There are also world leaders on the list, like US President Donald Trump, Pope Leo XIV, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
TIME has named some of the most important people in the world this year. They are Google CEO Sundar Pichai, cook Vikas Khanna (who has a Michelin star), actor Ranbir Kapoor, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
100 Most Influential People of 2026
Wednesday, TIME announced its list of the “100 Most Influential People of 2026.” The list includes artists, thinkers, and icons, as well as global pioneers, leaders, and giants.
President Donald Trump, Pope Leo XIV, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and captain of the 2026 Artemis II Reid Wiseman are all on the list.
“We are moved by the bravery of this year’s Olympians, like Alysa Liu, Hilary Knight, and Chloe Kim, and by the brilliance of doctors, like Kiran Musunuru and Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas.” As we often say, influence doesn’t care about your age. The list includes both Huerta, who is 96 years old, and Balendra Shah, who is 35 and was chosen as Nepal’s Prime Minister after the country’s Gen Z protests.
There was also talk about how Pichai’s leadership has “emphasised startup-like nimbleness,” launching new AI products like Google AI Studio, Notebook LM, Gemini CLI, and Antigravity even though Google is 27 years old.
Vikas Khanna was named one of the innovators in the cooking arts
In their biography of Khanna, TIME calls him a “man of extraordinary heart.” “His kindness goes far beyond the kitchen; he helps people all over the world with respect, compassion, and a strong sense of duty.” Using food as a global language to build bonds and promote understanding, Vikas is able to connect with people from all walks of life, which is what makes him so special, wrote Eric Ripert in a TIME feature of Khanna. Ripert won the James Beard Award and is co-owner of Le Bernardin.
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Ranbir Kapoor the only Indian actor in TIME 100
Khanna is very proud of his culture and shares the wealth of Indian practices in a way that makes them important and easy for people all over the world to understand. “He has made more than a restaurant with Bungalow; it’s a living manifestation of storytelling.” The article talked about Khanna’s well-known restaurant in New York City and said, “Each dish reflects memory, heritage, and the collective voice of his team, giving space to narratives that deserve to be heard.” The singer Khanna “reminds us that true influence is measured not only by success, but also by how deeply we connect with and lift others,” Ripert said.
Khurrana, who wrote the TIME article for Kapoor, said, “There are actors who chase legacy and there are actors who become one through their craft.” Ranbir Kapoor is the second one. “In an industry as busy and passionate as Indian film, we often judge greatness by how many tickets we sell, how excited our fans are, and how long our opening weekends are.” But every once in a while, an actress changes something much more subtle but long-lasting: the way we feel as an audience. Ranbir has done that in a lot of movies. In a world where results are often boosted, Ranbir takes things in. He shows our culture by being calm and quiet. The biography said, “He stands for an India that is finally learning how to listen to itself and makes a mark through simple authenticity.”
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On top of that, it said that stars like Kapoor help bring different cultures together
“He represents India as it changes, not only in size but also in how it treats others.” The world is changing because of our films. Ranbir isn’t just a movie star; he’s also a speaker who talks to people all over the world about a made-up country where epics like “The Ramayana” have inspired other cultures and civilisations.
TIME said of Mohan that he has “supercharged” the growth and reach of YouTube.
“People are just as likely to watch NFL games, podcasts, or Saturday Night Live there as they are to watch content from their own community, like MrBeast and CoComelon.”
TIME also said that being in charge of YouTube needs a number of separate skills that usually can’t be used together. Mohan is “nerdy enough to earn the respect of software engineers and charming enough to win over advertisers.” He has worked out deals with the world’s biggest sports groups, but artists swear by how friendly he is. “One of Neal’s superpowers is being approachable,” says American YouTuber Michelle Khare in the article.
According to TIME, Mamdani gave the Democratic Party a “new source of momentum” that it badly needed. Time said, “The second youngest mayor of the country’s largest city has his work cut out for him.” Mamdani’s critics say his housing plan could hurt investment, and the city’s limited funds and relationships with important groups, such as parts of the Jewish community, will test his ability to make plans happen.
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