Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. 67
Founder, Biocon
The founder of Biocon was not merely proactive in speaking up against the government when needed, but also in ensuring that Itolizumab, medication to battle psoriasis, was found effective in mitigating the cytokine storm of Covid-19
India’s richest self-made woman, with a net worth, according to Forbes, of $4.7 billion (`34,310 crore), is also one of its proudest and loudest. Refusing to shy away from controversy, she makes her views on government policies well known. Despite testing for Covid-19 herself, she kept her business going, all the while following the mantra that affordability is the bedrock of innovation.
Her Mazumdar Shaw Medical Foundation (MSMF) is the country’s first corporate hospital-based Technology Business Incubator, which hopes to kickstart 10 startups in the healthcare sector in 2021 in association with Dr Devi Shetty of Narayana Hrudayalaya.
She is also a globally recognised health expert, being on the panel of The Lancet Citizen’s Commission to develop a roadmap to achieve universal health coverage, and work towards ensuring access to quality and affordable healthcare to every Indian. Not bad for a businesswoman who discovered the medicinal properties of certain enzymes while brewing beer. Not surprisingly, her list of honours grows, whether it is the EY Entrepreneur of the Year or Australia's highest civilian honour in 2020.