Indians and their ability to represent the country globally are undoubtedly astonishing. Be it entertainment or entrepreneurship, we have aced it all, and
TIME magazine's 100 most influential list is a testament to the same. With eight exceptional people of Indian origin making it to the list, these icons have yet again made the country proud.
TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2024 include actress Alia Bhatt and wrestler Sakshi Malik, among others. The list includes artists, icons, politicians, actors, athletes, business leaders, and scientists who left an incredible impact through their work.
Divided into several categories like artists, icons, and titans, the 21st annual list recognizes the world's most influential people across countries, including
Alia Bhatt and several other Indian-origin leaders.
Here's a look at the inspirational eight Indians who made it to TIME's 100 Most Infleuntial List 2024.
1. Alia Bhatt
The Bollywood actress, who also made her debut in English movies last year with Heart of Stone, became the only Indian actor to feature on the list. In his write-up for TIME magazine, British director Tom Harper called Alia Bhatt a 'formidable talent.'
Also Read: Alia Bhatt Featured In Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People Of 2024 ListShe predominantly works in Hindi cinema and has been a recipient of the National Award for her spectacular performance in Gangubai Kathiyawadi. Alia, also a face for international fashion luxury giant Gucci, is considered to be one of the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood.
2. Dev Patel
A British actor of Indian descent,
Dev Patel made his glorious debut with Slumdog Millionaire, a Danny Boyle film that gained him international recognition. He comes from a Gujarati Hindu family.
The actor also donned the director's hat as he made his directorial debut with Monkey Man this year. The film was made on a whopping budget of $10 million however, it managed to recover the same in just three days of its release.
3. Sakshi Malik
India's first female wrestler to win an Olympic medal became the talk of the town after her bold protest against Brij Bhushan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, who was accused of sexually harassing athletes.
Also Read: Brian Adams To The Great Khali, 5 Times WWE Wrestlers Made A Powerful Appearance In Bollywood Movies'This fight is no longer only for India's female wrestlers. It is for the daughters of India whose voices have been silenced time and again,' Malik said.
4. Satya Nadella
They say a third time's a charm, and it has surely worked for Satya Nadella. The executive chairman and CEO of Microsoft has become TIME's most influential veteran, as this marks his third appearance on the list.
With Microsoft aiming to become a pioneer in artificial intelligence (AI), Nadella is at the forefront of this exponentially growing technology.
The business icon was born in Hyderabad and pursued his bachelor's degree from Manipal Institute of Technology before moving to the United States. Currently, Satya continues to be an inspirational name in the tech industry.
5. Ajay Banga
An Indian origin, Ajay Banga climbed up the success ladder to become the president of the World Bank today. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote for
TIME magazine and described him as a leader with 'skill and drive to take on the monumental task of transforming an essential institution.'
Banga was born in Pune and graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from Delhi's St. Stephen's College. He moved to the United States in 2007.
6. Jigar Shah
Director of the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office, Jigar Shah, 'leads one of the largest economic-development programs the world has ever seen,' says Richard Brandson in his write-up for the magazine.
While he was born in India, Jigar moved to the United States when he was just a year old.
7. Asma Khan
An Indian-born British
chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, Asma Khan runs an all-female kitchen named Darjeeling Express in London. 'Asma's food is surprising. It doesn't taste like restaurant foodmdashand that is the highest compliment,' Padma Lakshmi wrote for TIME.
8. Priyamvada Natarajan
A professor of astronomy and physics at Yale University, Priyamvada Natarajan has redefined mapping dark matter and dark energy with her phenomenal thesis. She was born in Tamil Nadu and studied at Delhi Public School.
