Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairperson of Bharti Enterprises, was honoured with the rank of an Honorary Knighthood by King Charles III in the United Kingdom. Mr Mittal is the first Indian to receive a Knighthood from King Charles.
He was awarded the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. KBE is one of the greatest honors bestowed by the British Sovereign to civilians. It is awarded by authorization in an honorary capacity to foreign nationals.
He said, “I am deeply humbled by this gracious recognition from His Majesty, King Charles. UK and India have had historical relations which are now entering into a new era with increased cooperation and collaboration.
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It is of paramount importance to me that bilateral cooperation increases in the economic and trade relations between our two great countries. “I am thankful to the UK Government, whose support and keen attention to the needs of business have been critical in making the country an attractive investment destination,” he said.
Sunil Bharti Mittal was honoured with Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award, in 2007. He has served as the Chair of the B20 India Action Council on African Economic Integration during India’s Presidency of the G20. He is also a Commissioner for the International Telecommunication Union/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.
Knighthood, the Knight Commander (KBE), is awarded for a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity (usually, but not exclusively, at the national level), or in capacity recognised by peer groups as outstanding and significant nationally and in a sustained commitment.
The KBE awarded in an honorary capacity to foreign nationals is indeed, not hereditary. While the Knighthood gives a UK national the title of Sir or Dame, non-UK nationals, who have been conferred with the Honour, add KBE (or DBE for women) after their name instead of using titles such as Sir or Dame. In the same light, the following persons have also been recipients of the Honorary KBE: Ravi Shankar in 2001, and Jamshed Irani in 1997.
