BHARTI Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Mittal received the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) on Saturday.
The medal was presented at a special investiture ceremony held at the British High Commissioner’s residence in New Delhi, attended by Mittal’s friends and family.
A statement said the ceremony followed the 2024 announcement that His Majesty The King had conferred the Honorary Knighthood on Mittal for his contributions to UK-India business relations.
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, presented the medal and said, “I was delighted to present Sunil Bharti Mittal the KBE medal on behalf of His Majesty the King. Mr Mittal is a great friend of the UK – with significant investments, including BT, Gleneagles, Norlake Hospitality, and OneWeb.”
She added, “Mr Mittal’s leadership has made a lasting impact on the UK-India partnership, including through his work with the India-UK CEO Forum. Most recently, he 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. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Mr Mittal and congratulate him once again.”
Mittal expressed his gratitude, stating, “It is an honour to have received the KBE from His Majesty, King Charles III.”
“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,” he added.
The statement quoted Mittal as saying, “On the occasion of this very special milestone, I extend my gratitude to all for their support through this journey.”
An aerial view of the British Steel Scunthorpe site on September 13, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)
