From Mamdani to Netanyahu - These are the names featured in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list of 2026
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "From Mamdani to Netanyahu - These are the names featured in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list of 2026")
File image of Netanyahu for representation Photograph: (AFP)
TIME’s 2026 "100 Most Influential People" list features global leaders like Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, alongside innovators such as Sundar Pichai and cultural icons like Bollywood's Ranbir Kapoor.
TIME magazine on Wednesday (April 15) released its annual list of the “100 Most Influential People of 2026”, spotlighting a mix of global leaders, innovators, artists and cultural icons shaping the world today.
Among the prominent names featured this year are Pope Leo, US President Donald Trump and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The list also includes Israel’s President Benjamin Netanyahu, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Canadian leader Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Japan’s first woman Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Emerging voices from South Asia have also found a place on the list, including Nepal's new PM Balen Shah and Bangladeshi political figure Tarique Rahman. The list further highlights several key figures from the US administration and political landscape. These include Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, California Governor Gavin Newsom, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Joint Chiefs of Staff member Dan Caine, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
Beyond politics, the TIME list also recognises influential figures from business, technology and the arts. Among them are Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and YouTube chief Neal Mohan.
Commenting on Kapoor’s inclusion, actor Ayushmann Khurrana wrote in TIME that “in a world where performances are often amplified, Ranbir internalises”, adding that he “represents the India that is finally learning how to listen to itself and leaves a mark through simple authenticity”. He further noted that Kapoor acts as a cultural bridge globally, telling stories rooted in Indian tradition.
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On Pichai, TIME said his leadership has kept Google agile despite its scale, emphasising “startup-like nimbleness” while launching new artificial intelligence products such as Nano Banana, Google AI Studio, Notebook LM, Gemini CLI and Antigravity, even as these are not directly tied to the company’s core advertising business.
