Top 50 Coolest South Asians 2024
2024 was the greatest catalyst in continuing to put South Asians on the map. Representation was at its peak as South Asians led the way through pageants, political campaigns, climate change, fashion, entertainment, and overall making a global impact. We applaud their stellar efforts and proudly say that they have truly influenced and inspired us!
We had an incredibly difficult time identifying our favorite top 50 coolest South Asians of 2024.
In every field, we had outstanding individuals doing phenomenal things. We have compiled a list of noteworthy individuals who have made a difference this past year and made people of South Asian origin proud.
50. Vidya Gopalan
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Vidya Gopalan is a South Asian influencer who has amassed over 2 million followers on TikTok. She documents her daily family life, and shares fun home videos with her husband and two children, while incorporating her South Asian culture into their daily life. Vidya has discussed microaggressions, racism within the South Asian community, and making sure to work with brands that are inclusive. Over the past year, her videos have gained more traction, and she is considered one of the top TikTokers in terms of brand value and engagement. South Asian viewers have praised her for being open about her journey as a South Asian influencer, and she gives a lot of advice to aspiring South Asian influencers as well.
49. Ziyan Tejani
Field: Political and human rights advocate
Why Are They Cool?
Ziyan Tejani is an Indian-Australian political advocate, policy analyst, community leader, and writer whose contributions have made a lasting impact both within Australia and globally. Recognised for his stellar efforts in 2024, Ziyan was a finalist for the Asia Society Australia’s Melbourne Asia Game Changer Awards and the Asian-Australian Leadership Awards from Asialink, University of Melbourne. This year, Ziyan represented over 50,000 Australian alumni to champion greater engagement with the Asia-Pacific region. Through his personal membersip of students, Tejani was able to help them secure scholarships worth $90,000 AUD each. Tejani is currently serving a three-year term as part of the Multicultural Youth Network to address issues faced by multicultural Australians. In addition to being an advocate, Tejani is also a great writer, and was an Assistant Editor on the book ‘Speech: The Power of Persuasion’ in August 2024.
48. Jamie Pandit
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Jamie Pandit is a Bangladeshi Canadian trans woman and comedy influencer who has garnered millions of likes on TikTok and Instagram for her authentic videos showcasing her makeup routine and relatable content about being a trans South Asian woman. Pandit interacts with viewers and followers daily and answers questions about what it’s like to be a tarns woman married to a straight man, and things she’s learned throughout her life. Through her content, Pandit advocates for trans and women rights, and urges inclusivity for all marginalized communities. This year, Pandit attended several ntoable events, including the Toronto International Film Festival, which brought her work to the forefront of mainstream media.
47. Rupal Bannerjee
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Rupal Banerjee is a fashion designer and owner of her label Ru by Rupal who tapped into her interest in creating designs and fashion since she was very young. Starting off by stitching outfits for her Barbie dolls, Rupal later moved on to sketching runway ready designs integrated with Indian embroidery and heritage. After graduating from Parsons School of Design with a degree in PR and Marketing, Rupal showed her designs at New York Fashion Week and started gaining clients like Kali Uchis, Kehlani, and Jordyn Woods. This year, Rupal was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 list as she’s achieved several career milestones and achievements. Her Fall/Winter 2024 collection pays tribute to her immigrant parents by utilizing 90’s work-wear designs with South Asian references.
46. Monica Saigal
Field: Culinary Arts & Author
Why Are They Cool?
An award-winning Indian American author Monica Saigal published her cookbook ‘Papa’s Butter Chicken’, which is a blend between a memoir and a cookbook exploring themes of family, food, and communities. Over her career, Saigal has written over a dozen books as a corporate novelist who runs her own consulting firm to champion storytelling to connect audiences and literary experiences. In 2009, Saigal’s book ‘Modern Spice’ gained acclaim when Top Chef Padma Lakshmi featured it in Newsweek’s Best Books Ever list. This year, Saigal conceptualized and put into action America’s first butter chicken festival in the DMV area where restaurants presented their versions of the famous butter chicken dish. Her latest book ‘A Kiss in Kashmir: A Timeless Tale of Love’ documents a cross-continental love story, and was released on Valentine’s Day.
Fun Fact:
Saigal used to work at the corporate tech firm Cognizant, which is where she developed her idea of corporate storytelling.
45. Nancy Tyagi
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
A rising fashion designer and influencer, Nancy Tyagi initially started creating designs to bring in an income through social media. She started her account by recreating outfits worn by Bollywood actresses and celebrities with materials from neighborhood markets. Tyagi designs, sources, creates, and sews all of the outfits on her own, with some help from family and friends, and documents the entire process for social media through a series ‘Outfit From Scratch’. This year, Tyagi designed and crafted her gown for Cannes Film Festival from scratch, which took over a month to create, and involved over 1000 meters of fabric. Pictures from her red carpet took off, as it was not only Tyagi’s first red carpet, but the first time her own designs were showcased in a public setting. Tyagi’s Instagram now has over 2.9 million followers, and her Youtube has over 1 million subscribers, as viewers love her authenticity and creativity she brings to the fashion industry.
Fun Fact:
Tyagi was recently on India’s Top 100 digital stars list by Forbes India, alongside other digital creators and influencers in the South Asian sphere!
44. Diana Pundole
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
Diana Pundole is a teacher, mother of two, and now a champion racing driver. The wonderwoman has won the national championship title in the saloon category at the 2024 MRF Indian National Car Racing Championship in Chennai. About 8 years ago Pundole was selected as one of 200 talents to take part in some rigorous trials in a national talent hunt. She reached the top 6 in the talent hunt and has dived into the racing world since then. As a woman in a male dominated industry, she has faced much criticism and many obstacles including balancing her life as a mother and training or attending tournaments. Pundole is the first and only woman to participate in the Indian Touring Cars mixed category, a race with seasoned racers with 10 to 20 years of experience. She has participated in high-profile races, including the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Ferrari 488 Challenge, BMW M2 Competition, and Renault Clio Cup. Pundole is an inspiration to women everywhere and continues to break barriers with each win in a male dominated field.
Fun Fact:
This championship win was extra special for Pundole as it coincided with her birthday. She had turned off her phone the days before the race to focus on her preperation so it was an outpouring of love from friends and family for her birthday and her win after she turned her phone on after the race.
43. Tara Raghuveer
Field: Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Tara Raghuveer is an advocate for fair housing practices, and was named in this year’s Time 100 list. Starting in Kansas City, Missouri, Raghuveer created a tenants union that is leading a fight in the state for more regulations and protections for tenants rights. This year, she launched the Tenant Union Federation to forge a movement of working class solidarity across the country. Raghuveer hopes that her work and organization can help change the way people understand and think about renter’s rights, and shift the national conversation about housing. Raghuveer utilizes social media platforms and mainstream media to reach renters and tenants about housing news in their areas, as well as the debate around additional regulations for renters.
Fun Fact:
Raghuveer attended Harvard University and received a B.A. in social studies when she graduated in 2014.
42. Sikander Sonny Khan
Field: Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Sikander “Sonny” Khan is a product marketing manager at Microsoft’s Bing search engine, and was named in this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list for creating and executing marketing strategies. His work has led to Bing reaching 100 million daily active users. Beyond his work at Microsoft, Khan also founded the Paani Project: a social enterprise that aims to end water scarcity in Pakistan. Paani has currently built over 15,000 wells and collected $5 million in funds, benefitting over one million women and children in Pakistan. Through his work with the Paani Project, that he launched when he was a student, Khan became the recipient of the Gates Millenium Scholarship. The project has brought the severiity of the water crisis in Pakistan to people’s attention in local communities. In addition to the Paani Project, Khan also founded two other organizations, IceVax (dedicated to keeping vaccines cool during transportation to Pakistan), and Project United.
41. Anam Lakhani
Field: Finance
Why Are They Cool?
Anam Lakhani teamed up with fellow Goldman Sachs intern Eve Halimi to create a new app that was geared towards helping women, Gen Zers, kids of immigrants, and other beginners who wish to engage in investments but don’t know where or how to start due to the poor financial literacy in America. As women in finance, they realized there was a need for a female-focused guide teaching women how to make investments and manage their wealth, thus the investing app Alinea, was born. Lakhani and Halimi’s project is an AI-based investing app, developed to make investing less intimidating. Currently being used by about 225,000 women, Gen Z’ers, and beginners. The app has also went viral this year on TikTok, one the viral videos was due to one user created a list of stocks of companies that supported abortions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The app has obtained $3.3 million in venture capital from Goodwater Capital and Y Combinator, and it is expected to book almost $1.2 million by the end of 2023. Lakhani and her partner have been featured on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for 2024 for their phenomenal work.
Fun Fact:
Lakhani and Halimi developed this project design while in class and during the pandemic they finally had the time to make it a reality. Some of us made banana bread and dalgona coffee while these girls empowered the youth.
40. Saad Amer
Field: Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Saad Amer is a climate change activist and social media influencer who advocates for environmental protections, and consults with the United Nations for worldwide carbon regulations. Amer is also the founder of the Justice Environment, an organization that helps businesses and companies navigate sustainability. In his role as a UN consultant, Amer was an expert reviewer for the IPCC AR6 report that broke down the global climate crisis, and urges organizations and citizens around the world to be wary of tipping points predicted to make climate change worse. As a major voting rights organizer, Amer organzied campaigns for Al Gore, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Taylor Swift, and has written opinion pieces for Nat Geo, PBS, and the World Bank.
39. Kashfia Arfa
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
In a country where motorsports are relatively unknown and there is no infrastructure to actually race, Kashfia Arfa has defeated all odds as Bangladesh’s first ever female race car driver! Racing isn’t exactly a sport with many females and even less South Asian females so it’s no surprise that Arfa is one of two racing drivers with an FIA license from Bangladesh, and she is the first female driver to compete internationally. The young star is a holder of the FIA ASN national racing licence and to qualify she had to participate in five national racing competitions, undergo intense training and she ranked among the country’s top 30 drivers. Arfa stated that the Automobile Association of Bangladesh (AAB), the organization that issues the FIA license in Bangladesh, has been very supportive of her journey even sponsoring her for events, helping her train, and supporting her in taking part in international races. She has recently secured 9th place in the solo race and 6th place in the Mixed-Doubles category at the second round of the Asian Auto Gymkhana Championship 2024 competing against seasoned racers that are 10 years older than her. Arfa, faced initial challenges with a new car and unfamiliar track layout but managed to achieve this result amidst strong competition. At the 2024 Malaysian Festival of Speed Arfa claimed first place in the Female Solo Knockouts, competing against 26 drivers from across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This victory under International Classifications is a key milestone for motorsport in Bangladesh, especially for women of all backgrounds for the sport. Arfa and fellow driver, Arhaam Rahman also secured first place in the Mixed Category, becoming the first Bangladeshi drivers to achieve a podium finish at a national or international motorsport event under a Bangladeshi FIA ASN race license.
Fun Fact:
Arfa is not only an award winning racer but a champion handball player as well! She is on her school’s handball team and they recently won a handball tournament organized by the Dhaka District Women Sports Association.
38. Saurabh Netravalkar
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
Saurabh Netravalkar is a full-time engineer and part-time cricketer for the newly formed U.S. cricket team that shined in their inaugural year in the T20 World Cup this year. Netravalkar quickly became an internet sensation during the U.S. versus Pakistan cricket match in the tournament, when the U.S. team won, much of which was contributed by Netravlkar’s bowling technique in the super-over. As a left-arm fast bowler, Netravalkar first started playing cricket for the India Under-19 team, but didn’t make it far in his sporting career in India, so he immigrated to the United States to pursue a career in engineering. He currently works at Oracle as a principal member of the technical staff, and continued to pursue his interest in cricket even when he moved to the U.S by playing in the still growing U.S. team.
Fun Fact:
While playing for India’s Under 19 team, Netravalkar played alongside current Indian cricket players KL Rahul, Jaydev Unadkat, and Mayank Agarwal, who all have played for India’s national team over the past few years.
37. Sid Sriram
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Sid Sriram is a phenomenal singer who was discovered by the legend himself, A. R. Rahman and was given his first big break in 2013 singing for the the Tamil film, “Kadal.” Since then the younger singer has garnered much attention singing for productions in the Tamil, Telegu, and Malayalam film industry. He was even nominated this year for Best Playback singer in the Tamil AND Telegu categories at the 69th Filmfare Awards. In 2023, he released his album Sidharth under Universal Music Group’s label Def Jam with producer Ryan Olson. He beautifully blends his Western influences along with Carnatic music and this blend is what audiences heard at this year’s Coachella where Sid Sriram was the first ever South Indian to perform! Next, he’s set to perform at the Sydney Opera House.
Fun Fact:
Sid Sriram has been inspired by artists like AP Dhillon and Diljit Dosanjh who have brought Punjabi music international and he hopes to do the same with carnatic music and Tamil language music.
36. Ambika Mod
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Actress Ambika Mod, most notably known for her work in the 2024 Netflix series ‘One Day’, was named in this year’s Time 100 list for her portrayal of Emma in the romance-drama series. The series, adapted from a novel by the same name, showcased the friendship and intense love story between Emma and Dexter (played by Leo Woodall), and was one of the most watched series’ of 2024. Audiences emotionally related and empathized with Mod’s character, and appreciated her raw acting, especially in the intense emotional scenes. Mod also attended this year’s Met Gala, and made several best dressed lists.
Fun Fact:
In the early days of her career, Mod worked as a personal assistant at Conde Nast while also pursuing comedy at night, which she continues till this day. Mod performs regularly at an improv comedy theater in London.
35. Asma Khan
Field: Culinary Arts
Why Are They Cool?
A prominent, award-winning London chef who’s restuarant, Darjeeling Express is unique due to it’s all-female kitchen with most of the chefs being older South Asian immigrants without any formal training. Khan has provided a safe space for immigrant women to be able to support themselves while also share the true taste of South Asian food, which awarded her a spot on the TIME 100 list this year. Khan’s food has been described as creations that don’t taste like restaurant food, which is for her, an incredibly high compliment. As a contestant on Chef’s Table, Khan won critical acclaim for the food she presented to the judges, and this year, she’s set to host the documentary ‘Tiffin Stories’, which will highlight food cooked within the Indian diaspora.
34. Lara Raj
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Lara Raj rose to fame this year when she participated in the K-Pop show The Debut: Dream Academy, a survival show created by HYBE and premiered in 2023 on Youtube. Raj competed against 120,000 initial applicants to make the final cut to the top 20, and competed in three missions in addition to a live final to make it to the K-Pop group Katseye. The group, launched this year, has been going viral on Instagram reels with their songs, especially the song “Touch”, with the girl group’s dance to the song becoming a trend over the past few months. Raj’s older sister Rhea is also a singer, and the sisters have grown up performing together. Raj is one of the few South Asians to be in a K-Pop group, and is bringing representation to the forefront.
Fun Fact:
In an interview in 2020, Lara credited her sister Rhea with being her biggest inspiration as a singer.
33. Zinnat Ferdous
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
New York native, Zinnat Ferdous, is an award winning Bangladeshi Boxer that you need to know. This badass athlete has won international awards for her boxing, a skill she started later in life inspired by her then boyfriend who was an amateur boxer. Today, she is a two-time national Golden Globe medalist and has won the USA women’s boxing championships in 2023. Ferdous has won two New York City ringmaster’s tournaments. She clinched a bronze medal at the XIX International Silesian Women’s Boxing Championships held in Gliwice, Poland, this year. Competing in the 52kg elite category, she secured the medal after defeating Hungary’s Kata Pap in the quarter-finals. According to an official from boxing federation, this is likely Bangladesh’s first medal from the European Boxing Confederation. This past year she also won the 2024 Dominican Republic Open, the Copa Independencia Tournament, and the inaugural Mandela South African Boxing Club. After holding seven tournament wins, she was set to go to the Paris Olympics this year to represent Bangladesh but unfortunately due clerical errors, possibly due to the Bangladesh Amateur Boxing Federation missing registrations for the competition, Ferdous along with 4 other boxers that were recruited were not able to attend. “I chose to represent Bangladesh, because as a first generation American, it allowed me the opportunity to get me closer to my heritage and help elevate sports and women athletes in Bangladesh,” she had told Fox 5 News in an interview. Ferdous continues to work on her boxing while managing $70 million advertising programs at her day job at Google, talk about a well-rounded desi girl.
Fun Fact:
If Ferdous had made it to the Olympics, she would have made history as the first female boxer to ever represent Bangladesh! Also, as an internationally award-winning boxer, she could have potentially been the first to bring home a medal for Bangladesh! Let’s hope Ferdous gets her shot at the next Olympics to make her country proud.
32. Hania Amir
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Hania Amir, lovingly known as the “Alia Bhatt of Pakistan,” is a phenomenal hit making actress. Though she has won the hearts of Pakistani viewers with her many shows and films, this year she gained immense global attention with her latest show “Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.” The show is a feel good romance between polar opposites and their journey through falling in love, dealing with resistance from family and the relatable struggles of holding together a family as you grow. It has been listed by various outlet’s including Filmfare magazine as one of the top Pakistani must watch shows of the year. Amir was recently named #9 on Eastern Eye’s Top 50 Asian Celebrities in the World list, curated by renown British journalist Asjad Nazir. She was the top Pakistani star on the list and she was featured due to her international impact due not just to her hit dramas and acting skills but also her social media influence as a positive role model, guiding the next generation towards bettering themselves by openly discussing topics like mental health.
Fun Fact:
Some quick tea on the stunning Hania Amir is that she is a huge Diljit Dosanjh fan. This year she fangirled over him when she was called on stage and Dosanjh performed for her at his London concert. Amir was also there with Indian rapper Badshah who was called on stage to perform his song “Naina” with Dosanjh. There’s also some rumors of her dating Badshah, but the two just swear they have a loving but platonic relationship and are good friends.
31. Ishaan Khattar
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
In Bollywood Ishaan Khattar is known as the talented young brother of award winning actor and well loved “chocolate boy” Shahid Kapoor. However, Khattar has aims greater than his big brother’s shadow, he took on Hollywood this past year with his debut in the Netflix limited series, “The Perfect Couple.” The show was an instant global sensation hitting the #1 spot on Netflix when released with over 20 million views within the first few days of its release. Khatter’s role changed the perspective of the Indian man in the mainstream because it wasn’t a caricature of Indian stereotypes, or the typical “nerd” or “dork” Indian. Khatter played the hot supportive lead, and did it very VERY well. In regards to all the attention, he even joked in interviews that he “liked” his character being objectified because it changed the way people viewed a South Asian man. The young star quite literally brought all the sex appeal on this show and took up space with his presence letting people know that he belonged there. Can you believe it only took one audition for him to get the role? Khattar said he sent in a self-tape for the audition and was hired. Clearly being a prince-like talent runs in the family because Khattar’s next role is a royal romance for Netflix!
Fun Fact:
Khatter and the crew of “The Perfect Couple” were stuck in quiet Cape Cod for four months during shooting and that was the first time had felt homesick while shooting. However, he did enjoy bonding with the cast and crew while there engaging in barbeques and outings like whale watching and axe-throwing.
30. Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
India’s top designers have been seeping their way into the Western fashion world and no one is doing it better than the legend himself, Sabyasachi Mukherjee. His foray into the mainstream western fashion industry has been a phenomenal success. From his elegant clothing line at Bergdorf Goodman and exquisite new jewelry collections, to his opulent new store in New York City’s West Village and his lavish New York Fashion Week parties, Mukhejee is working hard to catch the eyes of the Western world. At this year’s Met Gala, Alia Bhatt represented the brand in a intricate and ethereal floral lehenga sari with a massive 30-feet train which was Mukherjee’s interpretation of the Garden of Time theme. Bhatt apparently was the star who garnered the most visibility during the event for her outfit per insights from Lefty, a social media marketing platform. Mukherjee already had South Asian stars rocking his designer clothing and brides from around the globe saving up to buy one of his classic bridal outfits inspired by the traditional Bengali bride. Now he has the likes of Rihanna, Sofia Vegara, Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez reaching for a Sabyasachi jewelry piece for red carpet events or just out and about. Recently Lopez paired some Sabyasachi jewelry with her Zuhair Murad gown at the Wicked premiere in Los Angelos, and Rihanna has been seen rocking the Sabyasachi Constantinople necklace multiple times.
Fun Fact:
Can you believe it’s been 25 years of Sabyasachi!? The designer is celebrating this milestone with a new runway show in central Mumbai on January 25th.
29. Sruthi Kumar
Field: Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Sruthi Kumar, a senior at Harvard University, went viral this year for her commencement speech in which she criticized the school’s response to pro-Palestinian protests. Earlier that week, the school had denied 13 students their degreees, as they were involved in the encampment on campus. Kumar’s speech blew up on social media, specifically on TikTok and Twitter, with viewers all over the world cheering her on. Her speech itself was met with applause and support live during the graduation ceremony, as her famous line “Harvard, do you hear us?” trended worldwide.
Fun Fact:
Sruthi has over 11 thousand followers on Instagram as her social media went viral after her speech.
28. Vikas Khanna
Field: Culinary Arts
Why Are They Cool?
Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna can do no wrong, literally. The man is so talented and kind it is hard not to just fall in love! His latest project is the restaurant Bungalow in New York City, a place inspired by his late sister Radhika Khanna who passed in 2022 and the creation of the restaurant was a way for Khanna to process his own grief of the profound loss. The restaurant has been called a cultural and culinary hot spot. It elevates Indian cooking with such elegance that stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker have praised it calling the restaurant a “magical” world with “the most delectable and innovative Indian cuisine I have ever had.” Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez called visiting the Bungalow was “like a pilgrimage” after a recent visit. It has already been visited by Bollywood stars such as Shahrukh Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Boman Irani, and Aamir Khan. Bungalow has created quite the buzz since it opened in March of this year on what would have been the 50th birthday of his late sister. Khanna’s presence in the restaurant, meeting fans and customers has only added to the genuine love people have for him and endless lines of patrons that practically circle the block. He’s created this elegant environment to still hold the feel of family with his partner, Sam’s daughter Mysha also working there. Mysha is a 16 year old with Down Syndrome who can often be found mingling with guests at the restaurant on weekends, and from how Khanna speaks of his relationship with her, it is clear she is a shining light in his life. In less than a year, the restaurant has made it to The New York Times’ list of top 50 restaurants in North America for 2024 AND won the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award for 2024. Khanna is already an 8 time Michelin Star winner but this award was special to him. Khanna will be heading back to India for some time to shoot for Masterchef.
Fun Fact:
In an interview with Grub Street, Khanna shared that when eating out, his sister had wished to meet with the chef but he refused and she made him promise never to turn it down when patrons wish to meet with him which is why Khanna always makes the effort to meet with the hundreds of fans who show up to shower him with love every night. How could you not fall in love with Vikas Khanna?
27. AP Dhillon
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Over the past few years, Punjabi singer AP Dhillon has taken over the music scene, with five of his singles having peaked on UK Asian and Punjabi charts. Dhillon was born in Mullianwal in Punjab, India, and moved to Canada to pursue a diploma in Business Administration. In 2019, Dhillon along with bandmate Shinda Kahlon, released his first single “Fake” and his second single “Deadly” in 2020, which peaked at #11 on the UK Asian Chart. This year, Dhillon performed at Coachella, and his videos went viral when he threw his guitar onto the floor and broke it as a part of his set. The video was met by some criticism from those who felt like it was disrespectful to the art form. This year, Dhillon also released his docu-series on Amazon Prime, that detailed his journey to stardom, and followed him behind-the-scenes of his concerts. His song ‘With You’ featuring Banita Sandhu topped this year’s charts around the world.
Fun Fact:
In 2023, Dhillon was the first Punjabi artist to perform at the 2023 Juno Awards as he sang his single ‘Summer High’.
26. Gaurav Gupta
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Gaurav Gupta’s designs have been worn by Bollywood celebrities for years, and this year, his gowns went international, as they were worn by Hollywood celebrities like Beyonce, Chrishell Stause, Nicola Coughlan and more. His work is characterized by an origami style, with sculptural patterns with pleating, and he uses traditional Indian embroidery to create the abstract patterns. He is the third Indian designer to have his work showcased at Paris Haute Couture week, after Rahul Mishra and Vaishali S. In addition to designerwear, Gupta has also created a fine jewelry line that is displayed in his storefronts across India and the United States. This past year, he designed gowns for Adele, Allison Janney, Kelly Rowland, and Mindy Kaling, to name a few.
Fun Fact:
In 2022, Gupta’s designs were featured on Cannes’ red carpet worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, as well as Cardi B’s music video.
25. Virat Kohli
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
Virat Kohli is a known name in most South Asian households, as he’s one of the best cricket players in the world, and considered one of the top Indian cricket players in history. Since his introduction to the Indian cricket team in the early 2010’s Kohli has been at the top of his game, and completed over 50 centuries in one-day-international cricket. Kohli is also married to Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, and they have two children together, Vamika and Akaay. This year, Kohli was named in the Sports Illustrated Power List 2024, and is the only cricket player on the list, amongst athletes like Simone Byles and Lewis Hamilton. Kohli has been attributed for bring cricket to the world stage, with the sport being included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as this year’s T20 World Cup being co-hosted in the United States.
24. Anita Dongre
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
The founder of House of Anita Dongre, the fashion designer made waves this year as she designed the lehenga for the first Indian Barbie that was released in time for Diwali. In addition to the House of Anita Dongre, Anita is also the founder of Pink City, a jadau fine jewelry brand. The Diwali Barbie wears a Moonlight Bloom set designed by Dongre, which is embroidered with dahlias, jasmine, and Indian lotuses. She also wears golden earrings and bangles designed by Dongre, who created the lehenga with the hope that the Diwali Barbie represents contemporary Indian fashion on a global platform.
Fun Fact:
Dongre’s mother used to stitch clothes for her and her five other siblings when they were kids, which led to Dongre attending SNDT college in Mumbai to study fashion design.
23. Vir Das
Field: Arts
Why Are They Cool?
Comedian Vir Das has been making waves for years, with his unique comedic sense and ability to draw in his audiences. Starting off as a TV host, and then an actor in films like ‘Badmaash Company’, Das started writing and directing stand-up comedy shows and performing live at festivals. In 2017, his Netflix special ‘Abroad Understanding’ was released, making him the first Indian comedian with a Netflix special. Since then, he has released two additional Netflix specials, toured live around the world, including at the Kennedy Center, and starred opposite Preity Zinta in a ‘Fresh off the Boat’ episode. Das’ comedy has landed him in some trouble a few times, most notably in his Two Indias set at the Kennedy Center, in which he contrasted the rich vs the poor, and criticized Indian politicians. Several politicians filed complaints against Das for insulting India on foreign soil. This year, Das became the first Indian to ever host the International Emmy Awards, and received several accolades from Indian celebrities and the South Asian community as a whole for his performance and the representation he was bringing to a global stage.
Fun Fact:
Vir Das married his longtime partner in 2014, and she has been widely out of mainstream media attention even when he travels the world.
22. Dev Patel
Field: Arts
Why Are They Cool?
Dev Patel is most notably known for his roles in Lion and Slumdog Millionaire, yet his work in ‘Monkey Man’ that released this year, made him go viral on social media. Directed and starring him, ‘Monkey Man’ delves into the caste system in India, and Patel plays a character based off the Hindu god Hanuman. His character has an emotional and heart wrenching journey throughout the film, with viewers witnessing Patel bringing out authentic rage in his portrayal. The film, although it wasn’t allowed to release in India, did well at the box-office worldwide, and Patel’s performance was widely acclaimed, so much so that he was named in this year’s Time 100 list of Most Influential People. Patel’s wide array of filmography, including Hotel Mumbai, where he played a kitchen staff member during the 11/26 terrorist attacks at the Taj hotel, as well as the drama series ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, has cemented him as a force to reckon with.
Fun Fact:
Patel is skilled in martial arts and has a black belt in Tae Kwan Do!
21. Neeraj Chopra
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
Neeraj Chopra is an Indian track and field athlete who is the first athletics gold medalist for India and considered the nation’s greatest javelin thrower. He is also the youngest Indian gold medalist in an individual event and the only individual to have won gold in his Olympic debut. Chopra is a phenomenal athlete who has brought home numerous awards throughout the years, including a silver medal for the second best javelin throw from this year’s Paris Olympics! His thow was a solid 89.45 meters and was beaten by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. Even with second place, Chopra brought home two medals from the Paris Olympics this year. Chopra’s accomplishments are mind boggling, he has won gold at ever major tournament prior to this year’s Paris Olympics and has a winning streak of 24 consecutive competitions since 2020. All this greatness, and he’s only 26!
Fun Fact:
Previously, Chopra won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, making him the first Asian athlete to win the javelin throw at the time. He also still holds the junior javelin throw world record for his performance in the 2016 World U20 Championships nation’s fifth 2-time Olympic medallist.
20. Mahrang Baloch
Field: Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Mahrang Baloch a Baloch activist and was just named in this year’s Time 100 list. Coming from a family of activists (Baloch’s father was an activist whose body was found in 2011), Baloch has been advocating for Baloch rights in Pakistan for years. She leads the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, a human rights movement in Balochistan. Mahrang first joined the activist movement when her father was taken prisoner when she was 16 – her protests became known as the student resistance movement. In 2017, her brother was also abducted by the ISI and later released, which solidified her work in the Baloch resistance movement. In December 2023, she led hundreds of women in a march to the capital in Islamabad demanding justice for their families. The march brought news and media attention to the Baloch people’s struggle and history, and Mahrang hopes that her work will help keep the momentum going. International activists, such as Greta Thunberg, have praised Mahrang for her work, and stand in solidarity with her movement.
Fun Fact:
This year, Baloch was banned from travelling abroad due to an ant-terrorism case being filed against her by a local businessman. Baloch dismissed the charges as fabricated.
19. Rukshana Kapali
Field: Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
A Nepali transgender woman and fourth year law student that has been fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights in Nepal, Rukshana was featured as TIME’s 100 NEXT people to watch in the Phenom category. She has filed over 50 cases against the Nepalese government since 2021 that push for changes in LGBTQ+ policy, and of the 20 lawsuits filed, only one so far has reached a verdict: it granted her full recognition as a woman. This court win sets a precedent that other transgender Nepalese people can use when petitioning for their own gender recognition. Rukshana also founded the Queer Youth Group in Kathmandu valley, and blogs about her activism, with protests being covered by media outlets like The Kathmandu Post. In November 2023, she appeared in the BBC’s 100 Women List, alongside Amal Clooney and Michelle Obama.
18. Priyamvada Natarajan
Field: Science & Tech
Why Are They Cool?
Priyamvada Natarajan is an astronomer whose novel approach on black holes was proved to be true this year. Developed years ago, the approach tries to bring us closer to understanding how supermassive black holes form in galaxies – Natarajan speculated that they got a jump start in the early universe if clouds of gas collapsed to form massive black-hole seeds than grow over billions of years. Natarajan was named in this year’s Time 100 list for her research and astronomy work, as it’s changed the scientific approach to seeing how black holes form.
17. Jigar Shah
Field: Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Named a key architect of the world’s clean energy revolution, Jigar Shah may be a name you’ve never heard of but you definitely need to know. Shah is currently the director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs OfficeFeatured on TIME’s most influential 100 people of 2024. Shah has dedicated is life to finding the entrepreneurial opportunities in clean energy, and currently oversees over $200 million in government loans to innovate the world of energy. Starting his career in 2003 at SunEdison, Shah has several years with successful ventures, such as Generate Capital, and Virgin Unite. The latter continues to see his legacy live on as Shah worked with the group to implement the Carbon War Rooms in 2009, which has now merged with the energy nonprofit RMI. Shah’s leadership in the Energy Loans office has led to churning out million and billion dollar loans to clean energy technologies, advancing the Biden administration’s efforts to bringing more clean energy to the U.S.
Fun Fact:
Before entering the government, Shah was the host of a popular energy podcast for nearly a decade where he talked about climate policies around the world. Shah also has a huge social media presence!
16. Nahid Islam
Field: Politics/ Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
This year the youth of Bangladesh took inspiration from their forefathers to take back their nation from the dictatorship like regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Nahid Islam was one of the faces of this powerful movement that overthrew the nation’s government and today, Islam serves as an ICT and Media Minister. Taking on a whole government and working to recreate the system, all at the young age of 26 is inspirational. All this began with a protest at the Dhaka University library where he rallied his fellow students to fight against the biased quota system that favored students that were descendents of veterans when it came to government jobs. Per Islam, the government escalated the situation by shooting protests including student leader Abu Sayed which led to a great turning point in the movement. During the rise of protests, Islam was actually kidnapped from his friend’s home by 30 armed officers and tortured in a secret prison for a day by the countries intelligence services, a service that is known for disappearing government critics. Islam said he was restrained and beaten with what felt like an iron rod and was told the world would never see him again, however, Islam did not let the danger and abuse he faced as one of the leaders of this movement slow him down. Today, he works directly with the interim chief advisor on restructuring the nation’s constitution and respond to the needs of the people. He believes the citizens have been silenced by the government for so long that they are speaking out a lot more. Even with all this responsibility on his shoulder, Islam seems to be managing his role with great maturity. He was even named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 NEXT influential people to watch.
Fun Fact:
The sociology graduate has always been among those who defied the government and has been fighting back since his first week of university in 2017. He took part in protests against a coal plant on the edge of the Sundarbans, a mangrove forest on the border with India. Later in 2019, he ran for campus elections and later formed the Democratic Student Force at Dhaka University.
15. Manu Bhaker
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
Manu Bhaker is the record breaking Olympian who is the first Indian woman to win multiple medals at an Olympic game and the first woman to win an Olympic medal for shooting. She was unsuccessful at the Tokyo Olympics previously which had disheartened her as well, because of a falling out with her coach and team. However, after two years, she and her coach, Jaspal Rana were able to overcome these hurdles and Bhaker once again found joy and passion in her sport. This year’s win at the 2024 Paris Olympics has been emotional for Rana and Bhaker after the losses in Tokyo. Bhaker brought home two bronze medals for the nation, one for the women’s 10m air pistol even and one in the mixed 10m air pistol event alongside Sarabjot Singh. Singh and Bhaker were the first pair to win an Olympic medal in shooting. The award winning athlete was also chosen aptly chosen as India’s female flagbearer for the Paris 2024 closing ceremony. Bhaker has made the nation proud and continues to work on her skills. After Paris, she took a long break for her body to recover from the strenuous training prior to the Olympics and spend time with her family before diving right back into training. She later headed to Lugano, Switzerland to learn some technical aspects of her weapon from the Morini factory and she has been training at the Karni Singh Range. Her wins have led to such a great increase in fans, Bhaker has started a Whatsapp channel and a Threads page to connect with them.
Fun Fact:
When she’s not at the gun range, Bhaker is connecting with fans and taking part in normal things a 22-year old loves such as social media and fashion. The lovely athlete recently hit the runway for Lakme Fashion Week and she absolutely killed it!
14. Payal Kapadia
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Payal Kapadia is an Indian filmmaker who made great waves this year with her film, “All We Imagine as Light.” “All We Imagine As Light” was Kapadia’s fiction feature debut film as a director, and her inspiration was to showcase the lives and friendship of women in cities. Kapadia made history as the first Indian filmmaker to make it to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 30 years and not only that, she became the first Indian director to win the Grand Prix at Cannes! She also won the Grand Prix at Cannes Gotham Awards for best international feature. Kapadia has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best director, and is the 2025 recipient of The Coolidge Breakthrough Artist Award for the film. This isn’t the first time Kapadia has made it to Cannes, in 2017, Kapadia’s short film “Afternoon Clouds” was the only Indian film selected to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival that year. In 2021, she also won the Golden Eye award for best documentary film at the 74th Cannes Film Festival for her debut feature A Night of Knowing Nothing.
Fun Fact:
Did you know it took Kapadia almost 2 years to translate her original screenplay to Malayalam and then back to English?
13. Ajay Banga
Field: Finance
Why Are They Cool?
Ajay Banga is no stranger to our list of Top 50 coolest South Asians, but it seems this is one desi who just can’t quit being cool. Not only is Banga killing it in the world of finance, he is using his powers for good by working on his vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. You may remember Banga from when he made headlines as the head of Mastercard, he was the chief operating officer (COO), then the president and CEO until 2021. Under his reign the company’s net income grew sixfold and he turned Mastercard into a $360 billion company. He began using his success to give back, thus, in 2020 he announced the creation of the Priceless Planet Coalition which is a group of about 100 firms that make corporate investments to preserve the environment and launched Mastercard’s pled to plant 100 million trees. In 2023 he was nominated by President Biden to lead the World Bank and May, 2023 he was confirmed as the president. The World Bank is the combination of five international organizations that focus on developing countries in areas such as human development, agriculture, rural development, environmental protection, infrastructure, and more through loans and grants. Banga has just served his first full year as president and has been using the same brand of brilliance and drive to improve the environment to transform the World Bank as he did in his previous positions. This past year Banga has been pioneering innovative financial tools to restructure their partnerships with various multilateral banks and those within the private sector to help his vision of a poverty free world. He has been able to reduce the amount of time it takes for economic development programs to be implemented in a client country from 19 months to 16 and they are working to reduce it to 12 or less months. He is working on methods to increase the use of and funding for low carbon development, and other issues that affect a sustainable future such as reducing methane emissions from sources such as rice fields by working with rice farmers to change irrigation practices that would dramatically reduce methan emissions from their fields. He has already implemented these changes in the rice fields of Vietnam with positive results and hopes to do the same in others. He also has plans to help middle economy countries prosper without exhausting the bank, for example, one of his goals is to get 300 million people in Africa connected to electricity from renewable sources by 2030. He has also been bringing awareness to how the fragility, conflict, and violence around the world has challenged the prosperity of the bank because when you live in a “refugee state of mind” you are unable to plan for the future. Banga’s goals and work thus far has emphasized a food insecurity, gender equality, poverty eradication, and the effects of global challenges such as pandemics or climate changes on the World Bank’s mission. With all the work he is doing to save the people of this world and the planet, it is no surprise that Banga has made it to TIME’s list of 100 most influential people of 2024.
Fun Fact:
Before Banga became the face of Mastercard and the World Bank, he started his career with Nestle and PepsiCo. He was also involved in PepsiCo’s launch of fast food chains in India. So if you’ve ever had Pizza Hut or KFC in India, Ajay Banga is the one to thank!
12. Marina Tabassum
Field: Architect / Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Award winning Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabussum has used her design for the betterment of not just local cultures but for the betterment of the planet, all while creating a work of art through architecture. She has been recognized this year for her brilliant design for a portable home which she has titled “Khudi Bari” which means tiny house. The sustainable, socially responsible design creatively uses architecture to respond to the need for innovative solutions to the climate crisis, specifically the frequent floods in Bangladesh. The Khudi Bari design is an extremely low-cost and lightweight structure that can be erected, dismantled, transported, and reassembled elsewhere by the residents themselves, without electricity or any other means of mechanical power. Tabassum has already been working with relief organizations and community groups to install over 100 Khuti Baris and she plans on setting up more! The unique structure has been presented at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City and it is featured at the Vitra Campus and Design Museum in Germany. The Khudi Bari is not Tabassum’s first award winning structure, she has a long list of accomplishments as an architect and educator. In 2016 she was presented with the prestigious Agha Khan Award for Architecture design of Bait-ur-Rouf Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has also designed the Bangladesh Museum of Independence, which is considered a national landmark. In 2020, Tabassum was listed by Prospect as the third-greatest thinker for the COVID-19 era, with the magazine writing: “At the forefront of creating buildings in tune with their natural environments, this Bangladeshi architect is also embracing the design challenges posed by what we are collectively doing to the planet.” She has received the Soane Medal in 2021 and in 2022, Tabassum became the first South Asian to receive the “Lisbon Triennale Lifetime Achievement Award.” This year, with her work on the Khudi Bari, she was named an innovator on TIME’s list of 100 most influential people of 2024. Tabassum is currently a Professor at Technical University Delft, in the Netherlands. She was previously the Gehry Chair at the University of Toronto and she has done guest lectures at some of the most prominent universities in the world including Columbia University and Yale University. She has taught in Harvard University Graduate School of Design, University of Texas and BRAC University. She also held the position of Academic Director of the Bengal Institute.
Fun Fact:
You’ll almost always catch Tabassum dressed in black, why? She says it’s because “black goes with everything and I do not have to think much. I can pair it with literally everything.”
11. Sandhya Suri
Field: Arts & Fashion
Why Are They Cool?
Sandhya Suri’s film “Santosh” has just made it the Oscars shortlist as the International feature film from the United Kingdom. Her film follows the story of a young woman who enters the police force in the wake of losing her husband, and she gets involved in a gruesome case while working with her mentor. Suri, who started her career as a British Indian documentarian, took inspiration from a real-life case for the film, and decided to throw her hat in the forensics thriller genre. Suri worked on developing the screenplay for years to make sure it had a balance of showing the inner workings of the police system, while maintaining an empathetic lens. Suri’s feature documentary ‘I for India’ premiered at the Sundance Fim Festival before releasing to positive reviews in theaters worldwide. Her first short fiction film ‘The Field’ won Best International Short Film at TIFF in 2018, and was a BAFTA nominated short film in 2019.
Fun Fact:
Suri first thought to make Santosh a documentary, but opted against it because she felt like it was too “horrific” of a story to make into a documentary.
10. Gukesh Dommaraju
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
At 18-years-old, award winning chess player, Gukesh Dommaraju, has just become the youngest ever undisputed classical chess world champion after defeating China’s Ding Liren in their best-of-14 final in Singapore. Dommaraju has been playing chess since the age of 7 and is considered a chess prodigy. He won the under 12 title at the World Youth Chess Championship in 2018, along with multiple gold medals at the Asian Youth Chess Championship the same year and the title of International Master. By age 12, he was a grandmaster, and remains the third youngest grandmaster in the history of the game. Dommaraju is the youngest player to have surpassed a FIDE rating of 2750, doing so at the age of 17, and he is the third-youngest to have surpassed 2700 at the age of 16. He earned the grandmaster title at the age of 12 and remains the third-youngest grandmaster in chess history. Dommaraju recieved a hero’s welcome upon his return to India and titans like Sundar Pichai to Elon Musk have congratulated the chess champion.
Fun Fact:
So what does a chess champion snack on? Ferrero Rochers! Dommaraju said it was his favorite snack ot have during matches and he had practically 5 Ferrero Rochers a day!
9. Sakshi Malik
Field: Sports/ Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
Sakshi Malik is an Indian femal wrestler known for her Bronze medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. To this day, Malik is India’s first and only female wrestler to win an Olympic medal, however, this year she has used her influence to change the industry for female athletes. She passionately took a stand to fight for justice for the young women who were harassed and sexually assaulted by Brij Bhushan Singh, a powerful ruling party Member of Parliament and chief of the Wrestling Federation of India. Malik, alongside her fellow female athletes, began protesting for the removal of Singh at Jantar Mantar, a popular protest site in Delhi. They called for the immediate resignation and arrest of Singh. What started as a small peaceful protest turned into a year-long battle which garnered national and international attention which forced the Indian government to take action. Malik and her fellow female athletes did not give up and forced these officials to hear their voice and thus, Singh was finally arrested and charged with sexual harassment, stalking, and intimidation; all of which Singh still denies. Singh was replaced and the wrestling federation was court ordered to stop operations. Malik stated that this fight was not over and that it was not just for the female athletes but for every daughter of India whether it is through her fight for justice for those who have been abused or promoting positive body image. In a move of great defiance against the federation and the government, whom she felt used by, Malik publically announced that she has retired from wrestling but she will continue to fight for justice for women in India that have been silenced. She recently spoke out on social media, reaching out to the government and Prime Minister, about being threatened since Singh’s removal and alleging that the federation has continued operations, violating their court order. Malik and her fellow athletes also faced criticism with allegations that their actions were selfishly motivated to take over the federation. Regardless, Malik has not let the nonsense get in the way of their success on and off the mat. Malik was honored as an icon in TIME magazine’s top 100 influential people of 2024 for her brave work.
Fun Fact:
You’d be surprised to hear from an athlete in a contact sport that she does “not enjoy confrontation.” Malik honestly and unapologetically reveals more of her story and a different side of her success in a new memoir titled “Witness” which she wrote with Jonathan Selvaraj. In a world where people keep their autobiographies tame-ish for fear of repercussions from others, Malik is fearless in stating the good, the bad, and the ugly truth. She even calls out the “vindictive government” for not stepping up to help but only using her for her success and moving on to other influencers that are less “troublesome.” Definitely worth the read for all the tea!
8. Diljit Dosanjh
Field: Arts
Why Are They Cool?
Punjabi artist and actor Diljit Dosanjh is a force to be reckoned with. The man has taken Punjabi music to the global stage! This year he became the first Indian artist to perform at Coachella, a legendary music and arts festival held in California. Dosanjh also started his global concert tour titled Dil Luminati this year where he has travelled the world performing to sold out shows in massive arenas. Gearing up for his tour he began his world domination by releasing new music collaborating with artists from around the world such as “Hass Hass” with Australian singer Sia, “Khutti” with American artist Saweetie, and “Palpita” with Columbian singer Camilo. He also performed the song “Lover” with Ed Sheeran during Sheeran’s concert in Mumbai and performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Dosanjh’s world domination isn’t just with music, he has been stretching his acting skills with some comedy Bollywood films, but most notable this year was his portrayal of Amar Singh Chamkila opposite Parineeti Chopra in the Netflix release “Amar Singh Chamkila” by Imtiaz Ali. The film was a biographical drama based on the life of Amar Singh Chamkila and his second wife, Amarjot.
Fun Fact:
In between his crazy tour schedule, Dosanjh had the time to drop a teaser for a new track featuring none other than the Badshah of Bollywood himself, Shah Rukh Khan! Dosanjh’s latest track is titled “Don” so it makes total sense that would have the Don himself do a voice over. The hit making artist teased that the track will release before the year is up and we can’t wait!
7. Arshad Nadeem
Field: Sports
Why Are They Cool?
Olympic athlete Arshad Nadeem has brought immense pride to his nation as Pakistan’s first ever individual Olympic gold meter winner! Nadeem is a Commonwealth Games gold medallist and a silver medal winner at the World Athletics Championships, a bronze medallist at the Asian Games, he became the nation’s first medallist at the Summer Games. This year at the Paris Olympic Games, Nadeem won the javelin throw with an Olympic record of 92.97 meters. His win beat the defending champion, India’s Neeraj Chopra’s throw by 3.52 meters. Nadeem not only set an Olympic record but an Asian record as well. With all his award winning accomplishments, bringing glory to Pakistan today, it’s wild to think Nadeem actually aspired to be a cricketer as a child. Nadeem grew up in the rural areas of Punjab in Pakistan as the third of 8 children. He was an athletic kid focused on cricket but it was his father who pushed him to take up javelin throwing which he took up in 2015. Goes to show you, dad’s know best. Although Nadeem did not get any support from the Pakistani government while training, his big win triggered much financial gains. He received about half a million dollars from the Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, $50,000 from World Athletics, and $350,000 from Punjab’s Chief Minister Mariam Nawaz. In other gifts he received gold crown, lifetime’s supply of free fuel, an apartment, and a few cars, including a Honda Civic with the license plate number 92.97, a tribute to his javelin distance.
Fun Fact:
With all the luxurious gifts Nadeem received after his big win, the best one of all was a buffalo from his father in law! Nadeem joked on a morning TV show that he hoped his wealthy father in law would have given him a large piece of land, “but a buffalo will suffice too” he said. He is definitely the only Olympian to be gifted a buffalo. But jokes aside, in Punjab, a buffalo is actually considered an honorable and valuable gift. Often called a “poor man’s bank,” the buffalo is valued for its milk which can sold or used to make other products to sell such as ghee. With a female buffalo having a 20 year lifespan, it can help you maintain a steady income or be sold for as much as $3,600 for immediate cash if needed.
6. Hanumankind
Field: Arts
Why Are They Cool?
Indian rapper Hanumankind blew onto the scene this year and has garnered global recognition for his viral hit, “Big Dawgs” with producer King Kalmi. If you haven’t heard the song yet, you must be living under a rock because it is quite literally EVERYWHERE. He has been featured by the likes of Rolling Stone and you can even hear the track on ESPN during sports casts. The music video is also featured on the Kerala Tourism’s Instagram page as the music video was shot in Kerala. “Big Dawgs” was #9 on Billboard’s Global 200 list and it was featured as the September 2024 Chartbreaker on Billboard. Just recently, Hanumankind has teamed up with A$AP Rocky to drop a “Big Dawgs” remix. Born Sooraj Cherukat, the young artist has had quite an international upbringing as he has lived in India, Egypt, Nigeria, Trinidad, France, and Dubai before settling down in Houston when he was in fourth grade. It was his years in Houston that exposed him to popular hip-hop artists from the south such as Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, UGK and DJ Screw. He also notes the influence of artists like Kendric Lamar and J. Cole in his music. He later moved back to India in 2012 and pursued his education as well as his music. He released his first EP in 2019 and since has done some work in the film industry alongside independently releasing music. “Big Dawgs” has been such a powerful release it garnered international attention and now, the Malayali rapper is set to perform in 2025 at Coachella, a stage that has been graced by fellow Indian artists such as Sid Sriram, Diljit Dosanjh and AP Dhillon.
Fun Fact:
Because India banned TikTok, initially Hanumankind and his team were unaware of his track going viral on the app. They have over 1 million posts using the track! Today, Hanumankind’s popularity has brought him so much attention that he has to leave the house in disguise. He recently stated in an interview that the massive international success has led him to change homes, hire security for his family, and wear a hat, sunglasses, masks, and full sleeve shirts when he leaves the house. However, he jokes that being completely covered in the extreme heat of Mumbai makes him look even more suspicious, so he still gets caught by fans!
5. Kashyap Patel
Field: Politics
Why Are They Cool?
Kashyap Patel has been named the upcoming director of the FBI, as he was nominated by President-elect Trump last month. As a member of the Republican party, Patel is a lawyer and former federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice. In 2017, Patel was appointed senior counsel on counterterrorism for the House Select Committee on Intelligence, and later worked a senior aide for Congressman Devin Nunes when he was chair of the House Intelligence Committee. Patel was part of the group that constructed the Nunes memo in 2018, which alleged that the FBI had errors in their application for a surveillance warrant of Trump’s 2016 campaign aide. After he left government in 2020, Patel described himself as a “Trump loyalist”, and published right-wing news under the handle K$H. In 2022, Patel became a member of the Board of Directors for Truth Social, and has promoted several pro-Trump conspiracy theories and appeared on far-right podcasts. He is also the author of a children’s book titled ‘The Plot Against the King’, which was published in May 2022.
Fun fact:
Patel passed the bar in Florida and spent eight years as a public defender, where he represented clients with felonies ranging from drug possession to firearms violations.
4. Kamala Harris
Field: Politics
Why Are They Cool?
Kamala Harris has never been shy about her South Asian heritage and works to celebrate it every turn. She has spoken about attending both a Black Baptist Church and Hindu Temples throughout her childhood. As a woman, especially a woman of color she has had to work harder than most for her accomplishments and she has quite the list. Harris has been breaking the glass ceiling for women and people of color her enter life. In 2003 she was the district attorney of San Francisco, and from 2011 to 2017 she was the attorney general for the state of California. Harris was the first woman, first African American and first Asian American to hold both titles. In 2016 she was the second Black woman and first South Asian American to hold the title of state senator. As senator she was a strong supporter of gun control, she supported the DREAM Act, helped bring reforms to healthcare and taxation laws, and she garnered attention as someone who wasn’t afraid to question the Trump administration’s actions. Then in 2020, she did it again as the first female, African American and South Asian to hold the title of Vice President of the United States. This year she has opted to break barriers further by running for President. If she had won, once again Harris would have been the first woman and woman of Indian descent to be president. So, maybe Harris’ policies don’t hit with you, and that’s understandable but love her or not, she has quite the list of accomplishments. We can all agree that having a woman of color leading a Western nation would have been record breaking.
Fun Fact:
Kamala Harris has been fighting for everyone’s rights since childhood. At 13-years-old she and her younger sister Maya led a successful demonstration in front of their apartment building while living in Montreal, Canada. The young girls were protesting the policy that banned children from playing on the lawn. Can’t keep a badass brown girl down, even at 13!
3. Satya Nadella
Field: Science & Tech
Why Are They Cool?
Satya Nadella is considered one of the most powerful players of industry as the CEO of Microsoft. Since he took over Microsoft in 2014, he has spearheaded many changes in not just the company’s profit margin but also in the culture of the workforce. He made changes like going on a “listening tour” to meet with managers across the company, implemented bottom up requests such as dropping the company’s force-ranked performance evaluations, and even taking the time to not just release a statement of apology about any errors but actively working to improve himself such as meeting with women in tech to learn more about the gender discrimination in tech. Today, almost 10 years later, he has become a role model for leading a company to financial success with humility. By the end of 2023, he had increased profits tenfold after a 14-year period of little to no growth. Under Nadella leadership, Microsoft has become one of the largest companies in the world with a $3 trillion plus market value. This past year he has faced some major security concerns at Microsoft after the global IT outage this summer due to CrowdStrike’s errors and hacking attempts from China and Russia. Nadella has been solution focused in his response and led with empathy and the principle that growth and change won’t come from blaming employees. Aside from his dive into improving Microsoft’s security, he has been spearheading the latest AI technology by heavily investing in Open AI and developed a partnership with Mistral AI placing Microsoft at the forefront of the AI revolution. In a recent event they released Copilot, their A.I powered assistant that will change how you work on all Microsoft apps such as Windows, Edge, Excel and Powerpoint. Copiloot will be able to summarize an email, draft a reply based on your notes in Word or analyze your Excel files to make a Powerpoint presentation for you. This year, Nadella was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology in January and even made it to Time’s list of 100 most influential people in the world as a top titan of industry.
Fun Fact
For a tech nerd, you’d never know Nadella has a deep love of poetry. He tends to find the parallels between the precision of coding and the rhythm of poetry. Nadella is known for his deep sense of empathy and humility, much of which he has learned from raising his son who has cerebral palsy. It is his personal experiences that have influenced his personal and professional worldview which is why under his leadership Microsoft has slowly focused more and more on accessibility and inclusion.
2. Mohammad Yunus
Field: Politics & Social Activism
Why Are They Cool?
In 1971, The People’s Republic of Bangladesh gained independence thanks to the passionate students who fought back against the Pakistani regime of the time. This past year, once again the passion of Bangladeshi students has ousted the dictatorship-like regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazid. Since then, Nobel laureate Dr. Mohammad Yunus has been called upon to take the mantel as Chief Advisor for the interim government and lead a new era of Bangladesh. Though hesitant to take the role at first, Dr. Yunus has begun his reign with justice and kindness by listening to the concerns of the people, a stark contrast to the greed, corruption, and violence that contaminated the nation before. Dr. Yunus is an economist, entrepreneur, author, civil society leader, a professor, and former Chancellor of the Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland. In his early years he obtained a Fullbright scholarship to get his PhD from Vanderbilt University in economics. While living in Nashville, he drummed up support for the 1971 liberation with a newsletter and upon independence, he returned home to support the new government. He went on to develop multiple programs for to help reduce poverty in rural areas as the country rebuilt itself. However, Dr. Yunus is most known as a pioneer in poverty reducing microfinance and microcredit as the founder of Grameen Bank. He believed credit is a fundamental right and is affectionately known as the “banker to the poor” because his Grameen Bank disbursed almost $37 billion collateral-free loans to over 10 million of the world’s poorest population with practically 94% being given to women who supported their families. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his phenomenal work as well as the U. S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010. Dr. Yunus is such an accomplished individual he was called upon Nelson Mandela himself to join Mandela’s group, “The Elders.” In 2007 he was called upon by Nelson Mandela himself to join the group, “The Elders.” Though it sounds like something out of Harry Potter, “The Elders” is an international non-governmental organisation of public figures noted as senior statesmen, peace activists and human rights advocates that use their combined knowledge and experience to help find solutions to the world’s greatest problems such as AIDS, poverty, climate change, or international conflicts. They work together for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet.” Currently, Dr. Yunus is working on a six-pronged reform that focuses on the anti-corruption commision, public administration, national constitution, the election system, the judiciary system, and police administration. He has already begun his work with a reform commission to revise the nation’s constitution.
Fun Fact:
Dr. Yunus has now lived through 2 Bangladeshi revolutions and both times he was called upon by the interim government to join in leading the nation. The first time he quit because he was bored, hope that doesn’t happen again!
1. Sunita Lyn Williams
Field: Science & Tech
Why Are They Cool?
Sunita Lyn Williams didn’t just hope to reach for the stars, as an astronaut, she quite literally has reached the stars. The 59-year old former U.S. Navy officer from Massachusetts is one of the most notable female astronauts of all time and she holds the former record for most spacewalks (7) and most spacewalk time (50 hours and 40 mins) by a woman. She is second only to Peggy Whitson who currently holds the record with 10 spacewalks and over 60 hours of spacewalk time. This year Williams became the first woman to fly on a flight test of an orbital spacecraft when the Boeing CST-100 Starliner launched. She is the pilot of the spacecraft in a crew of two with Barry “Butch” Wilmore. They struggled to reached the station due to thruster failures and helium leaks and unfortunately this means the spacecraft is not fit to make the return flight so they have been stuck in space until February, 2025. Williams and Wilmore however, love being in space and have been enjoying their time doing chores, maintenance tasks, and engaging in science experiments. In September Williams took over as station commander. Williams has been a great role model and advocate for young minds, especially young women, in STEM and has taken the time to talk to students at schools about her life and work on the International Space Station (ISS).
Williams is not just an accomplished astronaut but a motivated athlete as well, she was the first person to complete a marathon and triathlon in space! In 2007 while working on Expedition 15 for the ISS, she completed the Boston Marathon by running on the space station’s treadmill. In 2012 she served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and commander for Expedition 33. It was during these expeditions that she completed the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in Southern California. To join in on the activities, Williams used the ISS’s treadmill to run and stationary bike. She then used the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) to do weightlifting and resistance exercises that approximate swimming in microgravity. This year she took part in Cape Cod’s 7-mile Falmouth Road Race in August. Sunita Williams is so cool, she has an elementary school named after her! Williams attended Needham Public Schools and has a close relationship with the teachers and students at the elementary school that has been renamed the the Sunita L. Williams Elementary School.
Fun Fact:
The scientist of Indian and Slovenian descent has previously taken the Slovenian flag along with a samosa and Carniolan sausage to space to celebrate both sides of her heritage. The astronauts are allowed some bonus packs of their favorite food to take with them and desi girl in Williams just had to have Punjabi kadhi with pakoras and mutter paneer. She also asked for wasabi paste because she needs that added spice. However, when she opened the wasabi paste in space, it caused massive chaos and the flying spice in the air led to some much trouble that it was banished to the cargo vehicle because it was “too dangerous.” Even in space, can’t take the desi out of the desi girl.
