Rishi Sunak's maternal grandpa belongs to Ludhiana village

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, October 25

Rishi Sunak is the new PM of the UK. As soon as the news broke, there was an unexpected excitement among Indians as the Sunaks are of Indian descent.

Ajay Berry, dealing in home-furnishing business in Ludhiana, expressed happiness while sharing that Ajay’s grandfather and Rishi’s maternal grandfather (nana) Raghubir Sain Berry were real brothers, who belonged to Jassowal Sudan village in Ludhiana district.

The family of five brothers, Uger Sain Berry, Bhim Sain Berry, Vikramjeet Sain Berry, Gandharv Sain Berry and Raghubir Sain Berry, had an ancestral house too, which was later sold out.

“I met Raghubir uncle in 1997-98 when he visited India from the UK. So in a way, Rishi’s roots are somewhere attached to Punjab, too. Raghubir uncle had shifted to the UK about 40-45 years back and was in constant touch with his brothers. At present, he is around 95-year old, admitted to a nursing home in England and being taken care of by his children,” said Berry.

He said ever since the family got to know about Sunak’s becoming the PM, there is excitement everywhere. “Imagine, the British had ruled over India for about 200 years and today, they have a Prime Minister having Indian roots. Time is so powerful. We have come to know from other relatives that both Rishi and his wife visit India whenever they get time,” said Ajay Berry, hoping that may be in times to come, they get a chance to visit Sunak in the UK.

Meanwhile, Ajay Gupta, a UK NRI for over a decade, said Indians in England were feeling proud today. “Sunak is the youngest Prime Minister of the UK in the last 200 years. Time is powerful. The British, who had ruled India, had never thought that their own country will be run by a person of Indian origin,” said he.