Jailed Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez, Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy and entrepreneur Gautam Adani on Monday were named among the world’s 100 most influential people in Time magazine’s 2022 list.
“Our hope is that the TIME100 list is not simply a recognition of influence but a study in how influence can be wielded,” said Time.“This year saw advocates for equality and human rights responding to unprecedented pressures.”
Parvez was described by Time as the “story and the storyteller of the insurgency and the betrayal of the people of Kashmir”.
Parvez, the chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, was arrested in November under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He has been accused by the National Investigation Agency of criminal conspiracy and waging war against the government.
Officials have alleged that Parvez had been in contact with “overground workers” of a Pakistani militant group. Overground workers help with logistical support for militant groups.
“He had to be silenced, for his was a voice that resounded around the globe for his fierce fight against human rights violations and injustices in the Kashmir region,” Time said. “The attacks against him speak volumes of the truth he represents at a time when the world’s largest democracy is being called out for its persecution of the more than 200 million Indian Muslims.”
Supreme Court advocate Karuna Nandy, who is fighting to criminalise marital rape, was described by the magazine as “not just a lawyer but also a public activist who ably - and bravely - uses her voice both inside and outside the courtroom to bring about change”.
It added, “She is a champion of women’s rights who has advocated for the reform of antirape laws and fought cases relating to sexual harassment in the workplace.”
The magazine described Adani as a national behemoth who stays away from public eye and builds his empire in silence.
“Critics attribute his meteoric rise to his proximity to Narendra Modi, whose government is apparently following a policy of creating ‘national champions’, like Adani, showering business enterprises with favours to help them become global leaders,” the magazine said.
Other public figures who made to the Time’s list include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, United States President Joe Biden, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, American podcaster Joe Rogan, American talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook.
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