Rishi Sunak’s Mother-in-law appointed to Indian Parliament

Rishi Sunak’s mother-in-law Sudha Murthy has been nominated to serve in the upper house of the Indian Parliament.

Sudha Murthy is married to Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy and their daughter Akshata is married to the PM.

Many members of India’s upper house are elected but 12 of them are nominated to the chamber by the president for a six-year term.

Narendra Modi said the appointment was an example of “women’s power, exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping our nation’s destiny”.

Mr Modi added in a post on X that Mrs Murthy’s “contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring”.

In 2023, Mrs Murthy was awarded the Padma Bhushan recognition of her career in social work.

Mrs Murthy thanked the Indian PM for the parliament nomination, saying she was “grateful for the opportunity to serve” her country.

She said: “The nomination has come as a pleasant surprise, and I am doubly thrilled to be presented this honour on International Women’s Day.

“I am yet to chalk up my plans for my parliamentary tenure. I will see what best I can do to utilise this platform to work for the people of India.”

NR Narayana Murthy once said he borrowed $250 from his wife to start Infosys, which is now India’s seventh-largest company.

Sudha Murthy frequently appears on TV chat shows.

During one appearance, she recalled how UK border control officials thought she was joking when she said she would be staying in Downing Street.

She also said that while she had succeeded in making her husband a businessman, “my daughter has made her husband prime minister of the UK”.

Akshata Murthy holds shares in Infosys and along with Mr Sunak, they appeared in the Sunday Times’ 2022 Rich List with an estimated combined wealth of £730 million ($937 million).

During Mr Sunak’s political career, her finances have come under scrutiny and in April 2022, Akshata said she would pay UK taxes on her overseas income, following a row over her non-domicile (non-dom) status.

Explaining the change to her tax arrangements, she said she did not want to be a “distraction” for her husband.

Non-dom UK residents are not required by law to pay UK taxes on overseas income – though the special tax status is set to be abolished in April 2025.