- Becky Morton
- BBC, political affairs journalist
image source, Getty Images
Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty met while studying at Stanford University.
Rishi Sunak’s rise to power has attracted attention in India, and not just because he is the first British Prime Minister of Indian descent.
His wife, Akshata Murty, 42, is the daughter of Indian billionaire Narayana Murthy, one of the most famous businessmen in the country, nicknamed “Bill Gates of India”.
The family uses two different ways of spelling their surname: Murty and Murthy. The father prefers to use Murthy, while his wife and daughter choose Murty.
Heir to a fortune worth billions of dollars, Akshata Murty was put in the spotlight when it emerged earlier this year that had registered a foreign domicile for tax purposes.
This means that you have not had to pay any tax on winnings made outside the UK. After the revelation, however, he agreed to pay taxes on his worldwide income.
Despite the immense wealth of her family, Mrs. Murty it had a humbler origin.
In a letter to her daughter, published in a 2013 compilation, her father recalled learning the news of the girl’s birth in April 1980 in Hubli. It was through a colleague who told him, since his family couldn’t even afford a phone.
“Your mother and I were young then and we were struggling to find our place in our careers,” the letter says.
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Akshata Murty with Usha Sunak and Yashvir Sunak, parents of the current British Prime Minister, during the previous campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party in August, won by Liz Truss.
When she was only a few months old, Ms. Murty was sent to live with her paternal grandparents while her mother, Sudha Murty, and her father furthered their careers in Mumbai.
A year later, Narayana Murthy co-founded Infosys, a telecommunications services company that would make him one of the richest people in India..
Ms. Murty’s successful parents instilled in both of their children the importance of education and hard work. Murthy said there was no TV in the house, so her children had time for “things like studying, reading, discussing and meeting with friends.”
Akshata Murty studied economics and French at Claremont McKenna College in California. She then graduated from a specialized fashion institute before working for Deloitte and Unilever companies.
He later joined Stanford University where he earned a master’s degree in business administration.
He was in that university where he met Rishi Sunak. The couple married in 2009 and had two daughters..
economic activity
Akshata Murty began her career in the financial world in California before creating her own fashion brand, Akshata Designs, which launched its first collection in 2011.
He told Vogue India that he worked with artists in remote Indian villages to create his designs, inspired by the values of “authenticity, craftsmanship and protection of a rich heritage”.
However, the British newspaper The Guardian reported this the business went bankrupt within three years.
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The wife of the current British Prime Minister owns a 0.9% stake in Infosys, the company co-founded by her father. The value of this investment is estimated at approximately $ 800 million.
Currently, one of Ms. Murty’s main business interests is the London branch of Catamaran Venturescompany founded by her and her husband who invests in start up or emerging companies.
In the UK register of companies, Companies House, Ms Murty is also listed as the director of Digme Fitness, a chain of gyms.
The company filed insolvency in February of this year after its revenues fell during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite receiving funds from the government-created program to support businesses during that time.
Ms. Murty’s LinkedIn profile also notes that she is a director of New & Lingwood, a company that sells fine menswear.
He also owns a 0.9% stake in Infosys, according to the company’s latest annual report. The value of this investment is estimated at approximately $ 800 million..
Its shares in the company sparked controversy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when Infosys came under pressure to end its operations in Moscow. In April, an Infosys spokesperson told the BBC that the company was closing its offices in Russia.
More generally, the couple’s enormous wealth has led some to wonder if Sunak is in contact with ordinary peopleespecially during the current crisis marked by the rising cost of living.
image source, Getty Images
The couple married in 2009 and have two daughters.
Low profile
In the past, some prime minister spouses, including Theresa May’s husband Philip May, have kept a low profile.
Others, like human rights lawyer Cherie Blair, who continued her work after her husband Tony became Prime Minister, have attracted far more attention.
Ms. Blair has often made headlines for her charity work and book writing contracts.
Akshata Murty does not seem to have attracted media attention so far, but rather has been pushed into the foreground by the recent controversy.
However, her husband’s rise to the highest post in British politics means that interest in Ms Murty will only become more pronounced.
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