Sonia Gandhi is world’s sixth-most powerful lady: Forbes

Congress party president and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi was on Friday ranked by Forbes magazine as the sixth most powerful woman in the world, ahead of US First Lady Michelle Obama, in its annual survey of 100 influential women in the world.

The list is topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton second and Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff third. Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, is fourth. Jill Abramson, executive editor, New York Times Co, is just ahead of Gandhi at fifth position.

The survey ranks women - mostly policymakers, businesswomen and celebrities - according to influence, wealth and media presence.

Gandhi, 65, is among the five Indian women who have been named in Forbes' 'World's 100 Most Powerful Women' list. The UPA chairperson was ranked 7th last year.

Other Indians listed alongside Gandhi are PepsiCo chairman and chief executive Indra Nooyi ranked 12th, followed by Cisco Systems chief technology and strategy officer Padmasree Warrior at 58th place, ICICI Bank managing director and chief executive Chanda Kochhar at 59th and Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at 80th rank.

Forbes said Gandhi, the "one-time heir to the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty", successfully underwent a surgery last year and was "back in fighting spirit last month when she publicly reprimanded a fellow parliamentarian during session who had criticised her party's handling of this summer's rioting in Assam".