From leading global technology companies and reshaping industries to driving innovation, philanthropy and economic growth, these Indian-origin leaders…
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
1/101. Sundar Pichai: As the CEO of Google and Alphabet, Pichai rose from a modest upbringing in Chennai to lead one of the world’s most powerful tech companies. He possesses a near-eidetic memory for numbers. As a child, he could remember every phone number he ever dialed on his family’s rotary phone, a skill his they used as their personal directory. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
2/102. Satya Nadella: The CEO of Microsoft, Nadella is credited with transforming the company into a trillion-dollar entity by prioritising cloud computing and AI. He is a dedicated student of poetry – both American and Indian – and frequently uses metaphors from literature to explain complex business strategies and foster empathy within his leadership team. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
3/103. Abhijit Banerjee: An MIT professor and Nobel Laureate in Economics, Banerjee is recognised for his pioneering work in reducing global poverty through experimental field trials. He is a passionate gourmet cook who views cooking as a form of “edible economics”. He has authored a cookbook titled Cooking to Save Your Life, which focuses on nutritious, social, and delicious recipes. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
4/104. Vinod Khosla: A co-founder of Sun Microsystems and an influential venture capitalist, Khosla has backed transformative startups in AI and clean energy. He is known for his “90% failure” philosophy, often stating that he is perfectly comfortable with 90% of his investments failing as long as the remaining 10% fundamentally change the world. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
5/105. Indra Nooyi: The former CEO and chair of PepsiCo, Nooyi is celebrated for her strategic vision and for pushing the company toward its “Performance with Purpose” goal and healthier products. In her youth in India, she broke cultural norms by playing lead guitar in an all-girl rock band, a rebellious streak that she says helped build her confidence to navigate male-dominated boardrooms. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
6/106. Arvind Krishna: The Chairman and CEO of IBM, Krishna led the massive $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat and shifted the company’s focus to hybrid cloud and AI. He is a major advocate for “New Collar” jobs, championing the idea that a traditional four-year college degree should not be a requirement for many high-tech roles in the modern economy. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
7/107. Shantanu Narayen: The CEO of Adobe, Narayen is widely respected for his bold move in transitioning the company’s business model from boxed software to a successful cloud-based subscription service. Before becoming a tech titan, he was a competitive sailor who represented India in the Asian Games, a sport he credits for teaching him how to navigate unpredictable “winds” in the business world. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
8/108. Nikesh Arora: The CEO of Palo Alto Networks, Arora has transformed the firm into a global leader in digital security and cybersecurity platforms. Prior to his current role, he was once the highest-paid executive in Japan while working at SoftBank, and he is known for having one of the most diverse personal investment portfolios in Silicon Valley. (Image: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Reuters)
9/109. Padma Lakshmi: An Emmy-nominated television host, author, and advocate, Lakshmi has significantly influenced American conversations regarding South Asian culture and food. Beyond her media career, she is a co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America and was instrumental in getting the first-ever state bill passed in New York to improve menstrual health education in schools. (Image: Reuters)
10/1010. Jay Chaudhry: The founder of Zscaler, Chaudhry is a self-made billionaire who grew up in a small Himalayan village without electricity and pioneered cloud-based cybersecurity. He is a serial entrepreneur who has successfully founded and sold five different tech companies. He attributes his work ethic to his childhood, where he used to study outdoors under the shade of trees because his home was too dark. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
