Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made history on Saturday when he read from the biblical book of Colossians at the coronation of King Charles III in keeping with the tradition of British Prime Ministers giving readings at state occasions.
Sunak, Britain's first Prime Minister of Indian heritage and a practising Hindu, reading from a biblical book, was expected to resonate with the multi-faith theme being struck for the Christian ceremony.
Sunak described the coronation as “a proud expression of our history, culture and traditions”.
The 42-year-old British Hindu leader and his wife Akshata Murty, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, led the procession of flag-bearers as the UK's Union Jack flag was carried into the Abbey by a high-ranking Royal Air Force cadet.
“In the Abbey where monarchs have been crowned for almost a thousand years, representatives of every faith will play a central role for the first time,” said Sunak, in a statement on the eve of the historic event.
“The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be a moment of extraordinary national pride. Together with friends from across the Commonwealth and beyond, we will celebrate the enduring nature of our great monarchy: its constancy, devotion to duty, and service to others. No other country could put on such a dazzling display — the processions, the pageantry, the ceremonies, and street parties,” he said.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
