KMS
Bengaluru
Biocon
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
A trained brewmaster locked out of breweries because she was a woman — so she built a biotech instead. Made affordable insulin and cancer drugs India's signature.
PioneerAffordabilityResilience
Struggles
Banks refused loans 'because she was a woman'. Investors said biotech was 'too risky' for India.
Family
Married to John Shaw, Scotsman, her CFO and life partner. No children.
The full story
From day one to today.
The journey
Milestones, not magic.
1978
Started Biocon in a Bengaluru garage with ₹10,000 — at 25, a woman in biotech.
1989
Became first Indian biotech to export enzymes to US and Europe.
2004
Biocon IPO oversubscribed 33×; became billionaire on listing day.
2020
Led India's biotech response to COVID with affordable therapeutics.
Wins
- Built Biocon into a defining brand from Bengaluru.
Setbacks
- Banks refused loans 'because she was a woman'. Investors said biotech was 'too risky' for India.
News, interviews & references
Read, watch, dig deeper.
Live links — open the latest articles, interviews and profiles about Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw across the web.
Next journey
Vineeta Singh — SUGAR Cosmetics