DHAKA: Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been named as the most admired person on the planet in a list of 30 people compiled after a poll in 13 countries.

The ‘World’s most admired people poll’ was conducted by YouGov for Times by surveying almost 14,000 people in Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the US, Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, China, Egypt, Nigeria and Brazil.

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), cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar (5th) 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).

Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan was 12th on the list, reports The Times of India.

BDST: 1928 HRS, JAN 12, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor