Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been named among the 30 most influential people on the internet by Time magazine. The list published by the magazine also features US President Barack Obama. The list, analysed social-media followings, site traffic and overall ability to drive news, also includes British author of the Harry Potter series J K Rowling and singers Taylor Swift and Beyonce to come to the conclusion. The magazine said that the Indian Prime Minister has roughly 38 million followers on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, putting him ahead of many other leaders.

"And unlike many of his contemporaries, Modi recognises that social media can be invaluable when trying to reach India's 200 million-plus online population directly," the Time magazine said. "Yes, it helps to be famous in real life. But the rise of social networks has levelled the playing field, allowing unknowns to command audiences rivalling those of real-world leaders, even if by accident," it said. Modi, an ardent user of social media to communicate with people, announced in an unconventional way, Obama's strategic visit to India in January this year. He took to Twitter to make the announcement, "bypassing traditional media outlets," the magazine said.

The Time magazine’s list also includes reality star Kim Kardashian, singer Justin Beiber, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Chinese actress Yao Chen, singer Shakira, photographer behind the hugely popular blog Humans of New York Brandon Stanton and TV personality Jimmy Fallon.

By Premji