Sonia world’s 6th most powerful woman

“The 100 Most Powerful Women” list compiled by Forbes has been topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the second year in a row. Another Indian-origin businesswoman Vidya Chhabria, Chairman of the UAE-based Jumbo Group, was ranked 97 in the list.

However, two other Indian women — Lalita Gupte and Kalpana Morparia of ICICI Bank, ranked at 93rd position last year, are not on this year’s list. Vidya Chhabria has also moved down two ranks from her 95th position last year.

In an accompanying list, Forbes named President Pratibha Patil among the most powerful “Women Behind Women”, whom it described as those women wielding behind-the-scenes power. The magazine said as women leaders were making it increasingly into the public eye, a growing number of their aides were women too.

“Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born leader of India’s most powerful political party, has come far since entering politics in the 1990s. Lawmakers recently elected her choice for President, Pratibha Patil, in a historic vote seen as a step forward for India’s women and girls who endure daily discrimination,” Forbes said.

Forbes added that “Gandhi is widely revered by her fellow countrymen, especially among India’s poor as well as its vast agricultural population. Gandhi is continuously concerned that India’s rapid economic growth is leaving the poor behind, and that her country is not doing enough to help its farmers. She has opposed a Government plan to introduce special economic zones to encourage foreign investment in the country. Recently, Gandhi stood up to politically powerful opponents in blocking their attempt to nullify an anti-corruption law meant to curb corruption among the country’s massive bureaucracy,” it added.

Talking about Nooyi, Forbes said: She has “pushed PepsiCo to move beyond soda, first by helping to start the company’s fast-food chains in 1997, and later by spearheading the purchase of Tropicana in 1998. In an effort to offset slowing business in the Gatorade division, Nooyi advocates vitamin and energy-infused water drinks.”