Indholdsfortegnelse for August 5, 2019 i India Today

Change, as the ancient Greeks said, is the only constant in life. The INDIA TODAY power list continues to bear witness to this truism. Now in its 16th year, our annual High & Mighty ranking has seen one of the biggest shake-ups since its inception. Not just because 16 personalities have exited the list but because three of them—a superstar and two business tycoons—had been list regulars since 2003. Several others have dropped significantly in ranking. Businesses, the ballot box and box-office fortunes can be fickle mistresses indeed. Some of this turbulence was set off by the arrival of Prime Minister Modi, our political power list topper for six years in a row, who has reset political and business equations. All 10 members of the political power list are from…

It’s his first Independence Day after taking office, but Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will not be in state capital Amaravati all day for the celebrations. He is heading for port city Visakhapatnam instead. His party, the YSR Congress, swept the polls but lost all four constituencies in the city. Mother Y.S. Vijayalakshmi too lost here in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Jagan hopes to make a fresh start in the city in time for the local body polls. Not for nothing is it called the ‘City of Destiny’.…

Farmers in states such as Maharashtra, Haryana and Punjab have been fighting for the right to grow genetically modified (GM) crops, which, they argue, cost less, yield more and are less vulnerable to pests. The government has a ban in place for all except one variety of GM cotton, but, responding to a question in Parliament on July 19, said that it had no “scientific evidence” to show GM crops were unfit for human consumption. While this doesn’t sound like a water-tight case for a blanket ban, environment activists—and some farmer groups too—argue that the government is ignoring studies that link GM foods with health concerns, including cancer. 17 years since ‘Bt Cotton’ was approved, the only GM crop legally permitted to be grown in India to date; though Bt…

MUKESH AMBANI 62, CMD, Reliance Industries Because he is India’s biggest wealth creator. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is the country’s most valuable company, with a market cap of Rs 8 lakh crore as on July 24; and cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of Rs 1.32 lakh crore as on June 30, 2019 Because RIL posted its highest-ever quarterly profits in the fourth quarter of FY19—Rs 10,362 crore. Total profits for the year stood at Rs 39,588 crore on revenues of Rs 6.22 lakh crore (up 45 per cent from FY18) Because the world’s 13th richest man, with a net worth of $50 billion (Rs 3.45 lakh crore), has seen his wealth increase 25 per cent in a year (FY19), according to Forbes Because even as the company’s traditional refining…

UDAY KOTAK 61, Industrialist Because Kotak Mahindra is the country’s third largest private bank today. And because he is the Modi government’s go-to person for financial advice, having been appointed chairman of the beleaguered IL&FS in October 2018 Because the bank buttressed its financial inclusion credentials by including in its customer base 4.29 lakh bottom-of-the-pyramid households. Most loans were given to women engaged in farming and allied activities Because it advised 14 domestic and cross-border transactions with a cumulative value of $7.8 billion (Rs 53,820 crore) in FY19. It also led the largest IPO, largest Real Estate Investment Trust IPO, and largest Qualified Institutional Placement, raising a total of Rs 32,983 crore across 14 transactions UNFINISHED BUSINESS The RBI fined his bank Rs 2 crore in July 2019 for allegedly…

VIRAT KOHLI 30, Captain, Indian Cricket Team Because there is universal consensus that he is the best batsman playing today in all three cricket formats Because in 2018, he became the first player to win the ICC’s top three awards—ODI Cricketer of the Year, ICC Test Cricketer of the Year and ICC Cricketer of the Year—in the same year Because he is the top celebrity endorser for the second year in a row in the Duff & Phelps list. Valued at $170 million, he endorses 24 brands Because he is the only Indian in the Forbes 2019 list of highest-paid athletes (No. 9); he is also the only cricketer in the Instagram Rich List for sportspersons BEHIND THE STUMPS Kohli has kept wickets twice in international cricket—in a Test against…

SHIV NADAR 74, Founder & Chairman, HCL Because he is an IT pioneer and HCL Technologies, with a revenue of $8.6 billion, is India’s third-largest software services company. Nadar was No. 82 on the 2019 Forbes Billionaires list; net worth: $14.4 bn Because he is one of India’s top philanthropists, donating $662 million to the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which works on providing quality education to the needy Because he hasn’t forgotten his roots, donating Rs 15 crore to the corporation school he studied in THE REINVENTION When the US stock markets tanked in early 2001, HCL was in a fix as 76 per cent of its revenues came from there. The company had to completely reinvent itself…

SAJJAN JINDAL 59, Chairman & MD, JSW Group Because he has made JSW Steel India’s largest steel-maker, recording highest-ever revenues of Rs 84,757 crore and a net profit of Rs 7,524 crore in FY19. And because he has PM Modi’s ear on matters of business Because the company will spend Rs 48,700 cr.in the period 2018-22 to expand capacity from 18 million tonnes per annum to 24 mtpa Because JSW Steel strengthened its raw material sourcing by securing six iron-ore mines in the recent auctions, acquired facilities in the US and Italy, and has joint control with AION Capital in Monnet Ispat & Energy Limited HIGH POINT When JSW Steel was included in Nifty50, the NSE’s benchmark index of India’s top 50 companies, in September 2018 FITNESS IN THE FAMILY…

AMIT AGARWAL 45, Senior V-P & Country Manager, Amazon India Because he has made Amazon India the country’s No.1 online retailer, clocking gross sales of $7.5 billion (Rs 51,735 crore) in the year ended March 31, 2018, against rival Flipkart’s sales worth $6.2 billion, according to a Barclays report published in November 2018 Because Amazon’s Great Indian Festival 2018, with three dedicated sale events, emerged as the most visited and most transacted shopping ‘destination’ in India Because its Global Selling programme has crossed $1 billion in e-commerce exports sales from India in the three years since its launch in this country DE-STRESS MANTRA He likes to go for long runs while listening to music, takes time off to tinker with projects with his children and heads to the mountains for…

HARISH SALVE 64, Lawyer Because the UK-based lawyer is the man the Indian government turns to when it needs to fight a case overseas—from arguing against a lawsuit filed by the inhabitants of the Marshall Islands to stalling the execution of alleged Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav through an appeal at the International Court of Justice Because the chartered accountant-turned-lawyer, with one of the highest strike rates, is willing to waive his appearance fee to fight the good fight—he charged the Indian government one rupee in the Jadhav case Because he remains the topmost Indian corporate lawyer in high-profile cases, from the Ambanis’ battle against the government over the KG Basin gas dispute to the Vodafone tax dispute case FITNESS FREAK He hits the gym twice a day for 40-minute sessions…

ADITYA PURI 69, MD, HDFC Bank Because he steered India’s largest private bank, with 5,103 outlets and 13,160 ATMs, to a net profit of Rs 21,078 crore in 2018-19, 21 per cent higher than the previous year Because the bank’s retail deposits grew by 22.3 per cent to Rs 709,085 crore year-on-year, while retail advances rose by 15 per cent to Rs 432,687 crore and the personal loan business surged to nearly Rs 93,000 crore on the back of strong products and speedy disbursal Because with over 50 per cent of its branches in rural/ semi-urban areas, the bank picked up a 9.11 per cent stake in CSC e-Governance Services India for Rs 14.6 crore for delivery of public utility services and social welfare schemes WORK-LIFE BALANCE He doesn’t carry…

BABA RAMDEV 53, Yoga Guru & Entrepreneur Because despite the faltering growth of Patanjali products of late, he continues to ride the wave of success in the yoga world. He recently staged the ‘biggest annual yoga show in the universe’ on June 21, the International Day of Yoga Because he will head the country’s first government-recognised board for vedic education, based on a combination of the ancient gurukul system and modern education Because the over 1.5 million active members from the five organisations of his Patanjali network played a pivotal role in the BJP campaign this Lok Sabha election MONEY MATTERS Doesn’t have a bank account. Proceeds from the sale of Patanjali products or ayurveda products of Divya Pharmacy are invested back into the business to help it grow…

SHASHI THAROOR 6 3 , Congress MP Because he won from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala for the third time in a row Because he remains one of the most noticed and respected voices offering an alternative narrative at a time when the BJP dominates the political landscape and discourse—from challenging the Sangh parivar to dissecting the Modi government’s foreign policy, he’s doing it all Because his tweets and use of obscure English words regularly attract loud reactions—from awe to memes FOR THE LOVE OF READING He hasn’t opened a dictionary in years, he claims. “While reading, if you come across a word in three different places, you figure out the meaning, usage and nuance from the context,” he says…

MAHENDRA MOHAN GUPTA & SANJAY GUPTA 77, CMD and 55, CEO, Jagran Prakashan Ltd Because Jagran group’s print publications have a total readership of 90 million, making it the most read print media group in the country Because Dainik Jagran has been No.1 in the newspaper readership rankings continuously for over 15 years. It launched the “Hindi Hai Hum” initiative to preserve, promote and build on the legacy of the language Because they operate by seven principles, or saat sarokarswomen’s empowerment, environment protection, population management, poverty eradication, health, education and water conservation BREAK TIME Both Mahendra Mohan and Sanjay are ardent cricket fans and like to travel. Sanjay’s favourite destination is San Francisco, USA…

DR NARESH TREHAN 72, Chairman & MD, Medanta Because he is one of India’s best known and most successful cardiovascular surgeons who changed the face of private healthcare in the country with his foresight and vision. He has successfully conducted over 60,000 open heart surgeries. He is now working on giving Indians a brand of new medicine that will focus on combining the best of traditional (Ayurveda) and modern medicine to provide holistic healing Because he is chairman and MD of Medanta Medicity, which he co-founded in 2009. It has gone on to become one of the country’s most profitable hospitals with a revenue of Rs 1,392 crore in FY 2018 Because he has been working with the government to make India tuberculosis-free by 2025 OFF THE CLOCK When not…

SANJIV BAJAJ 49, MD & CEO, Bajaj Finserv Because Bajaj Finserv is one of India’s largest NBFCs and the largest financier to consumer durables. His focus on long-term, sustainable growth has seen Finserv’s revenues grow 30 per cent to Rs 42,605.6 crore in 2018-19, while post-tax profit grew 21 per cent to Rs 3,219 crore Because Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company’s gross written premiums, at Rs 11,097 crore, registered a growth of 17 per cent in 2018-19, while Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company’s gross written premiums, at Rs 8,857.2 crore, registered a growth of 17 per cent Because Bajaj Finance’s assets under management grew 41 per cent in 2018-19, to Rs 1.16 lakh crore HIS FATHER’S WORDS Known to be a family man, Sanjiv lives with his father, Rahul, in…

SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV 61, Spiritual Leader and Activist Because his ‘Rally for Rivers’, the largest ecological movement ever, has got the support of over 162 million people and has been recognised globally. The movement claims to have reached over 400 million people through more than 4,000 media stories Because ‘Gramotsavam’, India’s largest rural sports festival organised by his Isha Foundation, was awarded the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar in 2018 by the president of India Because the Isha Foundation collaborated with New York Fashion Week 2019 for the Fashion For Peace initiative to promote conscious and sustainable fashion among the world’s top designers LEISURE READING He is an avid fan of National Geographic magazine and has been subscribing to it since he was a teenager…

KIRAN NADAR 68, Chairperson, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art Because she curated the India Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale this year. The pavilion was rated among the top exhibits at the prestigious art event Because as a trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation, KNMA is the first philanthropic private museum. She is now building a standalone museum on a 3.5 acre plot in Noida, complete with a cultural centre Because KNMA is playing a crucial role in the contemporary art scene in India by organising retrospectives of artists like Himmat Shah and Arpita Singh and funding art projects on social and political issues, like that of filmmaker and installation artist Amar Kanwar OFF THE CANVAS She has been playing bridge since 1987 and has played for India in several…

DUTEE CHAND 23, Olympic Athlete Because she came out as gay on May 19, making her the first openly ‘gay’ Indian sportsperson Because she fought the ban placed on her in 2014 prohibiting her from competing as a female because of naturally occurring high testosterone levels in her body. In her comeback, she won two silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games Because she won gold at the 2019 World Unversiade, only the second Indian sprinter ever to do so at a global event FAST TRACK Chand loves cars and at one point had 15 of them. She eventually sold them all and now has a BMW and a Ford EcoSport…

AMIT SHAH 54, Union Minister for Home Affairs Because by dint of his hard work, political instincts and talent for implementation, he has turned the BJP into an election-winning machine Because he is the most-trusted lieutenant of the country’s most-powerful personality—PM Narendra Modi. He is widely tipped to be Modi’s successor because of his understanding of politics, his strong grip over the party’s organisation and administrative abilities Because he is seen as a decisive Union home minister who has displayed a firm position on issues related to the country’s security and sovereignty—from Jammu and Kashmir to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam to empowering the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to tackling terror more effectively THE PATRIOT A Guru Dutt movie buff in his formative years, he now prefers…

NITIN GADKARI 62, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways; MSMEs Because he is still seen as one of PM Modi’s most efficient ministers, under whom, it is claimed, 40,000 km of highways have been constructed since 2014—against 28,000 km during the UPA-2 rule Because he draws his influence from his proximity to the RSS top brass Because he’s perceived as a mensch with friends across parties and often plays ice-breaker between the Modi government and the opposition. Several non-BJP chief ministers have publicly acknowledged his cooperation in the completion of development projects SCOOP OF FUN Whenever home in Nagpur, he takes time out to treat his nephews and nieces to ice-cream…

Even for an administration that has been predictable in its unpredictability, the announcement came as a surprise. Former foreign secretary S. Jaishankar’s appointment as foreign minister is one of those rare occasions when a former bureaucrat has been leapfrogged into the high-profile Cabinet Committee on Security. The appointment was reportedly the result of feedback in the PMO that foreign affairs was taking too much of the prime minister’s mindspace. Ergo Jaishankar, a trusted advisor, was brought in to share the PM’s workload. The appointment also underlined the importance of bureaucrats in the Modi government’s scheme of things. These are the officials who call the shots on most key decisions, from security to economic policy to running the PMO to slotting the right bureaucrats in the right job. India today is…

P.K. MISHRA 71, Addl Principal Secretary in PMO Because Mishra, one of the PM’s most trusted bureaucrats, was principal secretary when Modi first became Gujarat chief minister in 2001. He now oversees all bureaucratic appointments in the services as well as in the armed forces, security agencies and judiciary Because Mishra has dismantled the transfer-posting raj in Delhi and has evolved a new system of selecting bureaucrats taking into account integrity, efficiency and aptitude Because a doctorate in economics from the University of Sussex comes in handy in meetings on policy formation A CARING HAND Mishra got the 2019 United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction, a recognition of his long-term involvement in the cause…

ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA 57, Additional Secy in PMO Because the Modi government has done exceedingly well in improving infrastructure, and most projects since 2014 have been done under Sharma’s supervision Because Sharma has had an important role in shaping the NDA’s industrial policy and bringing in investment, including FDI Because as a Gujarat cadre IAS officer and Modi confidant for 18 years, Sharma can take some of the credit for the massive jump India has taken in the World Bank ease of doing business list. India has jumped from 142nd place to 77th among all countries READING IT RIGHT Sharma is currently reading two books, the English translation of Marathi writer Ranjit Desai’s Shivaji the Great, and How Asia Works, a tome on the successes and failures of the region’s…

KRISHNAMURTHY SUBRAMANIAN 41, Chief Economic Advisor, India Because aside from authoring the annual Economic Survey, he has been tasked with suggesting structural improvements to the economy Because the youngest CEA is also the first not to have any link to the IMF or the World Bank. His predecessors were criticised for their affiliations to these institutions WELL TRAINED He completed his PhD in financial economics under Raghuram Rajan and Luigi Zingales at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business…

SUNDAR PICHAI 47, CEO, Google Inc Because even with his back against the wall—more governmental scrutiny and regulation—Pichai still calls for more high-skilled immigration. He might not have had a computer growing up, but is now using technology to build exciting products and engineer lasting change Because he believes that a CEO is also a Chief Ethics Officer and that privacy must not be a “luxury good” that can only be accessed by those who can afford to buy premium services Because he turned down a big grant of restricted Google stock, saying he was being paid enough STRAIGHT (GOOGLE) DRIVE Being a Google CEO does have its perks. Sundar Pichai doesn’t just get the front row seat to an India-England World Cup match, he also gets to sit next…

GOPICHAND P. HINDUJA 79, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group Because when The Sunday Times released its ‘Rich List’ in May, they confirmed for the third time that Gopi Hinduja and his brother Sri were the UK’s wealthiest people. The siblings saw their fortune increase by £1.356 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2017-2018 to £22 billion Because he never tires. Even if he’s in France, he finds it impossible to holiday: “My family often tells me I’m at the right age to retire. But I never understood what retirement is. Even if I go for a holiday, I take my secretaries and staff with me” Because he taught himself several languages, including Farsi WALK THE TALK Gopi Hinduja thinks best when he is on the move. He is known to take quick business decisions…

RAJEEV MISRA 57, Executive Vice-President, SoftBank Because as a potential successor to present CEO Masayoshi Son, Misra has ambition, tenacity and temerity Because as CEO of SoftBank Investment Advisers, Misra has put together a portfolio that now includes the likes of We-Work, Uber and Slack. Headed by Misra, SoftBank’s Vision Fund—the largest tech venture fund in the world—has $100 billion to play with Because he feels “India represents an enormous addressable market comprising a young, tech-enabled population”. The Vision Fund has already invested in Oyo, Policy Bazaar and Paytm. SoftBank has plans to open an office in Mumbai THE LONG ROUTE Born in Odisha, Misra went to IIT-Delhi, then to UPenn, eventually landing up at MIT. He has worked for Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and UBS. After a journey this…

SHANTANU NARAYEN 57, CEO, Adobe Inc. Because when he took over as CEO in 2007, Adobe relied on its products, such as Photoshop and Acrobat, to remain the leader in creative desktop software. But since then, Narayen has turned the multi-billion-dollar business on its head and learnt to concentrate on the customer Because he has made Adobe’s stock an investor favourite, especially after it grew sevenfold between 2012 and 2018 Because 2019 is his year. Not only was he awarded the Padma Shri in January, he was also ranked the fifth best CEO in Silicon Valley, ahead of Sundar Pichai (46), Mark Zuckerberg (55) and Tim Cook (69) TURNOVER SPECIALIST After Adobe saw an 18 per cent slump in revenue growth in 2009, something radical had to be done. So…

ANISH KAPOOR 65, Artist Because even though he is an artist, it’s fun to talk about him in commercial terms. According to a recent survey, his work had seen a total turnover of Rs 168.25 crore in 2018-19, making him the most successful Indian artist alive Because he doesn’t take his success for granted: “I am the luckiest man alive. I expected to spend my life teaching art rather than being able to be an artist” Because it’s not just his art, he makes you think too. In March, he said in a Guardian interview. “If I was a young Muslim, would I feel angry enough to have joined ISIS? I would at least think about it” ART OF DARKNESS In 2016, Kapoor bought the exclusive rights to a deep,…

For sharp analysis on topical issues by the editors of INDIA TODAY, log on to www.indiatoday.in/india-today-magazine-insight THEY HAIL YOU OR THEY HATE YOU, IT’S ALL EQUALLY ILLUSORY: BORIS JOHNSON | India Today Insight In the UK’s Brexit struggle, Boris Johnson sits at the heart of its biggest fight. Excerpts from his Q&A session with Group Editorial Director (Publishing) Raj Chengappa https://bit.ly/2SAz8Yb Work in progress: Kamal Nath gets down to business by Rahul Noronha Putting the Lok Sabha poll defeat behind him, Kamal Nath gets to grips with the business of governance with steps to shore up the state’s finances, attract industry and revamp the administration http://bit.ly/2JLa5yR How robust is the national health index? By Kaushik Deka The NITI Aayog’s second annual health index reveals inconsistencies and gaps in data http://bit.ly/2Ya8uGQ…

Did you hear a faint whoosh on July 8 in Delhi or Mumbai? That was just a collective sigh of relief across government—and telcos, banks and fintech firms. The Rajya Sabha had passed the Aadhaar Amendment bill. The bill was drafted after the Supreme Court ruled in September 2018 that Aadhaar could be used for government schemes, but not by the private sector. When it failed the floor test in the Rajya Sabha in January 2019, an ordinance was issued to allow banks and telcos to use Aadhaar. That ordinance would have lapsed by September 2019. Now, the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, will allow banks and telcos the ‘voluntary’ use of the 12-digit number as a form of identity proof for customers. Why do telcos and banks…

Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned from Capt. Amarinder Singh’s cabinet on June 6 after a stormy 27-month tenure as minister. The reason: an apparent demotion with a change of portfolios. But this time, neither the Gandhis nor the Captain buckled under his pressure tactics. Party insiders say Sidhu’s ambitions were fuelled by his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who was in a hurry to see him in the CM’s chair. That’s right, blame the wife.…

The progress reported in talks between India and Pakistan—on a corridor to enable Sikh pilgrims to travel directly to the Kartarpur Saheb gurudwara in Pakistan—merits a pause longer than one normally reserved for a confidence-building measure. For some years now, there has been a standing demand for easy access for pilgrims. Yet, that such a development would generate so much traction might have surprised even the most committed of activists. The foundation stones of the corridor were laid in November 2018, by the vice president of India and the prime minister of Pakistan, on their respective sides. Last month, in a response to a congratulatory letter from PM Imran Khan after the general election results, PM Modi had called for early operationalisation of the corridor. Meetings between the two sides…

KUMAR MANGALAM BIRLA 52, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group Because he has been steadily steering the Aditya Birla Group into a higher orbit, with group revenues touching $48.3 billion (Rs 3.3 lakh crore) from 14 different businesses Because the group merged its Idea Cellular with Vodafone India in July 2018 to create India’s largest mobile telephony company, with 387.5 million subscribers in June this year Because Hindalco’s wholly owned subsidiary, Novelis Inc, acquired US-based Aleris Corporation, a global aluminium rolled products major, for $2.58 billion (Rs 17,286 crore) in July 2018. This marked Novelis’ entry into the high-end aerospace segment, with technological capabilities in manufacturing and R&D in Aleris’ facility in Koblenz, Germany Because cement business UltraTech is now the market leader after absorbing the businesses of Century Textiles and Industries…

ANAND MAHINDRA 64, Chairman, Mahindra group Because he is a champion of India’s private enterprise, transforming the Mahindra group into a large federation of companies with $21 billion (Rs 1.4 lakh crore) in turnover after diversifying from automotive into aerospace, defence, real estate and infrastructure, retail, rural housing finance, hospitality and IT Because Mahindra is a businessman with a heart, ever engaging his over 7 million followers on Twitter on social issues and has gone beyond the call of business to represent India in the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS). Mahindra has announced that his group would be carbon neutral 10 years before the 2050 deadline Because he is constantly thinking out of the box, relaunching the famous Czech brand Jawa motorcycles in India in November 2018. The response has…

CHANDRASHEKHARAN 56, Chairman, Tata Sons Because on his watch, Tata Motors has tried to revive its flagging domestic performance with new launches of electric vehicles (EVs). The Tata Tigor EV was launched in June this year, and 40 electric buses were delivered to the Jammu and Kashmir government on July 2 Because Tata Steel has been pursuing capacity expansion in India after its JV plan with Germany’s ThyssenKrupp fell through, scaling up the Kalinganagar plant in Odisha and acquiring bankrupt Bhushan Steel and the steel assets of Usha Martin Because hard choices were made in exiting its bleeding mobile telephony business. Tata Tele merged with Bharti Airtel but had to pay Rs 50,000 crore to settle debt, spectrum dues RUN WITH IT An avid runner, ‘Chandra’ also loves trekking in…

ANIL AGARWAL 65, Exec. Chairman, Vedanta Resources Because he has steered Vedanta, which has a big presence in India in copper, zinc, iron ore and oil and gas, through a tough business environment, with group revenues reaching Rs 90,901 crore and Ebitda Rs 24,012 crore in 2018-19 Because the company plans total investments of Rs 55,000 crore over two to three years to increase production by about 50 per cent across businesses, and acquired Electrosteel Steels and UK mining firm Anglo-American Plc in 2018 Because Vedanta Cairn Oil and Gas recently won 53 new oil blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy and discovered small field auction GIFT OF GIVING Has pledged 75 per cent of his wealth for social good…

SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR 63, Founder, The Art of Living Because he was appointed by the Supreme Court to be part of a three-member committee to mediate the contentious Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute, given his track record with conflict resolution Because he launched the national Drug Free India campaign, which saw the participation of over 10 million students and the support of 90 eminent personalities Because according to the Limca Book of Records, at least, he has helped save and rejuvenate 41 rivers, which in turn saved the livelihoods of 50 million people in over 5,055 villages THE MESSENGER He spends approximately 180 days a year travelling across the globe for his mission of peace building. He is proficient in seven languages and is a classical music connoisseur who also…

SUNIL BHARTI MITTAL 61, Founder & Chair, Bharti Enterprises Because he is the original telecom czar of India, has been at the forefront of the country’s communication revolution and is now putting up a brave fight in the ongoing telecom tariff war. Bharti Airtel is India’s second-largest mobile phone operator by subscriber base, with 400 million customers across 16 countries. Airtel Africa was listed on the London Stock Exchange in June Because at a time when India Inc. is lying low, he is riding the next wave of business. With his payments bank, in partnership with Kotak Mahindra, he is hoping to be at the cutting edge of making India more financially inclusive Because his influence in the telecom world extends beyond India. In 2017, he was the first businessman…

NITA AMBANI 55, Chairperson, Reliance Foundation Because her foundation has touched the lives of 26 million through rural transformation, health, education, disaster relief and urban renewal. In 2018-19, it helped 244 gram panchayats prepare development plans and made nearly 50,000 families food-secure Because the foundation provided 600,000 health consultations through Reliance-managed hospitals and medical units, including cataract surgeries, knee replacements, paediatric cardiovascular surgeries and bone marrow and renal transplants Because she owns the IPL team Mumbai Indians, is chairperson of the Indian Super League (football) and was a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2016—its first Indian woman member CATCHING THEM YOUNG The Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship programme supported 504 students for higher education in 2018-19; 162 government schools were provided digital classrooms HOSTESS WITH A BIG HEART She holds…

VINEET JAIN 51, MD, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd Because his Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd (BCCL) or the Times of India Group is India’s No. 1 media conglomerate with revenues of over Rs 9,000 crore Because Times Internet Limited operates the largest Indian network by unique visitors, behind Google and Facebook, with 452 million unique visitors, 134 billion minutes of time spent and 47 billion page views per month Because the group’s radio broadcasting business operates 76 FM stations in India with 38 million weekly listeners and an additional 50-60 million engaging with the video content on streaming platforms QUIZ ME They have launched Qureka, a daily live quiz show app, where users can participate in live trivia/ quiz shows and win cash prizes…

SALMAN KHAN 53, Actor Because he is always a fan favourite. Even when his films fail to entertain—think Race 3 (Rs 166 crore) and Bharat (Rs 197 crore)—they still manage to make a dent at the box office Because with Rs 13 crore weekly as his estimated fee for Bigg Boss season 13, he’s the highest paid celebrity on television Because he’s expanding the Being Human business empire to include talent management and fitness equipment and gymnasiums HELPING HAND He continues to offer young actors their first break in Bollywood; for example, his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma and Nutan’s granddaughter Pranutan Bahl. He is also going to introduce Mahesh Manjrekar’s daughter Saiee in Dabangg 3…

SANJIV PURI 57, Chairman & MD, ITC Because he has steered the hotelsto-FMCG giant to post a consolidated net profit of Rs 13,162 crore in 2018-19, up 10 per cent from the previous year Because despite sluggish rural demand, the company’s FMCG business posted a 12 per cent growth in revenues at Rs 12,505 crore, driven by enhanced scale, a better product mix and more investment in brand building Because 41 per cent of ITC’s total energy consumption came from renewable energy HOME TREATS Relishes the ITC Fabelle chocolates and Sunfeast Wonderz milk shakes. He also practises yoga as a pastime…

RAJINIKANTH 68, Actor, Politician Because the thalaivar, or leader, has plans to organise his fans and followers under the banner of the Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) to contest in all 234 constituencies in the next Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2021 or earlier Because his RMM dispatched tankers (with the actor’s photograph on them) to various localities in the city during the ongoing Chennai water crisis Because age does not deter him. He is preparing for his 168th film, even as the A.R. Murugadoss-directed Darbar, where he plays a double role, is scheduled for a 2020 release POSTER WARS A row erupted over the removal of a portrait of his from the film Petta from theBigg Boss Tamil 3 house, even as one of the show’s host Kamal Haasan remained…

DILIP SHANGHVI 63, Founder & MD, Sun Pharma Because despite the challenges posed by the US Food and Drug Administration warning letters, Sun Pharma posted a 10 per cent growth in 2018-19 revenues Because his Sun Pharma launched Ilumya in the US, becoming the first Indian pharma company to launch a direct-to-customer campaign in the US Because he is still on the prowl to acquire companies that are strategic fits, Pola Pharma Inc., a Japanese pharmaceutical company being one of the latest LINE OF CAUTION Whistle blowers’ letters alleging corporate governance lapses in the company regarding related party deals, caused its shares to tumble 13 per cent—a six-year low—on January 18 this year on the stock exchanges…

PRASOON JOSHI 47, CEO and CCO, McCann India and Poet Because he is the government’s creative marketer—from making ads for Uttar Pradesh Tourism to writing lyrics for Swachh Bharat, Joshi knows the art of selling. He is also the Centre’s choice to head the Central Board of Film Certification Because his ad agency, Mc-Cann India, won gold at the 2018 Cannes Lions Festival Because he is the PM’s poet of choice. His Saugandh Mujhe iss Mitti ki has been sung twice by Modi COMING SOON Joshi is exploring the idea of writing a musical about the life of a musician…

AMISH TRIPATHI 44, Author Because he is one of the country’s most read and celebrated authors—his first trilogy on Shiva was the fastest selling book series in India. His second trilogy, based on the Ramayana, is the second fastest selling series. He has signed a Hollywood film deal for the first book of his Shiva trilogy Because his novels based on mythological characters have introduced young readers from all social categories to India’s ancient mythology Because he talks passionately about India’s cultural and scientific past, is a darling of the ruling BJP dispensation and has been appointed director of the Nehru Centre, the cultural wing of the Indian high commission in London THE RITUALS OF A WRITER He can write anywhere but he needs to play music and munch on…

The Indian political landscape in 2019 began with a promise. In the last month of the previous year, the country’s main opposition party, the Congress, wrested control of three heartland states—Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh—from the BJP. Suddenly, the battle for the Lok Sabha looked wide open with a loose swathe of opposition parties sniffing a chance to dethrone the Narendra Modi-led BJP with some unimaginable alliances. Such dreams bit the dust in May, reaffirming that PM Modi remains the most powerful person in the country, backed by incredible public goodwill that no other politician has enjoyed in the post-Indira Gandhi era. When that popularity combines with the election management skills of his deputy Amit Shah and the deep-rooted organisational network of the RSS, the result is an almost-invincible political…

MOHAN BHAGWAT 68, RSS Sarsanghchalak Because he heads the RSS, the ideological home of the BJP’s foot-soldiers, and has been playing a crucial role in framing the country’s social and political discourses in recent times Because the RSS was majorly instrumental in the BJP’s emphatic Lok Sabha poll win Because by appealing to Muslims to see the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya as an issue of national reconciliation, along with the efforts of the Modi government and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, he has created an atmosphere where many Muslim leaders are more inclined to finding a resolution to the issue through a compromise THE BIG SHIFT Bhagwat publicly moved away from RSS icon M.S. Golwalkar’s uncharitable views about Muslims and said that the RSS has to…

NIRMALA SITHARAMAN 59, Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Because she’s part of the big four club–the most powerful ministries in the country. And while her meteoric rise may have ruffled a few feathers within the BJP, her no-nonsense attitude has even the prime minister cheering for her. Her journey from party spokesperson to holding two crucial portfolios—she held the defence portfolio in Modi’s first term—in such a short span of time has put her in the league of political legends Because she has presented the economic vision of the second term of the Modi government with her maiden budget, which her team put together in less than five weeks. Amidst great expectations, she had the tough task of maintaining fiscal prudence while also rewarding Indians for overwhelmingly voting…

NRIPENDRA MISRA 74, Principal Secretary, PMO Because he is the key link for the prime minister on most governance issues, from policy formation to monitoring key central schemes like Swachh Bharat and the Ayushman Bharat mass health insurance scheme Because he is also the PMO’s monitor for the 115 most backward districts in the country, tasked with the responsibility of coordinating with state authorities on bringing them up to par Because he is the PM’s crisis manager on all issues barring national security. Misra is also the PM’s intermediary with media barons and editors WHO DO YOU KNOW? Nripendra Misra’s name was recommended to the prime minister by Amit Shah, who got to know him well during a stint with the BJP Uttar Pradesh unit (Misra is from the state)…

SHAKTIKANTA DAS 62, RBI Governor Because he is among the government’s most trusted bureaucrats, having been its public face during demonetisation in his capacity as economic affairs secretary Because he is steering the RBI at a time when the central bank is under much scrutiny, and under pressure to revive growth, tackle bad loans at public sector banks and fix the NBFC crisis Because pending cases of 94 firms, with a stressed liability of Rs 1.7 lakh crore, have been resolved as of March 2019. Banks have recovered just 42 per cent of outstandings SOUTHERN CONNECT Bhubaneswar-born, he speaks fluent Tamil, a result of his long stint as a bureaucrat in Chennai…

AMITABH KANT 6 3 , CEO, NITI Aayog Because he is the driving force behind some of the PM’s most defining initiatives, from electric vehicles to mass health insurance. The latest push is towards real-time tracking of development in 115 aspirational districts covering 27 per cent of the population Because he will play a key role in devising strategy for recycling of some 55 government assets. Kant is working on how they can be utilised better Because the new method of monitoring central schemes by linking them to outcomes was conceptualised at NITI Aayog. It has the potential to transform how funds are allocated and used POWER POINT The PM was so impressed with his presentation on aspirational districts that he requested him to make another one for all MPs…

HIREN JOSHI 49, OSD, Communications & IT Because he is the PM’s eyes and ears for all communications strategy Because he oversees all ad campaigns of the PM’s pet schemes. He put together many of Modi’s successful 2019 ad campaigns Because his image as a low-profile official who never exceeds his brief endears him to Modi. Hence Joshi is the go-between for secret missives to and from the PM WEBMASTER Son of an RSS functionary from Bhilwara, Rajasthan, he has a doctorate in IT from Jiwaji University, Gwalior —Uday Mahurkar, Kaushik Deka, Sandeep Unnithan, Shwweta Punj, Kiran D. Tare, Ashish Misra and Anilesh S. Mahajan…

SATYA NADELLA 51, CEO, Microsoft Because he has made Microsoft the world’s most valuable company with a market capitalisation of over $1 trillion. When asked how he felt about this, however, the stoic Nadella said, “I would be disgusted if somebody ever celebrated our market cap” Because when he became CEO of Microsoft in 2014, the company was stodgy and languishing. Today, its cloud-based service has more subscribers than Spotify and Amazon Prime combined Because he doesn’t just want to emulate Bill Gates. He wants to build something bigger and better LEARNING CURVE Before he became CEO, Nadella found himself a go-to book for inspiration—Carol S. Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.He once explained its impact. “The simple concept in that book was it is better to be a…

LAKSHMI N. MITTAL 69, Chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal Because the 2019 Asian Rich List had L.N. Mittal and son Aditya at No.2 with £11.2 billion between them Because when his younger brother Pramod found that he couldn’t repay a debt of Rs 2,210 crore to India’s State Trading Corporation, L.N helped bail him out Because he is poised to acquire Essar Steel HIS IDEA OF FUN Tim Bouquet, the author of Cold Steel, a book on Mittal’s Arcelor acquisition, once told Forbes, “Mittal’s idea of a good time is to order Chinese takeaway from Zen Central in Mayfair”…

ANSHULA KANT 56, MD and CFO, World Bank Because it’s grand when your new employer gives your past experience an A+. World Bank president David Malpass said, “She’s excelled at a diverse array of leadership challenges including risk, treasury, funding, regulatory compliance and operations.” There’s very little she can’t do Because as CFO of the State Bank of India (SBI), Kant deftly managed $38 billion of revenues and total assets of $500 billion. She can also be credited for SBI’s smooth navigation of demonetisation Because she puts family first. Her children, Siddharth and Nupur, live in New York. Kant says that living in inclusive SBI residential colonies made it easier for her to raise her children MYTH BUSTER Kant, who studied economics at Lady Shri Ram College and Delhi School…

RAGHURAM RAJAN 56, Professor, Chicago Booth School of Business Because be it demonetisation (“One cannot say it has been an economic success”) or the BJP government’s overseas debt plan (“Would the foreign tail wag the domestic dog?”), he always says it like he sees it Because his inaugural address as the Reserve Bank of India’s governor ended with a Kipling quote that now proves his clairvoyance—“If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you/ But make allowance for their doubting too” Because his Fault Lines (2010) won the FT-Goldman Sachs Book of the Year, and his Third Pillar (2019) made arguments that made globalisation seem cool again LESSON LEARNT When he heard murmurs of him becoming Bank of England’s next chief, Rajan clarified to the BBC this July that…

HASAN MINHAJ 33, Comedian Because no one is sacred on his definitive Netflix show, Patriot Act Because at the White House Correspondents’ dinner two years ago Minhaj had joked, “Every time Trump goes golfing, the headline should read, ‘Trump golfing. Apocalypse delayed’” Because Trevor Noah said it best. “Hasan is America. And America is Hasan” SNEAK PREVIEW He would lie to his parents about doing stand-up comedy and tell them he was at the library. When he finally confessed, his father said: “I really was hoping you were just smoking weed”…

Even though Dr K. Sivan, chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has been involved in over 50 launches, he confesses he is still tense during every new launch. As he puts it, “My stomach churns, my heart beats faster and I feel breathless.” On June 22, as the countdown began for the launch of Chandrayaan-2, India’s second moon mission, from the space port in Sriharikota in Andhra, he was even more so. A week earlier, the first attempt to launch the spacecraft had to be aborted because of a plumbing leak in the upper-stage engine of the 15-storey tall, brand new GSLV Mark-III launcher. Though disappointed, Sivan decided to postpone the launch as he was acutely aware that there was so much of ISRO and India’s prestige riding on it.…

After Lord Ram, the BJP and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath are reaching for Krishna, the naughty god beloved of the state’s dominant Yadav caste. The CM will flag off a high-profile Krishna Janmashtami festival on August 24 in the Braj region of Mathura-Vrindavan and Agra. It’s clearly time for the party to build on the success in the Lok Sabha where it swept all the seats in the region, leaving only Mainpuri for SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. At a recent meeting, the CM instructed the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad to light up all the places connected with Lord Krishna with LED bulbs. A complete ban on plastic and thermocol products in the religious hotspots is also on the cards.…

Unnamati Syama Sundar exposes the biases of the upper caste cartoonists in how they represented Ambedkar No Laughing Matter is unique for a number of reasons—starting from its subject. It extensively compiles cartoons featuring Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar that appeared in the Indian English press between 1932 and 1956. Its editor-author Unnamati Syama Sundar frames a view of the Indian freedom struggle that is very different from the usual Gandhi-Nehru-Congress-centric nationalist history. The 122 cartoons, culled from a wide variety of contemporary publications, are compiled chronologically, allowing us to better understand the context and contemporary events in response to which the cartoons originally appeared. Each cartoon is accompanied by well-researched commentary about the characters featured and the symbolism and metaphors employed. However, what I found most interesting were the closing notes…

Whether you see it as a blessing or a curse, there is really no doubt anymore that we live in extremely interesting times. And if you think that’s a cliché, well, we have plenty more for you: the old order changeth—and it remains la même chose too. After all, contradiction is our favourite national cliché. In this 16th edition of the High & Mighty list, we give you a group portrait of the people who really count in this country of 1.3 billion today. Compare it to last year’s list and what emerges is same-same—but different. The country, like much of the world, has been in the throes of the slow rolling surge of right-wing populism that now seems to have entrenched its own elite. ‘Might makes right’ ran that…

GAUTAM ADANI 57, Chairman, Adani Group Because the college dropout-turned-businessman from Gujarat, known to be close to Prime Minister Modi, has been on an aggressive expansion spree, announcing Rs 50,000 crore worth of projects in Gujarat itself in January 2019, and diversifying from the older businesses of ports, power transmission, coal and mining into newer ones, such as aerospace and defence, data centres, urban water management, roads, rail, metro and airports Because under his watch, shareholder value for six of the Adani Group’s publicly listed companies grew 600 times over 30 years, with a combined revenues of $13 billion (Rs 89,700 crore) now Because Adani Power is now India’s largest power producer with an installed capacity of 10,480 MW; and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) is the…

AMITABH BACHCHAN 76, Actor Because he is still box-office gold with last release Badla (2019) raking in Rs 87.5 crore Because he’s a reliable brand, ranking No. 7 in the Duff & Phelps list, with a brand value of $41.2 million (Rs 284 crore). He currently endorses products for 22 companies Because he wins hearts on social media. Big B has been writing daily on his blog for over 4,000 days now. He’s active on Twitter where he numbers his tweets, Facebook and also on Instagram Because he is big on the small screen too. As host of Kaun Banega Crorepati, one of India’s most popular quiz shows, the actor advocates social causes every Friday with ‘KBC Karmveer’ COMING SOON Movies Jhund, Chehre, Gulaba Sitabo, Brahmastra and his Tamil debut,…

AZIM H. PREMJI 73, Chairman, Wipro Ltd Because he is one of the world’s most large-hearted billionaires, announcing in March that he has donated $21 billion (Rs 1.4 lakh crore) to charitable arm, the Azim Premji Foundation Because he will continue as chairman of Azim Premji Foundation, after announcing that son Rishad Premji will take over as executive chairman of Wipro Ltd on July 31 Because PremjiInvest, an investment group he founded, has invested in several start-ups and manages assets of over $3 billion (Rs 20,700 crore). It has helped create the country’s latest tech unicorn, Icertis, which competes with SAP SE and Oracle Corp to help businesses manage contracts on the cloud FUTURE VISION Cherishes his interactions with school students at the annual ‘Earthian’ events on sustainability held at…

UDAY SHANKAR 57, President, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and Chairman, Star and Disney India Because after Disney’s $71.3 billion (Rs 4.9 lakh crore) buyout of the Twenty First Century Fox group, he now leads one of the world’s biggest media and entertainment conglomerates, reaching more than 790 million viewers a month in over 100 countries with a bouquet of 60-plus TV channels Because with 300 million active monthly users and 30 per cent of the digital video advertising share, Hotstar, a subsidiary of Star India, is one of the biggest in the streaming space worldwide Because the group sets the benchmark in sports, with the Indian Premier League and Pro Kabaddi League and coverage in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada, giving Star India 65 per cent share of sports…

SANJIV GOENKA 58, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group Because at a time when big businesses are under fire over poor corporate governance and enormous debt, the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group is growing on the basis of internal accruals with a debt ratio of 1:1. Overall, the group posted 28 per cent growth in profit after tax, driven by a turnaround in Spencer’s Retail, the growth of its power companies and profitability in Phillips Carbon Black Ltd and Saregama Because he has cracked the code for guilt-free snacking, producing healthy avatars of traditional snacks under the Guiltfree Industries portfolio. The company has also recently acquired Nature’s Basket and ayurvedic FMCG brand Dr Vaidya’s KEEPING THE FAITH He is a deeply spiritual and religious man, devoting about 45 minutes each day to chanting mantras…

AKSHAY KUMAR 51, Actor Because with earnings of $65 million (Rs 448 crore), he was the only Indian actor to feature in the Forbes World’s Highest-Paid Entertainers’ list 2019 Because he is the spokesperson for the government’s social causes, be it the Bharat Ke Veer assistance to families of martyred CRPF personnel, the road transport ministry’s #SadakSurakshaJeevanRaksha campaign or the Swachhata Hi Seva sanitation drive Because despite his Canadian citizenship, his roster of nationalistic films suggests that the actor consciously seeks subjects that highlight ‘achche din’ MANGO MOVE His apolitical interview with Narendra Modi in April 2019, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, inspired many memes for softball questions such as asking how the prime minister likes to eat his mangoes BEACH BUM Enjoys an early morning game…

AJAY SINGH 54, Chairman, SpiceJet Because he scripted a rare turnaround story in India’s civil aviation segment. SpiceJet’s net losses of Rs 1,003 crore in 2014-15 came down to Rs 351 crore in 2018-19 Because SpiceJet is now India’s second-largest private sector airline and is expanding by vying for lucrative airport slots vacated by a grounded Jet Airways and a stagnant Air India. Singh is also expanding the fleet by adding 30 Boeing 737 NG planes, with plans for another 35 planes in the next fiscal Because he is among the few corporate personalities who have direct access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi SPICING IT UP In his first tenure with SpiceJet, Singh had named the company’s airplanes after spices, such as cinnamon, pepper, etc. The tradition continues…

RANVEER SINGH 34, Actor Because he’s king of the box office. His last two releases, Simmba and Gully Boy, together collected Rs 373 crore net at the domestic box office, strengthening his position as a dynamic and diverse performer Because he is a brand magnet. As the face of 28 brands, Singh is everywhere, be it hoardings or on television. As per ESP Properties’ Showbiz 2.0 report, these deals are valued at Rs 84 crore Because he is changing the rules of Bollywood etiquette with his uninhibited demeanour and eccentric sartorial sense. Singh is beloved for being bold, real and himself BATTING FOR GLORY To prepare for ’83, the sports drama on India’s maiden World Cup victory in which he plays Kapil Dev, Singh spent considerable time with Kapil’s Devils…

R.C. BHARGAVA 84, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Because he is the Indian automotive industry’s most visible face, having steered Maruti Suzuki for 38 years Because the company has touched over 20 million customers through sales and service activities Because Maruti Suzuki supports over 110 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the country, as per a five-year ITI development plan, while the Japan India Institute for Manufacturing at Mehsana saw 100 per cent placement for its first batch ROLE MODEL He is known for his keen grasp of details and is admired for his insight and high energy levels…

VIJAY SHEKHAR SHARMA 41, Founder & CEO, Paytm Because he introduced Indians to a new way of spending money. He has added over a billion dollars to his net worth in the past one year. At $2.7 billion (Rs 186 billion), he is India’s youngest billionaire. Sharma ranks 877 among the 2,153 global billionaires on the Forbes annual list. Because even as businesses in India are putting their plans on hold, Sharma has expanded his to include e-commerce with the launch of Paytm Mall, and Paytm Payments Bank, besides his digital payments business Paytm. All his businesses have attracted rich valuations—China’s Alibaba group and Japan’s Softbank group invested $453 million in Paytm Mall. Warren Buffet has invested $300 million in the company Because he is the poster-boy of new-age entrepreneurship…

RAHUL BHATIA 58, MD, InterGlobe Enterprises Because in a time of churn, InterGlobe Aviation, IndiGo’s parent company, reported its highest quarterly profits ever in the first quarter of FY20 Because Bhatia introduced the concept of low-cost, efficient flying in India and made sure the model was profitable. With the new slots vacated by Jet Airways and a continued focus on the international market, it plans to allocate half its capacity to international markets, making it a formidable player in the airline space Because IndiGo, even with its promoters fighting each other and the stock price taking a hammering, continues to be the largest domestic airline with over 40 per cent market share MY RIDE, YOUR RIDE Just to make a point, Bhatia once showed up at an important industry meeting…

66, Chairman & MD, Biocon Ltd KIRAN MAZUMDAR SHAW Because she is India’s richest self-made woman business leader. She founded India’s largest biopharmaceutical firm in 1978 and is a pioneer in the biotechnology space. Because she has constantly invested in research and development to drive innovation and has built a culture of deep research at the company instead of taking the generic drug-maker route Because she uses her voice to drive citizens of Bengaluru to make their city better through the B-PAC (Bangalore Political Action Committee) initiative and is unafraid to speak out against government policy Because through her initiative, the Mazumdar-Shaw Medical Centre, she is building an affordable cancer-care model HAPPY HOUR She wanted to become a brewmaster like her father but didn’t get the job, which is when…

DEEPIKA PADUKONE 33, Actor and Producer Because she became the first woman to make it to the top five in the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list. Her brand value is $102.5 million (Rs 707 crore) as per the Duff and Phelps report, behind only Virat Kohli in India Because her last release, Padmaavat (2018), became the first actress-driven film to cross the Rs 250 crore mark. She is also going to produce and star in Chhapaak (January 2020), a film based on the life of an acid attack survivor Because she is reducing the stigma around mental illness. Her Live Love Laugh Foundation creates awareness among students and teachers about mental health NEW AVATAR Through her company, K.A. Enterprises LLP, she has invested in online furniture rental platform Furlenco, online…

EKTA KAPOOR 44, Joint Managing Director & Creative Director, Balaji Telefilms Because after 25 years in the television business she is still going strong. Her shows, Kundali Bhagya, Kumkum Bhagya and Kasautii Zindagii Ki 2, are some of the most-watched shows on air Because under her leadership, Balaji Telefilms continues to grow. In 2018-19, the company registered earnings of Rs 465.12 crore with a profit of Rs 20.12 crore. In 2017, Reliance Industries bought a 25 per cent stake in the company for Rs 413 crore Because with Alt Balaji she’s conquering the video-on-demand space too. Since its establishment in April 2017, the company has seen a 600 per cent growth in revenue IN GOD SHE TRUSTS Deeply religious, Kapoor has made it a tradition to offer the first copy…

MONIKA SHERGILL 44, Head, Series, International Originals, Netflix India Because she’s rapidly expanding the streaming giant’s India series catalogue—second fastest growing after the US—to expand the subscriber base beyond the current estimated 1.2 million Because she’s changing the landscape of Hindi long-form entertainment by tapping both stars and talented writers across genres. The company has announced nine new shows, including Alankrita Shrivastava’s Bombay Begums and a documentary series on fashion designer Masaba Gupta Because her creative decisions will be key to Netflix’s success in India. It has launched a critical mobile-only plan to gain viewers PAST PERFECT As content in-charge of Viacom 18’s Voot before she joined Netflix, she was behind the mockumentary web series, Badman,starring Gulshan Grover as himself…

NARENDRA MODI 68, Prime Minister of India Because he is the undisputed leader of the country, far ahead of other politicians in terms of public perception; he is projected as a strong, assertive and quick-footed prime minister with an incorruptible image Because he single-handedly shaped two consecutive and comprehensive wins in the Lok Sabha elections, turning it into a presidential-style contest; the candidates became immaterial, Modi became his party’s symbol in 543 constituencies Because his governance model—despite questions about growth and joblessness—has proved to be a potent model for elimination of poverty by drastically improving last-mile delivery of schemes through a marked commitment to good governance based on transparency and use of technology Because he has put India on a pedestal globally with his skilful, bold and wise diplomacy FAMOUS…

RAJNATH SINGH 68, Union Minister of Defence Because the home minister from the Narendra Modi government’s first term took over as defence minister in the second term, with no apparent loss of power. He continues to be a pivotal figure in the government—a remarkable feat given the dominance of the Modi-Amit Shah power combine Because of the clout he has demonstrated by forcing the government to revise the composition of the cabinet committees within hours of releasing the list. Singh, who initially was in only two cabinet committees—home minister Amit Shah was in eight—was put in six committees in the revised list Because as a three-term Lok Sabha MP, he understands the pulse of the people. He personally intervened to restore the rations of military officers in peace-time postings, a…

PIYUSH GOYAL 55, Union Minister of Railways; Commerce & Industry Because he is handling two ministries that are critical to India’s economic revival and employment generation Because he is anchoring the biggest reforms at the railways, not only pushing for greater corporate-style accountability, but making space for private investment in it Because as commerce minister, he will have to balance out trade ties with the US and China as well as navigate India’s path at the WTO and the forthcoming Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement REJUVENATION MANTRA Goyal never calls it a day without his mandatory hour of mediation…

DEVENDRA FADNAVIS 49, Chief Minister, Maharashtra Because he cut political opponents to size and completed his term as Maharashtra CM, steering the BJP to victory in all major elections, except one Lok Sabha by-poll. He won a major political battle when the Bombay High Court approved his government’s reservation for Marathas in education and government jobs Because he has maintained Maharashtra’s top rank in FDIs, with the state attracting 38 per cent of the inflows to India in 2018-19. The thrust on the Mumbai-Nagpur highway and metro lines in Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune has given a boost to infrastructure Because he effectively tackled the Shiv Sena’s fiery criticism and brought the ally back on board with the BJP FAST MOVER Does not take more than three days to clear any…

AJIT DOVAL 74, National Security Advisor Because he is the first NSA to get a second five-year term in office. Even in a Modi government top heavy with hawks in the home and foreign ministry, he is still the go-to guy for national security issues Because Doval is one of a handful of government officials to have his own office building. Sardar Patel Bhavan on Parliament Street houses offices of the NSA’s secretariat Because the intel which led to the Balakot air strikes in February reaped the Modi government an electoral windfall, seen as a vindication of his offensive-defence strategy against Pakistan COVERT CAUSE Doval refused to clear files the weekend after the government was sworn in. Resumed work only after the government confirmed on June 3 that he had…

ATANU CHAKRABORTY 58, Finance Secretary Because as a Gujarat-cadre officer, he has worked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in that state and therefore has a deep understanding of the PM’s economic philosophy. His policies will likely align with the PM’s vision Because he has the unenviable task of steering the economy with prudence—including finding ways to increase private investment and ensure growth WANDERLUST Chakraborty unwinds by heading out on treks with his wife, both in India and around the world…

RAJIV KUMAR 58, Secretary, Financial Services Because he heads the Centre’s push to bring down mandated capital adequacy norms for Indian banks and bring them in line with Basel 3 requirements Because he pushed through several reforms in Indian bureaucracy, including an online system of recording annual performance appraisal reports Because he is the driving force behind the privatisation of IDBI Bank and consolidation of other banks WHEELS ARE CHURNING Handpicked by the PM as he had a doer reputation…

The health of societies was once measured by their record of diversity. In recent months, however, ‘immigration’ has become a somewhat dirty word. The divisive sentiment of Donald Trump’s wall now defines US policy. It’s becoming harder for foreigners, including Indians, to make America their home. In Britain, Brexit is inching closer to becoming a reality. The doors of the world seem to be closing again. Given the intensity of this new polarisation, it isn’t surprising that many of the voices protesting are those of migrants. What feels novel, though, is the fact that the more influential of these protesters now often have an Indian name. Campaigning to become a US presidential frontrunner, Kamala Harris doesn’t tiptoe around her Indian heritage. She, like Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, has come…

KAMALA HARRIS 54, United States Senator Because Joe Biden would have run away with the Democrat candidacy had she not stopped to question his record on civil rights during a key debate. In the run-up to the US’ 2020 presidential election, Harris isn’t just making a dent, she’s making a splash Because she was the first woman to become attorney general of California and the first Indian-American to be senator. Can she be the US’ first woman president? The jury is out Because her insistence on ‘truth’ in a political campaign is as radical as her demographic identity BRICK ON THE WALL Daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother, Kamala Devi Harris went to both a black Baptist church and a Hindu temple growing up. In her memoir, The…

GITA GOPINATH 47, Chief Economist, International Monetary Fund Because IMF chief Christine Lagarde is on point when she says, “Gita is one of the world’s outstanding economists.” Published in the world’s leading economics journals, Gopinath’s research focuses on international finance and macroeconomics Because she is the third woman and second Indian after Amartya Sen to be made a permanent member of Harvard’s economics department Because she exhausts data to get answers and when she has some, she uses them to turn conventional economic policy upside down TEXTBOOK STUFF Before getting a PhD from Princeton, Gopinath studied at the Delhi School of Economics and Lady Shri Ram College. Her entrepreneur father, T.V. Gopinath, used to say: “It isn’t important where you study, but it’s important that when you study, you have…

AJAY BANGA 59, President and CEO, Mastercard Because even before demonetisation, Banga was talking about how cash, used to evade taxes and buy drugs, is hard to track. Banga doesn’t just want Mastercard to turn a profit, he wants something more—a cashless society Because all US presidents seem to love him. While Obama had elected him to a cybersecurity panel, Donald Trump invited him over for dinner at his private golf course Because he recently called for a mahagathbandhan that will see more Indians study in the US and more Americans serve in India WHEELER DEALER Since Mastercard’s US headquarters are sprawling, Banga, according to a Fortune report, “ordered 35 Xootr scooters for the 1,500 employees here to use for getting to meetings”…

SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE 48, Physician, Author Because he has initiated a groundbreaking clinical trial on whether one’s diet can boost the effectiveness of cancer drugs Because few ask questions as big. His book The Gene (2016), for instance, asks—What defines us as human? What governs fate? What determines the future of our children? Because he isn’t in it for glory. His Pulitzer-winning The Emperor of All Maladies (2010) was meant to be a “personal diary of notes” FINE BALANCE Mukherjee once said he has the same rule for writing and science: “You cannot know the answer if you don’t know the question.” The question, however, is—how does he balance writing and science? He suggests he finds one in the other…

RAJ CHETTY 40, Professor of Economics, Harvard University Because he is the director of Opportunity Insights, which uses “big data” to understand how children from disadvantaged backgrounds can have better chances of succeeding Because his institute has released an Opportunity Atlas of the US, which identifies the social diseases that can be cured with proper policies Because the India-born economist received his PhD at the age of 26 and by the age of 28 was one of the youngest professors in Harvard’s history A MATTER OF TIME One of the US’s leading urban economists, professor Edward Glaeser of Harvard University, once said: “The question with Raj is not if he will win a Nobel prize, but when”…

ANJALI SUD 35, CEO, Vimeo Because rather than look at YouTube as a competitor, she looked at it as a collaborator when building Vimeo’s platform Because even after being rejected by every investment bank possible, she never lost heart. She told CNN, “Failing early and often can be really empowering” WORKING MAMA When Sud returned from her maternity leave, she was frank enough to admit that her position as CEO made motherhood easier. She also added, “It is about integration. I would like Vimeo to be a place where you can be a parent at work” Because since she became CEO in 2017, Vimeo, an ad-free video platform, has seen its subscriber base grow to a million strong. In 2018, the company’s revenues were nearly $160 million…