Cyrus Poonawalla Biography
Cyrus Poonawalla is presently in the news due to Covishield which is the vaccine of Covid-19.
He is one of the most searched Indian businessmen and philanthropists who are the Chairman of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group.
Cyrus Poonawalla is in news for Serum Institute of India, an Indian antivirus drugs or vaccine manufacturing company.
Since his company produces different varieties of pediatric vaccines. Its great contribution to society is its low-cost production of vaccines to the masses.
It is one of the world's largest vaccine manufacturers in terms of the number of doses manufactured and sold worldwide.
He is also popularly known as the "vaccine king of India." He joined a partnership with a Ukrainian businessman, Naum Koen, which mainly provided free vaccine to 100 thousand doses of measles for free vaccination in Ukraine.
Cyrus Poonawalla net worth is expected to be $11.50 billion as of January 2021.
According to Forbes magazine, he is the seventh richest person in India and the 170th richest person in the world. For his numerous contribution to society,
He was honored by awards. In the year 2005, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honor.
Cyrus Poonawalla- Biography
Name | Cyrus S. Poonawalla |
Born | 1941 |
Hometown | Pune, India |
Age | 80 (year 2021) |
Nationality | Indian |
Education | Graduation (Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce) |
Profession | Businessman, Philanthropist |
Position | Chairman of Poonawalla Group |
Founder | Founder of Serum Institute of India |
Net worth | $11.50 billion (Jan 2021) |
Father | Soli A. Poonawalla |
Mother | Gool Poonawalla |
Spouse | Villoo Poonawalla |
Children | Adar Poonawalla |
Awards | Padma Shri (2005) |
Cyrus Poonawalla - Personal Life
Cyrus was born into a Parsi family. His father Soli A. Poonawalla was a horse-breeder. The family owned the Poonawalla Stud Farms and ran a horse racing company.
A stud farm is an animal husbandry farm for breeding of any animal or livestock
Cyrus Poonawalla wife name is Villoo Poonawalla. She died due to heart attack in 2010. Adar Poonawalla, the couple's son, is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Serum Institute of India.
He also created a controversy by blaming Indian leader for harassment to supply vaccine quickly.
Cyrus Poonawalla - Education
He completed his elementary education from Bishops School, Pune. He got his graduation degree from Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) in 1966.
He was received a PhD in 1988 from Pune University, Pune. His thesis was "Improved Technology in the Manufacturing of Specific Anti-toxins and its Socio-Economic Impact on the Society."
Cyrus Poonawalla - Professional Life
Cyrus Poonawalla and his wife Viloo Poonawalla
Cyrus Poonawalla was future analyzer, because at t age 20, his realized that his family business of horse racing had no future ahead.
At that time, horses were donated to Haffkine Institute in Mumbai, a government owned firm that manufactured vaccines using horse serum.
His first startup was to start car manufacturing plant. Along with a friend by experimenting with cars and built a $120 prototype sports car modeled on the D-type Jaguar.
But this project needed large amount of capital. Because, it needed huge investment to produce such cars on commercial basis.
Due to lack of funds this project couldn't be executed. He dropped the idea and thought of manufacturing cars on commercial basis.
Cyrus Poonawalla - Business Idea
Cyrus realized the scope in the serum industry. He decided to work in the field of producing vaccines by extracting horse serum.
His aim was to produce these vaccines and supplying it across the country at very affordable prices.
He raised 8.80 lakhs ($12,000) along with his brother Zavaray Poonawalla. It came mainly by selling horses and requested their father to contribute the capital required to start this business.
In the year 1966, they established their dream venture on a 12 acres land and started manufacturing vaccines.
Cyrus Poonawalla - Cyrus Poonawalla Group
He established the Cyrus Poonawalla Group and serves as its first Chairman.
He is also founded the biotech firm named Serum Institute of India which is in news for Covishield vaccine manufacturing.
The Cyrus Poonawalla Group of companies mainly deals with pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, hospitality & reality, clean energy, finance and aviation.
The company headquartered is located in Pune, Maharashtra, India.
The group runs various companies like, Poonawalla Hospitality and Real Estate, Poonawalla Finance, Bilthoven Biologicals, Poonawalla Aviation, Greenfield Farms, Villoo Poonawalla, Poonawalla Clean Energy.
Poonawalla group of the companies also runs philanthropic firms like, Villoo Poonawalla Foundation, Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative, and Tennis Academy.
Cyrus Poonawalla - Serum Institute of India
Cyrus most ambitious project was Serum Institute of India (SII) in which was founded in 1966.
Its main aim is to manufacture life-saving drugs, vaccines and pharmaceuticals in India
The company is considered as India's No. 1 biotechnology firm with the capacity of manufacturing, producing and selling world's largest vaccine globally.
The company launched its first therapeutic serum which was anti-tetanus serum. It was launched within two years of the establishment the SII.
Thereafter, they started manufacturing DTP vaccine and Measles vaccine respectively. SII is presently recognized as India's leading Biotech company.
It is currently exporting vaccines to more than 140 countries across the globe.
Adar-Poonawalla
His son, Adar Poonawalla started serving as the CEO of SII from 2011. He is credited to make this establishment a wordwide firm.
He expanded the business with many recognition from many countries and organizations.
That's why his products was pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO) to supply these to the United Nations various Agencies.
Cyrus Poonawalla - Poonawalla Stud Farms & Horse Racing
The Poonawalla Stud Farms was owned by his late-father Soli A. Poonawalla, and he used to organize house racing and horse breeding industry.
The farm is currently handled by Cyrus and his brother Zavaray Poonawalla. It is one of the leading stud farm in the country.
He is the only indian personality who represented India at the International Federation of Horse Racing authorities. He was a member of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) for more than 10 years.
He served various positions in the horse racing field like, Chairman, Turf Authorities of India, Vice Chairman of Asian Racing Federation, and Royal Western India Turf Club etc.
Cyrus Poonawalla - Honors & Awards
He was honored various awards for his contribution for humanity and mankind services. these are -
- Padma Shri Award in 2005.
- Entrepreneur of the Year 2007" by the Ernst & Young On 20 November 2007 under the category of Healthcare and Life Sciences.
- Entrepreneur of the Year 2014". by the Ernst & Young On 5 February 2015, he received.
- Conferred with Honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by The University of Massachusetts Medical School on 3rd June 2018.
- Conferred with "Honorary Doctorate of Science" on 26 June 2019, he was the by the University of Oxford
