Actors Aamir Khan, Shabana Azmi, music composer AR Rahman, business tycoon Azim Premji, parliamentarians Asaduddin Owaisi, Badruddin Ajmal, Hurriyat leader Dr Umar Farooq and several other Indians were listed among World's 500 Most Influential Muslims. The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC), an international non-governmental institute based in Amman, Jordan, has brought out "The Muslim 500: The World's 500 Most Influential Muslims" 2016 edition in which 22 Indians were featured.
Given the fact that India is home to the world's second largest Muslim population, after Indonesia (which ranks first) and total Muslim population is accounted for 14.2 per cent (or 17.22 Crore) of India's population of 121 crore, Indian Muslims have topped the charts in almost all the fields.
However, two Indian personalities, who had figured in the list of 500 last year, have been mentioned under Obituaries this year due to their demise. They are Dr AP J Abdul Kalam, who passed away on 27th July 2015 and B S Abdur Rahman who is Tamil Nadu based business magnate and philanthropist, who died on 7th January 2015.