Indian PM, Bengal's Mamata Banerjee, Adar Poonawala among 'Time' influencers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawala have been listed in the 'Time' Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2021.

PM Modi and Mamata Banerjee are listed among 'leaders', including US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Former US President Donald Trump is also on the list.

'Time's' profile of PM Modi says that in its 74 years as an independent nation, India has had three pivotal leaders – Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Modi. "Narendra Modi is the third, dominating this country's politics like no one since them."

Adar Poonawalla is listed among 'pioneers'. Serum Institute of India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold globally. It is ramping up the production of COVID-19 vaccines.

Poonawalla's profile says that from the beginning of the Covid pandemic, the 40-year-old head of the world's largest vaccine maker “sought to meet the moment.”

On Banerjee, it says that the 66-year-old leader "has become the face of fierceness in Indian politics." "Of Banerjee, it is 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.

Time on Wednesday unveiled its annual list of 'The 100 Most Influential People of 2021', 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.

The list of 20 leaders also includes Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

The other categories in the Times list include icons, titans, artists and innovators.

(ANI)