Back in 2023, ahead of Diwali — the Festival of Lights — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had extended a warm welcome to members of the Hindu community at his official residence, 10 Downing Street. The celebration, held with great enthusiasm, reflected Sunak’s pride in his cultural roots. The UK Prime Minister’s office had shared glimpses of the event on social media, showcasing Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, lighting traditional diyas amid a lively gathering.The caption accompanying the post read, “Tonight Prime Minister @RishiSunak welcomed guests from the Hindu community to Downing Street ahead of #Diwali – a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness. Shubh Diwali to everyone across the UK and around the world celebrating from this weekend!” The festive evening also saw the presence of several Bollywood celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, and Preity Zinta. A photo from the celebration that quickly went viral online captured the trio in conversation with the British Prime Minister. Akshay Kumar looked elegant in a white kurta, Twinkle Khanna matched his festive charm in a white and gold outfit, while Preity Zinta opted for a black traditional ensemble, adding a bindi to complete her look. Rishi Sunak, as always, appeared dapper in a black suit.Preity later shared her gratitude on Instagram, writing, “What an incredible Diwali this has been. A heartfelt thank you to Prime Minister @rishisunakmp & his gracious wife @akshatamurty_official for inviting me to be part of this year’s Diwali celebration at Downing Street. It was an honour to celebrate Diwali with him and the people from the Hindu community in the UK. #gratitude #diwali #ting (sic).”
However, she had deleted the post later.
Earlier that year, Sunak had also posted family photos marking Diwali, where he was seen lighting diyas outside 10 Downing Street. His caption read, “A special moment for me to be celebrating Diwali with my family on the steps of No.10. Happy Diwali to everyone celebrating here in the UK and around the world!”
