New Delhi, April 16: Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and celebrity chef Vikas Khanna have been featured in TIME magazine’s latest list of the ‘100 Most Influential People of 2026’. This year’s edition highlights individuals from diverse fields whose work is influencing global narratives through innovation, creativity, leadership, and social impact, underscoring the growing presence of Indian voices on the world stage.
From the ‘titans’ list, Sundar Pichai was recognised for his leadership in advancing artificial intelligence through Google’s ecosystem. Under his stewardship, AI tools have been integrated across products such as Search, Android, and Chrome, with the company accelerating its push in the sector through its Gemini platform amid rising global competition. AI expert Andrew Ng, who wrote Pichai’s profile showing on TIME, said that in an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping knowledge and work, his influence lies in “how widely it is used”. Meanwhile, in the ‘artist’ list, Kapoor was recognised for his distinctive acting style and understated performances, which have been credited with reshaping audience expectations in Indian cinema. His body of work has also helped bring Indian storytelling to a wider global audience. In addition, chef Khanna was honoured for his culinary excellence as well as humanitarian and cultural contributions.