New Delhi : Olympian Sakshi Malik, Indian-origin actor Dev Patel, actor Alia Bhatt, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and World Bank President Ajay Banga were among the eight Indians named in the prestigious TIME’s list of 100 most influential people in the world, which was released on Wednesday.
TIME’s ‘100 Most Influential People of 2024′ also included US Department of Energy’s Loan Programmes Office director Jigar Shah, Professor of Astronomy and Professor of Physics at Yale University Priyamvada Natarajan and Indian-origin restaurateur Asma Khan.
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Director, producer and writer Tom Harper described Alia as a ‘formidable talent’. “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,” he said.
Alia’s superpower is her ability to mix movie-star magnetism with authenticity and sensitivity. As an actor she is luminous, and as a person she brings the grounded assurance and creativity that make a truly international star,” Harper, who directed Bhatt in his movie Heart of Stone, said.
On Dev Patel’s artistic work, Oscar-nominee actor Daniel Kaluuya wrote, “Dev 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. With a career that always elevates, his latest performance in Monkey Man is my favourite. Giving us a fierce, soulful empathy, a channelled rage, shades of him we have yet to see—knowing he was so into martial arts during Skins, he’s brought it all together. Monkey Man is his moment, and an incredible directorial debut.”
Talking about Microsft’s CEO Nadella, TIME said he was “profoundly influential in shaping our future.” “Microsoft’s significant investment in OpenAI and partnership with Mistral AI puts him at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution. A technologist with heart, Satya sees AI as a tool that will empower humans. Still, there’s rightful concern about unintended consequences and misuse. That’s why it’s so reassuring that Satya is one of AI’s stewards. His thoughtfulness and humility should make us safer,” the magazine said in a section on Nadella’s profile.
“What began as a small, targeted protest to demand decisive government action in favour of the wrestlers ballooned instead into a yearlong battle unprecedented in Indian sport, drawing support from across the country and attention from across the world,” wrote Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Pahuja on Olympian Sakshi Malik. She described Malik as India’s “most celebrated wrestler” who protested for the immediate arrest and resignation of the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Singh, accused of sexually harassing female athletes.
Speaking about former Mastercard CEO Banga, 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.” “Ajay comes to the World Bank after leading a global organization through which he brought millions of unbanked people into the digital economy. At the World Bank, Ajay set forth a new vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet and moved boldly to make good on it—from pioneering innovative financial tools to reimagining partnerships across the multilateral development banks and with the private sector,” Yellen added.
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