab, India.

The eldest of three children, Mr Sunak attended the prestigious Stroud School in Hampshire and Winchester College, where he was head boy and edited the school newspaper, waiting tables in a curry house during the school holidays to boost his coffers.

Slightly embarrassingly in hindsight, the family appeared in a BBC documentary in 2001 entitled Middle Classes: Their Rise and Sprawl , a clip of which recently resurfaced online and went viral in which the future chancellor can be seen declaring that he has working class friends, before retracting the statement as though it were absurd.

From there, he studied politics, philosophy and economics at Lincoln College, Oxford, and, according to Tatler , talked about himself as a future Conservative prime minister even then.

He then worked as an analyst at Goldman Sachs before joining a series of hedge funds, marrying Ms Murthy, daughter of “India’s Steve Jobs”, NR Narayana Murthy, in August 2009 and finally entering politics by becoming the MP for Richmond in the Yorkshire Dales following the 2015 general election, succeeding William Hague .

Serving as parliamentary under-secretary for local government and then chief secretary to the Treasury, he was appointed chancellor by Mr Johnson on 13 February 2020, a matter of weeks before Covid first arrived on these shores.

Popular for much of the pandemic, even Mr Sunak could not remain entirely untainted by Partygate , which first erupted, like the Omicron variant, in late 2021.

Wave after wave of damaging stories about rule-breaking wine fridge booze-ups at Downing Street while the country was in lockdown continuously rocked the Johnson premiership throughout December and January, with only the Omicron scare and Christmas providing respite.

The scandal whipped up real anger among the British public, already incensed by Dominic Cummings ’ illicit road trip to Barnard Castle, who had been imprisoned in their own homes, frightened for the future, unable to go to work, see their friends and relatives or even say goodbye to those they lost to the virus.

Resentment festered over the PM’s apparent blithe indifference for the very people he had presumed to represent ever since they had handed him a landslide election victory two years earlier and whose faith he had repaid with a “one rule for them, another for us” approach to governance.

Mr Johnson struck an increasingly desperate and discredited figure in January as Whitehall mandarin Sue Gray gathered what looked like damning evidence against him and turned much of it over to London’s Metropolitan Police , compelling officers to launch an investigation of their own, as seething backbenchers handed in their letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady ’s 1922 Committee in droves.

Meanwhile, over in No 11, Mr Sunak shrewdly kept his distance until he was eventually forced to concede that he had attended a Cabinet Room birthday bash for Mr Johnson.

He apologised for doing so by saying: “I can appreciate people’s frustration. And I think it’s now the job of all of us in government and all politicians to restore people’s trust.”

During his boss’s darkest day – a particularly savage Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on 12 January – Mr Sunak absented himself in Devon and only that evening tweeted a rather half-hearted message of support , saying only that Mr Johnson had been “right to apologise” and calling for “patience”.

By 23 January, he was being accused of sounding out potential backers for a leadership challenge among Leicestershire’s “Pork Pie Plotters” .

Six days later, there were claims he had described Partygate as “unsurvivable” for Mr Johnson while his aides, including “boy genius” adviser Cass Horowitz, had reportedly “built a draft version of a campaign website, taking inspiration from his weekly No 11 newsletter, and developed a marketing strategy” in anticipation of an imminent leadership bid.

By 3 February, Mr Sunak was openly refusing to rule out running for the top job in an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg and distancing himself from the PM’s unjust smear against Sir Keir Starmer over the failure of the Crown Prosecution Service to go after notorious paedophile Jimmy Savile during his tenure as director of public prosecutions.

But before Partygate could reach the crescendo that looked inevitable, Russian president Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, the very same day that Mr Johnson ended the last of the social restrictions imposed in England to contain the coronavirus .

The pandemic was largely swept from the news agenda as the world watched events unfolding in Eastern Europe with horror, quickly rallying behind the courageous resistance mounted by the Ukrainian people.

Leading the international condemnation of Moscow, Mr Johnson was unexpectedly able to rehabilitate his image by feeding defensive weapons and aid to Ukraine and even visiting Kyiv to tour the city centre in person in a show of solidarity with president Volodymyr Zelensky .

Mr Sunak, meanwhile, was left languishing at home and endured a torrid time of it, delivering the bad news about a worsening cost of living crisis, which has seen inflation climb to a 40-year high and household energy bills rocket.

His widely unpopular Spring Statement on 23 March saw him fail to add to the £350-a-year aid package he had already announced to help families tackle the booming cost of heating their homes and fail to ditch an imminent rise in National Insurance.

Despite a crowd-pleasing cut in fuel duty, a YouGov poll concluded that 69 per cent of Britons believed the chancellor had not done enough to help working people out of financial hardship.

The days that followed saw Mr Sunak face media scrutiny the likes of which he had never previously known, resulting in a succession of gaffes that exposed his apparent inexperience and naivety.

He tried in vain to defend the proposition that he, of all people, was telling low-income families they would simply have to tighten their belts and go without.

A phone-in on LBC landed him in an uncomfortable encounter with a single mother who said she was unable to keep her radiators on and worried for her children.

A question about the price of bread in an interview with the BBC drew the response, “We have all different breads in my house”, and a publicity stunt at a Sainsbury’s petrol station saw him forced to borrow a staff member’s Kia Rio and struggle to pay at the till with his contactless card, as though he had never before had to buy a can of Coke and a Twirl in his life.

Fashion columnists had already noticed the £795 Reiss shearling jacket Mr Sunak wore on an ice skating trip to the Natural History Museum with his daughter in the New Year and were now raising eyebrows over his £335 trainers as the perception grew that the chancellor was in no position to understand the very real concerns of the electorate.

A revelation that he and Ms Murty had made a £100,000 donation to Winchester College , his old alma mater, hardly helped matters.

Nor did The Independent ’s subsequent story that Ms Murty, believed to hold a £690m stake in her father’s giant IT services company Infosys, had saved millions of pounds in tax on her earnings thanks to her non-dom status , an entirely legal strategy but not a good look in the current dire fiscal climate.

Already facing awkward questions about Infosys’s business ties to Russia, Ms Murty announced on 8 April that she would now pay tax after all but it was too late to stem the criticism of her partner.

A further story about Mr Sunak still holding a US green card – the family have a second home in sunny California – while working for the British government, provoked further demands from Sir Keir that he “come clean” about his personal affairs.

The strain beginning to show, the chancellor complained in an interview with The Sun that he believed the opposition was responsible for the leaks against his wife (the party has suggested he “look a little closer to home”) and moved his family out of Downing Street .

He wrote to Mr Johnson referring himself to Lord Geidt , then the independent adviser on ministers’ interests, asking for an investigation to be carried out into his private finances in order to establish that he was guilty of no wrongdoing.

Making matters worse, he – along with Mr Johnson and the latter’s wife, Carrie Johnson – was given a £50 fixed-penalty notice by Met Police on 12 April for attending the rule-breaking birthday bash.

Despite announcing further measures to help families through the ever-worsening economic crisis, Mr Sunak’s popularity dwindled while Cabinet colleagues Ms Truss and Ben Wallace drew plaudits for their support for Ukraine and Mr Johnson soldiered on, weathering one scandal after another.

The Chris Pincher affair finally saw the Conservative Party’s patience run dry, leading to the operatic events of early July.

Mr Sunak’s decisiveness over that issue has helped his cause immeasurably and he quickly secured the support of such influential backers as Oliver Dowden , Grant Shapps and Dominic Raab but was nevertheless unable to convince the party membership of his merits.

In the final two of the leadership battle, the former chancellor had found himself preaching fiscal responsibility and pragmaticism against Ms Truss’s gung-ho tax cut promises and arguing over who was the true Thatcherite and the most committed Brexiteer.

Since that toxic, personal and needlessly drawn-out contest was decided in Ms Truss’s favour, Mr Sunak can only have sat back and watched in glee and horror at what unfolded, his every warning entirely borne out by her disastrous tenure in Downing Street, characterised by spooked global financial markets, a massive Bank of England rescue effort to prop up pension funds and a fourth chancellor in four months.

Only Mr Johnson can have enjoyed recent events more.

Now that Ms Truss’s inevitable resignation has been confirmed , and with Mr Johnson’s mooted return aborted, Mr Sunak seems all but certain to win the day.

But such is the state the country is in, he may soon find himself wishing he had not.

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Rishi Sunak will make history as the first person of color to be Britain’s prime minister.

Born in southern England to parents of Indian heritage, he has spoken of a childhood split between the Hindu temple and cheering on the local soccer team.

By Stephen Castle Shashank Bengali and Matthew Mpoke Bigg

• Oct. 24, 2022

Rishi Sunak is poised to make history as Britain’s first prime minister of color, a milestone for a polyglot nation that has become more ethnically diverse in recent decades, albeit one roiled by occasional anti-immigrant fervor.

Mr. Sunak, who rose swiftly from newbie member of Parliament to become chancellor of the Exchequer at age 39, was born in Southampton, on the southern English coast, to parents of Indian heritage who emigrated from British colonial East Africa six decades ago.

His father was a family doctor; his mother ran a pharmacy. On his official website , Mr. Sunak says that among his first experiences in business was working in his mother’s small shop. “I grew up watching my parents serve our local community with dedication,” he writes.

Mr. Sunak’s grandparents were originally from Punjab. He has said that he experienced little racism growing up, but recounted in a BBC interview an incident from his teenage years that has stayed with him. While with his two younger siblings at a fast-food restaurant, he said, he heard some other patrons refer to them using a racist epithet.

“It stung, I still remember, it’s seared in my memory,” he told the BBC . But he added that he “can’t conceive of that happening today” in Britain.

His parents saved money to send him to Winchester College, one of Britain’s most elite and academically rigorous fee-paying schools. After graduating with a top degree from Oxford University and then attending Stanford University, he went on to make a fortune in finance, including a spell at Goldman Sachs, before winning a seat in Parliament in 2015, representing a constituency in Yorkshire.

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Rishi Sunak Biography: Birth, Age, Parents, Education, Political Career, Net Worth, And More

Rishi sunak has become the first indian-origin prime minister of the united kingdom. check rishi sunak's birth, age, wife, education, and other details. .

Rishi Sunak is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He is one of the wealthiest politicians in Westminster, Britain as well as the first leader of colour. He replaced the former PM Liz Truss who only lasted 44 days in the job before she resigned from the position. 

Indian-origin UK politician Rishi Sunak's campaign to be the Prime Minister of Britain after the resignation of Boris Johnson on July 7, 2022, received an endorsement from the Deputy Prime Minister of Britain Dominic Raab and transport minister Grant Shapps, who decided to ditch his own leadership bid to back Sunak. 

Rishi Sunak, the 41-year-old served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2020 to 2022, having previously served as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2019 to 2020. Rishi Sunak is a member of the Conservative Party who has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond (Yorks) since 2015. 

I’ve landed in Delhi ahead of the #G20 summit. I am meeting world leaders to address some of the challenges that impact every one of us. Only together can we get the job done. pic.twitter.com/72vE60c7Fg — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) September 8, 2023

Let's take a look at the life of Rishi Sunak.

Rishi Sunak Biography

Rishi Sunak Biography: Birth, Age, and Parents

Rishi Sunak was born on 12 May 1980 in Southampton, Hampshire, South East England to Indian parents Yashvir and Usha Sunak who were born in Kenya and Tanzania respectively. His father was a general practitioner while his mother was a pharmacist who ran a local pharmacy. 

Rishi Sunak Education 

Rishi sunak's business career, rishi sunak: as a frontrunner for uk prime minister.

Rishi Sunak, on July 8, 2022, a day after the resignation of former UK PM Boris Johnson, announced that he would stand as a candidate in the Conservative Party Leadership Election to replace Boris Johnson. The conservative politicians who supported Boris Johnson criticized Rishi Sunak as leading the charge in bringing down the Prime Minister. 

Rishi Sunak's Political Career

In 2014, he was chosen as the Conservative candidate for Richmond (Yorks), a seat that had previously been held by William Hague. The seat has been held by the Conservative Party for over 100 years now. That year, he headed the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Research Unit of Policy Exchange and co-wrote a report on BME communities in the United Kingdom. 

In the 2015 General Election, he was elected as an MP from Richmond (Yorks). From 2015 to 2017, he served as a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. 

He supported the EU referendum in 2016. He also wrote a report for the Centre for Policy Studies supporting the establishment of free ports after Brexit, and the following year wrote a report advocating for the creation of a retail bond market for SMEs. 

He was re-elected as MP from the same seat in the 2017 General Election. He served as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary from January 2018 to July 2019. He supported PM Boris Johnson in the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election and even co-wrote an article in a British national daily to advocate for Johnson during the campaign in June 2019. 

Sunak was re-elected in the 2019 General Election and was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in July 2019 and served under Chancellor Sajid Javid. He became a member of the Privy Council on 25 July 2019. 

After a cabinet reshuffle in February 2020, Sunak was promoted to Chancellor of the Exchequer. 

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Sunak presented his first budget on 11 March 2020. As the pandemic created a financial impact, Sunak announced the £30 billion of additional spending of which £12 billion was allocated for mitigation of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On 17 March 2020, he announced £330 billion in emergency support for businesses and a salary subsidy scheme for employees. Three days later, he announced the job retention scheme but received severe backlash as an estimated 100,000 people were not eligible for it. The scheme was extended until 30 September 2021. 

Sunak unveiled the £30 billion Eat Out to Help Out Scheme to support and create jobs in the hospitality industry. The government-subsidized food and soft drinks at participating cafes, pubs and restaurants at 50%, up to £10 per person. The offer was available from 3 to 31 August 2020 from Monday to Wednesday. While some consider the scheme to be a success as it subsidized £849 million in meals, others disagree. A study at the University of Warwick revealed that the scheme contributed to a rise in COVID-19 infections of between 8% and 17%. 

In his March 2021 budget, Sunak announced that the deficit had risen to £355 billion in the FY 2020-2021, the highest in peacetime. He increased the corporation tax from earlier 19 to 25% in 2023, a five-year freeze in the tax-free personal allowance and the higher rate income tax threshold. 

At the G7 Summit in June 2021, a tax reform agreement was signed to establish a global minimum tax on multinationals and online technology companies. In October 2021, OECD signed an accord to join the tax reform plan. 

Rishi Sunak Wife 

Non-domiciled status of rishi sunak's wife and green card.

Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murthy has non-domiciled status, which means that she is not required to pay tax on the income that she earned abroad while living in the United Kingdom. Murthy pays around 30,000 pounds to secure the particular status, which further allows her to avoid paying an estimated 20 million pounds in UK taxes. 

After the media controversy on the matter which arose during Rishi Sunak's announcement to run for Prime Minister, Akshata Murthy announced on April 8, 2022, that she will pay UK taxes on her global income. She further added that she does not want it to be an issue or a distraction from her husband's plans. 

Reportedly it was also revealed that Rishi Sunak continued to hold the U.S. Permanent Resident Card he had acquired in the 2000s until 2021, including for 18 months after he was Chancellor, which required filling the U.S. Tax returns. 

Also Read | Rakesh Sharma Biography: Birth, Age, Education, Career, Awards and More About Indian Astronaut

Get here current GK and GK quiz questions in English and Hindi for India , World, Sports and Competitive exam preparation. Download the Jagran Josh Current Affairs App .

• Where is Rishi Sunak from originally? + Rishi Sunak was born in Southampton to Indian parents who migrated to Britain from East Africa in the 1960's.
• When was Rishi Sunak born? + Rishi Sunak was born on 12th May 1980 in Southampton.
• How old is Rishi Sunak? + Rishi Sunak is 42 years old.
• What degree does Rishi Sunak have? + He graduated in Politics and Economics from Lincoln College, Oxford and obtained an MBA from Stanford University, where he was a Fulbright scholar.
• Who is the father in law of Rishi Sunak? + Indian billionaire N.R. Narayana Murthy is the father in law of Rishi Sunak.
• Who is Rishi Sunak married to? + Rishi Sunak is married to Akshata Murthy. The couple has two daughters.
• What is the nationality of Rishi Sunak? + The nationality of Rishi Sunak is British.
• Who is Rishi Sunak? + Rishi Sunak is the Chancellor of the Exchequer since February 2020 and MP for Richmond (Yorks) in North Yorkshire since 2015. He is speculated to be the frontrunner for Prime Minister's position.
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Rishi Sunak Wiki, Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Rishi Sunak is an Indian-origin British Conservative Party politician. He is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond (Yorks) since the 2015 UK general election and assumed the office as the “Chancellor of the Exchequer” (Finance Minister) on 13 February 2020. In October 2022, he became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, making him the first person of colour to become Prime Minister in British history. [1] The New York Times He is married to Akshata Murthy , who is the daughter of N. R. Narayana Murthy , c0-founder of Infosys, and a billionaire.

Wiki/Biography

Rishi Sunak was born on Monday, 12 May 1980 ( age 44   years; as of 2024 ) in Southampton, Hampshire. His zodiac sign is Taurus. He completed his schooling at Winchester College (a boarding school for boys in Winchester, Hampshire), where he was a head boy. He pursued a bachelor’s degree in PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) from Lincoln College, Oxford University. He holds a degree in MBA from Stanford University, where he attended college as a Fulbright scholar. Before stepping into politics he worked with several top-class large investment firms.

A childhood image of Rishi Sunak with his younger sister

Physical Appearance

[2] Daily Mail Height: 5′ 6″

Eye Colour:  Black

Rishi Sunak was born into a Punjabi Hindu family, who emigrated to the UK from East Africa. [3] news18

Parents & Siblings

His father, Yashvir Sunak, is an NHS General Practitioner, and his mother, Usha Sunak, is a pharmacist.

Rishi Sunak with his parents

He has two younger siblings. His brother named Sanjay Sunak is a consultant clinical psychologist & neuropsychologist, and his sister named Raakhi Williams works as chief of strategy and planning at the United Nations global fund for education in New York.

Rishi Sunak’s younger brother Sanjay Sunak

Rishi Sunak’s sister, Raakhi Williams

Wife & Children

He met his wife Akshata Murthy , the daughter of Indian billionaire and co-founder of Infosys, N. R. Narayana Murthy in California, during his MBA course at Stanford University. They later got married on 30 August 2009 in Bangalore. Akshata runs her own fashion designing company “Akshata Designs” and is also the director of her father’s Large investment firm “Catamaran Ventures UK Ltd.”

A picture of Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, and his in-laws- N. R. Narayana Murthy (father-in-law) and Sudha Murthy (mother-in-law)

The couple has two daughters, Anoushka Sunak and Krishna Sunak .

Rishi Sunak with his wife, Akshata Murty and children

He follows the Hindu religion and often visits the temple. [4] BBC News

Signature/Autograph

Rishi Sunak’s signature

Rishi Sunak started his first job as an analyst in 2001 for an American multinational investment bank, “Goldman Sachs” in California; before leaving it in 2004. He later worked for The Children’s Investment Fund Management (a London-based hedge fund management firm), before he was made a partner of the same organisation on 15 September 2006. [5] Financial Conduct Authority He quit the firm in November 2009, to join former colleagues to launch an investment partnership firm “Theleme Partners” in October 2010 with an initial investment of $536 million. In 2013, he and his wife were appointed as the directors of a major investment firm “Catamaran Ventures UK Ltd” owned by his father-in-law and Indian businessman N. R. Narayana Murthy. He later resigned from the firm on 30 April 2015; however, his wife is still continuing as the director of the organisation. [6] Companies House

Member of Parliament

Rishi Sunak set foot in the UK Parliament for the first time in October 2014, when he was selected as a Conservative MP candidate for Richmond; following the announcement of former MP William Hague not to contest the next general election. In 2015, Sunak contested the UK general election from Richmond and won with a majority of 36.5% votes [7] General Elections Online . As a member of parliament, Sunak worked as a member of the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Select Committees from the year 2015 to 2017. In the year 2016, Sunak campaigned and also held many public Q&A sessions for the Brexit referendum; he supported the exit of the UK from the European Union. In the 2017 General elections, Sunak was re-elected as the MP of Richmond (Yorks) with an even bigger majority of 23,108 (40.5%). [8] GOV.UK He held the office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State from 9 January 2018 to 24 July 2019.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury

After his stint as the “Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State” at the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, he was appointed as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury by the former Prime Minister of the UK Borris Johnson on 24 July 2019. [9] GOV.UK In the 2019 General elections, he was re-elected as the MP for Richmond (Yorks); marking his third consecutive victory as the Member of Parliament with an increased majority of 27,210 votes (47.2%). [10] The Times of India

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Rishi Sunak’s booming political career witnessed yet another promotion when the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, dramatically stepped down from his post, and Sunak was appointed for the second-most powerful political job in Britain as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister) on 13 February 2020. On 5 July 2022, he took to Twitter to announce his resignation as Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister) citing his differences with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning. My letter to the Prime Minister below. pic.twitter.com/vZ1APB1ik1 — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2022

Conservative Party Leadership Election in 2022

On 20 July 2022, he became the top choice amongst Conservative MPs and competed against Liz Truss in a postal vote of party members; however, he lost the Conservative leadership race to Truss; Sunak received 42.6% votes, while Truss received 57.4% votes. [11] The Telegraph

57th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Following the short-lived tenure of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak became the top choice for the post after his only remaining opponent, Penny Mordaunt, withdrew from the race to become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and on 25 October 2022, King Charles III appointed him as the new Prime Minister. [12] The Guardian

King Charles III appointed new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Buckingham Palace on 25 October 2022

2024 General Elections

The Conservatives lost the election to Labours following which Keir Starmer replaced Sunak as Prime Minister.

Books Written by Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak, apart from being an established businessman and politician, has also tried his hand at writing books. In May 2014, he collaborated with Saratha Rajeswaran on his first book “A Portrait of Modern Britain,” published by Policy Exchange. [13] Rishi Sunak This book discussed Demography, Social Change, and Ethnic Groups in the UK. On 14 November 2016, amid his campaigning in the favour of BREXIT, Sunak released his second book “The Free Ports Opportunity: How Brexit Could Boost Trade, Manufacturing and the North.” This book discussed how BREXIT will lead to the creation of new ports and will further enhance new trade opportunities for Britain. The following year, he published another book titled “A New Era for Retail Bonds: How Our Savings Could Help SMEs Grow.” This book demanded the government to back and lift up the SMEs (Small and medium-sized enterprises) in the UK by creating a new exchange for SME bonds.

Controversies

Wife’s tax arrangements.

In April 2022, the opposition questioned Sunak about the income of his wife, Akshata Murthy, who, according to some media reports, claimed a non-domiciled tax status in the UK that exempted her to pay taxes on dividend benefits received from overseas companies. He also faced allegations over his wife’s income from Russia, where Murthy’s company, Infosys, was operating even during the Russia-Ukraine War in 2022. Later, in a statement, Infosys announced the withdrawal of its services from Russia. [14] The Hindu

Transwomen are not women

In 2022, in an interview, when he was asked, “Yes or no. Is transwoman a woman?,” he answered, “No”. This answer of his was not welcomed by netizens and supporters of trans rights. In another video posted on Youtube in April 2022, he said,

It is important to have compassion and respect for people’s views. When it comes to questions like toilets or sports, you know, I’m of the view that biology is important, it’s fundamental, it’s critical to how we approach those types of questions.” [15] Outlook

Earlier, contrary to this statement of his, he was in support of the transgender community. Reportedly, while speaking to LGBT+ Conservatives, he said,

Prejudice against trans people is wrong. The Conservative Party is an open, welcoming family to everybody across society, no matter who they are and irrespective of their background. I have the track record of delivery, a clear plan to fix the biggest problems we face and I will deliver on the promise of the 2019 manifesto.” [16] Outlook

When he was running for the Prime Ministerial elections, he said that Britain should become a safe and secure country for queer people and people should come out as who they are. In the 2019 manifesto, he talked about trans rights and said,

We will vigorously combat harassment and violence against all religious groups, and against LGBT people.” [17] Outlook

Car Collection

Rishi Sunak’s Volkswagen Golf GTI

Rishi Sunak getting in his car, Jaguar XJ L

Rishi Sunak walking past by his car Land Rover Discovery

Rishi Sunak getting out of his Land Rover Range Rover Sentinel

Assets & Properties

Rishi Sunak’s mansion in the Yorkshire village of Kirby Sigston

Rishi Sunak’s penthouse apartment on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, California

Rishi Sunak’s mews mansion in Kensington, West London

• A first-floor flat in Old Brompton Road, Kensington worth $300,000. Rishi Sunak owns this property. [19] Daily Express [20] Housing

As of 2022, his net worth was reported to be £200 million. His collective net worth along with his wife Akshata Murty was roughly estimated to be $810 million. [21] Forbes As of Sunday Times Rich List 2022, the couple was ranked 222 on the rich list. [22] The Times

• Food: Idli, Sambar, Dosa, double chocolate muffin, biscuits
• Drink: Coca-Cola
• Film: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
• Author: Roald Dahl
• Sport: Cricket, Football
• Footballer: Matt Le Tissier

Facts/Trivia

Rishi Sunak giving his first speech as the PM of the UK at 10 Downing Street

It was obviously marvellous. It meant a lot of things to a lot of people. As chancellor, I was able to light my Diwali Diyas (lamps) on the steps of Downing Street. It said something wonderful about our country that was possible, but also that it wasn’t a big deal. It was in a sense, gosh, this is great, but also that’s just Britain. Hopefully, it’s a source of collective pride across the country.” [23] India Today

• Sunak is the first Prime Minister of the UK, who was appointed by King Charles III.
• According to sources, Rishi Sunak’s net worth is double that of King Charles III. This fortune came to Sunak after he got married to Akshata Murty. [24] CNBC
• Rishi Sunak is the youngest Prime Minster of the UK in the history of 200 years.
• He participated in the Prime Ministerial elections two times in 2022; he won the second time.
• Sunak is locally labelled “Maharaja of the Dales.”
• He is called ‘Dishy Rishi’ by many news agencies for his charming and confident appearance.
• Sunak volunteered for the election campaign of the Conservative party in 2014 before entering politics.
• Rishi took his oath at the House of Commons by the Bhagavad Gita. [25] HindustanTimes
• Sunak is a sports enthusiast. He is a fan of Southampton football club and England’s cricket team. He even went to Edgbaston cricket stadium to watch a game of the 2019 cricket world cup played between India vs England. Reportedly, when he was studying at Winchester College, he secretly took a portable television to watch England play in Euro 96 (Football Championship).

View this post on Instagram Great to witness a fantastic win for England with Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow leading the way. #engvind #cricketworldcup A post shared by Rishi Sunak (@rishisunakmp) on Jun 30, 2019 at 11:23am PDT

I’m a total Coke addict, Coca-Cola addict to be totally clear, I have seven fillings to show for it.” [26] The Times

Rishi Sunak barbecuing on a holiday

• At the age of 18, before he went for studying at Oxford University, he waited tables at a curry house in Southampton during his summer holidays.

Rishi Sunak in the Star Wars section in a toy shop

Rishi Sunak with his dog, Nova, and wife, Akshata Murty

• Rishi Sunak has the unofficial title of ‘the richest MP’ as he and his wife, together, has a whooping net worth of approximately $810 million.

Economics, absolutely my major academic love, I love economics, I still read lots of economics.”

• After Rishi Sunak became the first Indian to become chancellor of the exchequer, The Spectator, the British magazine, named him “Politician of the Year.”

God, no. Definitely not, seeing what the Prime Minister has to deal with.” [27] History

• Sunak is a skilled and eloquent public speaker, which was why he was chosen to represent the Conservative party in airwaves and debates.

I was just out with my younger brother and younger sister, and I think, probably pretty young, I was probably a mid-teenager, and we were out at a fast food restaurant and I was just looking after them. There were people sitting nearby, it was the first time I’d experienced it, just saying some very unpleasant things. The ‘P’ word. And it stung. I still remember it. It seared in my memory. You can be insulted in many different ways.” [28] BBC News

• In January 2023, during the filming of a promotional video related to the government’s latest round of “levelling up” spending in Lancashire, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was fined £100 by British police for not wearing a seatbelt following which he apologised for the mistake. This was the second time he had received a fixed penalty notice. In April 2022, Mr. Sunak, along with Boris Johnson and his wife, Carrie, received a fixed penalty notice for attending a birthday gathering for the then-Prime Minister in Downing Street in June 2020, which was in violation of the Covid lockdown guidelines in the country. [29] The Telegraph

Of course I have experienced racism, growing up, in particular, and of course I know it exists. It stings you in a way that very few other things do.”

• In September 2023, a London court found five former metropolitan officers guilty of making racist slurs and derogatory remarks against Rishi Sunak, Queen Elizabeth II , and others. The charges were based on their involvement in sending racist messages on WhatsApp between the years 2020 and 2022. [31] India Today

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Rishi Sunak in profile: From relative unknown to household name

We look at how the southampton-born banker made his way to the top job in the conservative party - and downing street - before calling a general election..

By Faye Brown and Jennifer Scott, political reporters

Wednesday 12 June 2024 12:24, UK

Rishi Sunak became the youngest prime minister of the modern era when he took over the Conservative Party back in 2022.

As we head towards the next election on 4 July, we take a look at how the Tory leader reached his position in politics and got the keys to Number 10.

First-class Oxford degree

Born in 1980 in Southampton, he is the eldest of three children to his parents of Punjabi descent.

Mr Sunak's father was a family doctor and his mother ran a pharmacy, where he helped her with the books.

He attended England's oldest public school, Winchester College, where he became the first Indian-origin head boy and was editor of the school paper.

He has since said his experience at the boarding school was "intellectually transforming" and put him "on a different trajectory".

More on General Election 2024

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Related Topics:

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• Rishi Sunak

Mr Sunak went on to study philosophy, politics and economics at Lincoln College at Oxford University, where he obtained a first-class degree.

After completing an MBA at Stanford University, where he met his future wife, Akshata Murthy, Mr Sunak worked for the investment bank Goldman Sachs as an analyst.

He was said to have already had job offers from investment banks under his belt while still in his second year at Oxford.

He moved to work for hedge funds in 2006 when he joined TCI, known as a very aggressive fund, and left three years later to cofound a new hedge fund.

Mr Sunak then turned his attention to politics.

Replacing a Tory grandee

In 2014, Mr Sunak was selected as the Conservative Party candidate in the Yorkshire seat of Richmond - previously held by former Tory leader William Hague - before the following year's general election.

Nicknamed the "maharajah of the Yorkshire Dales", he recalled being introduced as "the new William Hague" to his constituents after winning the ballot, to which a Yorkshire farmer replied: "Ah yes Haguey!

"Good bloke. I like him. Bit pale, though. This one's got a nice tan."

Soon after his entry into the Commons - where, as a Hindu, he took his oath on the Bhagavad Gita - the first big political fight of his career came over Brexit.

Mr Sunak supported leaving the EU, claiming the UK would be "freer, fairer and more prosperous" outside the bloc.

His side won, and he bided his time on the backbenches, supporting Theresa May's negotiations and writing papers on the benefits of freeports, before being appointed to government in January 2018 as a junior minister at the housing department.

After Mrs May's demise, he joined with colleagues Oliver Dowden and Robert Jenrick to write an article in The Telegraph, backing Boris Johnson as the only person who could "save" the Tory party.

His support paid off, as when Mr Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, Mr Sunak secured a promotion to become chief secretary to the Treasury, and the right-hand man to Sajid Javid as chancellor.

It was the exit of that boss that led to his real rise to prominence when he was made chancellor in February 2020 - a month before COVID took hold.

From relative unknown to household name

Mr Sunak won praise throughout the pandemic for rapidly introducing support schemes worth billions of pounds to keep jobs and businesses afloat during 18 months of lockdowns.

The likes of furlough and the "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme led to "dishy Rishi" becoming a household name, and a popular one with the public.

At the height of this popularity, he was seen by many Tory MPs as the sure-fire favourite to succeed Mr Johnson when the time came.

But he seemed to fall from grace as quickly as he rose to fame.

Mr Sunak introduced a number of policies that went down badly with Tory MPs, especially the rise in national insurance to fund more money for the NHS and social care.

He was also fined for attending the prime minister's birthday party during COVID restrictions in 2020, compromising his ability to separate himself from the partygate scandal.

But it was revelations about his wife that really damaged his standing with the public.

Wife's non-dom status hits leadership hopes

Ms Murty is a multimillionaire and daughter of billionaire NR Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of the Indian technology giant Infosys.

In April 2022 it was revealed she held non-dom status, meaning she did not have to pay UK tax on her sizeable international income, and it led to an uproar.

She later confirmed she would begin to pay tax on her international earnings as it had "become clear that many do not feel [the non-dom status] is compatible with my husband's role as chancellor".

The row led to opposition parties highlighting his family's wealth, with Mr Sunak facing accusations his personal circumstances made him an unsuitable candidate to take over and tackle the cost of living crisis .

Although he remained as chancellor, many wrote off his chances of becoming the next Tory leader.

But his resignation in July sparked a ministerial exodus and Mr Johnson's resignation as PM, paving the way for his first attempt at Downing Street.

In the ensuing leadership race, Mr Sunak came out on top in each of the five parliamentary rounds of the contest, making it to the final two along with Liz Truss, who was foreign secretary in Mr Johnson's government.

But as the campaign hit its stride and widened to the party membership, Mr Sunak found himself transformed from favourite to underdog.

While he warned of "tough choices ahead" to tackle record levels of national debt incurred during the pandemic, Ms Truss promised tax cuts as a priority.

He accused his competitor of "fairy-tale" economics and peddling "something-for-nothing" plans that even former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would baulk at.

But Ms Truss doubled down, landing blows on Mr Sunak for putting taxes up to the highest level in 70 years.

Staying in the background

She went on to win the party leadership after securing 57% of the vote, compared to 43% for Mr Sunak.

While Ms Truss embarked on a path of economic turmoil thanks to her tax-slashing mini-budget, the former chancellor kept a low profile, only appearing in the Commons for a few backbench debates and staying away from the cameras.

And after her resignation following a historically short tenure, all eyes were back on Mr Sunak as the candidate to bring back stability to the markets and, perhaps, the party.

He announced he was running to replace Ms Truss on Twitter three days later, having already reached the 100+ nominations needed to get a place on the ballot.

But that was all we saw of the favourite for PM as he again kept out of the spotlight, despite going for the highest profile job in the land.

Up until two minutes before the deadline for nominations, it looked like Mr Sunak would be facing Penny Mordaunt - another former leadership contestant who fancied her chances again.

But she pulled out of the race at the last minute and so, instead, he was anointed as both leader and prime minister without challenge - the first Hindu and British Asian to reach the position in UK history.

Rocky premiership

Standing on the steps of Downing Street, the new prime minister promised a government of "integrity, professionalism and accountability" as he attempted to break away from the chaos of his predecessors.

But his tenure in office has brought its own challenges - and a steady decline in both his and his party's popularity.

The first few months of his premiership saw a raft of scandals and resignations, with both Sir Gavin Williamson and Dominic Raab quitting amid bullying allegations, and Nadhim Zahawi exiting over his tax affairs .

Mr Sunak attempted to steady the ship come January 2023 by setting out his vision through "five priorities" for government .

His pledge to half the record inflation figure was achieved by the end of the year - though debate remains over whether that was through the work of the government or the markets.

But the jury remains out on his two other economic promises - reducing debt and growing the economy.

Cutting NHS waiting lists hasn't gone to plan either, with the numbers still sitting above 7.5 million, and relations with the sector remain rocky as junior doctors continue to strike over pay and conditions.

It is perhaps his final pledge, however, that has become the flagship of his premiership - "stop the boats".

Mr Sunak adopted the Johnson-era policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda in an attempt to deter further Channel crossings, but it has continued to cause him problems, from the UK's Supreme Court ruling it unlawful through to rebellions on his backbenches calling for tougher measures - he even lost some ministers over it.

But it remains front and centre of his agenda as he heads into the next general election after the passage of the Safety of Rwanda Act despite extensive wrangling with the House of Lords.

Calling an election

On Wednesday 22 May at 7am, figures showed inflation in the UK had fallen to 2.3% - close to the Bank of England's 2% target.

Within hours, rumours started to swirl that Mr Sunak was set to make an announcement outside Downing Street.

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And then shortly after 5pm, the prime minister announced a general election would be taking place on 4 July .

Rishi Sunak had fired the starting gun on the election that had to be called by the end of the year - going earlier than some people expected, including some within his own party .

Sir Keir Starmer responded shortly afterwards, and soon all the parties entered campaign mode with their sights set on the start of July.

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The remarkable rise of Rishi Sunak

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Who is Rishi Sunak? What to know about the new prime minister of the UK.

Just a few days after Liz Truss resigned as prime minister, the UK has a new prime minister . Truss, who lasted a mere 45 days in office, will be replaced by Rishi Sunak , a veteran of Bristish politics and a fellow member of the conservative party. 

Sunak , the former finance minister, was chosen by fellow members of Britain's Conservative Party, which currently controls parliament. The British people elect a party to power, not an individual, making it possible for the party in power to choose a new prime minister without a popular election. Sunak took office Tuesday, after meeting with King Charles at Buckingham Palace.

Sunak's newly assumed role marks a number of firsts. He is the first prime minister of color, the first of South Asian descent, and the first of the Hindu faith. Here's what else to know about Sunak, from his political views and previous wealth to his age and height. 

More on Sunak's election: Rishi Sunak completes comeback, to become Britain's first prime minister of color

A 'profound economic crisis': Britain's new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warns nation

Who is Rishi Sunak?

Rishi Sunak is the prime minister of the United Kingdom. He was selected by fellow members of Britain's Conservative Party after the previous prime minister, Liz Truss resigned. 

Sunak previously served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister) under Boris Johnson and spent many years prior in the banking sector, working for Goldman Sachs and managing a hedge fund. He attended Oxford University and Winchester College, before traveling to the U.S. to get his MBA at Stanford. 

Sunak notably resigning as finance minister this past July over what he deemed "fundamentally different" ideas about how to approach the economic crises at hand. His election as prime minister represents a triumphant return to Bristish politics. 

What is Rishi Sunak's net worth? 

Sunak and his family boast significant independent wealth. He and his wife have a combined estimated net worth of $1 billion, according to the Sunday Times Rich List . 

He is married to Akshata Murty, a tech heiress whose father, Narayana Murthy, founded Infosys, an Indian tech firm. 

Does Rishi Sunak have kids?

Yes. Sunak and Murty share two daughters : Krishna and Anoushka.

What religion is Rishi Sunak?

Sunak is of the Hindu faith, the first practicing member of the religion to serve as prime minister. 

He has spoken publicly about his faith and was sworn in on a sacred Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, according to the Washington Post. 

Liz Truss vs. lettuce: Vegetable outlasts British PM in tabloid's livestream competition

How old is Rishi Sunak?

Rishi Sunak is 42 years old, making him the youngest person to hold the office of prime minister in modern times. 

How tall is Rishi Sunak?

Sunak is 5 feet 6 inches tall, according to Bristish GQ, which published an opinion article recently claiming Sunak's election was ushering in the end of the "short king" era. 

Is Rishi Sunak right wing?

Yes. Sunak is a member of Britain's Conservative Party which is considered the right-wing arm of the parliament, with Labour Party forming the left-wing arm. 

However, British politics are not a perfect mirror image of American politics. While there are parallels, the Conservative Party is not identical to the Republican Party, and 'right wing' can take on a different meaning in the context of the United Kingdom's political environment.

Sunak has not yet released the specifics of his plan to combat what he called a ''profound economic crisis," details are expected Oct. 31, when the newly appointed government will lay out its medium-term fiscal plan. He is expected by many to be a pragmatic leader, saying in his inaugural address, "We now need stability and unity."

Sunak is expected to be a more moderate in his economic approach than his predecessor, steadying a volatile economy which saw the pound plummet over major tax cuts proposed by Truss, ultimately leading to her resignation. He remains a conservative political thinker though, likely to favor pro-business policies. 

Did Rishi Sunak vote for Brexit? 

Sunak was one of the earliest vocal supporters of Brexit, though he distinguished himself from more right-wing members of his party by supporting a more moderate approach, the New York Times reported. 

Why did Liz Truss resign? 

Liz Truss beat out Sunak in a contest earlier in the Summer to assume the post of prime minister, replacing Boris Johnson, who resigned himself over a scandal involving violation of his own COVID-19 lockdown protocols. 

Truss served a mere 45 days though, entering office with a widely criticized economic plan which involved large tax cuts meant to stimulate an already suffering economy. The cuts had an opposite effect, prompting an intervention from the central bank. 

In response to plummeting poll numbers and an economy in crisis, Truss resigned her post, saying in a speech, "I recognize, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate to which I was elected by the Conservative Party."

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Rishi Sunak

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Introduction

(born 1980). British Conservative politician Rishi Sunak became prime minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Liz Truss in 2022. Sunak was the first person of color and first Hindu to serve as the country’s prime minister. He resigned as prime minister in July 2024 after the Labour Party won a landslide victory in a general election.

Early Years

Sunak was born on May 12, 1980, in Southampton, England. His family had immigrant roots. His grandparents emigrated from Punjab, in northwestern India, to East Africa. There his mother and father were born in Tanzania and Kenya, respectively. They met and married after their families migrated in the 1960s to Southampton. Sunak’s father became a physician for the National Health Service. His mother owned and operated a small pharmacy.

Sunak attended boarding school in Hampshire. He later studied philosophy, politics, and economics at Lincoln College, one of the colleges that make up the University of Oxford . While at Oxford, Sunak had an internship at the headquarters of the Conservative Party.

After graduating from Oxford in 2001, Sunak became an analyst for the investment banking company Goldman Sachs. He worked for Goldman Sachs until 2004. He then pursued a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) at Stanford University in California. At Stanford he met his future wife, Akshata Murthy, daughter of Narayana Murthy, an Indian billionaire and cofounder of the technology giant Infosys.

Sunak returned to the United Kingdom after earning his MBA in 2006. He continued working in the investment industry. For a number of years he worked for firms known as hedge funds. These types of investment companies employ often high-risk strategies in the hope of obtaining large returns for their customers. In 2009 Sunak married Murthy. The couple would have two daughters.

Political Career

In 2014 Sunak was chosen as the Conservative Party’s candidate for the House of Commons representing Richmond in North Yorkshire. He was elected by a commanding majority in May 2015. Sunak was reelected to Parliament in 2017 and 2019.

Cabinet Posts

In January 2018 Sunak was appointed to his first cabinet post as undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. He became a vocal supporter of Boris Johnson ’s pursuit of the Conservative Party’s leadership. When Johnson became party leader and prime minister, he rewarded Sunak by appointing him chief secretary to the Treasury in July 2019.

In February 2020 Johnson elevated Sunak to the post of chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister). Almost immediately Sunak was faced with the steep challenges brought about by the arrival in Britain of the COVID-19 pandemic . The British economy suffered as the government imposed lockdowns in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Sunak employed the powers of his office to try to offset the economic damage. He instituted a program that dedicated emergency funds for businesses and salary subsidies for workers. This rescue package proved widely popular.

In late 2021 reports first surfaced that Johnson and members of his cabinet and staff had violated social-distancing orders earlier in the pandemic. They were accused of having held parties during times when the government had banned such events. The resulting scandal was called “Partygate.” In April 2022 Sunak was fined by the police for having attended one of those parties. Others, including Johnson, also faced fines. Several months later Johnson faced a new scandal, this one involving his mishandling of sexual misconduct allegations against Chris Pincher, a senior official in his government.

Numerous Conservatives began calling for Johnson to step down. On July 5 Sunak joined Health Secretary Sajid Javid in resigning from the cabinet. Their prominent resignations contributed to a groundswell of opposition within the Conservative Party that eventually forced Johnson to resign as party leader. He remained in office as prime minister while the party decided on his replacement.

Conservative members of Parliament (MPs) chose Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as the final two candidates to replace Johnson. Their names were submitted for a vote by the party’s full membership. Truss secured the party leadership with 57.4 percent of the vote, compared with 42.6 percent for Sunak. Truss became prime minister on September 6.

Truss’s tenure in office proved to be the shortest in British history at just over six weeks. She attempted to impose unfunded tax cuts that she claimed would boost the country’s still-ailing economy. However, the value of the English currency, the pound, dropped sharply. On October 20 Truss announced that she was stepping down as party leader but would remain prime minister until the Conservatives chose her successor.

Prime Minister

Sunak, who had warned against Truss’s tax-cut measures, emerged as the favorite in the party leadership contest to replace Truss. On October 24 the Conservatives announced the selection of Sunak as their new leader. He succeeded Truss as prime minister the following day.

As prime minister, Sunak succeeded in passing an important trade deal. The United Kingdom had left the European Union in 2020, in an event known as Brexit (short for “British exit”). After that, trade between Northern Ireland, the rest of the United Kingdom, and the European Union became harder. It required extra paperwork or time-consuming checks of trade goods at the borders. In March 2023 Sunak passed a deal called the Windsor Framework to do away with these extra requirements for most trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Sunak had assumed leadership of a party whose popularity was at a near historic low. He managed to slow, but not reverse, the decline. In the general election of 2024 the Conservatives suffered one of the worst defeats in the history of the party. The Labour Party ended 14 years of Conservative rule. Sunak was replaced as prime minister by Labour leader Keir Starmer on July 5, 2024.

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Rishi Sunak Biography: Birth, Age, Religion, Parents, Wife, Education, Net Worth and Other Details

On 25th October 2022, Rishi Sunak became the 1st non-white and also the 1st Indian origin prime minister of the United Kingdom. Rishi Sunak was born on 12th May 1980 in Southampton, England.

Rishi Sunak’s biography is not only interesting, but it is inspiring as well for a lot of young Indians, considering he became the prime minister of the UK, only 7 years after he joined politics in 2015.

Not only this, Rishi is also the youngest prime minister of the UK in more than 200 years.

In this biography, we will discuss everything you need to know about Rishi Sunak’s birth, age, early life, religion, wife, net worth, etc.

Rishi Sunak Biography

Rishi Sunak Birth, Age, Parents & Grandparents

Rishi Sunak, who is currently 43 years of age, was born on 12 May 1980 in Southampton, England.

Rishi Sunak comes from a very interesting and diverse family background.

Rishi’s paternal grandfather was from Gujranwala (currently in Pakistan, but was part of British India before 1947). Similarly, Rishi’s maternal grandfather was from Ludhiana (currently in India, but was part of British India till 1947)

Interestingly, this makes Rishi an Indian as well as a Pakistani.

Rishi Sunak’s grandparents left Gujranwala in 1935 to work in Nairobi, Kenya. Rishi’s father Yashvir was born in Kenya, while his mother Usha was born in Tanganyika (present day Tanzania).

It was around the dictatorship of Ugandan politician Idi Amin when things really got worse for the Asian communities such as Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, etc. and there were regular instances of hate crimes against the Asian people. This forced a lot of Asian population from East Africa to relocate to the UK, US, and Canada around the 1960s.

It is reported that Rishi’s grandparents had to sell their wedding jewelry to be able to finance the relocation to the UK.

After relocation to the UK, Rishi’s parents Yashvir & Usha Sunak got married in 1977 in Leicester, England.

Rishi’s father was a general practitioner in the NHS (National Health Service), while his mother ran a pharmacy.

After 3 years of marriage, Rishi was born in 1980 and he was the eldest of the siblings Rishi, Sanjay, and Rakhi.

Rishi’s brother Sanjay is a psychologist and his sister Rakhi is the chief of strategy and planning at the United Nations.

Rishi Sunak Early Life & Education

Rishi Sunak comes from a family with immigrant roots, this is why, his childhood is a perfect example of exemplary hardwork and determination.

Rishi used to assist her mother in her pharmacy store and eventually learned to manage the accounts of the store. During his summer holidays, Rishi used to work as a waiter in a local Indian restaurant in Southampton.

Thanks to Rishi’s parents’ savings, Rishi was able to attend the most prestigious institutions for his academics.

After studying at the Stroud School in Romsey, Rishi would later join Winchester college which is one of the most premier institutions in the UK (costs over 40,000 pounds or 40 lakhs a year).

Over the recent years, Rishi Sunak had made multiple donations of over 100,000 pounds to the school.

After completing his studies at the Winchester college, Rishi continued his education at the Lincoln college, Oxford university.

Rishi was also one of the 9 rare undergraduates accepted to study philosophy, politics and economics at Lincoln College.

Rishi was a natural leader even during his college days, as he later served as the President of Oxford Trading and Investment Society.

Rishi completed his graduation from Oxford University in 2001, and started working for Goldman Sachs, after which he pursued a MBA from the Stanford University in California, USA as a fulbright scholar.

Rishi Sunak Wife & Children

While Rishi Sunak was studying MBA at Stanford, he met his future wife, Akshata Murthy, who also happens to be the daughter of Indian billionaire, N. R. Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys.

Rishi and Akshata lived in California for a couple of years before moving back to London. After knowing each other for over 4 years, the couple decided to tie the knot in August 2009 in Bengaluru.

It is believed that their wedding was not an extravagant affair, and was conducted in a short 2 day low-key ceremony.

Akshata Murthy is believed to be the world’s most powerful Indian woman with an estimated wealth of over a billion US dollars.

In 2011, Akshata gave birth to their 1st daughter Krishna and in 2013, their 2nd daughter Anoushka.

Despite the fact Rishi is UK’s prime minister, his daughters Krishna and Anoushka have managed to stay away from the media limelight.

Rishi Sunak Parents in Law

Rishi Sunak’s parents in law Narayana and Sudha Murthy do not require any introduction as the latter is the chairperson of Infosys, while the former is the co-founder of Infosys.

Narayana and Sudha met in 1974, and got married in 1978 in Bangalore with only a few friends and family, much like their to-be future daughter Akshata.

It is interesting to note that their wedding expenses came out to be only 800 rupees at that time, which was shared 50-50 by both Sudha and Narayana.

Moreover, Sudha’s father was not in favour of Narayana at that time, as he was not earning much. It was only after Narayana started working as a General manager with Patni computers in 1977, Sudha’s father agreed to the marriage.

Sudha is known to be a fearless woman in expressing her thoughts, while Narayana on the other hand has always been a shy and an introvert person.

Not many people know, but Narayana Murthy took a loan of 10,000 rupees from his wife Sudha to start Infosys, and the rest is history.

Rishi Sunak Business Career

Given the fact Rishi Sunak graduated from the top institutions across US and the UK, there was no doubt Rishi Sunak was going to be successful in his career.

Soon after completing his graduation from Oxford University in 2001, Rishi started his career as an investment banking analyst with Goldman Sachs.

Rishi worked with Goldman Sachs till 2004, after which, he moved back to London in 2006 to work with the Children’s Investment Fund Management, a hedge fund management company.

Rishi was promoted to a Partner in the same company in 2008. However, soon after his promotion, Rishi once again moved to California in 2009 to join another hedge fund, Theleme Partners.

Between 2013 and 2015, Sunak was also the director of investment firm Catamaran Ventures, founded by his father in law Narayana Murthy.

Rishi Sunak Political Career

Rishi always wanted to be a politician, that’s why, while studying at Oxford university, he took an internship at Conservative Central Office (headquarters of the British Conservative Party).

Rishi Sunak has been involved with the conservative party since 2010. Rishi was chosen to be a member of the party’s leading think tank, Policy Exchange, where he later became the head of Black and Ethnic Minority research unit.

Rishi’s political career took a sharp turn in 2014, when he was chosen as the Conservative Party’s candidate for the House of Commons representing Richmond.

From 2015 to 2017, Rishi was a member of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs select committee.

In 2018, for the first time, Rishi was given his first ministerial position as Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in 2018.

This was the time when Rishi was working closely with the then prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson. In July 2019, Rishi became Chief Secretary to the Treasury and in the following year 2020, Rishi replaced Sajid Javid to become the 4th youngest finance minister of the UK.

The then PM Boris Johnson announced his resignation in July 2022, which made Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss leading candidates for the post of next prime minister of the UK.

However, this did not go very well for Rishi, since he only received 42.6% of the votes as compared to 57.4% in favour of Liz Truss.

Due to the harsh state of the economy, covid impact, and some extreme changes proposed by PM Liz Truss, she announced her resignation on October 20 (only 6 weeks after she became PM).

This was a golden opportunity for Rishi, which he did not let go, and eventually, on 25th October 2022, Rishi Sunak became the 1st Hindu, non-white person to lead the United Kingdom.

In only a span of 7 years, Rishi rose from being an MP to the highest position one could get, the Prime Minister of the country.

Rishi Sunak Achievements

In 2020, when Covid was rampant throughout the globe, Rishi Sunak came up with a programme which aimed at providing 330 billion euros in emergency support for businesses. This programme was the first of its kind, and was well received.

In July 2020, Sunak further announced a plan for 30 billion euros of spending which included a stamp duty holiday, a job retention bonus for employers and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

This plan was introduced to create jobs in the hospitality sector. To promote this scheme, Rishi’s government subsidised food and soft drinks at participating cafes, pubs and restaurants at 50%, up to 10 euros per person.

Later next year in Oct ’21, the government proposed a budget which included substantial spending promises related to science and education.

In June ‘21, Sunak also hosted a G7 summit in London where a tax reform agreement was signed.

Rishi Sunak Controversies

In April 2022, it was revealed that Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata, who was an Indian citizen had claimed a tax status that allowed her not to pay UK taxes on her overseas income.

The decision to not pay taxes saved his wife Akshata as much as 20 million euros in a period of 7 years. However, later on she agreed to make a payment of 30,000 euros per year on her dividend earnings from overseas sources.

Rishi’s love for the UK was also questioned when it was found out that he had held onto a green card for U.S. residency until late October 2021.

Rishi also faced criticism for his thoughts about trans women in 2022, which he later clarified.

In April 2022, Rishi was fined by the UK police for violating lockdown laws since he was going to attend a party with Boris Johnson.

Rishi Sunak Religion & Nationality

Rishi Sunak is an Indian British national and follows Hinduism. Time and again, Rishi has been vocal about his Indian heritage.

Interestingly, Rishi took his vow as an MP of the house on the Bhagavad Gita.

Rishi Sunak Net Worth

As of 2022, it is reported that Rishi Sunak has an individual net worth of 200 million euros (176,000 crores).

However, if you add Akshata’s net worth to that of Rishi’s, it comes up to 700 million euros (over 600,000 crores).

This makes Rishi Sunak as one of the richest prime ministers of the country, even ahead of the monarchy present in the UK.

Rishi Sunak Interesting Facts

After Queen Elizabeth’s death, Rishi Sunak became the 1st prime minister to be appointed by King Charles.

Rishi is also known as the ‘Maharaja of the Dales’ due to his net worth.

Rishi Sunak is known to be a fan of Southampton Football club and he even snuck a portable television in his school during a EURO final in 1996 to see England play.

Rishi confirmed during one of his interviews that he is addicted to Coca-Cola.

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Explained: The significance of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Indian ancestry

Rishi Sunaks’ personal family history could be read as a testament to the British dream: the idea that the UK is a land of opportunity where, no matter where you come from, if you work hard, you can make it right to the top

Following his uncontested run at the top job, Rishi Sunak acquires the less-than-coveted title of second successive un-elected British prime minister to take office in 2022. However, coming from Punjabi heritage, he also takes on the more esteemed title of the nation’s first British Asian leader.

Sunak was born in the southern English port city of Southampton in 1980. His father, Yashvir, was a family doctor and his mother, Usha, a pharmacist. They were born and brought up in present-day Kenya and Tanzania, respectively, before moving to the UK. Sunak’s grandparents on both sides were from India and had migrated to East Africa.

Indians share a long history with African traders in the Indian Ocean region – links that were strengthened in the 19th Century. During the time of the British empire, and especially following the creation of the East African Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) in 1885, many Indians migrated to the region, which was then under British control. The Indian population grew rapidly and prospered economically.

Many Indian immigrants and their descendants remain in East Africa today, but significant numbers left in the second half of the 20th Century. In the 1960s, the region became a less hospitable place for Indians, most infamously evidenced by the expulsion of the Indian minority from Uganda under the orders of then-President Idi Amin. It was at this time that a significant proportion of the Indian diaspora left Kenya and Tanzania. Instead of returning to India, many settled in the US, Canada and the UK.

Sunak’s parents may have been born in East Africa, but his cultural affinity lies with his Indian roots. He is a practising Hindu and does not, for example, eat beef. As he said in a 2015 interview :

British Indian is what I tick on the census, we have a category for it. I am thoroughly British, this is my home and my country, but my religious and cultural heritage is Indian, my wife is Indian.

A dream – for some

The Sunaks’ personal family history could be read as a testament to the British dream: the idea that the UK is a land of opportunity where, no matter where you come from, if you work hard, you can make it right to the top. The formula for success is simple hard work and determination.

Both his parents studied in the UK — his father, medicine at the University of Liverpool, his mother, pharmacy at my own institution, Aston University. Sunak has spoken about the sacrifices his parents made to give him “opportunities they could only dream of. But it was Britain, our country that gave them, and millions like them, the chance of a better future.”

Not all immigrants, of course, get to afford for their children the best education that money can buy — no matter how strong their work ethic. Privately educated at Winchester, one of England’s oldest and most expensive public boarding schools, Sunak’s upbringing was undoubtedly privileged.

He followed the well-worn path of many in the British political elite, studying politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford. After graduating he entered the world of investment banking, landing a job with Goldman Sachs before going to Stanford University in the US to complete an MBA.

Rishi Sunak and his wife have a combined wealth of £730 million

He married into wealth. His wife, Akshata Murty, is the daughter of an Indian billionaire, NR Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys. Her shares in her father’s company make her one of the richest women in the UK. The couple has a combined wealth of £730 million. Sunak can thereby allegedly lay claim to another title — the richest man to ever sit in the House of Commons .

A scandal over his wife’s non-domiciled tax status threatened to end Sunak’s career less than a year ago but he somehow managed to recover.

Acutely aware of the potential for his fortune to jar with the experiences of the public, Sunak ensures that his image is carefully curated (with the help of a PR company). Choreographed snaps and videos more akin to a social media influencer than a politician have characterised his every move since becoming a Cabinet minister in Boris Johnson’s government in 2020.

This is nevertheless a big moment. Whatever the mixed feelings are around his personal fortune, becoming the first non-white leader of the country is important. In some ways, the Conservative party has a lot to be proud of when it comes to promoting ethnic minority colleagues. In Liz Truss’s administration, ethnic minority politicians held three of the key posts: chancellor of the exchequer, home secretary and foreign secretary — albeit only for a short while.

However, they were all also, like Rishi Sunak, privately educated. There is certainly room for a specific kind of diversity in the Conservative Party.

Interestingly, Sunak was not popular with the party’s membership when he first ran for the leadership in the summer of 2022. A possible explanation — and one which certainly warrants further research — is that the membership is less comfortable with an ethnic minority leader than it lets on.

In a now infamous radio show , a caller professing to be a Tory Party member stated that he, “along with most people”, didn’t think that Sunak was British. While this was the view of one caller on a radio show, such views are a reminder that some people still don’t accept British Asian identity to be truly British.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Sunak as “the ‘living bridge’ of UK Indians”

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

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