October 25, 2022
2 mins read

It’s our Obama moment, says Hindu temple leader 

Rishi Sunak’s grandfather Ramdas Sunak, who was from Gujranwala town (now in Pakistan), set up the Vedic Society Hindu Temple in Southampton in 1971…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak becoming UK’s Prime Minister is “our Barack Obama moment”, said leader of the Hindu temple set up by the Indian-origin leader’s grandfather.

Rishi Sunak’s grandfather Ramdas Sunak, who was from Gujranwala town (now in Pakistan), set up the Vedic Society Hindu Temple in Southampton in 1971.

“It’s like for the UK, it’s the Barack Obama moment, where a non-white person becomes Prime Minister for the first time, also a person from Indian origin and Hindu which is another dimension and everyone is very proud,” Sanjay Chandarana, president of the temple, told LBC News.

He added that Rishi Sunak regularly comes to the temple located in Hampshire city when he is in his hometown.

Rishi Sunak, who will be taking charge as the Prime Minister after meeting King Charles III, visited the temple in July, just a couple of days before he resigned as chancellor. He had offered a family prayer and had lunch at the temple.

Chandarana told LBC News that he is sure that Rishi Sunak will come to the temple for prayers once he becomes the Prime Minister.

Rishi Sunak made history when he swore his oath to Parliament after the 2017 general elections with his hand on a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, as pointed out by ‘The Guardian’.

And he was also the first occupant of No 11, Downing Street, the official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to celebrate Diwali at the doorsteps of his then home.

Despite growing up in Britain and going to Winchester, Oxford University and then Stanford, Rishi Sunak has never glossed over his cultural roots, staying away from beef and keeping a statuette of Lord Ganesha on his work table.

“I can proudly say that I am a Hindu and being a Hindu is my identity,” he said in a media interview, adding that his faith “gives me strength, it gives me purpose. It’s part of who I am,” Rishi Sunak had told The Times earlier this year.

Chandarana said Rishi Sunak’s appointment as Prime Minister showed that integration was working in the UK.

“It will unite the country, because he practices Hindu religion religiously and one of the key values we have is that the whole world is our family and we believe in unity in that respect,” the temple leader told LBC News.

Rishi Sunak is scripting history as UK’s first Prime Minister of colour and the first Hindu premier.

ALSO READ: Indians overjoyed over Sunak’s appointment as UK PM

Previous Story

Pakistan lays claim to Rishi Sunak’s ancestry

Next Story

Facebook threatens to ban news in Canada

Latest from -Top News

IMF hails India’s economic reforms

The IMF on Tuesday raised India’s growth projection to 6.6 per cent, an upward swing of 0.2 percentage points…reports Asian Lite News IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday praised India for

Trump plans new squeeze on Russia

US President Donald Trump plans to tighten pressure on Moscow by halting global energy imports from Russia….reports Asian Lite News Since imposing a large sum of “reciprocal” trade tariff, Trump has been

India, Lanka deepen trade, education ties

The leaders discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between India and Sri Lanka in education and capacity building….reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini

Yunus regime faces military heat

Army Chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, is facing immense pressure from his officers, and this led him to cancel his visits to India and Saudi Arabia….reports Asian Lite News A major showdown is looming

India, Uganda vow deeper ties

Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday to discuss strengthening India–Uganda ties….reports Asian Lite News Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh met
Go toTop

Don't Miss

PM disappointed with COP 26 outcome

The high-profile COP 26 conference began here on October 31

Dowden sets £30bn Saudi-UK 2030 bilateral trade goal

The conference aims to spark and strengthen Saudi-UK partnerships in