 "Honorary knighthood medal presented to Bharti Enterprises' Mittal")
Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal on Saturday received an Honorary Knighthood medal for advancing business relations between the United Kingdom and India.
Mittal was presented with the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) at a special investiture ceremony at the British High Commissioner’s residence here, Bharti Enterprises said in a statement.
The ceremony follows the announcement a year ago that Mittal would be the first Indian citizen to be awarded the KBE under King Charles III. Knighthoods or KBEs are usually conferred for a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity.
"It is an honour to have received the KBE from His Majesty, King Charles III. As India and the UK continue to chart remarkable progress in our bilateral relations, I acknowledge this recognition both as a privilege and a responsibility. I remain committed to working with stakeholders in our nations towards advancing India-UK business relations. On the occasion of this very special milestone, I extend my gratitude to all for their support through this journey," Mittal said.
Mittal has had a long connection with the United Kingdom. Bharti’s Airtel Africa was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2019 and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Bharti Enterprises-backed satellite communications company, a subsidiary of Eutelsat OneWeb, has its centre of operations in London. The latter, meanwhile, has applied for a standard listing on the London Stock Exchange.
He has also played a key role in business-to-business ties between both nations, serving as a member of the India-UK CEO Forum. He has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law from Newcastle University and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Leeds, Bharti Enterprises said. He is also a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Circle of Advisors at the University of Cambridge.
He has also served on the Governing Body of the London Business School (LBS) and as a member of the India Advisory Group at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In 2007, Mittal was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour.
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said Mittal recently led a senior Indian business delegation to the UK to meet with Prime Minister Starmer, the Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor, and other Cabinet ministers to identify opportunities for accelerating economic growth across both nations.
Three other Indians have so far been awarded Honorary KBEs by the late Queen Elizabeth II. These include former Tata Steel director Jamshed Irani in 1997, sitar maestro Ravi Shankar in 2001, and former Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata in 2009.