PM Imran, Malala feature in World's Most Admired people of 2021

The 2021 list includes the Obamas, actors Angelina Jolie, Priyanka Chopra, Emma Waston, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and youngest prize laureate Malala Yousafzai have been mentioned in the list of most admired people in 2021.

Barack Obama retained his position as the world’s most admired man in YouGov’s international survey this year, having wrested the position from long-time incumbent Bill Gates last year. According to a YouGov survey, Michelle Obama likewise holds on to her position as the world’s most admired woman for the third year running.

In fact, the top three spots for each sex are unchanged since last year, with business tycoon and philanthropist Bill Gates remaining second among men, followed by Chinese premier Xi Jinping. Hollywood star and humanitarian Angelina Jolie continue to be the world’s second-most admired woman, ahead of third-placed British monarch Queen Elizabeth II.

 

This year’s study surveyed more than 42,000 people in 38 countries and territories to compile the list. Pakistani human rights campaigner Malala and Indian actor Priyanka Chopra have risen farthest in the ranks this year, climbing five places to 9th and 10th respectively. In Chopra’s case, this represents her best performance in the series so far.

Among the men, Argentine footballer Lionel Messi has seen the greatest increase since last time, climbing four places from 11th to 7th – his highest rank to date. Despite this record placement, as well as his recent Ballon D’or win, Messi still lags behind Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo in 4th place (also Ronaldo’s best showing to date).

Entertainers are more prominent in the female list, with 10 of the most admired women being actors, singers or TV presenters (although some, like Emma Watson and Angelina Jolie, are also notable for their humanitarian work). By contrast, the list of most admired men contains more people from political, business and sporting backgrounds.

Actress Emma Watson arrives at the film premiere of "Noah," in New York, America. Emma Watson, most known for her role as Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" franchise, is graduating from Brown University, an Ivy League school in Providence, R.I., on May 25. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, FIle)

New additions to the top twenties this year include US president Joe Biden and his vice president Kamala Harris, Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Thai rapper Lisa (of Blackpink fame), and New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern.

This year’s rankings also see the re-entry into the top twenties of investor Warren Buffett, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, Indian actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Chinese actresses Liu Yifei and Yang Mi.

PHOTO: PINKVILLA

The results are calculated from the combination of responses to two questions – whether a respondent admires the figure at all and then whether they are the figure the respondent admires the most. Each nation’s results in the global compilation are also weighted to represent the country’s population size.

Previous honours:

Malala and PM Imran have been listed in the same list for 2018 and 2019 as well.

Recently, Malala was honoured in 100 women of 2021 in a BBC list. The 24-year-old was previously named in the said list as well. "The youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani girls’ education activist and UN messenger of peace. She has spoken up for the right of young women to education since she was 11," the outlet shared about the activist.

It further read, "Her activism began with blogs for the BBC about living under Taliban rule in Pakistan and the ban on girls attending school. In October 2012, a gunman boarded her bus, looking for her, and shot her in the head." The publication then shared, "Following her recovery, she has continued her work as co-founder of the non-profit Malala Fund, aiming to build a world where every girl can learn and lead without fear."

Malala was quoted as saying, "Hundreds of millions of girls are out of school today. I want to see a world where every girl can access 12 years of free, safe, and quality education; where all girls can learn and lead."

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