” On the upcoming general elections, Aamir said: “I request our politicians to act responsibly and field candidates with a clean track record and intelligence to govern the country.”

Sheila Dixit commented on her plans as Chief Minister. “My next important goal is to hold a successful Commonwealth Games and to take that opportunity to transform Delhi into a world-class city to live in,” she said.

On receiving a special recognition for lifetime achievement, LK Advani said: “We as politicians have greater responsibility in shaping the country’s future as we are always under sharp scrutiny. The country is facing a terrible time but as a nation we should be optimistic and believe in ourselves to overcome these challenges.”

Deepak Parekh was asked about his task ahead for Satyam. He said: “Large sums of money have disappeared from Satyam accounts and my team and I have a huge task of finding the truth.”

The winners of the ‘NDTV Indian of the Year 2008’ were chosen through a rigorous, multi-layered process guided by an experienced jury that comprised Shashi Tharoor, well-known author and former Undersecretary-General of the United Nations; Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto; Harsha Bhogle, renowned cricket commenter; Fali S. Nariman, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Anu Aga, former Executive Chairperson of Thermax Group and social activist; and William Dalrymple, internationally acclaimed writer and historian.

Catch the telecast of ‘NDTV Indian of The Year 2008’ on Jan. 26 at 7:30pm on NDTV 24x7.