You're at a gala reception at the Taj, in Mumbai hosted by your company and you espy Associated Press of India (API) reporter who occasionally covers your industry. You walk over, say hello to her and have an amiable chat. So far; so good.

Next you spot the editor-in-chief of India Today, in the crowd. "Hello, Sir," you shout across the room, waving an hors d'oeuvre. Mr. Editor offers a wan smile and nods his head in return, then promptly returns to the intimate conversation he's been having for the last 20 minutes with one of your competitors. Game over. You lose. Return home to reality.

As in all other professions, connections count in the world of media relations. Can having an "in" with a leading editor or reporter assure you that your puffy news release will be printed or that your firm's dirty laundry won't be aired? Dream on.

But having a network of powerful media friends can be an important communications tool. It probably means that your newsworthy stories won't be passed over because they are anonymous contenders in a crowd. And it probably also means that when bad news descends upon your company, journalists will be more inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt if the facts can support your side of the issue.

Being connected also means having your finger close to the pulse of business news. To know the movers and shakers in the nation's top newsrooms is to know the women and men who help shape the global financial news agenda. Many of the key editors and reporters in this country not only decide what their own news organizations will report, but through the respect they garner from their journalism peers, they also help set the agenda at news organizations throughout the country.

Of course, not all relationships are created equal. Obviously, knowing the editorial head of India Today is potentially more valuable than being on friendly terms with a wire-service reporter (though, certainly, that's a good, basic connection to maintain).

Although there is no scientific way to measure a journalist's influence, some clearly have a lot more clout than others.

Influence comes in many forms. It can be based upon total audience size. In that respect, Pranab Roy, is a very influential journalist based upon the sizable audience that tunes into his program.

On the other hand, when it comes to influencing the agenda of business news, Mr. Roy's reach may not be as long as that of  the editor and publisher of Economic Times, which is read by many securities industry reporters and has been the spark for many news stories.

The number of foot soldiers one oversees is also an important determinant in sizing up influence.Don't ignore the free lancers. They are in fact the biggest promoters of news.

With this in mind, the editors and staff of the CyberAds Studio combed the web, media to identify prominient business and financial journalists those, we felt through strength of vision, reach, quality, number and/or other qualities are at the top of their profession when it comes to influence.

But we do believe in ranking people. We provide a broad barometer of who truly wields power in business news. These are people you should know when you need to know the "right" people.

Our listing is based upon "influence" and knowledge. If you come across the name and address of any journalist who is likely to emerge more powerful in the weeks and months to come, please send us his name and address and we will promptly display him on this page.

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This article lists some some the most important journalists and media personalities in India and Abroad:-