Indian American biotech leader Reshma Kewalramani, President and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, has been named to TIME100, TIME magazine’s prestigious list of the world’s most influential people. Joining her is Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, who is currently guiding Bangladesh as Chief Adviser of its interim government.
Kewalramani, who immigrated to the U.S. from India at age 11, became the first woman to lead a major U.S. biotechnology company when she was appointed CEO of Boston-based Vertex in 2020. A trained nephrologist, the Indian American scientist has built a career around developing transformative medicines—most notably leading to the approval of the first FDA-approved CRISPR-based therapy, aimed at treating sickle cell disease by rewriting faulty DNA.
“Our bodies speak the language of DNA,” wrote Ginkgo Bioworks co-founder Jason Kelly in his TIME essay. “Under Kewalramani’s leadership, Vertex is teaching medicines how to speak it back.” Kelly, who has worked with Kewalramani on the board of Ginkgo Bioworks, credits her with offering pivotal insights in the realm of biotechnology.
The Indian American CEO is widely recognized for her visionary leadership in science. She sits on several influential boards, including Year Up, Massachusetts General Hospital, and her alma mater, the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.
Kewalramani’s journey reflects the increasing influence of Indian Americans in global science and innovation. Her academic roots include a medical degree with honours from Boston University, internal medicine and nephrology training at top hospitals in Boston, and executive education at Harvard Business School.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Yunus has reemerged on the global stage, leading Bangladesh’s interim government after the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed last year. Known as the “father of microcredit,” Yunus founded Grameen Bank, helping millions of underserved people—especially women—access small loans to start businesses.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Yunus for his decades-long commitment to economic empowerment, writing that he is now “restoring human rights, demanding accountability, and laying the foundations for a just and free society.”
A longtime humanitarian, Yunus briefly entered politics in 2007 with his Citizen Power (Nagorik Shakti) movement but withdrew shortly after citing limited support. His legacy, however, continues to grow. From the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jordan’s King Hussein Humanitarian Award, Yunus has received accolades from around the world.
As the TIME100 list honours these trailblazers, both Reshma Kewalramani and Muhammad Yunus symbolize what committed leadership and transformative thinking can achieve on a global scale.
