India Inc’s league of extraordinary CEOs

A reluctant capitalist, a crackshot programmer, an entrepreneur par excellence and a man who no global leader can refuse a meeting, Mr N R Narayana Murthy has been voted as India's most powerful CEO by the Economic Times Corporate Dossier's Most Powerful CEO Survey.

Five years after he gave up the hot seat at one of world's most formidable IT companies, Infosys, NRN as he is fondly known travels all over the world winning friends and influencing heads of state, CEOs of world's largest companies and generally spreading the gospel of the magic of India and IT.

The others in the top five are Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Nandan Nilekani and Azim Premji.

Clearly, if knowledge is power then spearheading a knowledge company bestows the P-word in generous quantities. But this time the survey also reveals another change: apart from knowledge global derring-do and ambitions too confer power.

Power then isn't just about big money and influence on policy, it's about influencing global business, making an impact and about thought leadership. It's also a big responsibility. "I don't feel as though I am Superman. Power is responsibility and hard work... the day one forgets that, all power leaves you," says Wipro chairman Azim Premji.

Most of the top ten players have been on our elite list, moving a notch up or down, but largely maintaining their places in the league of extraordinary gentlemen. Tata group honcho Ratan Tata moved up to second position this year from third in 2005, and fourth in 2004, after turbocharging his group's globalisation drive with big acquisitions in 2006.

Mukesh Ambani has always ranked among the top three in all past surveys, while brother Anil dropped to 12th position last year and has rebound to 6th position, this year. Incidentally, both the Ambani brothers shared the No 2 rank in 2004. Kumar Mangalam Birla has also been a regular with 9th and 10th positions during the last two surveys.

While Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani has managed to break into the top five after being steady at No 6 in the last two surveys, liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been improving his standings each year - he was at 14th position in 2004, jumped to 8th last year, and moved up a notch to 7th position this year. Interestingly, the father and son duo of Rahul and Rajiv Bajaj are at 11th and 12 position, with the senior Bajaj losing four ranks since last year.

Steel-magnate LN Mittal leads the most influential Global Indians list followed by Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, Ajay Banga of Citigroup, and Vodafone's Arun Sarin.