Forbes names Chanda Kochhar the most powerful woman in India
At number 32 on Forbes 2017 list of the world's 100 most powerful women, ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar has been named the most influential woman in India. In May 2016, the 55-year-old became the first Indian woman to receive the Woodrow Wilson Award for Global Citizenship. Last September, she took ICICI's insurance wing public, making it a general insurer's first IPO in India.
Only five Indian women make it to the list
German Chancellor Angela Merkel retains her top spot from last year. British PM Theresa May and philanthropist Melinda Gates follow at 2 and 3 respectively. Only five Indian women feature on the list this year. CEO of HCL Technologies Roshni Nadar Malhotra at 57, Founder of Biocon Ltd. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at 71, media baroness Shobhana Bhartia at 92, and actor Priyanka Chopra at 97.
Ivanka Trump at number 19, Hillary Clinton at 65
The most striking aspect of the 2017 list is the sharp fall in Hillary Clinton's ranking. A presidential candidate, she was named the second most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2016. However, this year she slumps to number 65, way behind Ivanka Trump, who is at 19. Forbes calls Ivanka the de-facto American First Lady, and a key presidential advisor.
The list also features Indra Nooyi, Oprah Winfrey, Suu Kyi
The list also features PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi at number 11, entertainment mogul Oprah Winfrey at 21, Queen Elizabeth II at 26, Myanmar state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi at 33, UAE's first woman minister Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi at 36, and Beyonce at 50.
