Indian Leaders on TIME Magazine Covers - SiliconIndia.com

Indian Leaders on TIME Magazine Covers:

Time Magazine, in its latest edition puts Modi in the erstwhile company of past Indian greats like Mahatma Gandhi, Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi – who also adorned its cover.

‘Modi Means Business: But Can He Lead India' says the cover of TIME Magazine's Asian edition.

TIME endorses this 10-year-long journey of progress - of the state becoming "India's most industrialized and business-friendly territory". It further identifies the drivers of this success as "good planning – exactly what so much of India lacks", and a leader with the "ability to get things done."

Appreciating how Gujarat has "largely escaped the land conflicts and petty corruption that often paralyze growth elsewhere in the nation", the article talks of how "Modi has set about revamping the State's economy" leveraging on Gujarat's natural advantages. Amongst the State's many strengths that the article mentions, is Gujarat's being the only state in India where both big businesses and small farmers can expect 24 hours uninterrupted power supply - with "the premium rates paid by big business used to subsidize rural electrification." Further examples include the establishment of a "streamlined bureaucracy", as well as the State's emergence as an Auto-hub over the last 10 years – with Gujarat's auto industry growing "from one modest plant to an expected capacity of 700,000 cars in 2014".

An American weekly news magazine published since 1923, TIME is the world's largest circulation news weekly with a readership of 25 million, of which 20 million are in the U.S.

Praising Narendra Modi the person as well, TIME highlights how unlike many other politicians, "Modi doesn't put his faith on display", having no religious icons in his office – which instead has only statues of his hero, Swami Vivekananda. It further points out how "in a country where nepotism and dynastic politics are the norm, Modi's family is invisible."

TIME acknowledges the public perception of Modi being seen as a "firm, no-nonsense leader who will set the nation on a course of development that might finally put it on par with China".

The cover story highlights the achievements his state made under his reign. This is the first time an Indian regional leader has been featured on the magazine's cover.

Below is a list of Indian politicians who have been featured on the cover of TIME magazine.

1. Mahatma Gandhi:
TIME magazine named Mahatma Gandhi as the Man of the Year in 1930. He was also the runner-up to Albert Einstein as "Person of the Century" at the end of 1999. In 2011, the magazine named Gandhi as one of the top 25 political icons of all time. Gandhi has been featured on Time's cover thrice.
2. Subhash Chandra Bose:
Better known as Netaji, Subhash Chandra Bose was an Indian revolutionary who led an Indian national political and military force against Britain and the Western powers during World War II. He was one of the most outstanding leaders in the Indian independence movement and is a legendary figure in India. An appearance on the cover of TIME is an indicator of a person's notability or fame and Bose was featured on the magazine's cover in its march 7, 1938 issue.
3. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel:
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman. Patel was one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress, and one of the founding fathers of India. He is known to be a social leader of India and was on the magazine's cover in its January 27, 1947 cover.
4. Jawaharlal Nehru:
India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has also been featured on the cover of TIME magazine around seven times. He was on the magazine's cover in its August 24, 1942 issue, October 17, 1949 issue, May 7, 1951 issue, July 30, 1956 issue, December 14, 1959. In the November 30, 1962 issue the covers depicts the 1962 Sino-Indian war, and also features the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong in the background.
5. Lal Bahadur Shashtri:
Lal Bahadur Shashtri, the second prime minister of India was also featured on the magazine's cover in its August 13, 1965 issue. The TIME cover said “Tiny and turkey-necked, shy as a schoolboy in his rumpled dhoti and brown loafers, Shastri both matches the diminished stature of India and reflects its inchoate strength.” It further said “By merely surviving for 14 months in a situation that many thought might end in anarchy, Shastri has shown that India has a chance.
6. Indira Gandhi:
Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was on the magazine's cover in its January 28, 1966 issue. She was on the cover again in the magazine's December 6, 1971 issue, sharing space with Pakistan's then President Yahya Khan. The cover is a depiction of the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Later on Gandhi featured again on the magazine's cover after her assassination in the magazine’s November 12, 1984 issue.
7. Rajiv Gandhi:
Rajiv became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40. The former Prime Minister was also on the magazine's cover in its December 22, 1986 issue.
8. Sonia Gandhi:
Congress president Sonia Gandhi too, made it to the TIME's cover after her party regained power in the May 24, 2004 cover.

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