Several Indians and people of Indian origin have made it to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2024, including actor Alia Bhatt and wrestler Sakshi Malik. The list includes artists, icons, movie stars, athletes, scientists, politicians and business leaders who have made an impact through their work. Divided into several categories like “artists”, “icons” and “titans,” the twenty-first annual list recognises the world’s most influential people across countries.
A look at the Indians and people of Indian origin who made it to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2024:
Alia Bhatt
In his write-up for Time magazine, British film director Tom Harper described Alia Bhatt as a “formidable talent.” Bhatt, who holds British citizenship, is based in India and works predominantly in the Hindi film industry. She is the recipient of a National Film Award, one of India’s highest paid actresses and a brand ambassador for Gucci. She made her international debut with Netlfix’s “Heart of Stone” last year.
Dev Patel
A British actor of Indian descent – his parents are Indian Gujarati Hindus – Dev Patel made a crackling big screen debut with “Slumdog Millionaire”, a film that propelled him to international fame in 2008. He made his directorial debut with “Monkey Man” this year.
Sakshi Malik
India’s first and only female wrestler to win an Olympic medal, Sakshi Malik last year became the face of resistance against Brij Bhushan Singh, the Wrestling Federation of India chief who was accused of sexually harassing athletes. “This fight is no longer only for India’s female wrestlers,” said Malik, “it is for the daughters of India whose voices have been silenced time and again.”
Satya Nadella
The executive chairman and CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, is appearing on Time’s most influential list for the third time. With Microsoft’s investments in OpenAI and partnership with Mistral AI, Nadella is at the forefront of the burgeoning AI movement. Nadella was born in Hyderabad and received his bachelor’s degree from the Manipal Institute of Technology in Karnataka before moving to the United States.
Ajay Banga
India-born Ajay Banga has ascended the ranks to serve as president of the World Bank today. In her write-up for Time, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen described Banga as a leader with the “skill and drive to take on the monumental task of transforming an essential institution.” Banga was born in Pune and graduated from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He became a US citizen in 2007.
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 Branson. He was born in India but moved to the United States when he was one-year-old.
Asma Khan
An Indian-born British restaurateur and cookbook author, Asma Khan is the force behind the acclaimed London restaurant, Darjeeling Express, which is famous for its all-female kitchen. “Asma’s food is surprising. It doesn’t taste like restaurant food—and that is the highest compliment,” wrote Padma Lakshmi for Time.
Priyamvada Natarajan
Priyamvada Natarajan is a professor in the departments of astronomy and physics at Yale University. She is noted for her work in mapping dark matter and dark energy. Natarajan was born in Tamil Nadu and studied at Delhi Public School, RK Puram.
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