As Rishi Sunak is named UK prime minister, proud parents-in-law from Karnataka wish him success

On Tuesday, 25 October, as Sunak prepped to take over as UK’s first-ever India-origin and Hindu prime minister — in fact, its first-ever Asian prime minister — the tech giant’s former chairman said he was “proud” of Rishi.

Also, at 42, the youngest prime minister of the UK in over 200 years.

“We are proud of him and wish him success. We are confident he will do his best for the people of the United Kingdom,” Narayana Murthy was quoted by PTI as reacting for the first time to the news of his son-in-law’s elevation to the prime ministership of a country that had once colonised India.

Son-in-law of Bengaluru IT world’s first family

Sunak, whose parents are from Nairobi in Kenya and grandparents hailed from Gujranwala in Pakistan, was born in Southampton and is the son-in-law of Karnataka. And, arguably, the son-in-law of Bengaluru IT world’s first family.

Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy’s daughter Akshata Murty met Rishi Sunak when both were pursuing their MBAs at Stanford University.

While Narayana Murthy is from Mysuru, Sudha Murthy is from Hubballi, and Askhata was born in Bengaluru, making Rishi Sunak’s connections to Karnataka a pan-state phenomenon.

With her one percent stake in IT giant Infosys, Akshata is incredibly wealthy — even wealthier than the late queen Elizabeth II — and that wealth has often landed the power couple in the eye of the storm over their lavish lifestyle and tax evasion concerns.

Sunak, who wears his religion on his sleeve and took his oath as MP from Yorkshire on the Bhagavad Gita, is being celebrated by Indians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ever since his election as the next prime minister of UK.

Warmest congratulations @RishiSunak! As you become UK PM, I look forward to working closely together on global issues, and implementing Roadmap 2030. Special Diwali wishes to the ‘living bridge’ of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 24, 2022

A host of leaders from Karnataka, cutting across party lines, too, have wished the “son-in-law of Karnataka” the best for his new, pathbreaking role.

I am overwhelmed with the election of Sri Rishi Sunak, son in law of Infosys founder Sri N.R.Narayanamurthy & Smt Sudha Murty.

I am confident that Sri Rishi Sunak will effectively lead Britain & help to bring its economy back on track. 2/2

— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | H.D.Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) October 24, 2022