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Sunak’s relatives in Ludhiana cherish his role as UK’s new PM
Subhash Berry, a cousin of Sunak’s mother Usha Sunak, has been busy greeting relatives, visiting their house. He said Rishi Sunak as UK’s new PM, was a proud moment in many aspects.
Ever since news broke about 42-year-old Rishi Sunak having become the 57th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), there has been no end to celebrations at the posh Berry mansion on club road here. Subhash Berry (72), who is cousin of Sunak’s mother Usha Sunak, has been busy greeting relatives visiting the house to congratulate their family.
Berry, who runs a business of home furnishing and has also ventured into farming, said that they had lost hope of Rishi ever making it to 10 Downing Street after he had lost the vote to previous Prime Minister Liz Truss. “But destiny had some other plans and Liz Truss (47), who defeated Rishi Sunak in a vote of Conservative Party members by 81,326 votes to 60,399, decided to step down clearing the way for Sunak to be the first man from Indian origin to become UK’s PM,” said Subhash Berry.
Subash said that Rishi Sunak’s maternal grandfather Raghubir Berry had visited Ludhiana at the time of the formers’ wife’s death. Raghubir Berry, 92, currently lives in London.
“As friends and relatives learnt about Rishi’s elevation as PM , all joined us to celebrate the moment. Cakes were cut, sweets were offered among those arriving at the house,” he said.
He added that Sunak as UK’s new PM was a proud moment in many aspects. “Firstly, an Indian becoming the PM of a country which ruled over us for nearly two centuries. And secondly it also shows the secular approach of people of the UK who showed trust in a person of an Indian origin to lead the country on the path of progress. It shows that the UK is no longer shackled in the clutches of orthodoxies and admires talent,” said Berry.
Sunak’s another relative Rakesh Sood, a dyeing and chemical trader is equally elated at his becoming the PM. Sood’s wife Veena and Sunak’s mother Usha are cousins.
Showing a family photograph of a trip in 1978, which included his wife Veena and Sunak’s parents Yashvir and Usha Sunak, Rakesh said that it all appeared to be surreal. “Someone from our family becoming the UK’s Prime Minister is something we could not have ever imagined,” said Sood. He said Sunak becoming UK’s PM will further strengthen ties between UK and India. He said Raghubir Berry, along with some other family members, had migrated to East Africa. Later, Raghubir Berry migrated to the UK.
Sood said Sunak’s family finds its roots from Jassowal Soodan villages located 25km from Ludhiana. The Berry family earlier resided in Karimpura Mohalla of the city and currently lives in Civil Lines.
Rajesh Berry, another member of the Berry family who was scheduled to visit Agra cancelled his travel itinerary to join the celebration. While expressing his happiness, Rajesh said it is a moment of great pride to see an Indian-origin person becoming the Prime Minister of the country which once ruled India.
