Top 100 Global Indians of All Time

The Top 100 Global Indians of All Time honours remarkable individuals of Indian origin whose lives embody global influence, imagination, and inspiration. This is not a ranking, nor a final word. It is a representative list – imperfect, evolving, and proudly opinionated. Its purpose is to spotlight the many ways in which Indians have shaped and continue to shape the world across borders, cultures, and generations.

We have sought diversity across geographies, generations, genders, and fields — from science to cinema, diplomacy to design. Some names may surprise you. Others you may feel are missing. That’s by design. This isn’t about consensus – it’s about celebrating range.

Our selections are guided by broad principles that include: excellence in a field, scale of problems solved, contribution to Brand India, and lasting social or cultural impact. Many deserving individuals may not appear here. That’s not an oversight, rather the nature of any curated list.

This list aims to spark pride, conversation, and curiosity — not conclusion. We invite you to read it as inspiration, not judgment. Think of it as a mirror of what’s possible when Indian talent meets global opportunity — and a reminder that the journey of the Global Indian is still being written.

Top 100 Global Indians Of All Time

Global Game-Changers

Shaping the world through diplomacy, policy, and leadership

M.K. Gandhi – Father of the Nation and global icon of non-violence, justice, and peace.
B.R. Ambedkar – Constitution-maker and Dalit icon who redefined justice, democracy, and dignity.
Narendra Modi – From tea-seller to PM; reshaped India’s diplomacy, image, and diaspora pride.
Rishi Sunak – U.K.’s first Indian-origin PM; united global finance with heritage and strength.
Kamala Harris – First woman V-P of the U.S.; desi roots meet global leadership.
Manmohan Singh – Economist-turned-PM who opened India’s economy and led with quiet dignity.
S. Jaishankar – India’s foreign policy architect; navigated global shifts with intellect and strategic clarity.
Shashi Tharoor – Oxford wit, UN veteran, and eloquent MP bringing global polish to Indian politics.
Chandrababu Naidu – Tech-savvy Indian CM who made Hyderabad a global IT hub.

Brain Trust & Thought Leaders

Economists, scholars, and strategists reframing the global future

Srinivasa Ramanujan – Self-taught math genius who linked intuition with deep, lasting global theory.
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan – Nobel-winning biologist who decoded the ribosome, advancing global molecular science.
Amartya Sen – Nobel-winning economist who championed human development, justice, and ethical economics.
Abhijit Banerjee – Nobel-winning economist who transformed poverty research through global field experiments.
Raghuram Rajan – Economist who foresaw the financial crisis and reshaped Indian economic thought.
Raj Chetty – Harvard economist using big data to map social mobility and opportunity.
C.K. Prahalad – Strategist who pioneered innovation for the underserved with the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’ theory.

Builders & Protectors of the Future

Driving India’s growth and safeguarding its ecological future

Jamshedji Tata – Industrial pioneer who built India’s steel backbone and created a legacy of self-reliance.
Homi Bhabha – Nuclear physicist who instituted India’s vision for atomic energy and scientific sovereignty.
Verghese Kurien – Milkman of India who sparked the White Revolution and pushed for rural empowerment.
Vikram Sarabhai – Architect of India’s space programme; launched satellites, scientists, and dreams into orbit.
M.S. Swaminathan – Green Revolution scientist who used seeds and science to defeat famine.
Ratan Tata – Industrial statesman who championed ethical capitalism and global Indian enterprise.
F.C. Kohli – TCS’s first CEO who sparked India’s software revolution and global IT ascent.
Dhirubhai Ambani – Self-made tycoon who turned Reliance into India’s biggest business powerhouse.
Sam Pitroda – Telecom visionary who digitised India and democratised access to communication.
Narayana Murthy – Infosys founder who proved Indian values and global excellence can scale.
Nandan Nilekani – Tech visionary behind Aadhaar, giving Indians a secure digital identity.
Shiv Nadar – HCL founder who fused tech leadership with transformative education philanthropy.
Azim Premji – Wipro founder and philanthropist who blended business success with purpose.
Sridhar Vembu – Zoho CEO who built world-class software from the heart of rural India.
Mukesh Ambani – Business titan; led India’s data revolution through Jio and redefined scale.
Sunil Mittal – Airtel founder who connected India and Africa through telecom innovation.
M.A. Yusuff Ali – Retail magnate who built Lulu and connected India to Gulf trade.
Vidyut Mohan – Earthshot winner turning agri-waste into clean energy for a greener world.
Sunita Narain – Climate advocate who made environmental justice central to India’s public debate.
Valmik Thapar – Tiger conservationist who helped India’s wildlife achieve a global heritage status.
Sumant Sinha – Green energy leader who built ReNew and gave climate capitalism a mission.

Corporate Titans & Digital Visionaries

Commanders of digital innovation and the global tech landscape

Sundar Pichai – Google and Alphabet CEO shaping the future of search, AI, and global tech.
Satya Nadella – Microsoft CEO who transformed cloud computing and led with empathy.
Shantanu Narayen – Adobe CEO transforming creativity into enterprise power.
Arvind Krishna – IBM CEO leading AI and quantum breakthroughs.
Vinod Khosla – Silicon Valley venture capitalist backing bold tech ideas in AI, health, and energy.
Indra Nooyi – PepsiCo’s former CEO who championed strategy, purpose, and global leadership.
Leena Nair – Chanel’s first Indian-origin CEO promoting inclusive leadership in global luxury.
Ajay Banga – Mastercard CEO-turned-World Bank President; brought inclusive capitalism to global institutions.

Entrepreneurs and Startups

Founders and innovators reshaping business through disruption and technology

Apoorva Mehta – Instacart founder; revolutionised U.S. grocery delivery with tech.
Aravind Srinivas – Perplexity AI founder; leading next-gen AI-native information search.
Gitanjali Rao – Teen scientist-inventor spotlighting STEM innovation among youth.
Naval Ravikant – AngelList co-founder; philosopher-investor shaping startup thought.
Nikhil Kamath – Zerodha co-founder; made trading accessible for Indian retail investors.
Balaji Srinivasan – Futurist venture capitalist envisioning crypto, network states, and decentralized systems.
Sachin Bansal – Flipkart co-founder who sparked India’s e-commerce revolution.
Rakesh Gangwal – Indigo co-founder who helped make flying in India more accessible.

Health, Biotech and Human Life Builders

Leaders in healthcare systems, mental health, and the human side of medicine

Dr. Vivek Murthy – Surgeon General of the U.S.; advocate for mental health and human connection.
Dr. Devi Shetty – Heart surgeon and health entrepreneur; built affordable care with compassion.
Dr. Prathap C. Reddy – Founder of Apollo Hospitals; pioneered private healthcare in India.
Dr. K. Anji Reddy – Pharma innovator who founded Dr. Reddy’s Labs with a vision of access.
Dr. Murali K. Divi – Formulations expert behind Divi’s Labs; key player in generics.
59. Yusuf Hamied – The chemist who challenged Big Pharma; provided lifesaving HIV meds for the poor.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw – Biocon founder; biotech leader with a mission of affordable innovation.
Cyrus Poonawalla – Vaccine pioneer who built a global biotech empire immunising billions.
Dr. Atul Gawande – Surgeon-author shaping healthcare thinking with sharp prose and policy.
Dr. Abraham Verghese – Physician-novelist blending medicine and humanity on the global stage.
Siddhartha Mukherjee – Pulitzer-winning oncologist; redefined cancer’s story through science and literature.

Education and Knowledge Builders

Reformers and visionaries making learning accessible, impactful, and global

Sal Khan – Khan Academy founder who made world-class education free and accessible online.
Ashish Dhawan – Philanthropist who built Ashoka University and championed bold education reform.
Pramath Raj Sinha – Education leader behind ISB and Ashoka; redefined academic excellence in India.
Rukmini Banerji – Education reformer who uncovered India’s learning crisis and led grassroots solutions.
Anant Agarwal – edX co-founder opening global education through free, scalable online platforms.
Raj Reddy – Turing Award-winning AI pioneer who advanced speech tech and mentored India’s tech rise.
Shaheen Mistri – Teach For India founder who turned classrooms into movements for equity.
Ronnie Screwvala – Media innovator and edtech builder scaling learning through storytelling and access.

Soft Power Icons

Cultural, literary, and spiritual ambassadors amplifying India’s global identity

Shah Rukh Khan – The ‘Baadshah of Bollywood’; a global symbol of charisma and cinema.
Satyajit Ray – Master filmmaker and auteur; introduced Indian humanism to world cinema with poetic precision.
Priyanka Chopra – Actor and UNICEF ambassador who bridged Bollywood and Hollywood with bold ambition.
Fareed Zakaria – CNN host and analyst who breaks down global affairs with clarity and depth.
Salman Rushdie – Booker-winning author who sparked global debates on identity and free speech.
Jhumpa Lahiri – Pulitzer-winning author who captured the crux of immigrants’ diasporic consciousness and cultural longing.
V.S. Naipaul – Nobel laureate and literary provocateur; dissected postcolonial identity with piercing prose.
A.R. Rahman – Oscar-winning composer; blended Indian classical with global rhythms to create a universal sound.
Ravi Shankar – Sitar maestro; brought Indian classical music on to the global stage and inspired a generation of musicians.
Zakir Hussain – Percussion virtuoso; turned the tabla into an instrument of fusion and global recognition.
Jiddu Krishnamurti – Philosopher and speaker; challenged systems, schools, and ego with timeless spiritual inquiry.
Deepak Chopra – Wellness pioneer and author; fused Vedic tradition with Western self-care in mind-body healing.
Mother Teresa – Nobel Peace Prize laureate; embodied compassion and service as a global saint of the poor.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee – Fashion icon who globalised Indian couture with heritage, craftsmanship and flair.
M.S. Oberoi – Founder of Oberoi Hotels; set global standards for luxury, service, and Indian elegance.
Madhur Jaffrey – Author and actress; introduced Indian home cooking to the West through recipes, TV, and a memoir.
Jiggs Kalra – Culinary legend who preserved royal Indian cuisine and mentored future master chefs.

Networkers & Diaspora Connectors

Leaders of Indian-origin networks, associations, and coalitions influencing the world

Kanwal Rekhi – TiE co-founder, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist who mentored founders and connected India to global startup capital.
Dr. Thomas Abraham – GOPIO founder who united old and new migrants, shaping diaspora identity and advocacy worldwide.

Sporting Legends & Icons

Cricketers, chess champions, and athletes who made India proud on the global stage

Sachin Tendulkar – Cricketing legend and Bharat Ratna; inspired a billion dreams with his bat and humility.
M.S. Dhoni – Captain Cool of Indian cricket; led with calm, won with steel, and redefined leadership.
Virat Kohli – Modern cricket icon; fierce competitor and ambassador for fitness, intensity, and global reach.
Neeraj Chopra – Olympic gold-medalist in javelin throw; rewrote India’s athletics history with one iconic move.
Mary Kom – Six-time world champion boxer; fought stereotypes and opponents with equal power.
Viswanathan Anand – Chess grandmaster and world champion; made India a power on the 64 squares.
Sania Mirza – Tennis star and doubles Grand Slam winner; brought flair, confidence, and visibility to Indian women in sport.
Leander Paes – Tennis legend with an Olympic medal, 18 Grand Slams, and lasting national pride.
Pullela Gopichand – All England Open champion-turned-supercoach who continues to further India’s badminton academy legacy.