Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has been named among Time Magazine's 30 Most Influential People on the Internet, keeping company with other social media heavyweights, including reality star Kim Kardashian, former Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner and United States presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Time calls Modi an "internet star" who "uses social media to break news and conduct diplomacy". The magazine cites the example of Modi's 'surprise' visit to Lahore on the occasion of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's birthday ─ and the wedding of Nawaz's granddaughter.
Read more: After Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan, next step is obvious – sustained engagement
The magazine says the Indian premier made headlines for the wrong reason when he wished Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, happy birthday on Feb 12. "The Afghan president replied with his thanks and a polite note that he was actually born on May 19."
Other celebrities featured on the list include world famous author J.K. Rowling, musician Kanye West and football star Cristiano Ronaldo.
The news comes as Madame Tussauds announces it will immortalise the Indian PM in wax. He will be featured alongside other prominent world leaders in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok.
Describing him as a “hugely important figure in world politics”, the museum said the Indian prime minister ─ who has a "massive social media presence" ─ had given the museum’s team of artists and experts a sitting at his residence in New Delhi earlier this year.
