New York: Congress president and UPA (United Progressive Alliance) chairperson Sonia Gandhi is the world's third most powerful woman after US National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice and Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi, Forbes magazine said today (Aug 20, 2004).

US first lady Laura Bush and Senator Hillary Clinton have been placed at the fourth and fifth position by the magazine in the list of 100 most powerful women in the world that included Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri (8) and Philippines President Gloria Arroyo (9).

In a brief profile of the 57-year-old Gandhi, the magazine said no other woman in recent times has been more widely revered in India than her.

"Gandhi made headlines in May 2004 when, after the party (Congress) she led won India's democratic elections, she declined to take over the Prime Minister's seat," it noted.

It said that now her chosen successor economist Manmohan Singh has been given the job, "Gandhi gets to reign over her beloved country anyway without having to take responsibility for any mistakes the Government might make.

"With political skills like this anyone would think she had been born a Gandhi, and not simply had married into India's most famous political dynasty."

Others in the list included Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia (14), Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga (44) and Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi (45).

Forbes said it came up with the list by devising a power scorecard. "For each candidate, we came up with a numerical weight defined by her title and resume, the size of the economic sphere in which she wields power... and the number of global media mentions."

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has been placed at the 21st position while Britain's first lady Cherie Blair was listed at number 12 and Queen Rania of Jordan was at the 13th place. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been placed at the 22nd position.

The magazine said the list had made a refreshing break from the conventional wisdom about women and power by breaking the notion that women can only gain power by working behind the scenes and forging consensus.

About Condoleeza Rice, who topped the list, the magazine said, "Advising the leader of the world's largest superpower -- and having the ear of leaders around the globe -- makes Rice, 49, the most powerful woman in the world."