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.

Despite growing up in Britain and going to Winchester, 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. It gives me strength, it gives me purpose. It’s part of who I am,” said Sunak in an interview. 

British commentators have spoken out on the significance of his elevation to Britain’s highest political office on the auspicious day of Diwali. The timing is particularly significant in his case because Sunak will be the first practising Hindu to preside over a nation whose King is the defender of the Church of England.

This Diwali will be special in many more ways now for Sunak!