The first lady is richer than the king

The UK has a new Prime Minister. Rishi Sunak, 42 ​​years old, is one of the youngest people to reach the position in the country and also one of the richest people. The fortune that also comes in part from his wife Akshata Murthi, who is the daughter of Narayana Murthy known as the “Bill Gates of India”. They will therefore be the richest couple inhabiting 10 Downing Street, with an estimated fortune of more than 837 million euros.

Most of Murthy’s personal fortune comes from shares in his father’s company, and according to Forbes magazine, the amount alone exceeds the fortune of King Charles III of 442 million pounds (about 510 million euros). In addition, the British prime minister’s wife also owns Catamaran Ventures, a startup investor where Sunak stopped holding shares when he entered government in 2020, and is involved with at least six British companies. But, in addition to the business, Akshata also owns – with her husband – four properties worth 15 million pounds (approximately 17.3 million euros), including a penthouse in Santa Monica, California, overlooking the beach that served as the setting for the Baywatch series. Famous in the nineties.

Millionaires but humble

Despite being financially affluent, Akshata Murthy’s life hasn’t always been one of great luxuries. Akshata grew up in Bangalore but with his strict upbringing. Banned from watching television by her mother, despite her wealth, she and her brother Rohan were forced to go to school in a rickshaw, like all their classmates, even though they had the possibility to do so. So – the trip in a car is better with a butler.

His mother, Sudha Murthy, is considered by many to be the “favorite grandmother of Indians” and a prolific author, having made possible the construction of 60,000 libraries in India.

“My parents raised me and my brother with strong charitable values. The first lady said in an interview that volunteering in disadvantaged areas allowed me to discover the challenges women face in India.

But the studies didn’t stop there. When she entered higher education, Akshata wanted to study French and economics at the private Claremont McKenna College in California, after which she decided to immigrate to the Los Angeles Institute of Fashion, Design and Advertising, which prompted her to work at Deloitte and Unilever. .

He later earned an MBA from Stanford University, also in California, and it was here that he met Rishi Sunak, who won a prestigious Fulbright scholarship.

Discreet family and business

The couple fell in love and, after four years of dating, decided to marry in a lavish two-day ceremony in Bangalore. The couple now has two daughters.

Soon after, Akshata decided to create her own fashion brand, Akshata Designs, in 2009, to ensure that this was her passion. But the business failed after three years.

And he didn’t give up. With her husband, she founded Catamaran Ventures in 2013, which invests in startups, “with the goal of future capital growth and income distribution.”

But it is not only. He is also associated with other British companies such as Jamie Oliver Pizzeria, Jamie’s Italian, stakes in Koru Kids Agency and Digme Fitness gym chair. In addition, the wife of the Prime Minister is the director of the British branch of the software company founded by her brother and is a partner in the fast food chain Wendy’s in India.

scandal

But, despite the secrecy, the spouses, specifically Akshata, do not get rid of scandals. In April of this year, the British tax authorities deemed her a “non-resident”, which ensured exemption from the country’s tax. Legally, the millions saved by the billionaire do not violate the law. After a strong public rejection, the Indian businesswoman announced that her income would be taxed in the UK. But he left the guarantee: “I do this because I want to, not because the legislation obligates me.”

Yet, the state could cautiously change shape by choice, as they are the new residents of Downing Street.