SHE IS India’s Biotech Queen—a Bangalore native who has transformed a small business operating out of her garage, into a 150 million dollar company. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw started her professional career as a trainee brewer in Carlton & United Beverages in 1974.

In 1978, she joined as a Trainee Manager with Biocon Biochemicals Limited in Ireland. Collaborating with the same Irish firm, she founded Biocon India with a capital of Rs 10,000 in 1978 and has never looked back thereafter.

She has bagged several national as well as international honours - The Economic Times Business Woman of the Year Award (2004), Padma Bhushan (2005), Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award (2006), are to name a few. Here, she shares her life experiences and more with Kanika Singh.

Q: During those days when biotechnology was a new word, how did you realise the bright future of this industry?
Ans: As a brewer, I was absorbed by the marvels of biotechnology. My inability to pursue a career in brewing directed me to the new and exciting field of Biotechnology. I started with enzyme technology which involved fermentation and genetic engineering and over the years, we have leveraged the underlying fermentation technologies from enzymes to Biopharmaceuticals. I have always believed that Biotechnology holds the promise for our future, be it food, health care, environmental sustainability and even renewable energy.

Q: From a trainee brewer to one of the richest women in India. What has gone into such a successful journey—determination, focus, honesty or a combination of all?
Ans: I think it is a combination of several factors. I am a very determined person who will rise to any challenge thrown my way. I have a deep sense of values and integrity and will not stand for dishonesty and injustice. A sense of purpose has been my underlying incentive. ’Succeeding against all odds’ has always given me a great high and I am really pleased to see that we have built such a valuable organisation through a 100 per cent Indian effort. I am a proud Indian and it means a lot to me to be recognised on the world stage. The world respects wealth creation and today Biocon is perceived as a successful wealth creator. Biocon is about doing things in a differentiated way - daring to be different so that you stand out. Biocon’s byline, ’The difference lies in our DNA’ has enabled us to chart our own business destiny. I have also been very fortunate to have a very competent and talented team, which has enabled Biocon scale new heights.

Q: What do you wish to achieve with Biocon?
Ans: The next 10 years are going to be devoted to building cutting edge capabilities, global credibility and of course, building global scale in our manufacturing and marketing capabilities. My goal is to make Biocon a global biotechnology enterprise and my dream is to see India as a global destination for biotechnology. We are already gearing up to attain global scale. We have Asia’s largest Insulin facility. We will have one of the world’s largest Statin facilities. We have Asia’s largest Monoclonal Antibody facility and in due course perhaps the world’s largest antibody facility. Our ambition is to be among the top 10 Biotech companies globally.

Q: As the chairperson of Biocon, how do you ensure welfare of your staff members, particularly women members?
Ans: At Biocon, we do address gender sensitivity issues. Women are encouraged not to come at odd hours in the night and if she has to travel to interior areas of the country a male escort is provided. Biocon has a fully equipped creche that enables employees to have their children cared for while they pursue their careers at the work place. However, I am not the kind of person who will appoint women for the sake of their gender but will do so for the role they play.

Q: Besides being an art collector, what else do you admire the most?
Ans: The creative genius of artists and scientists.

Q: Controversies are a part of famous people’s lives. You too have been caught into controversies every now and then. How do you deal with them?
Ans: I try not to be too sensitive to criticism. It’s tough because I am a very sensitive person but life is full of insecure people who emote through envy.

Q: Tell us something about your family.
Ans: I belong to a very close knit family and whenever I can get away from my responsibilities at Biocon, I like to spend time with my family. My mother is someone with whom I share a very special relationship. My two brothers and their families are my greatest supporters. My husband is my anchor.

Q: How do you manage to take out time for your family?
Ans: It is important to have family support and co-operation to succeed in one’s career. For women especially, balancing home and work life may become difficult without adequate support from the family. Whilst it is true that I was single when I built Biocon, the real growth came when I got married. My husband has played a vital role in our success.

Q: What goes into a successful marriage?
Ans: A mutual trust and respect.

Q: How do you cope with stress that may come with your busy schedule?
Ans: I enjoy classical music and swimming and like to watch sports. I used to play a lot of golf, but I do not have the time for the sport now. Outdoor activities have reduced considerably, though I love the beach and snorkeling.

Q: What fitness regime do you follow?
Ans: I follow a schedule every day to keep fit. I have a small treadmill routine, followed by a short yoga routine. During the weekends, I use my swimming pool, which is what I enjoy the most. However, when I travel, my routine is ruined. That is the biggest challenge for all of us who are in the corporate world. When I am home in Bangalore, my diet is strict and healthy, with salads and a supplementary diet. However, when I travel, there is a lot of entertaining to do and my diet suffers.

Q: As a woman entrepreneur, would you like to give a piece of advice to the budding women entrepreneurs?
Ans: If you have a vision, a plan and the conviction, you should follow it and success will come your way. Biocon is testimony to a vision that a team of like-minded people with the same drive to excel can achieve.

Q: There are unfortunately many out there who need a helping hand from successful people like you. Are you in any way attached to social activism?
Ans: I sincerely believe that it is important to give back to society - the very society that has allowed us to attain the heights we have. At Biocon, our efforts extend beyond the realm of biotechnology through our community-support initiatives and corporate citizenship programmes. We recognise our responsibility to India - her health, education and environment. Our particular focus is on child welfare as we realise the importance of investing in children, to positively impact their future. Biocon Foundation has been established with the aim of identifying and implementing projects that will impact the social and economic scenario in the country. The main focus areas of the Biocon Foundation are providing quality health care and health education for the betterment of Indian society.