Top 10 NRI Newsmakers of 2008

Non-resident Indians, though living out of the country have made the country proud in their own unique ways. From being at the helm of affairs in the corporate world to making a mark in politics - they are all over the world. Here's a look at the NRIs who made headlines this year. The selection is based on news value and the degree of interest and concern to NRIs.

Lord Swaraj Paul: A consistent NRI newsmaker for over three decades, he just made history by being installed Deputy Speaker in the House of Lords. He is the first Indian to sit on the woolsack, the traditional seat. He has extensive investments in India for his multi-billion pound company Caparo Group. Conferred the Peerage in 1996 and honoured with the Padma Bhushan by India in 1983, 77-year-old Lord Paul is one of the most famous Indian origin entrepreneurs in Britain. In photo: Lord Swaraj Paul speaks to members of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi, India, Monday, Oct. 1, 2007.

Sonal Shah: Appointed to the Transition Team of US president-elect Barrack Obama, she is a member of a three-person team to coordinate technology, innovation and government reform during the transition. She earlier headed the philanthropic department of Internet giant Google; and was vice president at Goldman, Sachs and Co and developed and implemented the firm's environmental strategy. Shah, who raised funds for victims of the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat through the Vishwa Hindu Parishad-America, has denied any links to this organisation.

Vikram Pandit: The Citibank CEO shocked everyone with his sudden appointment to the world's biggest banking company. After a year, he is right in the eye of the global financial tsunami to save his bank and spearhead its recovery. He makes news with the US government's multi-billion dollar recovery package for his bank, job losses, restructuring and reviving an icon of the American financial sector. Facing a difficult recovery, Pandit faces one of the toughest challenges ever seen in the banking industry. In photo: A woman leaves a Citbank branch in New York's Financial District, Monday morning Nov. 17, 2008. A person briefed on Citigroup's plans says the banking giant is cutting another 53,000 jobs in the coming quarters.CEO Vikram Pandit is revealing the plan at the company's town hall meeting Monday with employees.

Karpal Singh: A Malaysian-Indian veteran lawyer and human rights activist, he fought the general election as an opposition candidate for equal treatment of all Malays for government contracts, employment and appointments. He has highlighted the woes of all underprivileged for 30 years and has been compared to Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. In photo: In this April 28, 2008 file photo, Democratic Action Party Chairman Karpal Singh speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The top Malaysian opposition figure faced a police probe for alleged sedition Friday, May 9, 2008 after government authorities accused him of insulting a state sultan.

Sir Salman Rushdie: His long-time bestseller 'Midnight's Children' was, following a public vote, declared the Best of the Booker in the award's 40-year history. In photo: Author Salman Rushdie is shown in this Oct. 3, 2007, file photo in New York. A leading Indian Muslim group threatened to boycott a major conglomerate's products Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008, after its owners hosted author Salman Rushdie at their home in suburban Mumbai.

Navanetham Pillay: A South African Indian judge, he was appointed for four years as the UN Human Rights Commissioner - a significant achievement for NRIs. Her grand-parents migrated from Tamil Nadu to South Africa as sugarcane indentured labourers in the late 1800s, and she became the first woman to start law practice in South Africa's Natal Province in 1968. Pillay defended several anti-apartheid activists and successfully fought for the right of political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela. In photo: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay talks to the media, during a joint press conference with European Parliament Vice-President Luisa Morgantini, unseen, to mark 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the European Parliament in Brussels, Wednesday Oct. 8, 2008. The U.N.'s human rights chief said Wednesday she would push governments world wide to ensure they adhered to international human rights standards in their fight against terrorism. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay said it was "the duty of states ... to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Lakshmi Mittal made some news for the wrong reasons this year. The world's largest steel maker after he took over Arcelor, Mittal has had to take tough decisions on staff sackings, respond to environmental concerns and acquisitions and mergers. On the positive side, he was honoured with Padma Vibhushan by India and the third Forbes Lifetime Achievement Award for heroes of entrepreneurial capitalism and free enterprise. In photo: Mittal Steel Co. Chairman and CEO Lakshmi Mittal, laughs as he answers a reporter's question during a news conference announcing that his company raised its offer for rival Arcelor SA by 34 percent, in London, Friday May 19, 2006. Merging the world's top steelmakers would create a company with nearly a 10 percent share of global production and annual revenue of about 56 billion euro (US$67 billion).

The Great Khali, Dilip Singh Rana: One of the largest athletes in the World Wrestling Entertainment and World Heavyweight Champion, Khali calls himself after the Hindu Goddess Kali. This towering giant at seven feet three inches enjoyed a hero's welcome during his visit to India this year. He also landed up film contracts. In photo: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler The Great Khali, standing 7 feet 3 inches (220 centimeters) and weighing 420 pounds (190 kilograms), speaks at a show organized to interact with fans in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, May 7, 2008. The entertainer, whose real name is Dilip Singh Rana, has earned prizes, movie roles and piles of money for his prowess on the wrestling mat along with earning a promotion in Punjab's police force.

Anand Jon: He was convicted of rape after a glamorous career as the fashion designer to Hollywood stars. From Beverley Hills to prison wards, he made headlines with court proceedings when he was accused of luring young women and girls, as young as 14, to an apartment where he acted out sadistic fantasies. The powerful, strident campaign for his innocence mounted by his sister Sanjana claims that he was framed. In photo: Designer Anand Jon Alexander is shown in this April 29, 2004, file photo in New York. Beverly Hills, Calif., prosecutors filed 12 new charges Wednesday, April 4, 2007, against the celebrity fashion designer accused of s*xually assaulting as many as a dozen women and girls. The latest charges against Alexander include 11 felonies and one misdemeanor. The most serious are forcible rape and sodomy by use of force.

Dev Patel... Dev who? Well, he is an 18-year actor in the new Hollywood hit 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Based on a novel 'Q&A' by Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup and crafted into a film by the acclaimed director Danny Boyle with music by A.R. Rehman, this film is ready to grab some awards at the next Oscars. Patel plays Jamal, a slum child who becomes a national hero after he reaches the final question on India's TV show 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?' Watch him! He could win the best supporting actor award. (Content courtesy: IANS) In photo: Actor Dev Patel arrives at the screening of "Slumdog Millionaire,a' the last film showing at the BFI London Film Festival at a central London cinema, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008.