Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is a pioneering biotech entrepreneur, a healthcare visionary, a global influencer and a passionate philanthropist. She is a pioneer of India’s biotech industry and founder of Biocon.
She is the proud recipient of two of India’s highest civilian honours, the Padma Shri (1989) and the Padma Bhushan (2005). She was also honoured with the Order of Australia, Australia’s Highest Civilian Honour in January 2020. In 2016, she was conferred with the highest French distinction – Knight of the Legion of Honour and Othmer Gold Award 2014.
Ms Mazumdar-Shaw has been conferred with the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2020 Award, which is a testimony to her entrepreneurial journey of over four decades. She has also been appointed as the Vice Chair of the U.S.-India Business Council in 2021. She serves on the board of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, Pure-Tech Health, USA, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, USA and Infosys, Narayana Health, in India apart from holding key positions in various industry, educational, government and professional bodies globally.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in science (Zoology Hons.) from Bangalore University and has earned a master’s degree in malting and brewing from Ballarat College, Melbourne University. She has been awarded with several honorary degrees from the Universities of repute globally.
Ms Mazumdar-Shaw believes in compassionate capitalism and is the first woman business leader from India to sign the Giving Pledge, an initiative of the Gates Foundation, committing to give the majority of her wealth to philanthropic causes.
She is very passionate about innovation and mentors many science-based start-ups.
