PICTURE SPEAK

Our previous Power List covers

In a democracy, as the cliché goes, all are born equal but some are more equal than others. Every society houses the powerful and the privileged, the so-called elite, who set benchmarks in every field of human endeavour. Their actions, in many ways, determine our future as a country and a society. Three years ago, we set out to compile India's Power List based on our editorial judgement of the country's most influential people. We laid down certain criteria for our selection. The list does not include those who exercise power because of the office they occupy. That is why the prime minister, leaders of political parties, ministers, bureaucrats or their relatives are not considered. We also eliminated spiritual leaders because it is impossible to determine the power they personally exercise over areas like the government and its decision-making process.

This issue we feature our third Power List. Like earlier, 50 people have been chosen for their ability to wield influence on the national stage in a wide area of activities. The dynamics of change, and a change of government, mean there are 20 new names on the 2005 list. They have made it largely because of the change of government and the creation of a "new" Establishment. Expectedly, in the context of India's growing economic power, the list is dominated by the corporate world with 20 businessmen/ entrepreneurs compared with 14 last year. Five are from the media, down from seven last year. Another five are business executives/technocrats, five belong to the film industry, compared with seven in 2004, while there are five women on this year's list, the same as last year.

It is a list that reflects the changing power matrix in the country. This year, we have tightened the criteria by expanding our reasons for choosing the people we have. The selection process is equally rigorous. All our editors and senior correspondents submit their lists of nominees which usually exceed 100 names. Successive meetings are held to argue over nominees and their justification for being in the final 50. Outsiders who operate in the corridors of power are tapped for their views before we come to the final list. Then the process is repeated to determine the rankings. It is not an easy process as power is such an indefinable commodity, and then to rank them in importance makes it even more challenging.

As if that were not enough, I personally know many of them, which can lead to embarrassing moments. After last year's list, I got calls from several of the power listers asking me not to include them next time. I have not obliged as I feel it is important for people to know who matters.

(Aroon Purie)

Index