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Five Indians leaders feature in BBC’s list for the greatest South Asian leader
MUMBAI: BBC South Asia’s focused news site (www.bbcnews.com/southasia) has announced an online poll for the most important leader in South Asia in modern times. Out of the 16 leaders, five are Indians. The online poll was launched on 20 December and gives the readers a chance to have their say.
Arjun Rana from Delhi says, “Subhash Chandra Bose has to be the greatest since he galvanised millions into fighting colonial rule.” Faiz Hakim from New York, USA feels, “Jinnah was a great leader but with a narrow vision of what was rightfully the heritage of Muslims in the sub-continent.” Nooman Naqvi from Chicago, on the other hand opines, “General Pervez Musharraf is the greatest leader of South Asia. He has turned Pakistan’s economy around, eliminated corruption, gave equal voting rights to religious minorities and had the guts to take on the fundamentalists.”
The result of the poll will be announced in early 2005.
The list of leaders is as follows: Ahmed Shah Masood (Afghanistan), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (India), JR Jayawardene (Sri Lanka), BP Koirala (Nepal), Chandrika Kumaratunga (Sri Lanka), Indira Gandhi (India), Jawahar Lal Nehru (India), Mahatma Gandhi (India), Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Pakistan), Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangladesh), Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka), Subhash Chandra Bose (India), Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Pakistan), Ziaur Rahman (Bangladesh), Zahir Shah (Afghanistan) and Zia ul Haq (Pakistan).
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Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
