Malala, Malia Obama among Times influencial teens list
Time's list, out yesterday, comprises young singers, sports stars, technology and science whiz kids, authors and media icons who have become inspirations for youngsters across the world due to their spectacular achievements through their work and passion.
The magazine said Malia, 15, and her younger sister Sasha act with the "poise of adults" at high-profile events like their father's second presidential inaugural address.
"Thanks in part to Michelle Obama, they seem to lead as normal lives as they can while still meeting the demands of being in the limelight. President Obama often mentions his daughters in speeches, and says that they influenced his stance on gay marriage," the magazine said.
Malala's vocal activism for girls' right to education made her a target of the Taliban, who shot her in the head as she was returning home in her school bus in Pakistan last year.
From being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, winning the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and a Clinton Global Citizen Award to discussing education rights with President Obama, meeting the Queen of England and addressing the United Nations, the 16-year-old has the world applauding her dreams, courage and vision.
"After
surviving
the
attack,
(Malala)
didn't
hide
in
fear
but
strengthened
her
voice.
The
world
has
been
listening," Time
said.
Malala
had
also
met
Malia
when
she
visited
the
White
House
last
month
to
meet
President
Obama
and
First
Lady
Michelle.
Also
on
the
list
is
singer
and
pop
icon
Justin
Bieber.
The
19-year-old
Canadian-born
pop
star
has
become
an
"industry
to
himself",
valued
by
Forbes
at
USD
58
million.
He
released
his
first
single
at
age
15,
and
in
2010,
became
the
youngest
solo
male
artist
to
hit
the
number
one
spot
on
the
Billboard
Hot
100
music
charts.
The list includes 16-year-old Lydia Ko, a New Zealand golfer born in South Korea who has multiple Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) wins.
Ko
is
the
youngest
person
ever
to
win
a
professional
golf
tour
event
and
the
youngest
person
ever
to
win
an
LPGA
event.
Another
sports
icon
on
the
list
is
swimmer
Missy
Franklin,
18,
who
won
six
gold
medals
at
the
2012
London
Olympics
becoming
the
"winningest
female
swimmer
ever
at
a
world
meet" as
well
as
the
fifth
swimmer
to
capture
six
or
more
golds
at
a
worlds
meet
or
the
Olympics.
Technology
whiz
kids
Nick
D'Aloisio,
18
and
Ionut
Budisteanu,
19,
also
make
the
list.
D'Aloisio
sold
his
news-reading
and
summarizing
app
'Summly'
to
Yahoo
in
March
for
USD
30
million.
"When
Yahoo
CEO
Marissa
Mayer
decides
to
buy
your
app
for
USD
30
million,
you
know
you're
doing
pretty
well.
When
you're
only
17
at
the
time,
'doing
pretty
well'
is
an
understatement,"
Time
said.
Budisteanu's
claim
to
fame
is
his
design
for
a
low-cost,
self-driving
car
which
won
first
place
and
USD
75,000
at
the
Intel
International
Science
and
Engineering
Fair
for
high
school
students
in
May.
A student in Romania, Budisteanu used artificial intelligence technology and a mounted camera on the car to identify traffic lanes, kerbs, cars and even people.
Newly-elected
New
York
Mayor
Bill
de
Blasio's
16-year-old
son
Dante
also
makes
it
to
the
list.
Time
said
the
teenager
is
New
York
City's
"latest
fashion
icon"
thanks
to
his
afro
hairdo,
which
even
gained
President
Obama's
attention.
The President said de Blasio junior has the same hairdo that he himself had in 1978 and confessed that "my Afro was never that good."
PTI