Gandhi, Tata in Forbes` most powerful people list

Yoshita Singh
Boston, Nov 4 (PTI) Congress party President Sonia
Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Tata Sons
Chairman Ratan Tata are among the five Indians named among the
most powerful people in the world by Forbes in its this year's
list of 68 people "who matter".
India's business tycoons Reliance Industries Chairman
Mukesh Ambani and steel giant ArcelorMittal Chairman Lakshmi
Mittal also make this year's list.
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.
The heads of state, major religious figures,
entrepreneurs and outlaws on the second annual list were
chosen "because, in various ways, they bend the world to their
will. Gandhi debuts on the 9th spot in this year's list of the
world's most powerful people.
Incidentally, she was not featured in Forbes' recent
list of the world's most powerful women.
Recently elected to record fourth term as head of
India's ruling Congress Party, 63-year old Gandhi 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.
Having "handpicked brainy Sikh economist Manmohan
Singh" as Prime Minister, Forbes said Gandhi remains the real
power behind the nuclear-tipped throne.
She is now grooming her 40-year-old son Rahul for
prime minister's role.
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." (MORE) PTI