London Mayor Sadiq Khan, son of Pakistani immigrants, receives knighthood

Khan received King Charles' New Year honour among 1,200 notable individuals

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been awarded a knighthood in King Charles’s New Year honours list, in recognition of his significant contributions to public service and leadership in the UK’s capital.

Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants, grew up in a working-class family in south London, facing numerous challenges before becoming one of the city’s most prominent political figures.

His father worked as a bus driver, and his mother as a seamstress, values of hard work and social mobility deeply influencing Khan’s life. Khan, a trained lawyer, entered politics with the Labour Party, eventually becoming Mayor of London in 2016.

He has since been re-elected three times, overcoming challenges such as rising crime rates and housing shortages.

In a post on X, Khan expressed his gratitude, saying, “Truly humbled to have received a knighthood in the King’s New Year’s Honours. I couldn’t have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I’d one day be Mayor of London. It’s the honour of my life to serve the city I love.”

The King’s New Year honours list features over 1,200 individuals from various fields, including politics, sports, arts, and community service.

Other notable recipients included former England football manager Gareth Southgate and Paris Olympics gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson.

The honours, which date back to 1890, aim to celebrate contributions to national life from both well-known figures and unsung heroes.