Perhaps, 2022 was politically and economically the most turbulent year for United Kingdom in decades. Maybe it even outdid the Elizabethan “annus horribilis.” Rishi Sunak’s resignation as chancellor to the exchequer sparked a Cabinet exodus that eventually forced Boris Johnson to vacate 10 Downing Street. But Sunak would only emerge as the runner-up in the Tory party leadership race after multiple hustings and a bitterly-fought succession race.
However, he did not have to wait for long. Liz Truss resigned as prime minister after just 45 days — when her economic policies sparked a financial turmoil. Larry the Cat, welcomed the third tenant to his 10 Downing Street residence — this time, Britain’s first non-White Prime Minister, and also its youngest in 200 years.
Born in 1980 to parents of Indian origin, Rishi Sunak is the eldest of three siblings. His education journey took him from Winchester College to the Oxford University, where he went on to study philosophy, politics and economics. He later got an MBA from Stanford.
Sunak began his career in finance as an analyst in Goldman Sachs and climbed up the ladder to become a hedge fund manager.
But politics was Sunak's true calling. Having landed an internship with the Conservative Party during his college days, Sunak became a cardholder of the party in 2010. He won from the Richmond Yorks constituency, a safe Tory party seat, in 2015 garnering over 51 percent votes — he has retained the seat since.
Sunak's rapid ascent in UK politics has been marked by a term as chief secretary to the treasury and as chancellor to the exchequer in the government led by Boris Johnson. Rishi Sunak's rise to the top political post comes at a time when Britain is facing a rising cost of living crisis, a limping economy, soaring energy bills and not to mention, the pressure from within the Conservative Party, which is still uncertain about supporting him for the next general elections.
Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Indian IT doyen Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy, are worth 730 million pounds. Their net worth is about double that of King Charles.
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While Sunak has managed to stabilise the economy, his short stint is not without criticism. From his stance on the COP-27 Climate Summit, to ditching mandatory house building targets, to ending the ban on new on-shore drilling, Sunak has had to navigate many issues. As someone who voted for Brexit, Sunak's immediate job now is to steer the nation during an impending recession.
