Eight Indians on Time’s 100 most influential list

Ali Bhatt, Ajay Banga, Asma Khan, Sakshi Malik, Dev Patel, Priyamvada Natarajan, Satya Nadella, and Jigar Shah were named in the list.

• Pramod Thomas
• 18 April, 2024

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By: Pramod Thomas

EIGHT people from India have been honoured in Time magazine’s prestigious list of the 100 most influential people of 2024.

World Bank president Ajay Banga, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Olympian wrestler Sakshi Malik and actor-director Dev Patel are among the Indians on the list.

It also included US Department of Energy’s loan programmes office director Jigar Shah, professor of astronomy and physics at Yale University Priyamvada Natarajan and restaurateur Asma Khan.

The list released on Wednesday (17) featured a diverse array of leaders from various sectors, including finance, entertainment, technology, activism, and academia.

The magazine’s profile of Banga, former Mastercard CEO, written by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, said, “It’s not easy to find a leader with the skill and drive to take on the monumental task of transforming an essential institution, but since becoming World Bank president last June, Ajay Banga has done just that.”

She said Banga comes to the World Bank after leading a global organisation through which he brought millions of unbanked people into the digital economy.

“His sharp wit consistently enables him to cut through the noise. With unprecedented challenges such as climate change threatening our collective future, I cannot imagine a better partner with whom to take decisive action on behalf of people around the world,” Yellen said.

Describing Bhatt as a “formidable talent”, director, producer and writer Tom Harper said in the profile that she is not only one of the world’s leading actors, admired for her work in the Indian film industry for over a decade she is also a businesswoman and a philanthropist who leads with integrity.

The profile on Nadella said ‘he is profoundly influential in shaping our future’.

Malik became the first Indian wrestler to feature in the list

On Malik, Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Nisha Pahuja writes that she was among India’s most celebrated wrestlers who had gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in early 2023 to demand the immediate arrest and resignation of chief of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Singh, accused of sexually harassing female athletes.

Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya said that Dev Patel radiates goodness.

“His humanity shines through every time he graces the screen, leaving you no choice but to root for him even when his character is doing something foul; his presence makes you understand where he’s coming from,” he said.

Natarajan was acknowledged for her groundbreaking research in astronomy, particularly in the study of dark matter and dark energy.

“Priya has a knack for pursuing the most creative research, and as a fellow astronomer, I am always inspired by her work. Her latest result takes us one step closer to understanding our cosmic beginnings,” said astrophysicist and the founding director of the Event Horizon Telescope Shep Doeleman, on Natrajan.

Khan, a British restaurateur of Indian origin, was celebrated for her culinary prowess and innovative approach to cuisine at her renowned London restaurant, Darjeeling Express.

Born and raised in Kolkata, India, Khan’s culinary repertoire draws inspiration from her cultural heritage and upbringing.

Shah was recognised for his instrumental role in spearheading economic development initiatives on a global scale.

Born in India and raised in the US, Business Magnate Richard Branson said Shah “leads one of the largest economic-development programs the world has ever seen.”

(Agencies)