Newsweek Magazine Ranks Indian PM Atop Global Leader List

New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and his UPA government might be drawing flak for failing to check rising prices, corruption and separatist activity, but a leading global magazine has given the leader top billing in its latest issue. Singh tops Newsweek Magazine’s list of 10 top leaders who have won global respect and recognition despite the fact that India is placed 78th in the list of 100 best countries.

In its report, the magazine has described Singh as a leader “other leaders love.” The magazine has also credited the 77-year-old leader, who is into his seventh year in office, of playing a major role in “India’s emergence as one of the rising powers of the 21st century”, adding that it is because of the efforts of the economist-turned-politician that the Indian economy has moved from “stagnant socialism to a spectacular takeoff”.

“But it’s Singh’s unassuming personal style that really inspires awe among his fellow global luminaries, who praise him for being modest, humble, and incorruptible,” the magazine says.

Former International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general and Egyptian presidential challenger, Mohamed ElBaradei, has termed Singh as a perfect political leader, one whom everyone should try to emulate.

Besides Singh, the others who have made it to the top-10 are, British Prime minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Brazilian President Luiz In cio Lula da Silva and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz al-Saud.

Singh’s stature notwithstanding, India figures a lowly 78 in the list of 100 best countries with an average score of 55.70 out of 100. The ranking was done after carefully analyzing the nations on five parameters — education, health, quality of life, economic competitiveness and political environment.

Concluding the report on a satirical note, the magazine has termed India as the ‘Best Place to Fly a Kite’. “Flying a kite from the roof is part of everyday life in India. But each year, on January 14, an international kite festival, Makar Sankranti, draws more than one million enthusiasts from 36 countries,” the magazine said.

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