Swati Ajay Piramal ( ''née'' Shah; born 28 March 1956) is an Indian scientist and industrialist, and is involved in healthcare, focusing on public health and innovation. She is the vice chairperson of Piramal Group, a business conglomerate with interests in pharmaceuticals, financial services, real estate and glass packaging. Piramal has been awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors, by the President of India in 2012 for her contribution to the science and technology business. She served as the first woman President of India’s Apex Chamber of Commerce. She also serves as a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers and Dean’s Advisor to Harvard Business School and Public Health. She earned her medical degree, an M.B.B.S from Mumbai University in 1980. She is an alumnus of the

Harvard School of Public Health The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is the public health school of Harvard University, located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. The school grew out of the Harvard- MIT School for Health Officers, the nation's firs ...

where she received her master's degree in 1992. She is married to Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Group.

Early life

Swati Shah was born in

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

in 1956 to Arunika Shah and Niranjan Shah. Piramal showed interest in improving the lives of people diagnosed with chronic illnesses. Therefore, after her high school and college, she pursued a degree in medicine. She undertook a postgraduate course in public health at Harvard University after her marriage and having children. In the mid-1970s, Piramal came across a girl affected with polio, and she and her medical school friends set up a polio centre. In the first year, they treated 25,000 children. To convince local residents to get their children immunized, Piramal and her friends performed street plays about polio prevention. They also went door-to-door, educating families. They treated children, mostly for free. Ten years later, everyone in the area who needed vaccination or treatment had received it. Having achieved its goal, the centre was closed.

Personal life

Swati Shah Piramal is married to Ajay Piramal and have one son, Anand Piramal who is wedded to Isha Ambani, business magnate Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Dalal Ambani's only daughter. Ajay and Swati also have one daughter, Nandini Piramal D'Young, who is wedded to an American citizen, Peter D'Young. Shah-Piramal lives in Gulita, which is also a wedding gift to Isha Piramal from she and her husband.

Career

She is the founder of the Gopikrishna Piramal Hospital in

, and has launched public health campaigns against chronic disease, Osteoporosis,

Malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

Epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...

and polio. As Director of the Piramal Foundation, she helps promote health in rural India with HMRI – a mobile health service,

women's empowerment Women's empowerment (or female empowerment) may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training.Kabeer, Naila ...

projects, and supporting community education that creates young leaders. She is a director of Sarvajal foundation for clean water. She has been nominated in the list of the 25 Most Powerful Women, eight times, and is now a part of the Hall of Fame of Most Powerful Women. She serves on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Prime Minister and served on the Council of Trade of the Prime Minister (2010 - 2014). She currently serves on the Dean's Advisory Board of both the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Business School. She serves on the Boards of Indian and International Academic institutions such as IIT Bombay, and Harvard University.

Board memberships

* Vice-Chairperson, Piramal Group. * Director, Piramal Foundation. * Dean's Advisory Board of both the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Business School. * Non-Executive Director, Nestlé India Limited. * Served as the first woman president of India’s Apex Chamber of Commerce, ASSOCHAM, in 90 years. * Served on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Prime Minister for 10 years (2006-2014) as well the Council of Trade of the Prime Minister.

Awards and honours

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piramal, Swati 1956 births Living people Businesspeople from Mumbai Indian businesspeople in the pharmaceutical industry Rajasthani people Recipients of the Padma Shri in trade and industry Harvard School of Public Health alumni Businesswomen from Maharashtra University of Mumbai alumni 20th-century Indian businesswomen 20th-century Indian businesspeople 21st-century Indian businesswomen 21st-century Indian businesspeople Piramal Group