London magazine ranks PM Singh as most influential Sikh

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been listed as the world's most powerful, influential and contemporary Sikh, according to the first edition of the annual 'Sikh 100' published in London.

According to the list, the world's first comprehensive ranking of the most powerful, influential and contemporary Sikhs in the world brought out by the Sikh Directory, 81-year-old Singh is "highly acclaimed as a thinker and a scholar". "He is well regarded for his diligence and his academic approach to work, as well as his accessibility and his unassuming demeanour", a brief profile of Singh read.

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, 69, ranks as the second most powerful Sikh on the list, released last night. Jathedar Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh, current religions head of Sri Akaal Takht Sahib, the supreme religious authority of the Sikhs based in Amritsar, is listed third.

He is followed by Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal, who ranks 4th. Ajaypal Singh Banga, President and CEO, MasterCard Worldwide, USA is ranked 8th on the list while Rabinder Singh, High Court Judge, Royal Courts of Justice, UK is 9th. Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Singh is 13th on the list while Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of Shiromani Akali Dal and Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab is 14th.

Others figuring on the list are Sir Mota Singh, Judge (UK) (17th), Sant Singh Chatwal, president and CEO, Hampshire Hotels and Resorts (USA) (19th), Malvinder; Shivinder Singh, chairman/director, Fortis Healthcare, India (21st) and Khushwant Singh, Journalist and Novelist (22nd).

Onkar Singh Kanwal, chairman, Apollo Tyres, India (23rd) Bhupinder Singh, managing director, Punjab National Bank (26th), Harbhajan Singh, cricketer (28th), Capt Amarinder Singh, president Punjab PCC (29th), Lord Indarjit Singh, director, The Network of Sikh Organisations, UK (42nd), Rami Ranger, chairman, Sun Mark Ltd (UK) (48th) and Kartar Singh Lalvani, director, Vitabiotics, UK (52nd) are others on the list. Gurinder Kaur Chadha, film director/producer, UK (55th), Baroness Sandip Kaur Verma (58th), Kmel Kaur Hothi, business and community director, Lloyds Bank, UK (64th), 'Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh, sportsman (71st), Paul Singh Uppal, MP (UK) (76th), Tarlochan Singh, former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities and former member of the Rajya Sabha (77th) are some of the others on the list.