Balaji Telefilms creative director Ekta Kapoor has been named the ‘Young Global Leader-2006' by Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum.

Ekta is one of the 40 Asians chosen to become the young global leader of 2006. She will be joining 175 leading executives, public figures and intellectuals as a part of a global community a Balaji Telefilms release issued here today said.

The 2006 ‘class' was chosen from among 3,500 candidates by the Forum of Young Global Leaders' nomination committee, featuring 28 international media leaders. Queen Raima of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is the chairman of the committee.

The 2006 achievers from across the globe include over 60 business leaders, more than 30 government leaders and several scholars and media and non-government organisation leaders.

Ekta will join the community that includes Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Georgia President Mikheli Saakashvili, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Civicus secretary general and CEO Kumi Naidoo, Brazilian singer Daniela Mercury and Star group CEO Michelle Guthrie.

Working on production since the age of 19, Ekta has produced more than 50 soaps.

In 2001, Ekta was also adjudged as one of Asia's 50 most influential communicators by Asiaweek magazine and the first woman entrepreneur to receive the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year' award in India. Other awards include one for corporate excellence from Bharat Petroleum and the Rajiv Gandhi award.

The young global leaders will meet at their annual summit in Vancouver, Canada in June this year, to put together the 2020 Initiative, an endeavour to understand the present and future trends, risks and opportunities at both the global and regional levels.

The Forum of Young Global Leaders was established in 2004 by World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Prof Klaus Schwab.

Under the forum, 200 young leaders are selected each year for a five-year membership, the release added.