Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murty reportedly gets scolded for 'overdoing the shopping' by mother

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s mother-in-law made the headlines on 28 April for saying 'my daughter made her husband Prime Minister of the UK'.

A lot has been said about Sunak’s father-in-law, N. R. Narayana Murty, and how the PM and his wife have his company Infosysto thank for their wealth. But Murty's wife, Sudha, revealed it was she who was 'able to succeed in making my husband a businessman'.

So what do we know about Sunak’s mother-in-law and her relationship with her daughter, Akshata Murty, to whom she credits Sunak’s success?

Akshata and her mother reportedly 'squabble'

Anne McElvoy writes for The Telegraph that she spoke to friends of the family in their home city who revealed that sometimes 'the two have minor squabbles'. And they reportedly revolve around spending habits. McElvoy writes that Sudha wears simple, often traditional clothes, while her daughter has a penchant for Western designer labels. And:

Sudha, the friend recalls, scolds her soigné offspring for her tendency to “overdo the shopping”. Akshata responded that her mother could afford to dress down, while she, still making her way as a female investor and tech entrepreneur, needed to dress to impress.

The differences apparently don’t end there. Akshata’s austere parents have reportedly lived in a 'comfortable' home in a quiet suburb of Bangalore for decades, even though they could afford a 'far grander residence in a city bristling with billionaires'.

Conversely, the Sunaks own a five-bedroom home in Kensington, a £2 million mansion in North Yorkshire, and a £5.5 million penthouse in Santa Monica, USA. The couple also commissioned 'high-end refurbs with a particular fondness for exquisite fabrics and a seriously expensive curtain habit' at Number 10 Downing Street.

Indeed, Sunak's wealth has often lead to accusations that he's 'out-of-touch' amid the UK's current cost-of-living crisis.

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Their mother-daughter relationship

Despite these differences, McElvoy writes that their mother-daughter relationship remains close. Indeed, the Sunaks even invested in an expensive 'granny flat' in Kensington so her parents-in-law could come to visit. As Pratima Rao, Akshata’s former maths teacher, said:

There is a strong sense of tradition in the family.

And they're not afraid to praise each other in public. Akshata recently congratulated her mother on a 'prestigious' award she received for philanthropy, saying:

Her charitable and volunteering efforts have served as her greatest inspiration to me. Always asking if she can be doing more, she has given back to her community countless times.

Sriram Karri, a writer who worked at Infosys for years and is still close to Sudha, said that despite Akshata's drive frequently being credited to her father’s influence, 'it was really Sudha who taught Akshata not to be told ‘no’ if you think you have a good case'.

Indeed, as McElvoy writes, it is Sudha's conviction about Murty women 'that they quietly rule the roost'.

Sources used:

The Telegraph: 'The most powerful woman in UK politics? Meet Rishi Sunak’s mother-in-law'

NDTV: '"My Daughter Made Her Husband PM": Rishi Sunak's Mother-In-Law Sudha Murty'

Hull Live: 'Rishi Sunak's £2m Yorkshire home with swimming pool and yoga studio'