ISLAMABAD: London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants, has been awarded a knighthood in King Charles鈥檚 New Year honors list, recognizing his contributions to public service and leadership in one of the world鈥檚 most dynamic cities, according to his social media post on Tuesday.
Khan, who grew up on a council estate in south London as one of eight siblings in a working-class family, faced numerous challenges on his path to becoming the capital鈥檚 mayor. His father worked as a bus driver and his mother was a seamstress, instilling in him a strong work ethic and a commitment to social mobility.
A trained lawyer, Khan entered politics as a Labour Party member and has been re-elected as London鈥檚 mayor three times, overcoming criticism over crime rates and housing issues in the city.
鈥淭ruly humbled to have received a knighthood in the King鈥檚 New Year鈥檚 Honours,鈥� Khan wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have dreamed when growing up on a council estate in south London that I鈥檇 one day be Mayor of London. It鈥檚 the honor of my life to serve the city I love.鈥�
The King鈥檚 New Year honors list includes more than 1,200 individuals from various fields, including politics, sports, arts and community service.
Other notable recipients include Gareth Southgate, former England soccer manager, and Keely Hodgkinson, Paris Olympics gold medalist, who were also awarded knighthoods.
The honors, which date back to 1890, aim to celebrate contributions to national life, both from prominent figures and unsung heroes.

With inputs from Reuters