• South Asians in south London are divided about Rishi Sunak’s ascent to prominence.
• Some see his appointment as a source of pride and a sign of social progress in Britain.
• Others refer to his wealth, experience in private education, and adoption of right-wing beliefs.

As residents of the neighborhood’s South Asian minority celebrated Diwali on Monday, the sky over south London were cultured with orange and pink pyrotechnics.

As Hindus celebrated the festival of lights this year, Rishi Sunak, 42, who is of Indian origin, became Britain’s first prime minister to do so.

South Asians in the UK are divided about Sunak’s ascent to prominence. Others refer to his enormous wealth, experience in private education, and adoption of extreme right-wing beliefs, while some see his historic appointment as a source of pride and a sign of social progress in Britain.

When media spoke to South Asians in the London district of Tooting, which is home to a vibrant immigrant community in the British capital, evidence of this vast range of viewpoints was evident.

The streets are lined with colorful fabric shops, houses of worship, and food carts selling fresh produce and sweet Indian desserts alongside family-run convenience stores on almost every corner.

People of color make up more than half of the population in the London suburb, which is immersed in the cultural diversity of its citizens, according to the 2011 UK census.

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According to the same data, approximately 30% of Tooting residents identify as “Asian” or “Asian British,” and Gujarati and Urdu are among the most frequently spoken languages after English.

“I think it’s a good thing and especially auspicious on the day of Diwali, for him to be appointed,” Raj Singh, a Punjabi-Sikh member of the Khalsa Centre, a local Sikh temple, told media.

“It is a sign of progress, but only at the top. Rishi Sunak comes from a very privileged background,” the 58-year-old solicitor said, his glasses tucked behind his bright orange turban.

Sunak’s success, according to Singh, shows that only South Asian politicians with significant social and economic advantages are able to “crack the glass ceiling.”

Sunak and Akshata Murty, the billionaire’s daughter from India, were listed among the UK’s 250 richest persons earlier this year on the Sunday Times Rich List. Their combined net worth was pegged at £730 million ($826 million) by the publication.

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