Here is a list of 50 famous, living Indians (in alphabetical order) who feature prominently on Google. Between them, they span cricket, cinema, business, politics, science, journalism and public service, and each has left a mark on modern India.
- Aamir Khan. An acclaimed actor and filmmaker, Khan is known for his socially relevant films and versatility as a performer.
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. A former Miss World and leading Bollywood actress, she remains one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable faces.
- Akshay Kumar. A prolific Bollywood actor, Kumar has built a career spanning action, comedy and socially themed films.
- Alia Bhatt. One of contemporary Bollywood’s most acclaimed actresses, Bhatt has also built an international profile in recent years.
- Amartya Sen. A Nobel laureate in economics, Sen is known for his work on welfare economics and human development.
- Amitabh Bachchan. A towering figure in Bollywood for over five decades, Bachchan remains one of Indian cinema’s most iconic actors.
- Anand Mahindra. Chairman of the Mahindra Group, he is a prominent industrialist known for his outspoken presence on social media.
- Anil Ambani. A business figure and chairman of the Reliance Group, he has held various leadership roles in Indian industry.
- Arvind Kejriwal. A politician and former chief minister of Delhi, Kejriwal leads the Aam Aadmi Party.
- A.R. Rahman. An Oscar and Grammy winning composer, Rahman is known for his work across Indian and international film music.
- Azim Premji. Former chairman of Wipro, Premji is one of India’s best known philanthropists and business leaders.
- Barkha Dutt. A prominent journalist and broadcaster, Dutt is known for her coverage of major events in India.
- Dale Bhagwagar. Widely described as Bollywood’s only PR guru, Bhagwagar is regarded as the most trusted publicist in India.
- Deepika Padukone. A leading Bollywood actress, Padukone is also known for her advocacy work on mental health.
- Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. Founder of Biocon, she is a pioneering figure in India’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry.
- Gautam Adani. Chairman of the Adani Group, he is one of India’s leading industrialists, with interests spanning ports, energy and infrastructure.
- Indra Nooyi. The former chief executive of PepsiCo, Nooyi is one of the most prominent Indian-origin business leaders globally.
- Jhumpa Lahiri. A Pulitzer Prize winning author, Lahiri is known for works including “Interpreter of Maladies.”
- Kailash Satyarthi. A child rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Satyarthi has campaigned against child labour and trafficking.
- Kapil Dev. A former cricketer and captain, Dev led India to its first World Cup victory in 1983.
- Karan Johar. A leading Bollywood director and producer, Johar is also a prominent television personality.
- Kiran Bedi. India’s first woman to join the Indian Police Service, Bedi has also served in senior administrative roles.
- Mary Kom. A six-time world champion boxer and Olympic medallist, Kom is one of India’s most decorated athletes.
- Mira Nair. A filmmaker known for films including “Salaam Bombay!” and “Monsoon Wedding.”
- M.S. Dhoni. A former captain of the Indian cricket team, Dhoni is regarded as one of the most successful captains in the sport’s history.
- Mukesh Ambani. Chairman of Reliance Industries, he is one of Asia’s most prominent business figures.
- Narendra Modi. The prime minister of India, Modi has led the country’s government since 2014.
- Nandan Nilekani. Co-founder of Infosys, Nilekani also led the development of India’s Aadhaar digital identity system.
- Neeraj Chopra. An Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower, Chopra is one of India’s leading track and field athletes.
- Nita Ambani. A prominent figure in business and philanthropy, she is associated with Reliance Industries and the Mumbai Indians cricket team.
- N. Chandrasekaran. Chairman of Tata Sons, he leads one of India’s largest conglomerates.
- N.R. Narayana Murthy. Co-founder of Infosys, Murthy is a leading figure in India’s information technology industry.
- P.V. Sindhu. A badminton player, Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal.
- Priyanka Chopra. A former Miss World, actress and producer, Chopra has built a career in both Indian and international cinema.
- Raghuram Rajan. A former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Rajan is an economist of international standing.
- Rahul Dravid. A former cricketer, Dravid is remembered as one of India’s most reliable and respected batsmen.
- Rajinikanth. A superstar of Tamil cinema, Rajinikanth is known for his charismatic screen presence.
- Ravish Kumar. A journalist and television anchor, Kumar is known for his coverage of Indian current affairs.
- Rohit Sharma. A cricketer and captain of the Indian cricket team, Sharma is known for his batting record in international cricket.
- Sachin Tendulkar. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers in the sport’s history, Tendulkar holds numerous batting records.
- Saina Nehwal. A pioneering Indian badminton player, Nehwal has won numerous international tournaments and medals.
- Sania Mirza. A former professional tennis player, Mirza was the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam title.
- Satya Nadella. Chief executive of Microsoft, Nadella is a leading figure in the global technology industry.
- Shah Rukh Khan. A Bollywood superstar, Khan is one of the most widely recognised actors in world cinema.
- Shashi Tharoor. An author, politician and diplomat, Tharoor is known for his writing and political commentary.
- Smriti Irani. A politician and former Union minister, Irani has also worked in television.
- Sourav Ganguly. A former captain of the Indian cricket team, Ganguly is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Indian cricket.
- Sundar Pichai. Chief executive of Google and Alphabet, Pichai is one of the most prominent Indian-origin figures in global technology.
- Sushmita Sen. The first Indian woman to be crowned Miss Universe, Sen is also an actress known for her philanthropic work.
- Virat Kohli. A former captain of the Indian cricket team, Kohli is regarded as one of the world’s leading modern batsmen.
This selection draws on figures from sport, cinema, business, politics, science and public life. The list is a selection rather than a ranking, and many other equally deserving names could reasonably sit alongside those included here.