Sunil Bharti Mittal, the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was conferred with the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) on Saturday. The distinguished telecom industry leader received the honour at a special investiture ceremony held at the British High Commissioner’s residence in New Delhi, surrounded by family and friends.
“The ceremony follows the announcement in 2024 that His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to confer Mittal the Honorary Knighthood for services to UK-India business relations,” a release said.
Expressing his gratitude, Mittal described the honour as both a privilege and a responsibility.
“As India and the United Kingdom continue to chart remarkable scale 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,” he said.
British high commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, praised Mittal as a key figure in the UK-India business partnership, highlighting his significant investments in companies such as BT, Gleneagles, Norlake Hospitality, and OneWeb.
“I was delighted to present Sunil Bharti Mittal with the KBE medal on behalf of His Majesty the King. His leadership has made a lasting impact on the UK-India relationship, including his role in the India-UK CEO Forum,” Cameron stated.
Recently, Mittal led a high-level Indian business delegation to the UK, where he engaged with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the foreign secretary, the chancellor, and other cabinet ministers to explore opportunities for boosting economic collaboration.
Cameron added, “I look forward to continuing to work closely with Mittal and congratulate him once again on this well-deserved recognition.”