Cyrus S. Poonawalla(born in 1941) is an Indian billionaire businessman, and the chairman and managing director of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, which includes theSerum Institute of India,an Indianbiotechcompany which is the largestvaccinemanufacturer in the world andPoonawalla Fincorpa leading NBFC in India.[1][2]In 2022, he is ranked as the 4th richest person in India on Forbes India rich list with a net worth of $24.3 billion.[3]He is ranked number 1 on the Hurun Global Healthcare Rich List 2022.[4]
Cyrus S. Poonawalla | |
|---|---|
 Poonawalla in 2015 (2nd from right) | |
| Born | 1941(age83) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, owner ofBilthoven Biologicals,Serum Institute of India,Poonawalla Fincorp |
| Years active | 1966 – present |
| Known for | Founder ofSerum Institute of Indiaand owner of Poonawalla Group of Companies |
| Spouse |
Villoo Poonawalla (died 2010) |
| Children | Adar Poonawalla |
| Awards | Padma Shri(2005), Padma Bhushan(2022) |
| Website | cyruspoonawalla |
In October 2024, Poonawalla and his family were ranked ninth on Forbes list of India’s 100 richest tycoons, with a net worth of $24.5 billion.[5]
As per Forbes list of The Richest People In The World, dated 8 MARCH 2024, Cyrus Poonawalla ranked #90 with a net worth of $21.3 Billion.[6]
Early life and career
editCyrus Poonawalla was born in aParsi(Zoroastrian) family.[7]He is the son of Soli Poonawala, who was a horse breeder.[1]
Poonawalla founded the Serum Institute of India in 1966 and built it into the largest vaccine manufacturer (by doses) in the world. Serum produces over 1.5 billion doses annually of a range of vaccines, including for measles, polio and flu.[8]
Personal life
editPoonawalla was married to Villoo Poonawalla, who died in 2010.[9][10]They have a son,Adar,who currently works as the CEO ofSerum Institute of India.[8]He has two grandchildren.
Awards
edit- Padma Shrifor his contribution to the field of medicine, by the Government of India in 2005.[11]
- TheErnst & Young"Entrepreneur of the Year" in the category of Healthcare & Life Sciences in November 2007.[12]
- The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for India in February 2015.[12]
- Honorary doctorate by theUniversity of Massachusetts Medical Schoolin June 2018.[13][14][15]
- Honorary doctorate by theUniversity of Oxfordin June 2019.[16][17]
- 'ICMR Lifetime Achievement Medal' for contribution in healthcare byBill Gatesin November 2019.[18]
- Lokmanya Tilak National Award in August 2021.[19]
- Dean's medal from theJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Healthin May 2022.[20]
- Padma Bhushan,for his contribution in production ofvaccinesduringCOVID-19,in the field ofTrade and Industry,by the Government of India in 2022.[21][22][23]
Philanthropy
editIn May 2019, it was reported that Poonawalla, in partnership withNaum Koen,had proposed supplying Ukraine with 100 thousand doses of the measles vaccine for free vaccination.[24][25]
References
edit- ^ab"Biography".Retrieved26 June2019.
- ^"Index".Retrieved31 March2020.
- ^"Forbes India Rich List 2021".The Hindustan Times.7 October 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 7 October 2021.Retrieved8 November2021.
- ^"Hurun Report – Info – Hurun Global Healthcare Rich List 2022".hurun.net.
- ^"India's 100 Richest".India’s 100 Richest.9 October 2024.
- ^"The Richest People In The World".
- ^Thacker, Teena; Rajagopal, Divya."Serum Institute founder Cyrus Poonawalla to keep some vaccine aside for Parsis".The Economic Times.Retrieved1 April2022.
- ^ab"Cyrus Poonawalla".Forbes.Retrieved10 December2020.
- ^Kapur, Shweta (8 June 2010)."Villoo Poonawalla passes away at 67".Pune Mirror.Archivedfrom the original on 27 July 2020.Retrieved8 November2021.
- ^"Villoo Poonawalla's death leaves a void in racing".Racing Pulse.14 June 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 27 July 2020.Retrieved27 July2020.
- ^"Padma Awards Directory (1954–2009)"(PDF).Ministry of Home Affairs.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 10 May 2013.
- ^ab"Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla – Honours and Awards".cyruspoonawalla.Retrieved4 August2020.
- ^"Padma-Winning Pune Man Becomes 1st Indian to Get 'Doctor of Humane Letters' Degree!".The Better India.7 August 2018.Retrieved4 August2020.
- ^"Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla conferred honorary degree by The University of Massachusetts Medical School".8 June 2018.Retrieved4 August2020– via YouTube.
- ^"Honorary degrees awarded at Encaenia 2019".University of Oxford. 26 June 2019.Retrieved4 August2020.
- ^"Honorary degree recipients for 2019 announced".The University of Oxford. 25 March 2019.Retrieved26 June2019.
- ^"Oxford degree for Cyrus Poonawalla".5 July 2019.Retrieved4 August2020– via YouTube.
- ^"Bill Gates Confers ICMR Award to Dr.Cyrus Poonawalla".Punekar News.19 November 2019.Retrieved7 March2023.
- ^"SII chairman Cyrus Poonawalla named recipient of Lokmanya Tilak National Award".The Indian Express.31 July 2021.
- ^Sharma, Ruchika (24 May 2022)."SII chief Dr Cyrus S Poonawalla conferred Dean's Medal by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health".Medicaldialogues.Retrieved11 January2023.
- ^"Padma awards announced, Padma Vibhushan to Gen Bipin Rawat, Kalyan Singh".The Indian Express.25 January 2022.Retrieved25 January2022.
- ^"Padma Awards, Government of India"(PDF).Padma Awards 2022.
- ^"Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla to be conferred with Padma Bhushan".25 January 2022. Archived fromthe originalon 26 January 2022.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^Вергун, Костянтин (27 May 2019)."Patrons ready to support fight measles outbreak in Ukraine".Journalist.today.Retrieved30 May2019.
- ^"Обеспечить украинцев вакцинной от кори помогут меценаты".vesti-ukr.28 May 2019.Retrieved30 May2019.