Who Is A Changemaker?

The answer depends on the ideals one holds dear in life. For some, a changemaker is one who ushers in a revolution. For others it’s someone who makes incremental contributions through an evolutionary journey, steadily shaping the future.

At Outlook Business, we journalists sit together at the end of the year tidying through reports, data and narratives, to identify people who have transformed the world around us in significant ways. Through this exercise, we aim to celebrate resilience, determination and the ability to defy odds.

Our list of changemakers for 2024 focuses on people who have changed the world for the better in the face of severe criticism.

Take for example, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his political rival Rahul Gandhi. This year, both leaders have demonstrated how they can turn adversities and narratives against them into fuel for success.

Gandhi, long dismissed as the weak link in the Congress party, has emerged as a mature and formidable leader. Over the past few years, he has managed to revitalise a party whose political relevance had come into question following two crushing defeats in successive parliamentary elections.

Modi made history in 2024 by becoming the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to take office three consecutive times. Critics once dismissed him as an outsider who lacked the political acumen to navigate Delhi’s power corridors. Ten years on, Modi is deftly leading a coalition government, something his critics never thought he could.

Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s finance minister, is also a changemaker this year. She has steered the national economy stably amid ever-increasing anxieties over the state of the global economy. Philanthropist Azim Premji is a changemaker for his efforts in helping India’s chances in the artificial intelligence (AI) race.

Mukesh Ambani acquired Disney Hotstar this year, creating a local media behemoth that might challenge the dominance of Google and Meta. Deepinder Goyal proved his judgement in acquiring Blinkit right as the quick-commerce platform started bolstering Zomato’s financial performance making the food-delivery company profitable beyond “adjusted Ebitda”.

N Chandrababu Naidu made a rousing return to power in Andhra Pradesh after being virtually written off the political landscape. Food pharmer Revant Himatsignka continued his campaign against misleading food labels and Diljeet Dosanjh has taken Punjabi pop across the globe.

The changemakers in Outlook Business’s list for 2024 have all trudged through significant hardships and severe criticism to prove themselves in a world that is quick to judge. As you delve into the lives of these individuals, we hope their stories will inspire you, help you find hope when the chips are down and remind you that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.