Yulia Navalnaya and Ajay Banga Among TIME's 100 Most Influential Leaders of 2024: Navalnaya Entering Politics After Husband's Death, Banga Making History as World Bank President
Time Magazine's 2024 list of the 100 Most Influential People includes Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and World Bank chief Ajay Banga in the "Leaders" category.
Other notable figures in this category are Indian-origin US official Jigar Shah, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, and Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi.
Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, gave her first interview after his death on February 16 in a penal colony.
She stated that she entered politics to preserve her husband's vision and that she had not planned to do so.
Ajay Banga, an Indian American, made history last year by becoming the President of the World Bank, marking the first time a person of color led a major global financial institution.
Banga began his five-year term as the 14th President.
Jigar Shah, an Indian-American, serves as the director of the US.
Department of Energy Loan Programs Office, managing hundreds of billions of dollars for clean infrastructure and energy projects.
Georgia Meloni, a 47-year-old Italian, became Italy's first female prime minister in 2022, leading the country despite concerns about her far-right party.
Both individuals hold significant positions in their respective governments.