The Indian Express has released its annual list of the The most powerful Indians in 2023.
Most new entries are either players in the upcoming elections or those who have seen a change in fortune.
Year gone by
2022 started and ended with elections to two states which have defined Indian politics for 30 years: Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
BJP retained both led by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah showing no signs of slowing down or retiring from their top perch on the power list.
Along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, Rahul Gandhi is the only non-ruling establishment name in the top 15, barring Mukesh Ambani.
Bollywood
The much-vaunted soft power comes in only at No. 50.
Shah Rukh Khan, the Pathaan and the biggest name in the industry carried the torch after a very eventful year which saw his son’s arrest on drug charges that fell.
He made a roaring comeback by giving the Indian film industry one of its biggest hits with Pathaan.
That would be Rs 1,046 crore (approx $126 million!) at the box office and climbing.
Top 10
10. Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor
Rank last year: 8
On matters of security and diplomacy, Ajit Doval remains the key figure in the government whose words are intently heard by PM Narendra Modi.
He also serves as consultant on all key appointments in security.
He is also said to be the main man for the government on its Kashmir strategy.
He continues to exert influence on policy regarding Pakistan and China and extends his vast experience in regional security issues, especially in matters related to Afghanistan.
9. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries Ltd
Rank last year: 5
The richest Indian, according to Forbes and Bloomberg, Ambani has continued to acquire and form joint ventures to gain a lead in several areas, including textile, renewable energy, drone technology and toy manufacturing.
His company has started rolling out 5G services in major cities and has so far covered 250 cities across the country.
He plans to complete 5G deployment in 2023.
He is also constructing the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex over 5,000 acres in Jamnagar, which will be the world’s largest integrated renewable energy manufacturing facility.
8. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs
Rank last year: 10
Leading the economy out from the dumpster fire that was the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nirmala Sitharaman took charge and announced relief measures for the economy along with renewing the focus on growth through higher productive capital spending.
She has been at the forefront in asking the industry to step up private investments in a bid to boost growth.
As the country’s first full-time woman finance minister, she has presented five consecutive Budgets so far.
7. JP Nadda, National President, Bharatiya Janata Party
Rank last year: 4
BJP gave him an extension until June 2024 as national president.
His “Sewa Hi Sangathan” programme, launched during the pandemic, gave the BJP a humane face
His “Know BJP” initiative — interaction with mission heads and diplomats — is helping the party ease apprehensions about its ideologies and policies among the international community.
6. Mohan Bhagwat, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief
Rank last year: 3
Even though this BJP government may be the strongest with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s influence all over, the RSS continues to wield significant moral and ideological weight.
His comment that there can be no Hindu rashtra without Muslims and his minority outreach efforts will be keenly watched.
Bhagwat has also been attempting to reform the RSS’s image of being anti-minority.
5. Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
Rank last year: 6
As the first UP CM to return to power after a full term, Adityanath has blended politics, ideology and governance to shape his tough CM image.
Under him, the BJP came back to power, winning 255 seats and a higher vote share.
Adityanath is now one of the BJP’s most sought-after campaigners.
His challenge will be to consolidate the BJP’s grip on UP and deliver ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
4. DY Chandrachud, Chief Justice of India
Rank last year: 19
D Y Chandrachud has a tenure of over two years as the top judge of the Supreme Court.
He took over as Chief Justice of India at a time of especially fragile relations between the executive and the judiciary.
Over the years key verdicts including overruling the Emergency-era verdict of his father, former CJI YV Chandrachud, in the Habeas Corpus case, have marked him out as his own person.
His tenure till November next year— and the verdicts delivered during will be keenly watched given its coincidence with the general elections in 2024.
3. S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs
Rank last year: 15
He represented India on the global stage in a year of global turmoil, amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
He emerged as the most articulate advocate of India’s diplomatic tightrope through such matters with his sharply-worded statements against the West.
Here’s an example: he spoke last year about the “European mindset” that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems.
He made clear India’s position on not choosing sides explicitly.
2. Amit Shah, Home Minister
Rank last year: 2
Together with Narendra Modi, he is one half of the BJP’s formidable Big Two.
Despite not being national president of the BJP he has shown off his skills as a master strategist, and has made his presence felt in each of the BJP’s big electoral victories — from Gujarat to Maharashtra to UP and the Northeast.
Other than the electoral battles that lie ahead, he is keeping himself busy with the mission of establishing Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) across the country.
These are meant to be providers of various services to gram panchayats and could emerge as significant political influencers at the grassroot level.
1. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
Rank last year: 1
Going into the ninth year Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains what the Indian Express calls The Great Disruptor, The Powerful Outsider and the incumbent with the strongest shield against anti-incumbency as he leads his party’s campaign for a third term next year.
According to the publication, Modi’s power draws from his energy to shape the discourse — and reshape it as per his wish.
The G-20 summit in September will be his opportunity to cast India-as-global-leader image, right in time for countdown to Campaign 2024.