Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Indian businesswoman Country: India

Biography of Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an Indian entrepreneur, chairperson, and managing director of the Indian biotechnology company 'Biocon Limited'. Born in Bangalore, India, she initially considered studying medicine but ultimately pursued a bachelor's degree in Zoology from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore University. She then continued her education at Ballarat College, Melbourne University, specializing in brewing.

After acquiring brewing skills and working in various breweries in Melbourne, Mazumdar-Shaw founded 'Biocon' in 1978. Initially, the company operated from a garage in Bangalore. However, she faced numerous challenges due to her young age and gender, and her business model was not widely accepted at the time. Kiran persevered and overcame these obstacles, gaining the respect of her peers and employees.

At that time, conducting serious clinical research in India was nearly impossible due to the lack of proper infrastructure and resources. Recognizing this gap, Mazumdar-Shaw skillfully filled it and achieved significant success. Initially, 'Biocon' focused on the production of industrial enzymes and supplied them to the United States and Europe. In 1989, it became the first Indian biotechnology company to receive support from American sponsors.

Over time, 'Biocon' evolved into a full-fledged biopharmaceutical company specializing in combating diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. It also established two subsidiary projects: 'Syngene', specializing in outsourcing research projects, and 'Clingene', providing support for clinical trials.

Mazumdar-Shaw's groundbreaking achievements in the field of biotechnology have earned her numerous prestigious awards. In 1989, she received the government award 'Padma Sri', and in 2005, she was honored with the 'Padma Bhushan'. More recently, Kiran was included in TIME magazine's list of the '100 Most Influential People in the World'. She is also featured in Forbes' list of the '100 Most Powerful Women in the World' and Financial Times' list of the '50 Leading Women Entrepreneurs'.

Like many successful entrepreneurs, Kiran is actively involved in philanthropic activities. In 2004, she founded the 'Biocon Foundation', which focuses on environmental and healthcare issues. Under the foundation's auspices, a series of clinics were opened in areas previously lacking essential medical support.