It has been a turbulent year filled with innumerable once-in-a-lifetime events — from multiple coups, elections and wars to a slew of AI advancements and sports milestones. Businessman Harsh Goenka drew up a list outlining his top 10 global events of 2024 on Saturday, highlighting several key moments including the Paris Olympics and the US Presidential elections.
The top global event of 2024, he opined, was the US Presidential election that saw Donald Trump make a trimphant return to the Oval Office. Goenka followed this up with the successful ISRO moon mission and the Paris Olympics.
Top global events listed by Harsh Goenka:
1. US Presidential Elections
2. ISRO’s moon mission success
3. Paris Olympics
4. AI advancements
5. Recession fears
6. Climate disasters
7. Ukraine war
8. Green energy transition
9. Electric vehicles surged
10. Space tourism gained momentum
The list has evoked a mixed response online with many insisting that there were several events of significance that had been missed by Goenka. Others voiced hope that 2025 would “lean towards more moon missions and less climate disasters”.
Several users also recalled the recent coups in Bangladesh and Syria as well as the ongoing Middle East conflict.
One X user made a follow up list highlighting several micro events that affected Indians — including the Chess Championship victory of D Gukesh and the recent exit of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das. The user also flagged “high inflation and moderating growth” as well as the “Supreme Court verdict on electoral bonds” before rounding out the list with “Indian general election results”.
“And India surpassed UK as the third largest economy in the world after the US and Europe,” reminded another.
“Would highlight some other events: Sunita Williams still in space, Middle East disturbances and war, Ozempic – use and misuse, Elections in many countries,” noted a third.