London: Bharti Enterprises Founder and Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal on Wednesday grew to become the primary Indian citizen to be conferred an honorary Knighthood by Britain’s King Charles III “for providers to UK and India enterprise relations”. Mittal obtained a KBE underneath the Most Wonderful Order of the British Empire – one of many highest honours conferred by a British monarch.
The 66-year-old entrepreneur mentioned in a press release that he was “deeply humbled” by the gracious recognition from King Charles. “The UK and India have historic relations, which at the moment are getting into a brand new period of elevated cooperation and collaboration. I stay dedicated to working in the direction of strengthening the financial and bilateral commerce relationships between our two nice nations,” Mittal mentioned.
“I’m grateful to the federal government of the UK, whose assist and eager consideration to the wants of enterprise has been crucial in making the nation a pretty funding vacation spot,” he added. The KBE, conferred for a pre-eminent contribution in any discipline of exercise, is awarded in an honorary capability to international nationals.
Mittal’s contribution in India-UK cooperation
The Knighthood conferred on UK nationals provides them the title of Sir or Dame, and non-UK nationals awarded the honour get KBE (or DBE for ladies) after their identify. Earlier Indian recipients of the Honorary KBE embrace Ratan Tata (2009), Ravi Shankar (2001) and Jamshed Irani (1997), conferred by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Sunil Bharti Mittal led the revival of OneWeb (now Eutelsat), main a consortium with the UK authorities and different strategic buyers to supply satellite tv for pc broadband providers globally, an organization assertion notes. Mittal has a powerful reference to the UK, as a member of the India-UK CEO Discussion board and has beforehand been awarded the Honorary Physician of Civil Legislation from Newcastle College and an Honorary Physician of Legal guidelines from the College of Leeds.
He’s additionally a member of the Vice Chancellor’s Circle of Advisors on the College of Cambridge. Moreover, Sunil Bharti Mittal has served on the Governing Physique of the London Enterprise College (LBS) and as a Member of the India Advisory Group on the London College of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In 2019, Bharti’s Airtel Africa was listed on the London Inventory Alternate and is a constituent of the FTSE100 Index.
The investiture ceremony can be carried out by the British Excessive Commissioner to India at a later date, when he’ll formally hand over the royal insignia to Mittal. The honour recognises Bharti Enterprises’ work throughout the India-UK house, together with with the UK authorities within the discipline of satellites.
(with PTI inputs)
