01. Prakash Karat: For being India's most powerful politician of the year and ensuring the UPA coalition and his Left allies, literally danced to his tune.
02. Kumari Mayawati: For becoming the tallest Dalit leader after Ambedkar and conquering UP by forging a unique upper caste-lower caste combine.
03. Narendra Modi: For securing the most audacious political victory of the year, defeating not just rivals and rebels but also anti-incumbency.
04. B.C. Khanduri: For being one of India's most unsung performing politicians and the real force behind the highway construction project and change in Uttarakhand.
05. P. Chidambaram: For engineering a spectacular growth rate and being an astute economic manager despite coalition pressures.
06. Pranab Mukherjee: For being the real behind-the-scenes crisis manager and political negotiator in a squabbling UPA alliance.