Nirmala Sitharaman among 100 most influential in UK power list
London, Jun 25: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is among the 100 most influential women driving the UK-India relationship forward alongside one of Britain's senior-most Cabinet ministers Penny Mordaunt.
The '100 Most Influential in UK-India Relations: Celebrating Women' list was launched by UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid to mark India Day in the Houses of Parliament in London on Monday.
It credited Sitharaman, also the Minister of Corporate Affairs, as one of India's most "powerful women" who plays a "pivotal" role in the bilateral relationship as India's former defence minister and now finance minister.
"Having studied at the London School of Economics (LSE) and worked in the UK in her previous career, Nirmala is familiar with the UK more so than probably all her other colleagues," notes the power list, released by UK-based media house India Inc.
Penny Mordaunt, Britain's Secretary of State for Defence, is the other senior politician in the list who is credited as the first woman to be assigned the role in the UK Cabinet.
"With India emerging as the world's largest importer of defence products, and a significant strategic partner for the UK, Penny plays a crucial role in the UK-India relationship," her citation notes.
Ruchi Ghanashyam, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, who is herself honoured in the list, welcomed the compilation as a recognition of the "front and centre role" played by women in the bilateral relationship.
"This list highlights the huge potential for the future of the UK and India as they continue to forge on together as two great countries. From business to politics, and art and literacy, women are continuing to pave the way in bringing together this bold partnership through collaboration and relationships," she said.
The women in the list, now in its third year, hold positions of influence in India and the UK across 11 broad sectors including politics, technology and sustainability.
Some of the other prominent names include Indian-origin parliamentarians in the UK like Priti Patel and Baroness Sandy Verma, filmmaker Gurinder Chadha, Indian law firm chiefs Zia Mody and Pallavi S Shroff, Apollo Hospitals' managing director Suneeta Reddy and Nasscom President Debjani Ghosh.
"The women highlighted in this list hold positions of tremendous influence and therefore their inclusion here is as much about the promise they bring, as the success they may have already achieved," said Manoj Ladwa, Founder of India Inc.
The launch of the list also marked the start of UK-India Week in Britain, which will include a series of sessions on trade and investment and closer cooperation between the UK and India through the course of the week.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
