New York: Two Indians -- Nandan Nilekani and A R Rahman -- along with US President Barack Obama and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim figure in the list of world's most influential people compiled by American magazine Time.
The 2009 Time 100 list of 'the World's Most Influential People' names political leaders, celebrities and academicians among others. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and media celebrity Oprah Winfrey also find a place in the list.
The list recognises IT major Infosys' co-founder Nandan Nilekani and music maestro A R Rahman, who recently bagged two Oscars for his music in the film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
About Nilekani, the author of the novel 'Q&A' Vikas Swarup said his new avatar is that of civic-minded intellectual keen to shape public policy.
"In his book Imagining India (which won him highest-ever advance for a non-fiction book in India), he offers a "safety net of ideas" on issues ranging from urbanisation to environment to take India into a second phase of dramatic, technology-driven growth," Swarup noted.
Swarup, the author of Q&A, which was made into the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, said Nilekani is both a corporate icon and India's brand ambassador.
On April 27, the magazine came up with a list of 100 most influential people.
"As the new India, fueled by its robust democracy and favourable demographics, seeks to make the transition from a developing nation to a developed one, it will need the vision and talent of people like Nandan Nilekani," Swarup said.
About Rahman, author and actress Padma Lakshmi said the 43-year-old composer dominates the music industry so totally "that he has supplied the sound track for a whole generation".
"He enjoys the godlike devotion of India's youth, but everyone from the street child who sweeps train platforms to the middle-aged doctor in Mumbai's posh Malabar Hill hums his tunes," the report noted.
Pointing out that he is a shy and quiet man, Lakshmi wrote that his music has emotional force.
"Renowned for his immense range, he'll do a traditional score for a conventional film, then blend exotic vocals with Japanese music and Western classical arrangements in his next project. A veritable Pied Piper, he has no competition, yet he makes it a priority to discover new talent and promote it. He has shaped modern India's music for more than a decade," it added.
Besides, writing about the first black President of US, Barack Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon said the 47-year old has already proved that once inaccessible pinnacles can be reached.