http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4719413&page=0
Over the past 14 days, thirty thousand of you cast your votes on MSN's pages, and catapulted Nitish Kumar to the top. Coming a close second was master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, followed by Azim Premji and Ratan Tata.
It was a close battle, with the leads fluctuating between these four stalwarts. While Sachin rode the wave of a fantastic year full of runs and recognition, the otherwise media-shy Azim Premji shot into the limelight with a staggering Rs 8,846 crore pledge for the uplift of elementary education in the country. Ratan Tata made the list for pulling an apparently loss-making Jaguar-Land Rover to the British marque's best-ever profit margin, and also because of his enthusiastic philanthropy (a $50 million dollar donation to Harvard Business School, which, to put it mildly, generated a fair amount of debate).
The other contenders vying to become MSN's Indian Of The Year were the-always-in-the-news (for better and for worse) Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and Bigg Boss 4 host Salman 'Dabangg' Khan who (at least on Karan Johar's Koffee with Karan) topped the 'Khan Of All Seasons' poll.
However, it was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who managed an unlikely, but somehow expected, victory for pulling off the most stunning electoral result in India. Nitish's focus on development in an underdeveloped state not only triggered hope amongst the millions of Lalu-ravished junta, but also swayed thousands of users who voted for the 'miracle' of Bihar.
Out of a 30,303 votes, Nitish garnered 8,486 while Sachin Tendulkar came closest with 8,224. Azim Premji was third with 6,153 votes, followed by Ratan Tata (5,122 votes), Jairam Ramesh (1,082 votes) and Salman Khan (1,236 votes).
The Nitish Kumar story has not been a fairy tale. Even as Bihar grappled with its worst ever floods, Nitish Kumar ensured he was a hands-on Chief Minister, working tirelessly to bring relief and welfare to his people.
Bihar's politics changed - from the quote-a-minute Lalu Prasad's wordism to things getting done without any fanfare.
Nitish Kumar's focus on development and his keeping a low profile won him many admirers.
While the claims of other contenders were strong - including Sachin tendulkar's 50th Test hundred and an increasing clamour for a Bharat Ratna - it is Nitish Kumar who takes this award for bringing a forgotten, crime-torn, backward state on the road to development.
Nitish Kumar has been an example of political charisma - humble, always open to feedback. He has perhaps created a model for leadership, one that upholds the mandate of the people instead of squandering it before the elections are even over.
Over the past 14 days, thirty thousand of you cast your votes on MSN's pages, and catapulted Nitish Kumar to the top. Coming a close second was master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, followed by Azim Premji and Ratan Tata.
It was a close battle, with the leads fluctuating between these four stalwarts. While Sachin rode the wave of a fantastic year full of runs and recognition, the otherwise media-shy Azim Premji shot into the limelight with a staggering Rs 8,846 crore pledge for the uplift of elementary education in the country. Ratan Tata made the list for pulling an apparently loss-making Jaguar-Land Rover to the British marque's best-ever profit margin, and also because of his enthusiastic philanthropy (a $50 million dollar donation to Harvard Business School, which, to put it mildly, generated a fair amount of debate).
The other contenders vying to become MSN's Indian Of The Year were the-always-in-the-news (for better and for worse) Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and Bigg Boss 4 host Salman 'Dabangg' Khan who (at least on Karan Johar's Koffee with Karan) topped the 'Khan Of All Seasons' poll.
However, it was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who managed an unlikely, but somehow expected, victory for pulling off the most stunning electoral result in India. Nitish's focus on development in an underdeveloped state not only triggered hope amongst the millions of Lalu-ravished junta, but also swayed thousands of users who voted for the 'miracle' of Bihar.
Out of a 30,303 votes, Nitish garnered 8,486 while Sachin Tendulkar came closest with 8,224. Azim Premji was third with 6,153 votes, followed by Ratan Tata (5,122 votes), Jairam Ramesh (1,082 votes) and Salman Khan (1,236 votes).
The Nitish Kumar story has not been a fairy tale. Even as Bihar grappled with its worst ever floods, Nitish Kumar ensured he was a hands-on Chief Minister, working tirelessly to bring relief and welfare to his people.
Bihar's politics changed - from the quote-a-minute Lalu Prasad's wordism to things getting done without any fanfare.
Nitish Kumar's focus on development and his keeping a low profile won him many admirers.
While the claims of other contenders were strong - including Sachin tendulkar's 50th Test hundred and an increasing clamour for a Bharat Ratna - it is Nitish Kumar who takes this award for bringing a forgotten, crime-torn, backward state on the road to development.
Nitish Kumar has been an example of political charisma - humble, always open to feedback. He has perhaps created a model for leadership, one that upholds the mandate of the people instead of squandering it before the elections are even over.
