PM Modi, Mamata, Adar Poonawalla among Time Magazine’s 100 'most influential people of 2021'

Updated: Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 21:05 [IST]

New York, Sep 15: Time magazine unveiled its annual list of 'The 100 Most Influential People of 2021', which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla.

Narendra Modi: "In its 74 years as an independent nation, India has had three pivotal leaders. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi, dominating the country's politics like no one since them.

Mamata Banerjee: "Mamata Banerjee, in her signature white sari paired with rubber flip-flops, has become the face of fierceness in Indian politics, Times wrote it its article.

"Unlike many other women in Indian politics, Mamata has never been framed as someone's wife, mother, daughter or partner," it said. She doesn't lead her party, the Trinamool Congress - she is the party. The street-fighter spirit and self-made life in a patriarchal culture set her apart," the profile says.

Adar Poonawalla: "From the beginning of the pandemic, Adar Poonawalla sought to meet the moment. His company, the Serum Institute of India, was already the world's largest vaccine maker when he promised 1.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the developing world by the end of 2021. That assurance was the backbone of the plan for global vaccine access mounted by a coalition of institutions, including the World Health Organization," the Times article wrote.

Times 100, a global list of leaders that includes US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan, and former US President Donald Trump. Co-founder of the Taliban Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is also on the list.

The list includes 10 climate leaders, dozens of advocates, political leaders, 54 women and the youngest featured in the issues is 18-year-old Sunisa Lee. The oldest person in the 2021 issues is 78-year-old President Joe Biden.

Click here to view the full 2021 TIME100 list