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The year 2023 saw individuals from an array of fields dominating the cycle. From Elon Musk rebranding Twitter to Rahul Gandhi losing his Lok Sabha membership, 2023 has been a witness to several unprecedented events. Join us in revisiting the highs and lows, the innovations and controversies, as we bid adieu to a year that was uniquely shaped by these influential figures.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk took control of Twitter in late 2022, but it was 2023 when he remoulded the social networking site, signalling a major shift. Months later, Musk announced that he was replacing the blue bird logo with a stark black X, completing the rebrand that he began back in March. Elon Musk ranked as the richest person in the world with a net worth of $231 billion - a $94 billion increase from last year.
Sam Altman
Sam Altman faced a twist in his career in 2023 when he was fired from OpenAI but later rehired. Altman had shot to fame with the launch of ChatGPT last year, which ignited a race to advance AI research and development, as well as billions being invested in the sector. He has been honoured as CEO of the year by TIME magazine. Sam Altman also featured in CoinDesk's Most Influential list for the year 2023.
Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi faced a major setback in 2023, losing his parliamentary status as a consequence of a controversial speech. He received a two-year jail term in March in connection with the 'Modi surname' case, where he allegedly made defamatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019. Later, the Supreme Court suspended Rahul Gandhi's two-year prison sentence for defamation, leading to the restoration of his MP status.
Mahua Moitra
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha following an Ethics Committee report on 'cash for query' charges against her. Mahua Moitra has approached the Supreme Court against her expulsion.
Byju Raveendran
After a rapid expansion during the Covid pandemic, Byju's has been struggling with cash-flow problems and is embroiled in a dispute with creditors over a $1.2 billion loan. The standoff cast a spotlight on founder Byju Raveendran, whose meteoric rise from tutor to head of the country's most valuable tech startup wowed investors. To address financial difficulties, he took out a loan against his home as the company struggled to meet salary payments.
R Narayana Murthy
Infosys founder Narayana Murthy triggered a huge debate by suggesting that India's youth should work for 70 hours per week to boost the country's overall work productivity. When asked about his vision for the next 10, 15 years, he highlighted a need to improve productivity in India and sort out the government delays. He said that "nothing should be given free" and suggested that individuals benefiting from government services and subsidies should contribute back to society.
Donald Trump has been disqualified from the ballot in the state's presidential election next year over his role in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. The ruling makes Trump the first presidential candidate in US history to be deemed ineligible for the White House under a rarely used provision of the US Constitution that bars officials who have engaged in "insurrection or rebellion" from holding office.
Linda Yaccarino
Linda Yaccarino, former advertising sales leader at NBCUniversal, took over as the CEO of Twitter this year. She made headlines by expressing her belief that rebranding Twitter to X signifies a "liberation" from the previous name. Yaccarino has announced a series of new features to win back advertisers, including full-screen video ads that show under Twitter's short-form video feed.
King Charles III
The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla took place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023, marking the first coronation in the United Kingdom in nearly seven decades.
Kim Ju Ae
Kim Ju Ae is the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. She recently made public appearances with her father, sparking speculation about her potential role in North Korea's future. North Korea has banned girls from sharing the same name as Kim Jong Un's 10-year-old daughter, Kim Ju Ae last month also oversaw the launch of the "Monster Missile".
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