Class of 2021: Deepika Padukone joins the list of WEF's new Young Global Leaders

NEW DELHI: Actor Deepika Padukone and several Indian citizens and India-origin persons on Wednesday joined the list of the Young Global Leaders (YGLs) compiled by the World Economic Forum.

Announcing its 2021 class of YGLs, the WEF said these are the world's most promising 112 tomorrow's leaders under the age of 40 and are involved in activities ranging from advocating for public healthcare to campaigning for inclusivity in medical research.

They join a group of Nobel Prize recipients, Pulitzer winners, heads of state and chief executive officers committed to improving the state of the world, said the Geneva-based organisation that describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation.


The Forum of Young Global Leaders was founded in 2005 by Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF, to create a world where leaders take responsibility for a sustainable future while meeting increasingly complex and interrelated challenges.

Currently, there are 1,400 members and alumni from over 120 countries, and notable members include prime ministers Jacinda Ardern and Sanna Marin, Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado Quesada, actor Yao Chen, lawyer Amal Clooney and filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu.

"YGLs are active in today's most-exciting and dynamic fields and focus on impact.

"In the past year, they have worked on more than 30 COVID-19-related initiatives, including expanding the use of free public digital health services, launching data challenges to build an ecosystem that can help tackle the pandemic, creating mobile intensive care shelters, opening mental health support platforms and working on vaccine development," the WEF said.

It further said the class of 2021 is gender-equal and has representatives from 56 countries. These members will take part in a five-year programme, which offers executive education courses, expeditions and opportunities to collaborate and test ideas among a trusted network of peers.

"The YGL Class of 2021 is comprised of thoughtful and courageous leaders who will shape a more sustainable and inclusive post-pandemic era," said Mariah Levin, head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders.

"We are delighted to welcome the class of 2021 at a time when cultivating responsible leadership is needed more than ever to steer us through the multiple challenges the world is facing," said Nicole Schwab, board member of the Forum of Young Global Leaders.


The 2021 YGL class members from the academia and research field include Devi Sridhar (University Lecturer in Global Health Politics, University of Oxford, UK), Adriana Cargill (independent Journalist, USA), Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (captain of Bangladesh cricket team) and Rohan Ramakrishnan (founder and CEO of the ASEAN Post, Malaysia).

From the business field, there are Nirvana Chaudhary (managing director of Nepal's Chaudhary Group), Shreevar Kheruka (managing director and CEO of Borosil India) and Srikanth Bolla (CEO of Bollant Industries, India).

Members from the civil society and social entrepreneurship arena include Amit Paley (CEO of The Trevor Project, USA), Anulika Ajufo (principal of the UK's Soros Economic Development Fund) and Deepika Padukone (founder of the Live Love Laugh Foundation, India).

Others on the list include Vasudha Vats (global commercial lead/ senior director, Pfizer, USA), Vivek Ramaswamy (founder and CEO of Roivant Sciences, USA), Ameya Prabhu (managing partner of UAP Advisors, India) and Maleeka Bokhari (parliamentary secretary for law and justice, Pakistan).

The list also include Aditi Avasthi (founder and CEO of Indiavidual Learning, India), Gazal Kalra (co-founder of Rivigo, India), Hitesh Wadhwa (vice-president for strategic initiatives at Tech Mahindra, India), Hriday Ravindranath (chief technology and information officer, Global Services at BT Group, India) and Suren Aloyan (founder, chairman and CEO, Dasaran, Armenia).