India has made its presence known globally as a pioneering force across various fields, from politics to entertainment. Indian-origin personalities have taken the spotlight while embracing their cultural heritage. Here are some individuals who have not only excelled in their respective fields but also brought pride to their Indian roots on the global stage.
Movies and Entertainment
Dev Patel
Dev Patel is a talented British actor, who is known for making significant contributions to the movie industry. He was born in London to Indian parents. He garnered international fame with blockbuster hits like “Life of Pi” and “Slumdog Millionaire”. His breakthrough role in Slumdog Millionaire earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a leading Role. Patel made his directorial debut in 2024 with action flick, “Monkey Man”.
Priyanka Chopra
Chopra left an indelible mark internationally after winning the Miss World title in 2000. She made her Bollywood debut in The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, starring alongside Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta. She became a household name in Bollywood with roles in blockbusters like Andaaz, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Aitraaz. Chopra made her Hollywood debut with the TV series Quantico and became the first South Asian to headline an American network drama series. She has also appeared in films like the “Baywatch” remake, “Isn’t it Romantic” and “The Matrix Resurrections”. She is currently married to American music sensation, Nick Jonas.
Hasan Minhaj
Minhaj is a prominent comedian, actor, producer and television host. He was a fan-favorite during his role as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. He then received his own show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj on Netflix, where he delivered comedic commentary of contemporary political issues. The show won an Emmy Award, a Peabody and two Webby awards for Hasan’s hilarious commentary on current events and politics. Hasan also headlined the White House Correspondent’s dinner in 2017.
Politics
Kamala Harris
United States of America’s first ever female Vice-President has Jamaican and Indian origins. She was elected the Attorney General of California in 2010, becoming the first woman, African American, and South Asian American to hold the office. Harris was elected to the US Senate in 2016 representing California. In 2020, she was selected as Joe Biden’s running mate and made history once again by becoming the first woman, black and South Asian Vice President of the US. She is currently the presidential nominee for the Democrats in the 2024 elections and is competing against former President Donald Trump.
Rishi Sunak
Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister has his roots in Punjab. Sunak’s parents were reportedly born into an Indian expatriate community in East Africa and trace their heritage back to pre-Independence Punjab in British India. He is currently married to Akshata Murty, daughter of the founder of IT giant Infosys, Narayana Murthy.
Music
Diljit Dosanjh
The Punjabi artist penned history by performing at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in California. Dosanjh initially gained recognition in the Punjabi music industry with albums like “Chocolate” and “The Next Level” and singles like “Panga”. He also made significant contributions to the Punjabi movie industry, starring in movies like Jatt & Juliet, Udta Punjab, Punjab 1984 and Amar Singh Chamkila. His electrifying performance at Coachella marked a significant milestone for Punjabi music on the global stage. Dosanjh recently made history with a sold-out concert during his Dil-luminati tour at BC place in Vancouver. The event marked the largest Punjabi music concert outside India, drawing a crowd of over 54,000 people. He also made a guest appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.
A R Rehman
Rehman is a renowned Indian music composer, singer and songwriter who gained international fame with his work on the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), which earned him two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (“Jai Ho”). He also received two Grammy Awards for the same film. He has also been awarded with Padma Bhushan and Padma Sri, two of India’s highest civilian awards.
Science & Technology
Sunita Williams
Williams is an accomplished NASA astronaut and a retired U.S. Navy officer. She was born to an Indian father and Slovenian mother. Williams held the record for longest time recorded during spacewalks for women (50 hours and 40 minutes). As of now, Williams is on an extended mission aboard the ISS as her return to Earth has been delayed until February 2025 due to technical issues.
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
Ramakrishnan is a distinguished biologist known for his groundbreaking work on the structure and function of ribosomes. He earned his Ph.D. from Ohio University in Physics. However, his interest later shifted towards molecular biology. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with Thomas A. Steitz and Ada Yonath, for their work on ribosomes’ structure and functions. Ramakrishnan was the President of the Royal Society of London from 2015 to 2020. His numerous accolades include the Padma Vibushan, one of India’s highest civilian honors, and a knighthood in the UK.
Business
Sundar Pichai
Pichai’s journey from a modest background in India to leading one of the world’s largest tech companies is truly inspiring. He was born in a modest household in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Pichai joined Google in 2004 initially working on the Google toolbar, but later led the development of Google Chrome, one of the most popular web browsers globally. He was appointed Google’s CEO in 2015 and later became the CEO of its parent company, Alphabet Inc in 2019.
Satya Nadella
Nadella is another inspiring example of a young engineer from India to being the CEO of one of the world’s largest tech companies. Nadella joined Microsoft in 1992 and held various leadership roles in the company over the years. He was integral to the company’s transition to cloud computing, leading the development of one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world. He served as the Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group before being appointed the CEO in 2014. As CEO,He has driven Microsoft’s market value to over $3 trillion.
Ajay Banga
Banga is an MBA graduate from IIM Ahmedabad who is currently the President of World Bank. Born in Pune and raised in a Sikh family, Banga has held prominent roles in several MNCs throughout his career. He started his career as a trainee in Nestlé in 1981 and later joined PepsiCo, playing an instrumental role in launching international fast-food franchises like Pizza Hut and KFC in India. He also held senior positions in Citigroup, including that of CEO of Citi’s International Global Consumer Group. Banga became the President and CEO of Mastercard in 2010. He was elected the President of World Bank in May 2023.
Indira Nooyi
Indra Nooyi is a prominent Indian American business executive who is best known for her role as chairman and CEO of PepsiCo. Born in Chennai, she earned her bachelor’s degree from India and completed MBA from Yale University in Connecticut, USA. She stepped down as CEO in 2019 after 24 years with the company, half of which were spent at the top. After retiring, she joined the International Cricket Council as the first independent female director in 2018. However, recently she stepped down from this role after completing her two three-year terms.
Manbilas Singh is a talented writer and journalist who focuses on the finer details in every story and values integrity above everything. A self-proclaimed sleuth, he strives to expose the fine print behind seemingly mundane activities and aims to uncover the truth that is hidden from the general public. In his time away from work, he is a music aficionado and a nerd who revels in video & board games, books and Formula 1.
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