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| World’s Most Powerful
People
China’s President Hu Jintao has topped the 2010 Forbes list of the
‘World’s Most Powerful People’ For the top spot, Jintao pipped US President Barack Obama, who comes in
at second place. Of the 6.8 billion people on the planet, Forbes’ list comprises “the 68 who matter.
US
Prsident Barack Obama, comes in at second place. in the Forbes’ list 2010. United States President Barack Obama has
been given the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 for his extraordinary efforts on October 9, 2009 in strengthening
international diplomacy and for taking landmark initiatives to create a nuclear-free world.
In the USA election 2008 Barack Obama, the son of a father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, was elected the
USA’s 44th president on Tuesday, the 5th November, 2008 breaking the ultimate racial barrier to become the first African
American to claim the country’s highest office.
Indians
among the most powerful people in the world
Five Indians named among the most powerful people in the world by Forbes in its this year’s list of 68
people “who matter“. The five Indians named among the most
powerful people in the world by Forbes in its this year’s list are Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Tata
Sons Chairman Ratan Tata, India’s business tycoons Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and
steel giant ArcelorMittal Chairman Lakshmi Mittal.
Congress president Sonia Gandh
Congress president Sonia Gandhi debuts on the 9th spot in this year’s list of the world’s most powerful people. The head of India’s ruling
Congress Party, 63-year old Sonia Gandhi, recently reelected to record fourth term
has cemented her “status as true heiress to the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty.”
Forbes said despite her Italian birth, foreign religion (Roman Catholic)
and political reluctance, “Gandhi wields unequaled influence over 1.2 billion Indians..
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, “universally praised as India’s best prime minister since Nehru,”
is ranked 18th on the list. He has moved up in the list from last year’s
36th position. Forbes said the soft-spoken Oxford-trained economist is “ideally trained
to lead the world’s fourth-largest economy in terms of purchasing power
into the next decade.” Credited with transforming India’s quasi-socialist economy into world’s
second-fastest growing, 78-year old Singh is now enjoying the fruits of
free-market policies he implemented as India’s finance minister in early 1990s.
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China’s President Hu Jintao
US President Barack Obama
Congress president Sonia Gandhi |
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Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, who has a net worth
of USD 29 billion, comes in on the 34th spot. His ranking too improved from last year, when he was ranked 44th. The
53-year old “business maharaja” is Asia’s richest person, who certainly
likes to live like a king, Forbes said. His one billion dollar 27-floor high-rise in Mumbai is the world’s most
expensive private residence.
His petrochemicals conglomerate Reliance Industries is India’s most
valuable private sector company with a market cap of USD 80 billion. It
accounts for nearly five per cent of India’s GDP and 15 per cent of exports.
The Reliance refinery at Jamnagar in western India can process 1.24 million barrels daily making it world’s single largest refining complex
in one location. “Firm is setting up a joint venture in Marcellus Shale, one of the most
promising gas deposit regions in the US,” Forbes said.
ArcelorMittal Chairman Lakshmi Mittal
Lakshmi Mittal, chairman of the world’s largest steel company
ArcelorMittal, comes in the 44th position in the Forbes 2010 list of the world’s most powerful people.
The 60-year old steel magnate has a networth of 28.7 billion dollars.
Mittal moved up 11 notches in this year’s ranking from his 55th spot
last year. London’s wealthiest resident, Mittal is sponsoring London’s 2012 Olympic
games, paying for most of a 400-foot twisting steel tower to be named ArcelorMittal Orbit at the city’s Olympic Park and helping groom Indian
athletes through his foundation for the Olympics and other championship
events. His company has operations in 60 countries and produces 73 million tons
of steel, eight per cent of world’s output. One out of five cars in the
world is made with its materials.
Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata
Ratan Tata dropped two notches from last year and comes in at the 61st position in the Forbes 2010 list of the world’s most powerful people.
Calling the 72-year old Tata Sons head as “India’s best brand ambassador,” Forbes said Tata made “automotive history” last year with
his ‘People’s Car’ -- the 2,200 dollars Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest auto.
“In nation of a billion, environmentalists call it eco-disaster. After Nano debuted in 2008, India’s passenger car sales rose most in three
years in 2009; three Tata competitors now working on Nano copycats,” Forbes said.
People’s Car’ -- the 2,200 dollars Tata Nano
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Lakshmi Mittal
Ratan Tata |
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