Anand Mahindra Recalls Winston Churchill's 1947 Quote As Rishi Sunak Becomes UK PM

On Monday, Industrialist Anand Mahindra, who is known for his quirky and informative tweets, reacted to Indian-origin Rishi Sunak's confirmation as the United Kingdom's next Prime Minister. 

Mr Sunak's appointment as the new leader is of great pride for many Indians. But for Anand Mahindra, the news brought former British PM Winston Churchill's words to mind. Taking to Twitter, Mr Mahindra noted that in 1947, on the cusp of Indian independence, Mr Churchill denounced Indian leaders and called them men with "low calibre" and "men of straw". However, now, the industrialist saw Mr Sunak's ascent to power as a sort of turning of the tables. 

Mr Mahindra quoted Winston Churchill's words as he wrote, "In 1947 on the cusp of Indian Independence, Winston Churchill supposedly said '...all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw.' Today, during the 75th year of our Independence, we're poised to see a man of Indian origin anointed as PM of the UK. Life is beautiful."

Take a look below: 

In 1947 on the cusp of Indian Independence, Winston Churchill supposedly said “…all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw.” Today, during the 75th year of our Independence, we're poised to see a man of Indian origin anointed as PM of the UK. Life is beautiful…

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) October 24, 2022

Rishi Sunak is set to become UK's next Prime Minister after winning the Conservative leadership race on Monday. 

He will be installed today as Britain's third PM this year. The 42-year-old will take power in a morning audience with King Charles III, who will be anointing his first PM since ascending the throne just two days after his late mother Queen Elizabeth II appointed Liz Truss. 

Also Read | Rishi Sunak To Be Appointed UK PM Today After Meeting With King Charles

Mr Sunak is Britain's former finance minister. With his appointment, he will not only become the first Indian-origin PM of the UK but also the first practising Hindu to hold the top job in the nation. Rishi Sunak is one of the wealthiest politicians in Westminster and has a net worth of over 700 million pounds. 

Now, he would be expected to launch deep spending cuts to try to rebuild Britain's fiscal reputation, just as the country slides into a recession, dragged down by the surging cost of energy and food.