LG Manoj Sinha ranks 24th in list of most powerful Indians for third consecutive year

31-03-2023 : For the third consecutive year, LG Sinha has made it to the list of “Most Powerful Indians” and has moved up from 71st to 24th place this year. In 2021, he secured the 25th spot on the list, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar in the top three positions. The national daily cited the difficulties in governing Jammu and Kashmir after the revocation of its special status in 2019 and praised LG Sinha’s ability to hold onto power for almost three years, a feat that his predecessor was unable to achieve. The newspaper also noted that the Center believes that the time for the reign of the Abdullahs and the Muftis is over, and Jammu and Kashmir needs new faces to bridge the gap with senior politicians and bring disparate sections of society together.

LG Sinha is a seasoned politician from Uttar Pradesh, with degrees in B Tech and M Tech from IIT (BHU) Varanasi. He has served as an MP three times, in 1996, 1999, and 2014, during which he was appointed as the Minister of State for Railways and the Union Minister of State (independent charge) of the Ministry of Communication. He assumed the post of Lieutenant Governor of J&K in August 2020.

The Indian Express highlighted LG Sinha’s “Power Punch,” which includes attracting the first Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the Valley and pushing for the construction of a two-screen cinema multiplex and a big shopping mall, despite the security challenges. The national daily also mentioned his acknowledgment that the conflict has scarred both communities, adding to his credibility.

The newspaper further stated that LG Sinha’s biggest challenge will be to create a conducive atmosphere for free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which are overdue. One of his endearing qualities is his fondness for quoting from Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s poems, particularly the epic Rashmirathi (1952).

The list of “Most Powerful Indians” also includes Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, BJP president JP Nadda, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chairman Reliance Industries Limited Mukesh Ambani, and National Security Advisor of India Ajit Doval, who secured the 4th to 10th positions, respectively. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also improved his ranking and made it to the 15th spot on the list.