Nations With Hindu Heads of Government

Right now there are five Hindus occupying the top job in the world.
Rishi Sunak will be the sixth.

With Rishi Sunak's election as Britain's next prime minister, social media is abuzz over a Hindu being the occupant of 10, Downing Street.

Sunak has made no bones of his Indian and Hindu legacy; he can be spotted visiting temples in traditional attire, had celebrated Diwali at 11, Downing Street when he was chancellor of the exchequer, and such.

Notably, this is the first time an Indian/Hindu will occupy the top post in a major world power, one on whose empire the Sun never set till the last century.

However, there have been Hindu heads of government in other countries; in fact, right now there are four nations where Hindus occupy the top job in addition to our very own Narendra Damodardas Modi of course.

Pravind Jugnauth, 61

With people of Indian origin accounting for 70% of Mauritius's population thanks to indentured labour brought in by the British, it is no surprise that the island-nation has Hindus in power. In fact, this is also the only nation where both the head of government and head of State are Hindus.

Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth took over from his father, the legendary Anerood Jugnauth, in 2017 when the latter stepped down from power, and in the elections held in 2019 won a mandate of his own.

The Jugnauths's ancestors hailed from Rasra in Uttar Pradesh.

Underlying the close ties with the country of their origin, Pravind Jugnauth was among the leaders who attended Prime Minister Modi's second swearing-in on May 30, 2019.

In April, Pravind Jugnauth arrived in India on an 8-day visit along with his wife Kobita, during which he attended official events and also visited Varanasi.

Prithvirajsingh Roopun, 64

Along with a new prime minister in 2019, the national assembly of Mauritius also elected a new president, Prithvirajsing Roopun.

Like India the president of Mauritius is a ceremonial post, with the prime minister vested with power as head of government.

Roopun, who was the arts and culture minister, became president after his predecessor Ameenah Garib-Fakim resigned after it came to light that she had used a credit card to buy luxury personal items.

On a visit to India in 2020, Roopun went to Varanasi and to the Nalanda University ruins. According to the Hindustan Times, the trip was married slightly when he was charged excess baggage by Air India during the domestic leg of his journey, but the matter was sorted out after the intervention of aviation ministry officials.

Chandrikapersad 'Chan' Santokki, 63

The former police chief of Suriname was elected its 9th president in 2020, which also marked the end of dictatorial rule by Desi Bouterse. At his inauguration, Santokii held the Vedas in his hand while reciting Sanskrit verses.

Originally from Bihar, Santokki's ancestors were part of indentured labour who traveled to Suriname in the 19th century.

Suriname, a former Dutch colony in South America, has a sizeable Hindu population.

Santokki's wife Mellisa Kavitadevi Seenacherry was also a police chief, and the couple have two children. Santokki has two children from his first marriage.

Santokki was the principal speaker at the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which was held virtually.

Sher Bahadur Deuba, 76

A Hindu kingdom till 2008, when Nepal abolished the monarchy and declared itself a secular State, it is not surprising that its heads of government have been Hindus.

Deuba became prime minister for the fifth time in July 2021 and, as his visit to India in April demonstrated, Nepal has been unable to live down its Hindu legacy, with a minister declaring that the nation can revert to being a Hindu State through a referendum.

Hinduism remains the largest religion in the Himalayan kingdom and the current five-party coalition headed by Deuba enjoys a two-thirds majority in parliament.