New UK PM Rishi Sunak’s Karnataka connection

Rishi Sunak, the 42-year-old new prime minister of the UK, has a special connection with Bengaluru and Karnataka.

Sunak, born in Southampton, UK, to Punjabi parents, is married to Akshata Murthy, 42, the daughter of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy. Sunak and Akshata met while studying at Stanford University, US. They got married in Namma Bengaluru at a glittering ceremony held at The Leela Palace hotel on August 30, 2009.

Akshata was born and raised in Hubballi, the hometown of her mother and well-known author, Sudha Murty.

Sources close to the couple told DH that the Murthys always kept things simple and straight.

Double celebration

A close friend of the family, who didn’t want to be quoted, said that it was a double celebration for the Murthys.

“It was not just Deepavali, but we also celebrated Rishi taking over the highest office in the UK. The family has always been very humble about their achievements.

“I remember even at Akshata and Rishi’s wedding in Bengaluru, they called a few close friends. It is always about celebrating with loved ones and people who matter,” said the friend, who lives in Jayanagar 5th Block and who attended the wedding.

Sunak and Akshata’s wedding was attended by the who’s who of the city, including cricketers Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, badminton legend Prakash Padukone, the late actor and playwright Girish Karnad, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Azim Premji and friends from the IT industry. A prominent Bengaluru-based fashion designer, who knows the Murthys well, said he was thrilled that Britain was open to people from various ethnicity leading the nation.