Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (born 23 March 1953) is an Indian
billionaire
A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least one billion (1,000,000,000, i.e., a thousand million) units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. The American busin ...
entrepreneur. She is the executive chairperson and founder of
Biocon
Biocon Limited is an Indian biopharmaceutical company based in Bangalore. It was founded by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw in 1978. The company manufactures generic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that are sold in approximately 120 countries, ...
Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, a biotechnology company based in
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
, India and the former chairperson of
Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore or IIMB) is a public business school and Institute of National Importance located in Bangalore, India. Founded in 1973, it was the third IIM to be established, after IIM Calcutta and IIM ...
. In 2014, she was awarded the
Othmer Gold Medal
The Othmer Gold Medal recognizes outstanding individuals who contributed to progress in chemistry and science through their activities in areas including innovation, entrepreneurship, research, education, public understanding, legislation, and ph ...
for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry.
She was on the ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
'' 2011 top 50 women in business list.
In 2019, she was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by ''Forbes''.
She was named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020. She is married to John Shaw.
Early life and education
Kiran Mazumdar was born on 23 March 1953 in Bangalore, Karnataka state, to Gujarati parents. She was educated at Bangalore's
Bishop Cotton Girl's High School, graduating in 1968. She then attended
Mount Carmel College, Bangalore
Mount Carmel College (MCC) is an autonomous college located in Bangalore, India, affiliated to Bengaluru City University. It is one of the first women’s colleges established in 1944 in Trichur as 'Carmel College' under the Madras University a ...
, a women's college offering pre-university courses as an affiliate of Bangalore University. She studied biology and zoology, graduating from
Bangalore University
Bangalore University (BU) is a public state university located in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The university is a part of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and affiliated by Univers ...
with a bachelor's degree in zoology in 1973.
Mazumdar hoped to go to medical school, but was not able to obtain a scholarship.
Her father, Rasendra Mazumdar, was the head brewmaster at
United Breweries
United Breweries Holdings Limited (UBHL), also called UB Group, is an Indian conglomerate
headquartered in UB City, Bangalore, Karnataka. Its core business includes beverages and investments in various sectors. The company markets beer unde ...
. He suggested that she study
fermentation
Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...
science, and train to be a brewmaster, a very non-traditional field for women.
Mazumdar went to Ballarat College,
Melbourne University
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
in Australia to study malting and brewing. In 1974, she was the only woman enrolled in the brewing course and topped in her class.
She earned the degree as master brewer in 1975.
She worked as a trainee brewer in
Carlton and United Breweries
Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) is an Australian brewing company based in Melbourne and owned by Japanese conglomerate Asahi Breweries. Its notable brands include Victoria Bitter, Carlton Draught, Foster's Lager, Great Northern, Resch's, Pu ...
, Melbourne and as a trainee maltster at Barrett Brothers and Burston, Australia. She also worked for some time as a technical consultant at Jupiter Breweries Limited, Calcutta and as a technical manager at Standard Maltings Corporation, Baroda between 1975 and 1977.
However, when she investigated the possibility of advancing her career in Bangalore or Delhi, she was told that she could not be hired as a master brewer in India because "It's a man's work."
She began to look abroad for opportunities and was offered a position in Scotland.
Biocon
Before Mazumdar could move, she met
Leslie Auchincloss, the founder of Biocon Biochemicals Limited, of
Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
, Ireland. Auchincloss's company produced
enzyme
Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...
s for use in the brewing, food-packaging and textile industries. Auchincloss was looking for a partner in India to help establish an Indian subsidiary to supply him with
Papain
Papain, also known as papaya proteinase I, is a cysteine protease () enzyme present in papaya (''Carica papaya'') and mountain papaya (''Vasconcellea cundinamarcensis''). It is the namesake member of the papain-like protease family.
It has wide ...
. Mazumdar agreed to undertake the job on the condition that if she did not wish to continue six months later she would be given a brewmaster's position comparable to the one she was giving up.
Beginning with enzymes
After a brief period as a trainee manager at Biocon Biochemicals Limited, of Cork, Ireland, to learn more about the business, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw returned to India.
She started Biocon India in 1978 in the garage of her rented house in Bengaluru with a seed capital of Rs. 10,000.
Although it was a joint venture, Indian laws restricted foreign ownership to only 30% of the company, which meant that 70% of the company belonged to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.
Initially, she faced credibility challenges because of her youth, gender and her untested business model. She was unable to secure funding for her company at the early stages of her business. A chance meeting with a banker at a social event finally enabled her to get her first financial backing.
She also found it difficult to recruit people to work for her start-up, her first employee was a retired garage mechanic
and her first unit was in a nearby 3,000-square-foot shed.
The most complicated piece of equipment in her lab at that time was a
spectrophotometer.
Moreover, she faced the technological challenges associated with trying to build a biotech business in a country with poor infrastructure.
Uninterrupted power, good quality water, sterile labs, imported research equipment, and workers with advanced scientific skills were not easily available in India at that period of time.
The company's initial projects were the extraction of
papain
Papain, also known as papaya proteinase I, is a cysteine protease () enzyme present in papaya (''Carica papaya'') and mountain papaya (''Vasconcellea cundinamarcensis''). It is the namesake member of the papain-like protease family.
It has wide ...
(an enzyme from papaya used to tenderize meat) and
isinglass
Isinglass () is a substance obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish. It is a form of collagen used mainly for the clarification or fining of some beer and wine. It can also be cooked into a paste for specialised gluing purposes.
The E ...
(obtained from tropical catfish and used to clarify beer).
Within a year of its inception, Biocon India was able to manufacture enzymes and export them to the U.S. and Europe, the first Indian company to do so.
At the end of her first year, Mazumdar used her earnings to buy a 20-acre property with plans to expand in the future.
Expanding into biopharmaceuticals
Mazumdar spearheaded Biocon's evolution from an industrial enzymes manufacturing company to a fully integrated bio-pharmaceutical company with a well-balanced business portfolio of products and a research focus on diabetes, oncology and auto-immune diseases.
She also established two subsidiaries: Syngene (1994) which provides early research and development support services on a contract basis and Clinigene (2000) which focuses on clinical research trials and the development of both generic and new medicines. Clinigene was later merged with Syngene. Syngene was listed on BSE/NSE in 2015 and has a current market cap of ₹23,000 crores.
In 1984, Kiran began to develop a research and development team at Biocon, focusing on the discovery of novel enzymes and on development of novel techniques for
solid substrate fermentation Solid state fermentation (SSF) is a biomolecule manufacturing process used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, fuel and textile industries. These biomolecules are mostly metabolites generated by microorganisms grown on a solid support selected fo ...
technology.
The company's first major expansion came in 1987, when
Narayanan Vaghul of
ICICI Ventures supported creation of a venture capital fund of US$250,000.
This money enabled Biocon to expand its research and development efforts. They built a new plant featuring proprietary solid substrate fermentation technology based on a semi-automated tray culture process, inspired by Japanese techniques.
In 1989, Biocon became the first Indian biotech company to receive U.S. funding for proprietary technologies.
In 1990, Mazumdar incorporated Biocon Biopharmaceuticals Private Limited (BBLP) to manufacture and market a select range of biotherapeutics in a joint venture with the Cuban
Center of Molecular Immunology.
Establishing independence
Biocon Biochemicals of Ireland was acquired from Leslie Auchincloss by
Unilever
Unilever plc is a British multinational consumer goods company with headquarters in London, England. Unilever products include food, condiments, bottled water, baby food, soft drink, ice cream, instant coffee, cleaning agents, energy drink, t ...
in 1989.
The partnership with Unilever helped Biocon to establish global best practices and quality systems.
In 1997, Unilever sold its specialty chemicals division, including Biocon, to
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) was a British chemical company. It was, for much of its history, the largest manufacturer in Britain.
It was formed by the merger of four leading British chemical companies in 1926.
Its headquarters were at M ...
(ICI).
In 1998, Kiran Mazumdar's fiancée, Scotsman John Shaw, personally raised $2 million to purchase the outstanding Biocon shares from ICI.
The couple married in 1998, whereupon she became known as Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. John Shaw left his position as chairman at Madura Coats to join Biocon.
He became Biocon’s vice chairman in 2001.
In 2004, after seeking the advice of
Narayana Murthy, Mazumdar-Shaw decided to list Biocon on the stock market.
Her intent was to raise capital to further develop Biocon's research programs. Biocon was the first biotechnology company in India to issue an
IPO
An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investment ...
.
Biocon's IPO was oversubscribed 33 times and its first day of trading closed closed with a market value of $1.11 billion,
making Biocon the second Indian company to cross the $1-billion mark on the first day of listing.
Affordable innovation
Mazumdar-Shaw's belief in "affordable innovation" has always been a driving philosophy behind Biocon's expansion. Inspired by the need for
affordable drugs in less-wealthy countries, she has looked for opportunities to develop cost-effective techniques and low-cost alternatives.
She has also proposed that drug companies be cost-sensitive in marketing to developing countries, so that people can afford the drugs they need, particularly chronic therapies.
Mazumdar-Shaw noticed the market potential for
statins
Statins, also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are a class of lipid-lowering medications that reduce illness and mortality in those who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. They are the most common cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Low- ...
(cholesterol fighting drugs) early on. When the patent of the cholesterol-lowering drug
lovastatin
Lovastatin, sold under the brand name Mevacor among others, is a statin medication, to treat hypercholesterolemia, high blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Its use is recommended together with lifestyle changes. It ...
expired in 2001, Biocon got involved in its development. Then the company expanded to other forms of statins. Part of her strategy was to enter into long-term supply contracts, establishing a dependable market base over time. Statins soon accounted for over 50 per cent of the company's revenue. The company’s revenue went up from ₹70 crore in 1998, to ₹500 crore in 2004 when it went public.
Biocon continues to expand into new areas.
Yeast expression platforms offer a desirable alternative to mammalian
cell cultures
Cell culture or tissue culture is the process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside of their natural environment. The term "tissue culture" was coined by American pathologist Montrose Thomas Burrows. This tec ...
for the genetic manipulation of cells for use in a variety of drug treatments. Unicellular methylotrophic yeasts such as
Pichia pastoris
''Pichia pastoris'' is a species of methylotrophic yeast. It was found in the 1960s, with its feature of using methanol as a source of carbon and energy. After years of study, ''P. pastoris'' was widely used in biochemical research and biotech ...
are used in the production of
vaccines
A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity
The adaptive immune system, also known as the acquired immune system, is a subsystem of the immune system that is composed of specialized, systemic cells and pro ...
,
antibody fragment
An antibody fragment can be:
*a fragment antigen-binding
The fragment antigen-binding region (Fab region) is a region on an antibody that binds to antigens. It is composed of one constant and one variable domain of each of the heavy and the lig ...
s,
hormones
A hormone (from the Ancient Greek, Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of cell signaling, signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and beh ...
,
cytokines
Cytokines are a broad and loose category of small proteins (~5–25 kDa) important in cell signaling. Cytokines are peptides and cannot cross the lipid bilayer of cells to enter the cytoplasm. Cytokines have been shown to be involved in autocrin ...
, matrix proteins, and
biosimilar
A biosimilar (also known as follow-on biologic or subsequent entry biologic) is a biologic medical product that is almost an identical copy of an original product that is manufactured by a different company. Biosimilars are officially approved ...
s.
Biocon's major areas of research now include cancer,
diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
, and other
auto-immune diseases such as
rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and hands are involv ...
and
psoriasis
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by raised areas of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small, localized patches to complete ...
.
Because of the high percentage of people in India who chew
betel
The betel (''Piper betle'') is a vine of the family Piperaceae, which includes pepper and kava. The betel plant is native to Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen, dioecious perennial, with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins. Betel plan ...
or
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
, India accounts for eighty-six per cent of
oral cancer
Oral cancer, also known as mouth cancer, is cancer of the lining of the lips, mouth, or upper throat. In the mouth, it most commonly starts as a painless white patch, that thickens, develops red patches, an ulcer, and continues to grow. When on ...
in the world, known locally as "cancer cheek".
Diabetes is prevalent, and people who do not wear shoes are at risk to have a minor scrape or injury develop into
gangrene
Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the ga ...
, or "diabetes foot".
Biocon is also working on drugs to treat
psoriasis
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by raised areas of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small, localized patches to complete ...
, a skin pigment disease.
Bio-pharmaceuticals developed by the company include Pichia-derived recombinant human
insulin
Insulin (, from Latin ''insula'', 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the ''INS'' gene. It is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body. It regulates the metabolism o ...
and insulin analogs for diabetes, an anti-EGFR
monoclonal antibody
A monoclonal antibody (mAb, more rarely called moAb) is an antibody produced from a cell Lineage made by cloning a unique white blood cell. All subsequent antibodies derived this way trace back to a unique parent cell.
Monoclonal antibodies ca ...
for head and neck cancer, and a
biologic for psoriasis.
Biocon is Asia's largest insulin producer,
and has the largest perfusion-based antibody production facilities.
As of 2014, Biocon directed about 10% of its revenue into research and development, a much higher proportion than most Indian pharmacological companies.
Biocon has filed at least 950 patent applications based on its research activity.
Mazumdar-Shaw has remained actively engaged in acquisitions, partnerships and in-licensing in the pharmaceuticals and bio-pharmaceutical areas, entering into more than 2,200 high-value R&D licensing and other deals between 2005 and 2010.
Philanthropic activities
In 2004, Mazumdar-Shaw started a corporate social responsibility wing at Biocon, the Biocon Foundation. The Foundation focuses on health, education and infrastructure, especially in rural areas of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
which lack healthcare facilities.
Mazumdar-Shaw dislikes the term "philanthropy", believing that it often provides temporary fixes rather than addressing the root cause or the underlying situation.
She prefers the term "compassionate capitalist", believing that properly applied business models can provide an ongoing foundation for sustainable social progress. Mazumdar once said, "Innovation and commerce are as powerful tools for creating social progress as they are for driving technological advancement. When they are put to use for social progress, the implementation is a lot cheaper, a lot more people benefit, and the effect is more lasting."
In 2015, she joined
The Giving Pledge
The Giving Pledge is a campaign to encourage extremely wealthy people to contribute a majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. , the pledge has 236 signatories from 28 countries. Most of the signatories of the pledge are billionaires, an ...
, promising that at least half of her wealth will be dedicated to philanthropy.
Health
Rural areas in India are estimated to have only one doctor for every two thousand people, it is estimated that 70 million people do not have the money to pay for a doctor's visit or for medicine.
The Biocon Foundation is involved in numerous health and education outreach programs to benefit the economically weaker sections of Indian society.
Arogya Raksha Yojana
With
Devi Shetty
Devi Prasad Shetty FRCS (born 8 May 1953) is an Indian entrepreneur and cardiac surgeon who is the chairman and founder of Narayana Health, a chain of 21 medical centers in India. He has performed more than 16,000 heart operations. In 2004 he w ...
of Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital, Mazumdar-Shaw has supported the development of Arogya Raksha Yojana (Disease Protection Program/Health Help).
Through this program Biocon Foundation establishes clinics to offer clinical care, generic medicines and basic tests for those who cannot afford them.
As of 2010, seven clinics each served a population of 50,000 patients living within a radius of 10 km, treating in total more than 3,00,000 people per year.
Clinics organize regular general health checks in remote villages by bringing in physicians and doctors from network hospitals. To improve early detection of cancer, they have trained young women as community health workers, using smartphones to send photographs of suspicious lesions to oncologists at the cancer center.
Public health campaigns such as "Queen of Heart" educate people about specific health issues and promote early detection of problems such as cardiovascular diseases.
The clinics operate based on a model of micro-financed health insurance.
Biocon provides low-cost drugs, making a negligible profit on a unit basis, but an overall profit on volume due to the participation of large numbers of people.
Clinics also use a "subsidised convenience" pricing plan, under which more wealthy patrons pay full price in return for the convenience of scheduling their visits and procedures at desirable times, while poorer patients can obtain cheap or even free services by choosing less desirable times.
Doctors and researchers look for opportunities to use cutting-edge technology in ways that will drive down costs and ensure quality of service.
Mazumdar-Shaw Medical Foundation
The death of her best friend, Nilima Rovshen, and the illnesses of her husband and her mother with cancer, have motivated Mazumdar-Shaw to support cancer research and treatment.
In 2009, she established a 1,400-bed cancer care center, the Mazumdar-Shaw Medical Foundation, at the Narayana Health City campus in Bangalore, collaborating with Devi Shetty of
Narayana Hrudayalaya
Narayana Health (formerly known as Narayana Hrudyalaya) is an Indian chain of multi-speciality hospitals, heart centres, and primary care facilities with its headquarters in Bengaluru, India. It was founded by Dr. Devi Shetty in the year 2000 ...
.
In 2011, she added a center for advanced therapeutics with a bone marrow transplant unit and a research center.
Her goal is to create a world-class cancer center.
Mazumdar Shaw Medical Foundation is a non-profit organization and has two arms to support its cause, which are Mazumdar Shaw Center for Translational Research and Mazumdar Shaw Cancer outreach program.
Education
In collaboration with McMillan India Limited and teacher Prathima Rao, Mazumdar-Shaw has supported development and use of a basic mathematics textbook, introduced in Kannada schools in 2006.
She funded a multi-year research program by creating the Biocon Cell for Innovation Management with Prasad kaipa at the
Indian School of Business
The Indian School of Business (ISB) is a private business school established in India in 2001. It has two parallel campuses in India, in Hyderabad (Telangana) and Mohali (Punjab). It offers certificates in various post-graduate management prog ...
in 2009.
Infrastructure
Mazumdar-Shaw speaks about the importance of improving India's infrastructure,
emphasizing the need to address issues such as efficient governance, job creation, and food, water, and health insecurity.
Biocon
Biocon Limited is an Indian biopharmaceutical company based in Bangalore. It was founded by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw in 1978. The company manufactures generic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that are sold in approximately 120 countries, ...
,
Infosys
Infosys Limited is an Indian Multinational corporation, multinational information technology company that provides business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services. The company was founded in Pune and is headquartered in Ba ...
and other companies have had a significant impact on
Bengaluru
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
. These companies attract many scientists who would otherwise go overseas. Once a "pensioner's paradise", Bangalore is now called "the best urban working environment in India".
Biocon Park, built in 2005, is a ninety-acre campus with five thousand employees. Outside the developed city, however, infrastructure is still poor.
Mazumdar-Shaw is a proponent of good government and infrastructure. She supported the
Bangalore Agenda Task Force, an initiative of
S. M. Krishna
Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna (born 1 May 1932) is an Indian politician who served as Minister of External Affairs of India from 2009 to October 2012. He was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and the 19th Governor of Mahara ...
and
Nandan Nilekani
Nandan Mohanrao Nilekani (born 2 June 1955) is an Indian entrepreneur. He co-founded Infosys and is the non-executive chairman of Infosys replacing R Seshasayee and Ravi Venkatesan, who were the co-chairs of the board, on 24 August 2017. After t ...
to improve the city's infrastructure and standard of living.
Mazumdar-Shaw is part of the Bangalore City Connect Foundation, a non-profit trust for discussion of civic issues, involving both urban stakeholders and the government. Mazumdar-Shaw is actively engaged in urban reform, partnering with Jana Urban Space Foundation and local government to improve roads.
She is also involved in the Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC), which reviews and recommends candidates running in elections.
After the 2009 flood, Biocon, Infosys and
Wipro
Wipro Limited (formerly, Western India Palm Refined Oils Limited) is an Indian multinational corporation that provides information technology, consulting and business process services. Thierry Delaporte is serving as CEO and managing director ...
all committed to rebuilding homes for flood victims in north Karnataka. Biocon committed to building 3,000 houses at a cost of Rs 30 crore.
Board memberships
Mazumdar-Shaw is a member of the board of governors of the
Indian School of Business
The Indian School of Business (ISB) is a private business school established in India in 2001. It has two parallel campuses in India, in Hyderabad (Telangana) and Mohali (Punjab). It offers certificates in various post-graduate management prog ...
, a term member on the board of
MIT
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...
, USA till 2023, and a past member of the board of governors of the
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad
Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (abbreviated IIT Hyderabad or IITH) is a public technical research university located in Sangareddy district in the Indian state of Telanganaa. As with all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), II ...
.
![Kiran-Shahrukh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Kiran-Shahrukh.jpg)
As of February 2014, Mazumdar-Shaw became the first woman to head the board of governors of the
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore or IIMB) is a public business school and Institute of National Importance located in Bangalore, India. Founded in 1973, it was the third IIM to be established, after IIM Calcutta and IIM ...
(IIMB).
She is an independent director on the board of Infosys. She is also a member of the General Body of Maharashtra State Innovation Society. She is also a member of the advisory board of the
MIT Jameel Clinic
The MIT Abdul Latif Jameel Clinic for Machine Learning in Health (commonly, MIT Jameel Clinic; previously, J-Clinic) is a research center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and health sc ...
.
Awards and honours
![Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw HD2014 Othmer Gold Medal 0127](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Kiran_Mazumdar-Shaw_HD2014_Othmer_Gold_Medal_0127.JPG)
As of 2010, Mazumdar-Shaw was named among
TIME magazine
''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...
's 100 most influential people in the world.
She is on the 2011 ''Financial Times''’ top 50 women in business list.
As of 2014, she was listed as the 92nd most powerful woman in the world by ''Forbes''.
In 2015, she had risen to 85th in the Forbes ranking.
She was voted global Indian of the year by Pharma Leaders Magazine in 2012.
She was placed #14th in the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2019 for a donation of and was ranked #2 in the list of Women Philanthropist of 2019, by the Hurun Report India Philanthropy List 2019.
International awards
Mazumdar-Shaw is the recipient of several international awards including the
Othmer Gold Medal
The Othmer Gold Medal recognizes outstanding individuals who contributed to progress in chemistry and science through their activities in areas including innovation, entrepreneurship, research, education, public understanding, legislation, and ph ...
(2014) for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry,
the
Nikkei Asia Prize The Nikkei Asia Prize (Japanese: 日経アジア賞) is an award which recognizes the achievements of people and organizations that have improved the lives of people throughout Asia. The awards were created and presented by Nikkei Inc, one of the l ...
(2009) for regional growth,
the ‘Veuve Clicquot Initiative For Economic Development For Asia' Award (2007),
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
The EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards previously Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards is an award sponsored by Ernst & Young in recognition of entrepreneurship.
Founded in 1986 in Milwaukee as a single award, as of 2016 twenty-five pro ...
for Life Sciences & Healthcare (2002),
and 'Technology Pioneer' recognition by
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
(2002). In May 2015 Federation University Australia (formerly the University of Ballarat) named a road in its Mt Helen campus as Mazumdar Drive. Kiran and Shaw attended the opening ceremony.
She was elected as a member of the
United States National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of ...
(NAE) in 2019 for the development of affordable biopharmaceuticals and the biotechnology industry in India.
She is the first Indian woman to get this honor. In January 2020, Kiran became the fourth Indian citizen to be honoured with Australia's highest civilian honour.
Indian awards
Her work in the biotechnology sector has earned her numerous national awards, including the Padma Shri (1989) and the Padma Bhushan (2005) from the government of India.
She was given the
Economic Times Award for 'Businesswoman of the Year' in 2004.
At the Pharmaleaders Pharmaceutical Leadership Summit she was named "Global Indian Woman of the Year" (2012);
she also received the Express Pharmaceutical Leadership Summit Award for "Dynamic Entrepreneur" in 2009.
The Indian Merchants' Chamber Diamond Jubilee Endowment Trust's Eminent Businessperson of the Year Award was presented to Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw in 2006 by the
Governor of Maharashtra
The governor of Maharashtra is the ceremonial head of the state of Maharashtra. The Constitution of India confers the executive powers of the state to the governor, however the de facto executive powers lie with the Council of Ministers.
Bhagat ...
,
S. M. Krishna
Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna (born 1 May 1932) is an Indian politician who served as Minister of External Affairs of India from 2009 to October 2012. He was the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and the 19th Governor of Mahara ...
.
She has also received the Indian Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award (2005),
the 'Corporate Leadership Award' by the American India Foundation (2005).
and the
Karnataka Rajyotsava Award
The Rajyotsava Prashasti or Rajyotsava Awards, the second highest civilian honor of the Karnataka state of India are conferred annually by the Government of Karnataka, Karnataka Government on the occasion of the establishment of the state on 1 ...
(2002).
Honorary degrees
Mazumdar-Shaw received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater,
Ballarat University
The University of Ballarat, Australia was a dual-sector university with multiple campuses in Victoria, Australia, including its main Ballarat campus, Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide that were authorized by the university to provide diploma, unde ...
in 2004, in recognition of her contributions to biotechnology.
She has been awarded honorary doctorates from the
University of Abertay
, mottoeng = "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom."
, established = 1994 – granted University Status 1888 – Dundee Institute of Technology
, type = Public
, chancellor = Alice Brown
, principal = Liz Bacon
, head_label = Chair of Co ...
, Dundee, UK (2007),
the
University of Glasgow
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
, UK (2008),
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University ( gd, Oilthigh Heriot-Watt) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted univ ...
, Edinburgh, UK (2008) and
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...
, Ireland (2012).
She received an honorary doctorate from
Davangere University
Davangere University is a public state university located in Davangere, Karnataka, India. The university was established in the year 2008 by the Government of Karnataka.
History
Davangere University was a post-graduate centre of the University ...
, India, at its first convocation, July 2013, in recognition of her contribution in the field of biotechnology.
Personal
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw was married to John Shaw who passed away on 24 October 2022.
References
Sources
External links
''My Thoughts and Expressions'' Blog by Kiran Mazumdar ShawKiran Mazumdar-Shaw— entry at ''
Encyclopædia Britannica
The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...
''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mazumdar-Shaw, Kiran
1953 births
Living people
Gujarati people
Indian businesspeople in the pharmaceutical industry
Businesspeople from Bangalore
Indian biotechnologists
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in science & engineering
Recipients of the Padma Shri in trade and industry
Businesswomen from Karnataka
Federation University Australia alumni
Indian women biologists
20th-century Indian biologists
20th-century Indian women scientists
20th-century Indian businesspeople
Scientists from Bangalore
Giving Pledgers
21st-century philanthropists
Indian billionaires
Female billionaires
21st-century Indian biologists
21st-century Indian women scientists
21st-century Indian businesspeople
20th-century Indian businesswomen
21st-century Indian businesswomen
Winners of the Nikkei Asia Prize
Honorary Members of the Order of Australia
Mount Carmel College, Bangalore alumni
Women in brewing