Tata, Sonia on Times top list

Ratan Tata, Sonia on Time's most influential list
1 May 2008, 1730 hrs IST,PTI

NEW YORK: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Industrialist Ratan Tata and PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi were the three Indians who have made it to the Time magazine's 2008 list of the world's 100 most influential people that also included Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Gandhi, the only Indian politician to make the cut, has been listed in the category of leaders and revolutionaries while Nooyi and Tata figure in the list of Builders and Titans.

The Time said the story of Gandhi (61) is "remarkable at every level" and its narrative about the Congress leader has a fairy-tale element.

The magazine said the most appropriate way to describe Nooyi (52) is as a "world class leader". Her sharp strategic mind, tremendous market insight and humanitarian contributions all combined to make her a rare executive among the global corporate giants, it said.

Tata (70) was hailed for unveiling his tiny Re one lakh car 'Nano'.

The list covers leaders and revolutionaries, heroes and pioneers, scientists and thinkers, artistes and entertainers and builders and titans who are perceived to have a made a profound impact on the world.

The 2008 list, appearing on the magazine's website on Thursday also includes former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. It is Blair's first time on Time's 100 list; his successor, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, made the list in 2005.

Presidential contenders Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton also figure in the list. Obama and Clinton made the list last year.