Sachin Tendulkar fifth most admired in the world, Lionel Messi 15th: poll
Retired cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is ahead of Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan, who is 12th on the list of world's most-admired. Former US basketball star Michael Jordon (21) and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (22) are also behind Tendulkar.
Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar has been named as the fifth most-admired person on the planet with Microsoft founder Bill Gates on top in a list of 30 people compiled after a poll in 13 countries, including India.
The 'World's most admired people poll' was conducted by YouGov for The Times by surveying almost 14,000 people in Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the US, Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, China, Egypt, Nigeria and Brazil.
Sportsmen featured highly in the affections of many across the world. After Tendulkar it was Argentina footballer Lionel Messi who was 15th followed by US basketball player Michael Jordon (21) and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (22). Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan was 12th on the list.
There were four Indians in the top ten and seven overall in the list of 30 most-admired people.
Sachin, 40, was fifth with six other Indians featuring in the list - BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi (7th), Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan (9th), former President Abdul Kalam (10th), social activist Anna Hazare (14th), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (18th) and Business tycoon Ratan Tata (30th).
Gates, 58, the co-founder of Microsoft and a billionaire philanthropist, earned more admiration than US President Barack Obama who was second, Russian President Vladimir Putin (3rd), Pope Francis (4th) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (6th) to claim the title.
Some interesting choices in the list of 30 were Pope Francis, The Dalai Lama (13th), American business magnate Warren Buffet (8th), Queen Elizabeth (17th) and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie (19th).
Surprisingly, there were just six women on the list of most admired people with Queen highest ranked among them. Other women to make it to the list were Jolie, US talk show host Oprah Winfrey (20th), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (26th), former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (27th) and Chinese contemporary folk singer Peng Liyuan (28th).
No Briton featured in the world's top ten most-admired people. Stephen Hawking was placed highest, at 16th. Separate lists of the poll in different countries was also given by YouGov.
In the poll in India, as expected, Tendulkar topped the list but interestingly it was Obama who came in second followed by Modi, Gates and Bachchan.