Bharti Enterprises' Mittal Presented with an Honorary Knighthood Medal

Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was awarded an Honorary Knighthood medal for his contributions to advancing business relations between the United Kingdom and India.

According to a statement from Bharti Enterprises, Mittal received the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) insignia at a special investiture ceremony held at the British High Commissioner's home here.

The event comes a year after King Charles III announced that Mittal would be the first Indian national to be awarded the KBE. Knighthoods, also known as KBEs, are usually given for exceptional work in any field.

"It is an honour to receive the KBE from His Majesty King Charles III. As India and the United Kingdom continue to make remarkable progress in our bilateral relations, I see this recognition as both a privilege and a responsibility. I remain committed to working with stakeholders in our respective countries to advance India-UK business relations. On this very special occasion, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has helped me along the way," Mittal said.

Mittal and the United Kingdom have a long history together. A part of the FTSE 100 Index, Bharti Airtel Africa debuted on the London Stock Exchange in 2019. The London-based satellite communications company is a subsidiary of Eutelsat OneWeb and is supported by Bharti Enterprises. Meanwhile, the latter has applied for a standard listing on London's stock exchange.

He has also played an important role in strengthening business ties between the two countries, having served on the India-UK CEO Forum. Bharti Enterprises reported that he has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law from Newcastle University and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Leeds. He also serves on the Vice-Chancellor's Circle of Advisors at the University of Cambridge.

He has also served on the LBS Governing Body and the LSE India Advisory Group. Mittal received India's third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, in 2007.

Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, stated that Mittal recently 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 to accelerate economic growth in both countries.