Bharti Enterprises Chairman and founder Sunil Bharti Mittal on 28 February became the first Indian citizen to be conferred an honorary Knighthood by Britain’s King Charles III ‘for services to UK and India business relations.

Mittal receives a KBE under the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – one of the highest honours conferred by a British monarch., according to the list of honorary British awards unveiled by the UK Cabinet Office.

The 66-year-old entrepreneur said in a statement that he was ‘deeply humbled’ by the gracious recognition from King Charles.