Rank 61 | Mayawati (59) | BSP president 2014: Rank 8 WHY She retains Dalit support, making her a big hurdle in BJP’s path in UP. POWER PUNCH In January, BSP won 3 MLC seats though it had numbers for 2. WHAT NEXT She can’t afford another poll loss. BY THE WAY: She is a fan of TV news, but suspicious of print. Rank 62 | Rahul Bhatia (53) | Group Managing Director, InterGlobe Enterprises 2014: Rank 44 WHY Has managed to keep his firm’s flagship airline IndiGo profitable since 2009, in a bleeding industry. IndiGo is now the country’s largest airline. POWER PUNCH In the single largest order for Airbus, IndiGo signed up to buy 250 planes. WHAT NEXT Competition is heating up, with Air Asia India, Vistara coming in BY THE WAY: Fond of Italian food, he is a regular at Tonino in Delhi. Rank 63 | J P Nadda (54) | Health and Family Welfare Minister NEW ON THE LIST WHY Is seen as part of BJP’s most powerful troika along with Amit Shah and Narendra Modi. He is also trusted by the RSS. Played a key role in BJP’s recent poll preparations. POWER PUNCH Was seen as contender for post of BJP chief before Shah’s appointment. WHAT NEXT Providing affordable and quality healthcare is his biggest challenge. BY THE WAY: Registered with Bar Council, but never practised law. Rank 64 | Sushil Modi (63) | Bihar BJP leader 2014: Rank 79 WHY The former deputy CM is the most well-known BJP face in the state. Like Nitish, he is methodical and always well prepared with facts. POWER PUNCH Post NDA split, he has taken former friend Nitish head on. Was able to rile him over the medicine scam. WHAT NEXT Will play an important role in BJP’s Bihar campaign. BY THE WAY: At 35, he had started a computer centre in Patna. Rank 65 | M Lakshman Rao alias Ganapathy (65) | CPI (Maoist) general secretary 2014: Rank 83 WHY As commander of Maoists, poses arguably the single biggest challenge to the authority of the State. POWER PUNCH In Dec 2014, his cadres killed 14 in the biggest single-day casualty inflicted on CRPF since the April 2010 Dantewada massacre. WHAT NEXT Is looking to expand south. BY THE WAY: A diabetic, he keeps 16-hours-a-day work schedule. Rank 66 | Amarinder Singh (72) | Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha NEW ON THE LIST WHY He defeated Arun Jaitley. Besides, his absence from Lok Sabha still sets Congress buzzing. POWER PUNCH Got 35 of 45 party MLAs to his lunch. WHAT NEXT Wants to be made party state chief. BY THE WAY: Often calls Rahul Gandhi, who backs his rival, “that boy”. Rank 67 | Sunil Mittal (57) | Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises 2014: Rank 93 WHY His Airtel is the fourth largest telco in the world, has the largest 3G network in India, and has reported huge growth in profits. Mittal himself has been ranked 10th richest Indian by Forbes. POWER PUNCH Objected to businessmen accompanying the PM on foreign visits being given a badge saying “coinciding with visit of Prime Minister”. WHAT NEXT Airtel is poised to enter the banking space. It also has its eyes set on the 3G spectrum auctions in March. BY THE WAY: The licence plate numbers of most of his cars end in ‘23’. Rank 68 | Sanjay Gupta (46) | CEO, Jagran Prakashan, and Editor, Dainik Jagran and M M Gupta (73) | CMD, Jagran Prakashan 2014: Rank 52 WHY Dainik Jagran continues to be the largest read daily in the country with more than 16 million readers. POWER PUNCH The group publishes 12 titles with over 100 editions and 250-plus sub-editions. WHAT NEXT The Guptas are diversifying into radio, digital and marketing, including buying Radio City. BY THE WAY: M M Gupta started in the accounting department of the company when he was just 14. Rank 69 | Virat Kohli (26) | India Test captain 2014: Rank 64 WHY It’s just a matter of time before the new Test captain heads the team in all formats of the game. POWER PUNCH After a string of poor scores in England last summer, Kohli came good at the right time for the Australia series. Played a starring role in India’s kick-off match, against Pakistan, at the World Cup. WHAT NEXT India’s World Cup performance depends a lot on him. As captain, has to better India’s overseas Test record. BY THE WAY: Kohli was at 40 during a Ranji match in 2006 when his father passed away at 3 am. The next day, he returned to finish on 90. Rank 70 | Aamir Khan (49) | Actor, filmmaker, TV show host 2014: Rank 55 WHY Is Bollywood’s first superstar activist, taking up causes through Satyamev Jayate and otherwise. His PK ran afoul of Hindu groups but got the box-office ringing. POWER PUNCH Took on “friends” Karan Johar, Arjun Kapoor for being part of AIB Roast, saying, “I am not a 14-year-old who will laugh at abuses.” Such candid voices are rare in Bollywood. WHAT NEXT Takes up the role of former wrestler Mahavir Phogat, father and coach of wrestling stars Geeta and Babita Kumari, in Dangal. BY THE WAY: Can solve Rubik’s Cube in less than 30 seconds.
