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here couldn’t have been a more fitting moment for the ascendance of the United Kingdom’s first Indian prime minister, who will also be his country’s first PM of color, the first Hindu to lead its government, and the youngest person to have the role in 200 years. On Monday, when the 42-year-old, 5-foot-7 Rishi Sunak was selected by Conservatives to lead their party—and therefore the former British empire—it was also the first day of Diwali. It was only weeks after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. And 2022 marks the 75th anniversary of Indian independence from Britain. Now that Liz Truss has been lettuced and Boris Johnson has decided not to call it a comeback, Sunak will head His Majesty’s Government for at least a little while, assuming general elections don’t happen anytime soon. And his fellow Indians across the globe are feeling all sorts of ways about it.

New Conservative Party leader and incoming Prime Minister Rishi Sunak waves as he leaves the Conservative Party Headquarters in London on Monday. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
New Conservative Party leader and incoming Prime Minister Rishi Sunak waves as he leaves the Conservative Party Headquarters in London on Monday. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images