Sunil Mittal becomes 1st Indian citizen to be conferred honorary Knighthood by King Charles III

Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal has been awarded an Honorary Knighthood by the British King in recognition of his contribution to UK-India business relations.

Mittal, who owns Airtel, has become the first Indian to be awarded the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) by King Charles III.

The telecom tycoon said he is "deeply humbled by the gracious recognition" from Britain's King. "UK and India have historical relations, which are now entering a new era of increased cooperation and collaboration," he said.

He added, "I remain committed to working towards strengthening the economic and bilateral trade relationships between our two great nations. I am thankful to the Government of the UK, whose support and keen attention to the needs of business has been critical in making the country an attractive investment destination."

In 2019, Airtel Africa, owned by Mittal, was listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). He also played a significant part in the revival of OneWeb (now known as Eutelsat) by leading a consortium with the British government and other strategic investors to offer satellite broadband services worldwide.

The 66-year-old is a part of the India-UK Forum. He is also a member of the University of Cambridge's Chancellor's Circle of Advisors. In addition, he also served on the London Business School's governing body. He was a member of the India Advisory Group at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The KBE is conferred to individuals who have made a significant contribution in any field of activity. While the UK nationals who receive a Knighthood are granted the title of Sir or Dame, non-UK nationals honoured with this award add KBE (or DBE for women) after their name.

Jamshed Irani, Ravi Shankar, and Ratan Tata were awarded the Honorary KBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1997, 2001, and 2009 respectively.