64-year-old Sonia Gandhi, who is recouping from unspecified surgery in a US hospital, is ranked seventh just ahead of US First Lady Michell Obama in a list of 100 most powerful women of the world released by the Forbes magazine.
Indian-American Indra Nooyi, the head of soft drink giant PepsiCo, has been ranked fourth, followed by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and Melinda Gates co-chair and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Two Indian corporate executives Chandra Kochhar of the ICICI (43rd) and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon (99th) have figured in this list in which the third place is occupied by Dilma Rousseff, who became Brazil`s first woman President.
"Lauded for overseeing heavy economic growth, she is also criticized for tolerating political corruption and failing to forge connections with India`s fastest-growing demographic--younger voters," said Forbes about Sonia Gandhi.
"Gandhi is an avid scholar of the arts, and holds a degree in oil painting conservation. She recently underwent surgery in the US," it added.
"The managing director and CEO of India`s second-largest bank, Chanda Kochhar rules over assets of USD 118 billion and profits of USD 1.35 million," Forbes said.
"India`s first biotech entrepreneur, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw founded Biocon in 1978 at just 25. Since then Biocon has become only the second Indian firm to list a USD 1 billion IPO on its first day of trading," it added.