TO THE 81-YEAR-OLD MAN: Cyrus Soli Poonawalla, owner of the world's largest vaccine company by the dose, a love of vehicles came before a passion for vaccines. In his early 20s, the Poonawalla date started the business by upgrading (along with a school friend) a 0 prototype sports car modeled after the D-Type Jaguar. What worked, however, was a concept that emerged much later : making vaccines for the masses.
Coming from a family interested in horse racing and owner of a sprawling stud farm in Pune, Poonawalla discovered at the age of 25 that he could meet the demand for vaccines by extracting horse serum and manufacturing cheaper vaccines instead of horses. retirees to donate to the Haffkine estate. Institute in Bombay.
In 1966 he founded the Serum Institute of India (SII), which within two years had launched its first anti-tetanus serum. Half a century later, IBS is capable of providing 1.5 billion doses a year. Supplying Covishield and various vaccines during the pandemic has brought Poonawalla's net worth to £1.62.848 billion as two flagship companies, privately held SII and listed non-bank finance company Poonawalla Fincorp, are owned. family.
However, Poonawalla has maintained close ties to the Indian horse-breeding and racing trade. It has been a member of the Asian Racing Federation for over a decade. The group also owns Poonawalla Aviation Pvt. Ltd., a non-scheduled operator. The involvement of the Poonawalla community is clearly visible in the price of IBS vaccines. SII sources 85% of its energy needs from wind power and has launched several green initiatives. The company has established and maintains several public gardens in the city of Pune. In 2011, after the death of her spouse Villoo Poonawalla, her son Adar Poonawalla established the Villoo Poonawalla Foundation in her memory to support several universities and a multidisciplinary hospital, lead a city-wide sanitation and waste management project, and provide safe drinking water to more than 35 places. The success of the vaccine business hasn't dampened Poonawalla's passion for vehicles. His fascinating collection of custom sports cars and limousines remains his true love.
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