In 2024, Yulia Navalnaya and Ajay Banga were featured on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list in the ‘Leaders’ category. Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, chose to enter politics to keep her husband’s vision alive after his assassination in February 2021. Meanwhile, Ajay Banga, an Indian American, made history as the first person of color to lead either of the world’s major financial institutions – the World Bank.
Jigar Shah, another Indian-American on the list, holds a position in the US Department of Energy Loan Programs Office and is responsible for overseeing the allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars in public funds towards clean infrastructure and energy initiatives. Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni is also on the list and is one of few top politicians in the ‘Leaders’ category. She rose to power in 2022 and became Italy’s first female leader despite initial apprehensions about her far-right party.
Narges Mohammadi won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless advocacy for human rights in Iran. Despite facing frequent incarceration over the past twenty years due to her cause, she remains committed to promoting peace and human rights globally.