Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is the founder and executive chairperson of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited, two of India's leading biotechnology companies based in Bangalore. She is a trailblazing Indian entrepreneur who has made significant contributions to the biotechnology industry. Her journey from a young woman aspiring to enter the medical field to becoming one of the most influential global biotechnology figures is inspiring and groundbreaking.

Under Kiran's visionary leadership, Biocon has grown into a global biopharmaceutical enterprise, recognized for its innovation and commitment to affordable healthcare. 

Kiran earned her bachelor's degree in zoology from Bangalore University in 1973. Despite her initial dream of attending medical school, financial constraints prevented her from obtaining a scholarship, leading her to explore alternative career paths.

Influenced by her father, Rasendra Mazumdar, the head brewmaster at United Breweries, Kiran ventured into the unconventional field of fermentation science. She enrolled at Ballarat College, Melbourne University in Australia, where she was the only woman in her brewing course. Graduating at the top of her class, she earned the title of master brewer in 1975. This achievement was remarkable, given the male-dominated nature of the brewing industry at that time.

Despite her qualifications, Kiran faced gender-based discrimination in India, where she was told that brewing was 'a man's work.' Undeterred, she sought opportunities abroad, working as a trainee brewer at Carlton and United Breweries in Melbourne, as well as a trainee maltster at Barrett Brothers and Burston in Australia. 

Upon returning to India, she briefly worked as a technical consultant and manager in various breweries. However, the lack of opportunities for women in her field motivated her to look beyond traditional roles, ultimately leading her to establish Biocon in 1978.

Her commitment to education and leadership is evident in the numerous honorary doctorates she has received from prestigious institutions such as the University of Abertay, Dundee, University of Glasgow, Heriot-Watt University, and University College Cork.

Kiran has also served as the chairperson of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and has been featured on various influential lists, including the Financial Times' 2011 Top 50 Women in Business and Forbes' 2019 list of the world's most powerful women, where she ranked 68th.