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Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma On 100 Most Influential People List
On Thursday, The Times released its annual 100 Most Influential People in the world in 2017 and two Indians made their entry onto this list – PM of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and Paytm’s founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
The 43-year-old Cheif Executive of the Indian mobile payments platform is the only Indian entrepreneur to be featured on the 2017 list.
This list also included US President Donald Trump, actor Emma Stone, philanthropist Melinda Gates, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, CEO, and founder of Snapchat Evan Spiegel.
The Times magazine has featured a list of pioneers, artists, actors, titans, leaders and icons from all around the world. Vijay Shekhar was listed under the titan category followed by Jeff Bezos. It was in March this year, Sharma was ranked as India’s youngest billionaire by Forbes magazine, as his net worth is $1.3 billion.
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who wrote Sharma’s profile was all praises for the Paytm founder. He said: “When Modi government announced (the) Demonetisation act in November, Sharma seized that moment and with a flurry of ads he encouraged people to start using the Paytm’s (sic) digital wallet platform to pay for every day’s goods and services.”
Seeing his performance in the Indian economy market, Alibaba’s Jack Ma is now an investor in Paytm. Vijay Shekhar Sharma shared his happiness on Twitter.
So privileged that @NandanNilekani has written this. 🙏🏼🙏🏼 and thank you @TIME for making this sound so big 🙂 https://t.co/Li6rdoqj4I
— Vijay Shekhar (@vijayshekhar) 20 April 2017
Check out the 2017’s full list of 100 Most Influential People in the world
- Biram Dah Abeid, Mauritanian politician, activist
- David Adjaye, architect
- Riz Ahmed, actor
- Thelma Aldana, Attorney General of Guatemala
- James Allison, immunologist
- Guillem Anglada-Escudé, Natalie Batalha and Michaël Gillon, astronomers
- Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks
- Margaret Atwood, novelist
- Stephen Bannon, White House Chief Strategist
- Cindy Arlette Contreras Bautista, activist
- Samantha Bee, actor, comedian
- Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court
- Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon
- Simone Biles, gymnast
- Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez and Linda Sarsour, organizers, Women’s March
- Jason Blum, director
- Tom Brady, football player, New England Patriots
- Gretchen Carlson, advocate for workplace equality, former Fox News anchor
- Chance the Rapper, rapper
- George Church, geneticist
- James Comey, director, FBI
- James Corden, host, The Late Late Show with James Corden
- Viola Davis, actor
- Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines
- Ava DuVernay, director
- Daniel Ek, co-founder, and CEO, Spotify
- Theo Epstein, president of baseball operations, Chicago Cubs
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey
- Fan Bingbing, actor
- Bob Ferguson, Attorney General of Washington
- Melinda Gates, philanthropist
- Donald Glover, actor, writer, rapper
- Ashley Graham, model
- Glenda Gray, physician, and researcher
- Kirsten Green, founder, Forerunner Ventures
- Gavin Grimm, activist
- Demis Hassabis, artificial intelligence pioneer
- LeBron James, basketball player, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Barry Jenkins, director
- Leslie Jones, comedian, actor
- Colin Kaepernick, football player
- Alicia Keys, singer
- Kim Jong Un, Supreme Leader of North Korea
- Jared Kushner, White House senior adviser
- John Legend, singer, songwriter
- John Lewis, U.S. Congressman, 5th District of Georgia
- Leila de Lima, Philippine opposition senator
- Jean Liu, president, Didi Chuxing
- Demi Lovato, singer
- Barbara Lynch, chef, restaurateur
- Kerry James Marshall, artist
- General James Mattis, Secretary of Defense, U.S.
- Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Conor McGregor, mixed martial artist
- Rebekah Mercer, Republican donor
- Alessandro Michele, designer, Gucci
- Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
- Neymar, soccer player
- Sandra Day O’Connor, former Supreme Court Justice, founder, iCivics
- Sarah Paulson, actor
- Jordan Peele, actor, comedian, filmmaker
- Tom Perez, chairman, Democratic National Committee
- Ben Platt, actor
- Pope Francis, Pontifex
- Reince Priebus, White House Chief of Staff
- Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
- Ryan Reynolds, actor
- Margot Robbie, actor
- RuPaul, television personality
- Raed Saleh, head of Syria’s White Helmets
- Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia
- Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senator, New York
- Vijay Shekhar Sharma, entrepreneur, founder, Paytm
- Ed Sheeran, singer, songwriter
- Cindy Sherman, photographer
- Raf Simons, designer, chief creative officer, Calvin Klein
- Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force
- Evan Spiegel, CEO, and co-founder, Snapchat
- Emma Stone, actor
- Donald Trump, President of the United States
- Ivanka Trump, White House special assistant
- Dr. Celina Turchi, infectious disease expert
- Bernard J. Tyson, CEO, Kaiser Permanente
- Hamdi Ulukaya, entrepreneur, CEO, Chobani
- King Maha Vajiralongkorn, King of Thailand
- Guus Velders, atmospheric chemist
- Margrethe Vestager, antitrust czar, European Union
- Jeanette Vizguerra, activist
- Wang Qishan, senior leader, Communist Party, China
- Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator, Massachusetts
- Colson Whitehead, novelist
- Constance Wu, actor
- Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, General Secretary, Communist Party, China
- Janet Yellen, chair, Federal Reserve
- Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo
Latest News
₹290 Crore Boost: Rozana’s Series B Funding Scales Rural Retail Network Nationwide
Rozana, India’s leading rural retail platform, has secured ₹290 crore ($35 million) in a Series B funding round led by Bertelsmann India Investments (BII), with participation from Omidyar Network India, Vivid Capital, and Tana Investment Holding. This Rozana funding brings its total capital to over ₹500 crore, fueling hyperlocal expansion in underserved rural markets. Founded in 2021 by brothers Prashant and Prateek Chauhan, the startup’s phygital model blends micro-stores, app-based ordering, and last-mile delivery to connect 5 million+ users in 12 states with brands like ITC and HUL.
The ₹290 crore investment will supercharge Rozana’s rural omnichannel retail strategy, targeting 5x growth in 18 months. Plans include adding 5,000 micro-stores in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan; AI-powered inventory tech; and new categories like groceries and electronics. By empowering 20,000+ rural micro-entrepreneurs, Rozana taps into India’s $700 billion rural retail boom, where smartphone penetration and UPI drive 12% annual growth.
This Rozana Series B milestone positions it as a frontrunner against rivals like Ninjacart, eyeing unicorn status by 2028 amid ONDC tailwinds. CEO Prashant Chauhan emphasized, “We’re building rural prosperity through accessible premium brands.” For more on Rozana funding news and rural retail trends, stay updated on India’s startup ecosystem.
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Peak XV New Funds: $1.3B Commitment for India Startup Surge 2026
Peak XV Partners has launched three new funds totaling $1.3 billion, targeting India’s booming startup ecosystem. The lineup features the $600M Surge fund (8th edition) for early-stage ventures, a $300M Growth Fund for Series B+ scaling, and a $400M Acceleration Fund for rapid portfolio expansion. This commitment arrives as India’s VC inflows rebound, with AI and fintech leading 2026 trends.
These funds build on Peak XV’s legacy of backing unicorns like Zomato and Pine Labs, offering founders capital plus strategic guidance amid post-winter recovery. Early-stage deals surged 20% last year per Tracxn, positioning Peak XV to fuel the next wave of innovation in SaaS, climate tech, and consumer plays.
For startups eyeing Peak XV new funds or Surge fund 2026 applications, this signals prime opportunities. Investors and marketers should watch for deployment updates India remains a global VC hotspot.
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D2C Brand Neeman’s Raises $4 Million for Tier 2/3 Store Expansion & Eco-Friendly Shoes
Hyderabad, January 13, 2026 Neeman’s, India’s leading D2C footwear brand famed for sustainable shoes and patented PIXLL® technology, has raised $4 million from existing investors. This funding boosts its cumulative capital past $10 million since 2015, with a post-money valuation nearing $50 million. CEO Vijay Chahoria emphasized offline retail as the “next frontier,” planning 50+ new stores in Tier 2/3 cities like Jaipur and Lucknow to blend eco-friendly innovation with hands-on customer experiences.
In India’s booming D2C ecosystem where footwear sales hit ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2025 Neeman’s targets hybrid retail amid high online CAC and 25-30% returns. Backed by vegan, machine-washable shoes priced ₹2,000-4,000, the brand leverages PIXLL® (5x more breathable than leather) for carbon-neutral comfort. Recent 5x revenue growth to ₹100 crore ARR, 1M+ pairs sold via Myntra and stores, and awards at India D2C Summit 2025 position it ahead of rivals like Paaduks.
Neeman’s offline expansion India eyes the $15B sustainable footwear market by 2028, fueled by PLI schemes, Gen Z’s 70% eco-preference (Nielsen), and Southeast Asia exports. Challenges like real estate costs are offset by data-driven inventory and omnichannel QR tech. Watch for Q1 2026 launches in Hyderabad and Bengaluru redefining D2C success through authentic, “Wear the Change” branding.

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